THERE WAS THIS ONE PRIEST

 Death is no respecter of persons.  It comes to everyone regardless of race, creed, or color.  It comes to theists, atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and every other religion in the world.  Death speaks to the poor, the middle class, and the wealthy.

           

The writer of the New Testament letter of Hebrews tells us that death inflected even the priesthood of Judaism.  Good men came into the priesthood, offered powerful ministries for God but, in time, death spoke and these men passed away, ending their service.

           

There was one priest, however, who stunned the world by dying but then was raised from the dead.  Because He lives His priesthood lives forever.  In fact, He "has a permanent priesthood" and because of it, "He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them" (Heb. 7:24-25, NIV).

           

This priest, Jesus, is "holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens (Heb. 7:26, NIV).  This Jesus "sacrificed for sins once for all when He offered Himself" (Heb. 7:27, NIV).  He didn't present a sacrifice for sins; He became the very sacrifice.  He is the Son of God who went the distance for sin and came out on the other side of death, revealing to the world that His ministry is forever, of God, and applicable to all people everywhere.

           

What a mighty God we serve.