165. Priests and Ministers
Isaiah 61:6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
God gave us a job: bring priests of the Lord and ministers of God. This is a charge and a responsibility, and it is also a promise. The privilege of serving as priests and ministers is a glorious promise. We “get to,” we don’t “have to.” When the Lord saves us and makes us His own, He calls us to be priests. When He calls us He gives us the desire and ability to complete the job we are given to do and the role in which He placed us.
Priests: we are named priests. A priest is anointed to bring the people to God. They make sacrifices and say prayers for the people. In this way they serve God’s people. Jesus was anointed to be the Great High Priest to serve all: He sacrificed Himself once for all; He prays and intercedes for the people regularly. This is the same kind of thing that saved believers are called to do. As priests, we make sacrifices for other people: we give up what we have and what we want to do in order to give something or do something for other people. We “sacrifice” time, money, self-interest, work, and effort to make the lives of others better. We also pray for others, for their salvation, for wellbeing, for health and blessing. Thereby, we make the lives of others better. This promise is a wonderful blessing for us. The blesser and the server always receive more in return than they ever give away. That is the promise.
Ministers: we are called to be ministers. “Minister” is an old English word for servant, and this is what we are: servants of others. Every believer joyfully and extravagantly serves other people in his or her life. We do not directly serve God or minister to Him; He does not need our good works, but people do need our service and good works. We serve God by serving others. Any way that we can make the lives of others better, more comfortable, stronger, or easier is a ministry. Serving, or ministering, is the practical outworking of love. Service is not a feeling but an action. Service is love in action, actually doing something for someone else without expecting any return. The payback comes from the Lord, who uses us to serve His people and He brings His reward with Him. To be a minister and serve others is a blessing and a promise, a promise that must be believed.