The High Priest

Thank you so much for standing with me. If you you can go ahead and be seated. Uh, and if it's all right with you, I'm going to be seated as well. Uh, I I I want to say that I have I appreciate you all sticking with me with this. Um, some some some teaching and and this topic in particular I found to be um maybe just a little bit lurggical, a little bit dry maybe. Even Justin like had a hard time last week. I mean, uh, no, hardly any laughs in there.

Um, but I I do want to I do want to say I appreciate that. I I have found I learned I learned this past weekend very something very that that maybe maybe shook me a little bit. Um, there there is uh there was a professor at so it's a oneness college. It's it's a secular college, but he's he's been doing uh just a survey of all the students that come in. Uh and the simple question on the survey is have you read the Bible through in one year?

That's just that's the question. And 70% of those of those incoming students have not. I was like, "Oh my." And I honestly have not been able to stop thinking about it. Like that that bothers me deeply. Now, I know you're Wednesday night here. All right. This is the this is the this is the crowd of crowds. All right. You're you're true and blue here. Now, that doesn't that's that's not have you ever read your Bible through. It's just have you ever read your Bible through in one year.

I think that's indicative of of the culture as a whole, right? of we're not as given to reading as as before, right? It's not reading is not done in reals. So, it's a little harder. It's not as quick of a snippet. Deep reading, like sitting down and just reading through something that that takes time. It it carries your mind to a place of learning that just casually studying something does not. Um, I I am not going to ask that question and you of you in here tonight, but I do ask that uh in and and I hope that that I hope that that helps you to understand maybe why I have so much scripture with me tonight and have for this study is I believe that the the word speaks for itself.

Uh, I just do. And and I believe that uh I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna pick on this younger generation, right? I'm gonna pick on young guys. They're not in here tonight mostly except for Anna. Uh I'm gonna pick on Anna. uh the there there it seems okay that we've we've gotten into a cycle of living from and and I I want to be careful with this living from one service to the next or one conference to the next. And the reason is because that's where we depend upon God to give us a word like I really need to hear from God.

God really spoke to me there. Do you know what we have in the Bible? That's his word. Now, I ain't getting on all of us tonight, okay? I'm I'm I'm gonna work. Y'all probably g y'all gonna be tired. Y'all gonna be so mad that I now know that fact. Okay? Y'all gonna be really tired of me hearing me say the 70% that haven't read the Bible through in a year. Going be real mad about that because that has deeply disturbed me. Honestly, uh I believe that that when we when we read and we study the word that it takes the highs and the lows and it brings it all up.

It raises the overall average of our life because it it it it brings us closer to God. It helps, if I may, it helps it helps us to have a legitimacy in our walk with God. Have you ever have you ever thought about the word legitimacy? Like that's legit. Now, that was a few years ago. All right. Hey, Gen Z, calm down. All right. That was a millennial thing. All right. Legit was a millennial young person's word. All right. That means it's it's real. It's it's got some substance to it.

It's uh if you want to get real uh real straightforward about it, it is lawfully begotten. All right? If we talk about a child that's born in wedlock, now I know we're gonna have to ask brother Tim what wedlock means. That's an that's an old English term for married. Wedlock. That's why it felt that's why it felt like when you got married, Ethan, you got locked in. Dude, he is there. My wife's not here tonight, so Lord knows she's watching. Never mind. I just got a text.

Um, legitimacy. Uh, it it's sometimes it's it's it's fair, reasonable or valid. Um, conform to recognized principles or accepted rules and st standards. Um, a legitimate king or an illegitimate king. Sometimes the inverse of something gives us a better definition. uh the his the historical trend of legitimacy laws uh has been towards the humane treatment of illegitimate children. So I want to say that I do want to make that there is no such thing as an illegitimate child, right? I want to make that clarity there.

I'm not picking on that. This this is just the the archaic term for this. Uh under early Rome, Roman, Spanish and English law, the inheritance rights of such children were curtailed. Uh during the middle ages, European countries regarded illegitimate children as virtual outlaws. They didn't really have a place in society. So that that to me the inverse. So we have legitimacy and we have illegitimacy. So the inverse of legitimacy is illegitimacy. Um it affected the inheritance it infected their their their role in society. Um but then to to legitimize something was to to say it was backed up by something, right?

It it's um you ever heard just someone like a hollow threat? You ever heard of a hollow threat? You know, like somebody's like, "I'm gonna knock you out." And you're like, "Dude, you and your buck 20 ain't gonna do nothing. Maybe just step back there, you know? Um the the the dollar uh the dollar used to be on the gold standard and so it was backed up and the idea it was backed up by you could trade it in for gold and so it was considered more legitimate.

Now it's the petro dollar. Well, I'm not going to trade it in for oil. Are y'all? I don't need oil. Um so and and then others would say it's backed up by the US Navy. So there gives it some legitimacy to our dollar. A currency is just a fiat, right? If you think of a of a um a barter, who likes to trade things? Anyone just like to trade things like barter and trade? Yeah, I don't. Like I was I was trying to sell my motorcycle and some dude was like, "You want to trade another motorcycle for?" No.

If I wanted a motorcycle, if I needed to keep a motorcycle, I wouldn't want your hunk of junk, you know? Like it's like here you want four goats? No thank you. In economics trade is the most inefficient way of a transaction because to get I mean we done it in econ was I think it was microeconomics. It was so cool. Um we did we had you know the professor passed out a whole bunch of things and we had to go around and we had to trade for certain items.

So, if you have a Doritos bag, but you still need a Coke, you're going to have to trade four Doritos to get some candy then to trade to another guy to get to a Coke. And it's like, this is awful. And you can't Facebook Marketplace. It's it's essentially what that class was, okay? Just was not efficient at all. Um, so you get a mediator, a medium of exchange, i.e. dollars. um that that then says this item, this iPad is worth such and such amount of dollars and then I can I can sell that and I can give those dollars for food.

And so it legitimizes that transaction. It gives it gives some substance to it. The the way the way uh the way something loses value is if there's nothing backing it up. So, if I have Monopoly money and we ain't playing Monopoly, y'all y'all are not going to take my Monopoly money because there's there's nothing legitimate to it. It's not backed up. I So, I got to thinking about about this with the priesthood. How do we know that the priesthood's legitimate? Uh we the first the first of the of the lesson lessons that I taught it was it was maybe a little more it was less biblical just more of a cursory history lesson almost um of different of different cultures different uh that over time had developed a priesthood and in my mind the priesthood developed to serve a need.

All right. Now, you could historians go on about this. I I don't necessarily agree with their synopsis of it, but in my mind, the a priest, from what I can understand, a priest developed to transmit values crossgenerationally within a culture. That and that that was that was normal. Every major culture across time has has developed some sort of priesthood. Now those values if you go and look at them were very self-serving self-debasing man values. So there was no they they derived their power from a political entity a king uh elected official uh and and and so this led into if I may it led into Moses.

We look at Moses as the political leader. He was a theocratic leader or a uh or a king of the Israelites. Now, he wasn't called a king, but the only thing that differentiates a king from a theocratic leader is the king follows the his own will and a theocratic leader follows the will of God. So, but he was a political leader and so he set up Aaron's Aaron's priesthood. But here's the thing. If Aaron was set up by Moses, then Aaron derived his legitimacy from Moses.

But he didn't. In fact, in fact, when when some when he was challenged, the el and it was challenged by some of the elders, some of the people that had sitting eaten supper with God, um there there was a they went up on the mountain, they ate supper with God. That's such a cool meal. I wonder what they had. Wonder if it was still mana. You know, they're like, they get up there like, we're going to sit down and eat supper with God, and he just still serves them mana.

And they're like, "Okay, well, all right." But these these guys challenged Aaron and said, "You know, you're just you're just the priest because you're Moses's brother. That's it. That's that's where your legitimacy derives from." And and God was like, "No, that's not it. put their put, you know, take take a rod from every um from every tribe and you you lock it away and the one that buds is the one that is legitimate. And so he did he and Aaron's rod budded and bore fruit. So God's not he's he was like, "Dude, look, how much do I have to tell y'all this?

Moses can't do that. Only I can do that." And so the arionic priesthood was derived from God. We find that in Leviticus chapter 9. Uh my my base text for the month. Um Leviticus 9 and 6. And Moses said, "This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do that the glory of the Lord may appear to you." And then Moses said to Aaron, "Draw near to the altar and offer for your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people and bring offering of the people and make atonement for them as the Lord commanded." This this legitimacy was was brought in because he was to serve both the people and God.

This was this this this legitimacy. This was his law. He he was derived here. And and this is if you appear before God and you're not legitimate as we as we see we saw I believe in in Leviticus chapter 10 uh uh Naab and Abaiu they presented a strange fire or an illegitimate fire that derived not from the things of God and God said no I I can't have that that illegitimacy here that's not that's not the way I set this up and so God proved out these things uh to man and and we go go on and we we we find in the New Testament there's a mentioning.

But before we get to the New Testament of this legitimacy, I want to I want us to go to Genesis 14. We we we kind of wrapped up last week there. Um Genesis 14 verse 17- 23. We we looked at this a little bit together and this is the this is the mentioning the introduction just kind of just randomly on the screen uh or on the screen if you're reading the screen but randomly on the pages of the Bible uh the the character of Melchazdu uh it says after his return from the defeat of Cheryloma and the kings who were with him the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shabbad, that is the king's valley.

This is talking of Abraham. And and Melzdc, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God most high. And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God most high, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be God, be God most high, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Verse 21. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "G give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself." But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up my hand to the Lord God most high, possessor of heaven and earth, and I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours today.

At least you say I have made Abraham or Abram rich." Melzdc verse 18 says, Melzdc, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God most high. It's very interesting. Uh there's a there's a few characters in the Bible that I just don't quite understand um that where they derived their original relationship with God from um Balum. This was one that I don't understand how he was a prophet of God. He was not from anywhere of the children of Israel. In fact, he was living in like Syria and came from that region.

And that's about all we know about him. He was not an Israelite. But yet God spoke to him. God cared enough about him to to to give him a word, you know, like he was a prophet. And somehow God had I I don't know. It was a point of origination of unknown origin, so to speak. Like I don't know where his legitimacy came from. Here's the thing with Melzdc. We find that he appeared out of nowhere. He was a priest of God most high. But Abram paid a tithe to him.

This was the first mentioning of the tenth uh as far as in giving. This was this was to say set the principle that no this this is not mine. This is the lord's. This is the tenth that I give unto you God. Uh talked a little bit about Malachi last week about the the giving and the operations of the of the priesthood. But then we if we if we look at Melazdc, it's to be translated king of righteousness, king of Salem. Uh I I looked into how many's ever looked at the uh the Jewish encyclopedia of 1906 1908.

Very interesting stuff. I don't recommend it for light reading, but it's a great research tool. Very interesting. I I looked into it and I was like, "All right, how do how do I better understand who Melzdc was in the Jewish tradition?" All right? Because you know there's it's a tradition. It's a it's a history. How do I understand who this was? Uh it was a it was a translation um uh Adoni Zadik Zadik something like that. Adoni Zadika. So we recognize Adonai. Zedika was presumptuous uh uh possibly a Phoenician word for Jerusalem or Jupiter.

So that didn't help me at all. I was like, "Okay, well, thanks a lot." But it was it was, if I may, he was both a king and a high priest. He was the king of Salem. He was priest of God most high. He was a king and a high priest. I I was I was very interested in that. And and and some of you may like not care about Melzdc. I I think it's a very interesting it's at least an odd mentioning of a person.

Um Psalms mentions him. Psalms 110 says uh in one the Lord says to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your foottool." The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies. I I want you to one thing I would I would I want to make mention since we're doing Bible study tonight and and studying this out. I do want to mention the Lord said sit at my right hand. There is there is verbiage throughout the new throughout the New Testament that talks about the right hand of power.

All right? And that deals with how the uh the the different lesson for a different time. But a lot of times Jesus is referred to as the right hand of power. It's not a different It's just a a manifestation, a a usage or an arm, so to speak, of God, but not not a different being. Um, the Lord sent forth from Zion your mighty scepter. A scepter was what a king used to say, you're welcome. You're not welcome. The scepter was what the rule in the midst of unity.

Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power and holy garments from the womb of the morning. The dew of your youth will be yours. The Lord has shown has sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever after the order of Melazdu. The Lord is at your right hand. There's that right hand again. And he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. I this is this this poem this song written by David uh is full of a lot of alliteration and illusion and and it's only the sec it's it's the only other time that Melzdc's mentioned in the Old Testament.

Um but then we start to look at we start to look at the verbiage of Melzdic. Now, I cannot say and I'm not going to I cannot say of assurityity who he was, but there is there is something there is a reason that he's mentioned. There's a reason a reason that there was a a a a tithe paid to him. Hebrews chapter 6, it starts it starts talking about this. If you have your Bibles, I I I've got I've got a quite a bit of reading right here.

Um but Hebrews chapter 6 verse 13 for and and I am using listen I I know that there are some there's some word differentiation here in if you have the king James version uh and I'm using the ESV um I understand there's some word differenti differentiation there uh but I I believe the same base meaning is there uh for when God made a promise to Abraham Hebrews 6:13 since he had No one greater by whom to swear. He swore by himself and saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." Thus Abraham having patiently waited obtained the promise.

For people swear by something greater than themselves in all their dispute and oath is final for confirmation. Verse 17. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of promise of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath. So that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this is a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.

A hope that a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain. the curtain where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf having become a high priest forever after the order of Melzdc. Why would the writer of Hebrews do that? He just wanted he just wanted us on a Wednesday night to just read that, didn't he? That's what it was. That's the only reason he did that for us to just sit there and read after that. Uh Hebrews 7 continues that thought. For this Melchazdc, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him.

Verse two of chapter 7. And to him Abraham aortioned a tenth part of everything. He is first by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy. Now, this is where it gets interesting. It's like, what? Having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the son of God, he continues a priest forever. Now, this once again, I can't speak completely. I I think he was a theophony.

I think he was a manifestation of God in a form for a time to serve a purpose. Okay? I that's that's my personal belief. It's not salvic. It's not, you know, so I'm not just trying to make a make a theology up over here. It's not salvic. It shouldn't your your salvation shouldn't depend upon that thought. And if and if you have a different opinion, that's okay. I'm not we're all right. You know, like it's it's not that big of a deal. I don't think if it's a big deal, somebody let me know real quick.

All right. Good deal. Verse four says, "See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils." This is this is this is where it starts to tie in. Verse 5 says, "And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is from their brothers, though they are also descended from Abraham." But this man, who does not have his descent from them, received tithes from Abraham, and blessed him who had the promises.

It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In one case, tithes are received by mortal men, but in other cases by one of whom it is testified that he lives. That's interesting. One might even say that Levi himself who receives ti paid tithe through Abraham for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchazdc met him. So he's he's drawing the line this story. He's he's uh if I may, the Bible is not just a history. It's it's a narrative and a legitimization of Jesus Christ from the very beginning of time, from the foundations of the earth to the end of time.

That's why the revel that's why revelations, the revelation of Jesus Christ, it closes it out because it's it's it's pointing to from the very beginning to the very end. The whole narrative here is not a people. It's not sure sure the Israelites are the people of God, but it wasn't to to be the complete history of the Israelites. It wasn't to be the complete history of you and I. It wasn't to be the complete history of the Middle East. It was to be the the story and the narrative of why Jesus came.

It was to be the legitimization of this was not by accident. This is backed up by This is backed up by more than you can even comprehend. It's it's um it's it's not even backed up. It's weaved in and un unmitigated un you cannot disentangle Jesus from the Bible. As much as you would want to read him out of the Old Testament, he's all throughout it. as much as, and I say you, as much as someone would want to read him out of the Old Testament, he's all throughout it.

When you get to verse 11 here, now if the perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood or the Aionic priesthood, the Levitical priesthood, which is the priesthood we've been studying, for under it, the people received the law. What further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melazdc rather than one named after the order of Aaron? So he's establishing this is the order of Melazdc. This is the order of Aaron. He's establishing that. For when there was a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.

For for the one who of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe for for which no one has ever served at the altar. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. So for it is evident that our Lord was ascended from Judah and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. Thus this becomes even more evident when another a priest rises in the likeness of Melzdc who has become a priest and not on the basis of legal requirements concerning bodily sense but by the power of an un indestructible life.

Can I can I just pause here for just a moment? Genesis chapter 49 is it's my favorite. It is my favorite prophecy in the whole Bible. Genesis 49:8-2. My favorite prophecy. Jacob or Israel is blessing his sons one by one by one by one. And he goes through very interesting. One of them he blesses and says, "You're going to find oil in your coast." challenge you to go look up and see where Israel found oil at. It's very interesting. It's like how did what like how does that work?

How do you you can't know those things? You just can't. Uh Genesis 49:8, Judah, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemy. Your father's son shall doub bow down before you. Judah is a lion's cub from from the prey my son you have grown up. He stooped down. He crouched as a lion as a lionist. Who dares rouse him? Verse 10. The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the ruler staff from between his feet until tribute comes to him or in the King James till shallow shall come.

my favorite uh this this the the the reason and the differentiation and the ESV there is it's just it's depending on how you interpret that word there and they give that caveat. I do want to make sure to mention that the Hebrew is until Shiloh comes or until he comes to shallow or if I may peace until peace shall come. If 11 and 12, if they're just bonus verses here in my mind, they're bonus verses. Binding his fo to the vine, and his donkey's coat to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine, and his vesture in the blood of grapes.

His eyes are darker than wine. His teeth are whiter than milk. Lit literary gold right there. When Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey and they say, "Hosana." What? How do you know that's gonna happen? How do you know that? Out of the tribe of Judah, the scepter will not depart. That means you're going to have a king until Shallow comes. Here's the thing, though. We go back to Hebrews chapter 17. And I know that's really hard to flip back and forth here, but I I I do want us to to witness here how this this weaves together.

I am sorry. I am a giant nerd. This this right here, this is as fun as it gets for me. Okay, I promise you this is this is as fun as it gets for me. Uh Hebrews 7:1 17, for it is witnessed of him, you are a priest forever after the order of Melazdc. For on one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness. He's talking of the wall of the law. The law made nothing perfect. But on the other hand, a better hope is introduced through which we draw near to God.

For it was not with an oath for those things who formerly became priest were were made such without an oath. But as the one is made priest by the oath, the one who said to him, "The Lord the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever." He's referring back to Psalms 110. This made Jesus the guaranter of a better covenant. Do you know what something? You know what? If you have a debt, do you know what legitimizes that debt? If you can guarantee that it's going to be paid.

He is the guaranteer. In Colinwood terms, in ESV terms, it's a guaranter. The former priests were in many in number. Verse 23. but because they were prevented by death from continuing office. But he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Consequently, is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, exalt, exalted above the heavens.

For he has no need like those high priests to offer sacrifices daily for his own sins and then for those of the people since he did this once and for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as a high priest. But the word of the oath which came later than the law appoints a son who is made per made perfect forever. Do you remember me talking about a mediator? That that medium or that mediator between a transaction that's Jesus Christ.

that medium, the the laying of the foundation of the word was legitimizing that from Judah. Genesis 49. It's hard to go back further than Genesis. From Judah, you're going to be you're going to be ruler. There's going to be kings, but there's going to be a scepter that departs from you, Judah. There's going to be peace that comes. Now, why why why more than why just peace? The the Jeremiah puts it like this in Jeremiah 23 and5. Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David, a righteous branch.

He shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. I'm I Isaiah puts it this way. This is our favorite our favorite Christmas verse. Isaiah 9 says, "For in six, for unto us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders." Can I say, "And his name shall be called," what's the government upon his shoulders? He'll be ruler. He'll be king. And his name shall be called wonderful mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. On the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it, to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forever more. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. He was the the combining of the branch. He was the interweaving of the branch of the priesthood and the kingship. He was both the He is both the political and the priestly. He is both the king and and the reigner.

Acts 2 and36 puts it like this. And let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both made him both Lord and Christ. This Jesus whom you crucified. We say that not thinking but Christ is is Messiah, Lord, King and Messiah. He is he is the rejoining of the the of the reigning of God. No longer, if I may, we when when we when we look at the kingship, we look at the kingship, what the king would do. When when when the people came to to Samuel and said, "We want a king," God said, "Well, this is what's going to happen.

He's going to He's not going to care about you. Samuel's like, "I'm I'm doing a good job. They're rejecting me." And God's, "No, they're rejecting me. I'm They're going to take he's the king's going to take your kids and going to send them to battle. He's going to take the best of the things in for himself. He's going to do all these things." But when I when I when I say when he brings the king of Judah back and he brings the priesthood of Aaron back and he brings them together in Jesus Christ, he says, "I'm not only just going to order your step well.

I'm going to look out for you while I'm ordering your steps. I'm not just I'm not just here to give you commandments. I'm here to better you. I'm here to translate, get you somewhere, but I'm also here to minister to you as you're getting there." Because he cares not just that we get somewhere. He cares for us, our Christ, our Lord. He's more than He's more than what we even can comprehend. He is both Christ and Messiah. He's He is the branch, the righteous branch, the combining of the priesthood and the kingship.

And while that may not we we live in America, okay, that's not really a big deal to us. Thank God, right? 250 years. Next year, right? Is that is that is that next year? 250 years. God's been kind to us. But in our lives, we we we we have to at least have a a base understanding that that God He has a purpose for us. He has a direction for us. He is that's that's what a king would do, right? If I may, the judges in in the Old Testament, they were good to judge between right and wrong, but they did not establish a direction.

The people did what was right in their own eyes. They they just kind of farmed and hung out and had their sheep. Well, it's really hard to become a great nation just hering sheep around and your tribes that everyone's fussing and fighting. So to get past all the squabble, they said, "Let us establish a king." Can I can I then just bring that forward? If we're fussing and fighting, maybe we need to establish a king in our life. If we're if we're fussing and and I don't mean just among ourselves, but when we when we start having that friction, maybe we need to establish that Christ is king.

That value of knowing that he is our Lord and that how we how we order our steps will change our life. We establish that he is king and then we also understand that he's priest. He is the most high priest. And so even when we mess up, the king would kill but the priest would have mercy. The the that the duality of that nature of the kingship and the priesthood. It's I want the best for you and it may be out there and so I'm going to poke and prod you to get there.

I'm going to give you a purpose, a calling, but I'm also going to make sure you're healthy as you're going. Right? A a a an at work, a manager or a an executive may be like, "Let's knock this out. Let's get this this goal, whatever it is." And like if you're, you know, whatever your sales numbers are, like let's let's get these sales numbers knocked out. And you're like, "That's not possible." He's like, "You can do it." He doesn't care. That's not his job to care.

That's not a king's job to care. But the priest side, that's his job to care to, hey, this is you're going to be better by the time you get here, but while you're getting there, you're you're going to have some bumps in the road. Now, understanding understanding the branch of righteousness, the the the reign of righteousness. Isaiah talks about it in Isaiah 11. Uh we we we find that mentioned all throughout the Old Testament. Jeremiah goes on has some of the most beautiful prophecies of the coming king, the Messiah.

What what first century Jews did not understand because just by their nature of what they had to reference in life was that he wasn't setting up a kingdom. They said when's the kingdom come? He's like Jesus is like you can't observe the kingdom. It's like the wind. You can't observe it. and and and there's a whole teaching on the kingdom that that Jesus does. But what we understand is that as his spirit flows, so flows his kingdom. And as we draw near to his spirit, his his we become part of his kingdom.

And as he guides us, we become better. We we become purposed. And if I may, heaven's great, but having a little heaven on earth is pretty great, too. I don't know about you, I don't want to just live in Sodom and Gomorrah and be like, "Well, God's coming back." Yeah, he may come back and fire and brimstone, and that ain't no fun for nobody. But if there is something that we can do to affect that, he is both king and high priest. He's not just the passive priest, he's the active king.

Next week I'm I'm going to talk about the priesthood of believers. Part of that is we are not to be just passive priests. We're not just to be passive in our following of Christ. We're to be active. Uh every every other political realm out there, they have activists. I truly believe that we should have Christian activists. I don't know that we should mimic whatever they're doing. I'm not that's not what I'm saying. But I truly believe our we should be Christian activist. We should be fulfilling the priesthood and we should be challenging the status quo.

We should be following in the steps of Christ. Would you stand with me? Jesus, we love you. God, we thank you so much for your kindness, for your goodness, your mercy. Lord, you've been so good to us. God, I want to thank you so much for allowing us to dig into your word. I want to thank you so much from the very beginning to the of time to the very end of time that God, you are weaved throughout and you've chosen to reveal yourself to us, God, in so many ways.

I've just we've just scratched the surface tonight, God, of of some of the the amazing prophecies, some of the amazing uh ways that you have interveneed on the behalf of man. God, I pray Lord that you would help us, God, as we learn your word, as we dig into your word, as we become a a people that are called out people, a people that are that are a priesthood of believers, God, that you would help us, God, to be active people, God, we would be the priesthood that serves and and helps others, but we would also be in the kingship that that challenges the status quo.

God, help us, God. We do not derive our legitimacy from man. We do not derive our legitimacy from a building. But God, we are in the priesthood of Christ. Our our bloodline, our calling, our purpose goes deeper and richer than any than America. It goes deeper and richer than our families. It goes deeper and richer than the history of of the western cultures, God. But it goes into the very foundations of the earth. And God, I pray, Lord, that you would help us. You would you would direct us and you would guide us.

Help us, God, to step into what you have for Chattanooga, what you have in our families, what you have in our homes, that you would help us and you would direct us. God, we'll be careful to give you all the praise, all the glory, and all the honor in Jesus name. And the church said, "Thank you guys so much. We'll have worship here in just a few minutes. Out of the dark and I like without change for for your glory. Oh, you can but you can change me and you can make me Lord, you save me.

Lord, you free me. This is my story. And this is my song that I'm praising myior all the day long. This is my story. This is my song. said, "I'm praising myior praising myior all the day long." Said, "This is my story. This is my story." And this is my song. This is my song. This is my song. This is my song. I got a testimony. I got a testimony. Can you help me sing it? I got a testimony. I know. I got a testimony of how he saved me.

Of how he redeemed me. I got a testimony. He restored me. He made me new. I got a testimony. And I got a testimony. I got a testimony. You can have what to say. If he's there for me, he's there for me. He can do it for you. He can do. If he's there for me, if he can do it for you, he can do it for you. If he did it for me, it can do it for you. If he did it for me, he did it for me.

He can do it for you. He can do it for you. If I heard my deliver that's just come on this place. I wish somebody would lift up the name of Jesus. If he's brought you out of a dark place, if he's brought you out of sin, why don't you just testify a little bit? We have overcome by the word of our testimony. It's only by his grace. It's only by his mercy. Tell your neighbor and say, "Let him do it for you. Let him do it for you." He wants to change your life.

Let your f tonight when I'm hungry. He's my brother when I'm thirsty. He's my protector. He's my saving. I believe in males. Never thought that I'd be one. You came and made me a testimony. Name above all name. Name above all name. Blessing. Blessing and honor. Honor. Name above all names. Dominion. And power. Name above all names. Name above all name. Righteous. Righteous and holy. And holy name above all name. Name above all name. Glorious. Glorious and worthy. And worthy. He who was dead. He is alive.

He is forever. He is the Christ. Exalted. Lifted high. Exalted. Glorified. Exalted. Magnified. In the name of Jesus. Jesus. Come on, somebody put those hands together in this room. Name above all names. above all names. Blessing, blessing and honor, honor. Name above all names. Above all names, dominion, and power and power. Name above all names. Above all, you are righteous and righteous and holy. Name above all name. You are glorious. Glorious and worthy. Worthy. He who was dead. He was dead. is alive. He is forever.

Exalted. Exted. Lifted high. Exalted. Glorified. Exalted. Exted. Magnified. In the name of Jesus. Jesus. Exalted. Lifted high. Exalted. Glorify glorifying magnify magnify in the name of Jesus Jesus. His name above all names. Name above all names. Blessing. Blessing and honor. And honor name above all names. Name above all names. Dominion. Dominion and power. And power. Name above all names. Name above all names. You're righteous. And righteous and holy. Holy. Name above all names. Name above all name. You're glorious. Glorious and worthy. Worthy. He who was dead.

He was dead. He is alive. He reigns forever. He forever. He is the Christ. He is the Christ. It's all lifted high. It's all glorified. It's all magnified. Magnify the name of Jesus. Jesus. It's okay. Lifted high. It's okay. Glorify. It's okay. It's okay. Magnify. of God. Jesus name above all names. Name above all names. And honor and honor. Name above all name. Above all name. Dominion. Dominion and power. Name above all name. Righteous. And holy name above all name. Name above all name. Glorious. Glorious and worthy.

He who was stand forever. Forever the Christ. There is no name under heaven whereby we must be there above all names. And there's nobody but There is no we must be there above all names and there's no other name but there's no other name but there of church in the room. lift your eyes towards heaven and let's just talk to him for a moment as we gather together to worship. Would you do that with me? Would you lift your voices in the room? Hallelujah Jesus. We thank you Lord for your goodness.

Thank you for your grace Jesus. Thank you for your loving kindness and favor. Thank you for your presence here, Jesus. We come to give you glory and honor. Come to magnify your name, Jesus. Ask you to inhabit our praises, Lord. Make a throne on our praise, Jesus. Let your kingdom come, Lord. Your will be accomplished, Lord, in each life, each mind here tonight, Jesus. I pray Lord that your spirit be free to operate and move Lord that you confirm your word Jesus and the lessons taught tonight God.

I pray in Jesus name offer your glory and for your kingdom that you might advance us Jesus. Prepare us Lord for what you have for us for what you want us to do Jesus. Lord we're hungry for you God. We desire relationship with you, Jesus. Lord, to be intimate with you, God. Without you, we're nothing, Jesus. Hallelujah to your name, God. Worthy is your name, Jesus. You are magnificent and holy. You are wonderful, Jesus. Blessings to your name, Jesus. Hallelujah Jesus. We praise you God. We praise you God.

Hallelujah Jesus. Your will be done here Jesus. Thank you father. Your will be done here. Oh God. Let the atmosphere be filled with sounds of heaven. You are welcome here, Lord. Grace us with your presence. Let our worship be a fra invitation. We want more of you. Your attention is the greatest of all treasures. We are desperate for miraculous encounters. want to see it. Let our worship draw your spirit even closer. We want more of you. We just want you. All we've ever wanted, Lord, is you.

bowing down to honor only you, Jesus. We just want you and we would trade it all to just have you nothing in this world would ever do. Jesus, we just want you. We're hungry for you, Lord. You are worthy. You are worthy of our passion and affection. And every song we sing is yours without exception. We are We are all consumed by this holy obsession. We want more of you. We just want you. All we've ever wanted, Lord, is you, bowing down to honor. Only you, Jesus.

We just want We just want you. We were traed. We were traed all to just have you, Lord. Nothing in this world will ever like do Jesus for you. How we want you, Lord. Oh, we need you, Lord. Draw us closer. Take us deeper. We want more of you. Just go. Take us deeper. We want more of you. Would you say draw us closer closer? Take us deep. We want more. We want more of you. We want more. We want more of you. Draw us. Draw us closer.

Take us deeper, deeper. We want more of you. We want more of you. Draw us closer. Take us deeper. We want more of you. Draw us closer. Take us deeper. We want more of you. Draw us. Drive us closer. Take us deeper. We want more of you. We just want you. All we've ever wanted, Lord, is you bowing down to honor only, Jesus. We just want you and we were trained all to just you. And nothing in this world would ever find you. Jesus, we just want you.

All we've ever wanted, Lord, is you. Bowing down to honor only, Jesus. We just want you. We just wanted Jesus. And we were traed all the just like you and nothing in this world would ever do. Jesus, we just want you. Oh, we want you Jesus. We want you there's a hunger and a thirst and I am desperate. Lord Jesus, immerse me. Come Lord Jesus. Cuz I'm not waiting. Not anymore. Lord, I need you. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. Cuz there's a hunger.

Oh, yes, Jesus. And a thirst. Just fill my cup. I am desperate. I need you. Mercy. Cuz I'm not waiting. Not waiting. Not anymore. Take my heart my mind Jesus. I need you, Lord. Cuz there's a hunger and a thirst. I am desperate. I me cuz I'm not waiting. Not anymore. Lord, I need you, Lord. I need you. Say there's a hunger. Hunger and a thirst. And a thirst. I want you. I am desperate. Would you make me appreciate you, Jesus? I'm not waiting. Not anymore.

I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. Jesus. Come on. Would you lift your hands in the room? Come on, lift your hand. Lift your voice to him. Just express your need and desire for him and his word. His spirit moving in your life. I need you. I can't make it without you, Jesus. Transform me, Lord. Reshape me. Renew my mind.

Lord Jesus, I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. Come on. Would you just let a worship rise in the room? the world could ever take this whole world from me but give me Jesus. You are all I want. Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus. You can have All this world. Come on. Is anybody hungry? God. Take this whole world. But give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus. There's a hunger and a thirst. I am desperate. I mercy. I'm not waiting. Not anymore. I need you, Lord. Not waiting until I get home. Not waiting till next service. Not waiting for somebody beside me to get a touch. Not waiting to be prodded. Lord, I'm desperate. I am desperate. You shake us, Jesus. Mercy. I'm not waiting. I need you, Lord. I'm gonna ask something. I'm going to ask something of you if you will for just a moment. I need I need if every leader that is as a department leader if if you guys will scoot back just a minute every department leader that's here tonight you and your spouse that possible and I I understand Don you you can't do this but I wonder if I can ask all the department leaders to come to the front for just a moment.

Not all are here tonight. Uh if that's okay. Uh Sister Gibson, if you don't mind. I I know Dan had to work, church, in the spirit that we're in tonight. I know we've got needs. I I know all of that. I am wildly aware. But I I I want you to understand something. this leadership team. Uh we're we're meeting this Saturday to work on 2026. That is not something we take lightly. If you don't mind, would you gather around behind them? Everyone in here that possibly can.

And would you put can I can I ask you to put them before your need tonight? I know that sounds weird, but can I ask you to pray for them? They the way this church operates, it's very departmentally led. They carry a lot of weight. They face a lot of battles. They fight through a lot of things and deal with a lot of bad attitudes. Can we can we pray for them real quick? Jesus, would you get as close to them as you possibly can? Every one of these guys, put your hands on their backs.

Pray for them. God, we got to have you, Jesus. We got to have you, Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. I plead your blood, God. I plead your divine direction. I plead your divine intervention. I plead your divine Come on church pro intercede for them for just a moment. Jesus, I know the battles. I know the struggles. I know the and I know you're keenly aware. But God, I pray Lord that you would intercede on their behalf. God, give them rest when they can't find rest.

Give them inspiration when they feel empty and dry. God, I pray God. Jesus, I pray for our leadership. I pray for a pastor, God, for for Pastor Song, God, to touch him, God, to direct him, God, give him the direction, the energy, the divine will for us, God. I pray, Lord, for Pastor Dan, God. Lord, as he as he directs us and he and he and he and he sees the holes and he fills them and he and he ministers to the needs. God, I pray God for I pray God for every department leader.

I pray for the tech department. I pray for the music department. I pray for Don. I pray for Dylan. God, I pray Lord for Dan. I pray for God, I pray for Vandy. God, I pray Lord for Nathan. God, I pray Lord for Justin, for Rob. God, I pray Lord for these men. for for for Sister Mandy, for Sister Stacy. God, I pray God your hand will be upon us, God. We can't move unless you move us, God. We can't we can't make a way unless you make a way, God.

But God, I pray, Lord, we are here. We're serving you. We're we are your servants, God. We need your divine direction. You've blessed us. You've guided us, God. You have provided. You've made a way that we could not imagine. You've you've you've brought us to this moment. But God, we need you, God, to take us to the next. We need your divine plan, your divine will, your divine direction, God, for our families, for our family's future. God, for the sake of the sake of Chattanooga, God, we need you.

And God, I pray, Lord, that as you challenge us, you would minister to us and you would you would help us. God, we thank you. God, we praise you. Jesus, I thank you. Jesus, I thank you. Thank you, church, so much. Thank you, church, so much. Thank you, church, so much.