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THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD

Lecture Objectives:

In 988 B.C., Vladimir, ruler of Russia in Kieve, permitted the patriarchal bishop of Constantinople to appoint the first Russian bishop over all other Russian priests ( Encyclopedia Britannica , 28.969). This lesson shows that all first century Christians were appointed priests to serve and worship God in His spiritual temple through the Christians' only high priest, Jesus Christ.

References:

Questions for Focus:

What is your definition of a priest and a temple?

Priest:
Temple:

CHRIST'S TEMPLE IS COMPOSED OF PEOPLE, NOT MATERIAL
1. Where should Christians worship?
  1. God commanded Israel to worship God in the Temple built by Solomon on Mount Zion in Jerusalem - 1 Kings 6-8.
  2. Read John 4.21-24.
    1. Question: Where did Jesus say Christians should worship God?
    2. Question: How did Jesus say Christians should worship?
2. Does God still live in material temples?
  1. God dwelled in the Temple built by Solomon in Old Testament times - 1 Kings 8.10-13.
  2. Question: Under Christ's New Testament, does God dwell in temples made by human hands? Read Acts 17.24.
3. What is the composition of the temple of Christ?
  1. In the Old Testament, God's Temple was built of wood, stones, and precious metals - 1 Kings 5-6.
  2. Question: What is the composition of God's temple, and where and how does God dwell in His temple today? Read 1 Corinthians 3.16-17. Answers:
    1. What?
    2. Where?
    3. How?
  3. Read 1 Peter 2.4-5.
    1. Question: Who are the living stones of the temple of Christ?
    2. Answer:
  4. Visual: God's temple is people, not stones.
4. Who is the chief cornerstone or center stone of the Church?
  1. Read Acts 4.10-12
    1. Question: Who does Peter say here is the chief cornerstone?
    2. Answer:
    3. Question: Whose name is the only name by which man can be saved?
    4. Answer:
    5. Visual Aid: Picture of Jesus Christ as the center stone of God's Spiritual Temple, composed of people.
  2. Read 1 Corinthians 3.11. Write an X over the letter of the correct answer: The center stone and foundation of the early church was
    1. Peter
    2. The Roman Pope
    3. The Patriarchal
    4. Bishop
    5. Jesus Christ
ALL CHRISTIANS ARE PRIESTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. Only the sons of Aaron, brother of Moses, were permitted to be priests in the Old Testament - Exodus 28-29; Hebrews 5.1
  1. Priests taught God's law to Israel, and offered their sacrifices and worship to God, and wore different clothing.
  2. Visual Aid: Picture of a Levitical priest
2. Under Christ's New Testament all Christians (male and female) are priests. Read 1 Peter 2.5. All answer:
  1. Who are these priests?
  2. What kind of sacrifices are offered?
  3. Through whom should all Christians offer their sacrifices?
3. Jesus Christ is the Christian's only High Priest.
  1. The High Priest of Israel was first Aaron and later particular descendants of Aaron designated by a prophet of God.
  2. All students read Hebrews 6.20 and 8.1-2 and answer these questions:
    1. Who is the High Priest of Christians?
    2. How long will Jesus be High Priest?
4. Private worship and service of all Christian priests.
  1. Visual Aid: Picture of men and women serving as priests with Bible references for each spiritual sacrifice.
  2. Activity: Each student tells a fellow-student which of these sacrifices would be the most meaningful to him or her.
5. Public worship of Christian priests.
  1. Principal day of public worship
    1. Israel's special day was the Sabbath (7th day).
    2. Question: What special day did Christians regularly assemble for public worship? 2 students read Acts 20.7; 1 Corinthians 16.1-2 and all write answer here:
    3. The "Lord's Day" Visual Aid: Quotations from Greek-English Lexicon and Justin martyr, second century Christian.
  2. Principal acts of worship on the first day of the week.
    1. Assembly: Visual Aid: Chart of principal worship activities.
  3. Leadership in public worship: All students read 1 Corinthians 14.34-37 and write answers below.
    1. Question: Which sex is designated to lead when the entire church is assembled?
    2. Answer:
    3. Question: Who has commanded this for the church?
    4. Answer: (See verse 37)
  4. Question: Can women teach? Yes, outside the public worship service.
  5. References for additional research outside of class: Luke 2.36-38; Acts 19.24-26; 21.9; 1 Corinthians 11.4-5; Ephesians 6.1-4; 1 Timothy 2.1-15; Titus 2.3-5.
CONCLUSION
1. All students silently answer the following questions. When students finish, teacher asks for one answer from four different students.
  1. Question: In the New Testament church was the temple composed of wood, stone and metal , or of Christian people?
  2. Answer:
  3. Question: In the New Testament church were the priests a special select group of men within the church or were they made up of all Christians, both male and female?
  4. Answer:
  5. Question: In the New Testament church who was the chief stone of the temple and the only High Priest?Answer:Question: In the New Testament church did both men and women have important priestly functions to perform?
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1. "PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS LIVING SACRIFICES"- Romans 12.1-4
2. DAILY PRAYER WITH OUR LIPS - 1 Thessalonians 5.17
3. PRAISING GOD - Hebrews 13.5
4. MEDITATION ON GOD'S WORD - 1 Peter 2.2
5. SERVING HANDS TO HELP THOSE IN NEED - Hebrews 13.6
6. TEACHING OTHERS OUR RICHES - 1 Peter 2.9; Romans 15.16
7. SHARING WITH THE NEEDY - Philippians 4.15-19
8. JUSTIN MARTYR, (110-165 B.C.) PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN, WROTE THE ROMAN EMPEROR ABOUT THE WEEKLY WORSHIP OF CHRISTIANS. THE ANTE-NICENE FATHERS, I.185
  
  "And on the day called Sunday, all...gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writing of the prophets are read...then, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these things. Then we all rise together and pray, and...when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought...and there is a distribution to each and a participation of that over which thanks have been given...And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succors the orphans and widows...and takes care of all who are in need. But Sunday is the day on which we hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead."
9. PRAYER SCRIPTURE - 1 Corinthians 14.15
10. READING - 1 Timothy 4.13
11. LORD'S SUPPER - 1 Corinthians 11.17-34
12. PREACHING- 2 Timothy 4.2-5
13. SINGING - Ephesians 5.18-19
14. CONTRIBUTION - 1 Corinthians 16.1-4

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Last modified: December 07, 2005