When Christians describe Jesus as the Messiah, the King, or the Lord, they are referring to his titles as being the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father. He is the incarnation of God, the embodiment of God, the God-Man, who has come into the world to be the Savior of all who believe. He has many offices and he has many names in the Bible and a great one is found in John 8:58, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." By saying this he identified himself with God as we know from the burning bush story with Moses, as the great "I AM," from Exodus 3:14.
Jesus is the promised Messiah and he also fulfilled the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. In the Old Testament, we see that the Prophet spoke forth the Word of God for instruction for the people of God, and also spoke prophecy of coming events of God in the future. The Priest interceded for the people of God in prayers and sacrifices for their sins and needs. And the King led the people of God with a vision of God and away from the brokenness of the world. The prophets were primarily teachers, the priests were primarily spiritual caretakers, and the kings were the leaders of the people of God.
Each of the offices of prophet, priest, and king is still important for the church today, and the elders of the church usually have one primary ministry in one of these roles, even though we are called to uphold them all. But the prophet I believe is the essential office for the health and well-being of the family and church. For if we do not understand what the Bible says correctly and we are led astray from the primary teaching of the gospel, our leadership and caring for people we run amiss. If our caring becomes the desires of the people, or the leadership becomes like the world, then the people of faith will be led astray from God and his kingdom. We can only understand these offices from the gift of teaching and a commitment to truth, which the prophets must uphold truthfully.
To care for and lead the family of faith with grace, we must accept the truth of Christ as our first priority. Then the other ministries will come together under the Word of God for the glory of Christ. To really care for people in the long term we must teach them graciously about the grace and truth of Christ, (John 1:14).
FAITH TODAY: Matthew 22:31-32, "And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living."
Jesus is the promised Messiah and he also fulfilled the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. In the Old Testament, we see that the Prophet spoke forth the Word of God for instruction for the people of God, and also spoke prophecy of coming events of God in the future. The Priest interceded for the people of God in prayers and sacrifices for their sins and needs. And the King led the people of God with a vision of God and away from the brokenness of the world. The prophets were primarily teachers, the priests were primarily spiritual caretakers, and the kings were the leaders of the people of God.
Each of the offices of prophet, priest, and king is still important for the church today, and the elders of the church usually have one primary ministry in one of these roles, even though we are called to uphold them all. But the prophet I believe is the essential office for the health and well-being of the family and church. For if we do not understand what the Bible says correctly and we are led astray from the primary teaching of the gospel, our leadership and caring for people we run amiss. If our caring becomes the desires of the people, or the leadership becomes like the world, then the people of faith will be led astray from God and his kingdom. We can only understand these offices from the gift of teaching and a commitment to truth, which the prophets must uphold truthfully.
To care for and lead the family of faith with grace, we must accept the truth of Christ as our first priority. Then the other ministries will come together under the Word of God for the glory of Christ. To really care for people in the long term we must teach them graciously about the grace and truth of Christ, (John 1:14).
FAITH TODAY: Matthew 22:31-32, "And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living."
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