1 Peter 2:9: You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people chosen for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
As Pastor Sumpter has pointed out, Israel’s priests were living tabernacles. Now that Jesus has tabernacled among us, we are all living tabernacles in Him. By the Spirit, each of you is consecrated as holy ground; each is a place where heaven and earth meet. That is to say, each of you is a priest.
Priests served in God’s house, and you are God’s house too. Your priestly ministry is service to one another. Priests guarded God’s house; you guard one another with instruction, correction and rebuke. Priests offered incense; you pray for one another. Priests kept the lamps burning; you encourage one another to walk in the Spirit to be lights in the world.
Most of the work of Israel’s priests was done at the altar, the Lord’s table. A priest was a table servant, a sacred butler and butcher, who offered God His bread and distributed food to God’s people.
That is your role too. You offer God the food of praise and share food with one another. That is why you give bread and wine to one another, rather than coming up here to receive it from us. Not just the pastors, but all of you are priests who receive the Bread of heaven to share with your brothers and sisters.
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