We are not our own, anymore than what we possess is our own. We did not make ourselves; we cannot be supreme over ourselves. We cannot be our own masters. We are God’s property by creation, by redemption, by regeneration.
~Cardinal John Newman (1801-1890)
And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals;
for You were slain,
and purchased for God with Your blood
men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
“You have made them to be a kingdom and
priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
~ Revelation 5:6-10
When we finally slow down in our lives and start to simply rest in – and listen to – Him, an incredible dynamic starts to take hold in our lives.
Wonder! Epic, jaw-dropping, wonder at the wonder of it all.
We get into moments like Revelation 5, and the ability for the human brain and for human language to comprehend what is going on simply falter. Both intellect and language breakdown in a beautiful coming undone, that only points to the overwhelming beauty of the One our words and thoughts are trying to describe.
Get this beloved. G_d died for you.
Yes, of course, you say. It is terrible that Jesus had to go to that nasty cross because people were so bad… And to say something like this, is almost partially right.
But, get this beloved. G_d died for us, ON PURPOSE. He died to purchase us out of this fallen, dying world to make us royalty and priests in a Kingdom of real righteousness, peace and joy empowered, authenticated, and inhabited by His very own Holy Spirit. AND GET THIS TOO. He is the only One ever, who could ever do it.
Kinda puts a different spin on it!
He has made us a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people with a great commission. We are to minister the very infinite grace He has given us – to others. We literally get to share the joy and Life He has given us with others that they may know Him too. This is surely very good news for us – and for those He will reach through our formerly miserable (now abundantly joyful!) lives.
So, we should have no fear when we are on mission to help and minister to others. The position we are in has nothing to do with us. We are priests, put into positions bought by the only Real Power-broker in the universe. Those we reach out to help, may even lash out at us as we reach into their lives. They may see us as a threat to the status-quo in their lives. And, oh by the way, we are no threat – but the Jesus we manifest is indeed a threat to anyone’s current way of living.
He does indeed have a way of totally ending our old life and making everything new!
Are we getting this? We have been rescued out of a death-pit by the valid purchase of G_d Himself. And in His doing this, He has made ministers of this same rescuing power to others.
You are a royal priest of the very goodness of a very Good G_d!
Would that we might all, by His grace, ever walk in this truth.
The word layman has crept into our vocabulary to describe the laity, that is, the vast majority of Christians who do not belong to the “professional” ministry known as the clergy. The use of this distinction has crippled the impact of the church on the world. Thousands of Christians have shirked their God-given responsibilities because they expect their pastor, minister, or priest (or whatever designation their church adopts) to perform all spiritual functions. The minister is expected to execute his duties so well that the people need not have any meaningful involvement in the church of Jesus Christ. The more competent the minister, the better, so that fewer requirements fall on the shoulders of the congregation.
~Erwin W. Lutzer (1941- )
