Colossians 1:16
“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him…” Hebrews 3:1-2
Holy brethren, partakers of the Heavenly calling:
Jesus became like you and me—flesh and blood—so we could become like Him. Jesus had to be made like His brethren to be a merciful and faithful High Priest. Hebrews 2:17
Our Heavenly calling is divine. It is a call from another Kingdom that has all rule and power. We are to partake, or take part, of Heavens resources. They belong to us as much as they belonged to Jesus in His earthly ministry. T
The operation of a successful ministry begins in the inner man where the Kingdom resides. We go inward to go upward. The new creation spirit-man is designed to dominate the soul and the body. Your feelings are not Lord over you.
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Your heart is the place where the Word of God is stored. It is the place where the anointing—the rivers of living water flow. John 7:38
CONSIDER
Consider or “fix your mind” on The Apostle and High Priest Jesus who was sent to destroy the works of the devil. He was faithful to death, faithful to Him who appointed Him to complete His work. Although the work of redemption is complete, Jesus continues in ministry today.
“For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.” Hebrews 2:8
Why?
Because man was given the divine right to choose or reject salvation through Jesus Christ. After the days of tribulation, though, we will see ALL things brought into order.
Jesus is always faithful to His Father and will always be faithful to His brethren to never leave us nor forsake us. He does not give aid to angels but He does give aid to us. His Holy Spirit has been “sent” with an assignment to be our strength and life-long Coach. Anything we have need of He is there to supply. He is the power of God within you and me to help us triumph over every circumstance.
Resurrection power is always involved in victory over the curse.
The Levitical Priesthood
Historical Background:
- The formal priesthood was established after the Israelites were delivered from Egypt.
- Their consecration and assignment was only given to Aaron and to his descendants.
- They offered sacrifices for themselves and the people.
- Each sacrifice was a demonstration that the penalty of sin is death. “For there can be no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood.” Hebrews 9:22
- They acted as mediators between God and man.
The High Priest
Literal translation of high priest or head priest was “the great one chosen from his brothers,” and “ruler of the house of God.”
- The high priest was the supreme religious head of the Hebrew people.
- He had to be without physical defect and holy in conduct.
- He was Israel’s advocate before God.
- He was God’s spokesman to His people.
- He offered a sin offering for his own sins and sins of the people.
- He made atonement for the nation so God might accept their gifts and show favor to them.
- He alone wore the Urim and Thummim which were used to learn the will of God in matters of importance. Exodus 28:30
Behind the Veil
Once a year on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy Place behind the veil. Having made sacrifice for himself and the people, he brought the blood offering into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled it on the mercy seat. This he did to make atonement for all the sins of the people that were committed the previous year. See Hebrews Chapter 9.
JESUS CHRIST—The Sent One
Jesus, the Anointed Word, became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:14
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
“All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:15-17
“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:19-20
Jesus Christ, “slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8
JESUS—THE HIGH PRIEST
Jesus, merciful and faithful High Priest to God, became a man of the seed of Abraham.
- He was called by God to His office as High Priest.
- He is not a descendant of Aaron but of the tribe of Judah.
- He is not of the order of Aaron but of the order of Melchizedek, a priest forever.
- Jesus had no sin.
- He offered His own Blood once for all.
- His priesthood is eternal because He lives forever.
- He performs His ministry, not in the earthly model as was given to Moses, but in the Heavenly sanctuary itself.
- He is seated at the right hand of God.
- His one-time offering for sin sanctifies His people.
HIGH PRIEST AND HEAD OF THE CHURCH
Jesus’ Present Day Ministry:
“…that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:26-27
Jesus is the Intercessor of each member of His Body.
“He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:24-25
Jesus paid the price for mankind to fellowship with Almighty God:
We may now come directly, without shame, into God’s Holy Presence because Jesus cleansed us and removed the veil.
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
1 Timothy 2:5
Jesus is Mediator of a better covenant:
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.” Hebrews 8:6
Jesus made the way for the better covenant:
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Hebrews 8:10
Our Identification is with the Last Adam:
“And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.’ However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
“The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.
“And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” 1 Corinthians 15:45-49
Jesus Fulfilled the Desire of His Father:
“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
Jesus Present Day Ministry Reveals Kingdom Mysteries through His Spirit:
“However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,
“which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
“But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’
“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Jesus High Priestly Ministry Fulfills His Prayer:
“…that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:21
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Life Applications
Our identification as Christians is not to be formed from the transgression of what Adam did in the garden. We are who we are today because of the decision Jesus made in the Garden of Gethsemane. His sacrifice, His resurrection and His ascension to the right hand of God has made you an heir of God. Romans 8:17
Renew your thinking and partake of the Heavenly calling as a New Creation who is one with God!
Closing Comments
Jesus endured the cross by faith, focusing on the joy that was set before Him.
Hebrews 12:2
I believe that joy was seeing you, full of faith, full of His Word and His Spirit.
Multiply that by millions of anointed Believers, partakers of the Heavenly calling, going forth to reconcile the world to God. Surely that is the joy that helped Jesus to endure the cross! His love for His Father and for us is unquenchable and eternal.
The End-Days Church is a glorious generation of Believers—Kings and Priests—who have received the gift of righteousness and are to reign in life by the One, Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:17
Our strength and divine abilities come from this:
WE KNOW WHO WE ARE! 2 Corinthians 5:21
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Pray for An Outpouring of His Glory in Every City in Your State!
The Church—The Lost—Elected Leaders