The Better Priesthood

The book of Hebrews is all about what is "better" - specifically all the ways Jesus Christ and the new covenant with God is better than the old sacrificial system and old covenant.

In chapter 7, we took a look at the priestly order of Melchizedek - the king and priest of Salem. The world Salem is actually the hebrew word Shalom. As you can see, the word means far more than an absence of conflict - there's a sense of completeness, wholeness in every aspect of our lives. Relationships, finances, occupations and also with God. It is all-encompassing life peace. Melchizedek was the priest and king of righteousness and peace.

We then went on to look at how peace and righteousness are connected through scripture. Isaiah 32:17 was one of the verses we looked at. Righteousness we said is simply a big word for justice, or restoring balance, or making things the way they should be as God intended. Simply, its making things RIGHT.

Ken made an interesting statement, that righteousness alot of times is inward, and the result of peace is usually outward, in our relationships with others. The more we fix the broken and unwhole areas of our life, the more that allows us to have proper relationships with others.

The inverse is also true. Where there is brokeness and loneliness and incompleteness, where there lacks shalom, there is a root of problem. That is a red flag that justice and balance are missing in our lives. In some area, we are not choosing what is best, and the result is we are personally more broken and our ability to reflect the character of God is diminished.

Our application was when i sense the areas of brokeness or incompleteness in my life, to let those be warnings to me that I am off the best path. This is significant because i cannot help anyone else, until I have Shalom in my own life. I cannot take the splinter from another's eye, until the beam is removed from my own eye. An alcoholic cannot help another alcoholic until they first overcome their addiction.

My first responsibility then is to look inward - honestly exposing the reality of who I am and allow the truth of the word of God to show me he loves me in spite of my brokeness, and that Jesus Christ has died to restore me to wholeness so I can personally know and experience God. As I move toward Shalom, wholeness, completeness and as I mature in my realtionship with Jesus Christ, I will have opportunites to reveal God through my wholeness.

He is glorified (revealed) as I am perfected. Romans 8 tells us that we are destined to be formed in the very image of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 7 goes on to talk about how Jesus is our representative to God, now and forever.

Our great responsibility then is to be the represenative of Jesus Christ to our world.

How does your life reveal him?

courage,
-davey