This sermon, titled “The Priesthood: Past and Present,” delves into the role and responsibilities of the priesthood as outlined in Malachi 2:1-9 and contrasts it with the New Testament understanding of priesthood. It begins by highlighting the failures of the Old Testament priests, who were admonished for their failure to honor God properly, leading to curses upon them and their descendants. The sermon underscores the importance of priestly integrity and the impact of their failures on the people. It then transitions to discuss the exemplary role of the priesthood under the covenant with Levi, emphasizing that priests were to be models of truth and righteousness.
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Malachi 2:1 “And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.
Malachi 2:2 If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory
to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse
your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart.
Malachi 2:3 “Behold, I will rebuke your descendants and spread refuse on your faces,
The refuse of your solemn feasts; and one will take you away with it.
Malachi 2:4 Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that
My covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 2:5 “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to
him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me and was reverent before My name.
Malachi 2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips.
He walked with Me in peace and equity, and turned many away from iniquity.
Malachi 2:7 “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek
the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 2:8 But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble
at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 2:9 “Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base before all
the people, because you have not kept My ways but have shown partiality in the law.”
We need to know that Christianity’s a covenant.
Whenever we have the Lord’s Supper we are celebrating our covenant with the Lord.
Malachi 2:1 “And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.
I. CLOSED EARS AND HARD HEARTS.
Malachi 2:2 If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory
to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, …
Oftentimes, the resistance to the truth is not that we don’t understand it, but it’s
that we don’t like what’s being said.
Malachi 2:2 If you will not hear, And if you will not take it to heart,”
II. CURSED CHILDREN AND MANURE MAKEOVERS.
Malachi 2:2 “…I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings, Yes, I have
cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart.
Malachi 2:3 “Behold, I will rebuke your descendants and spread refuse on your faces,
The refuse of your solemn feasts; and one will take you away with it.
Malachi 2:3 “Behold, I will rebuke your descendants …”
Malachi 2:3 (MSG) Yes, and the curse will extend to your children…
Matthew 15:14 “… if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
Some of us have lived under the elustion that we’re an individual and that the decisions
we make don’t affect anyone else.
Malachi 2:3 Behold, I will … spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your
solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
Malachi 2:3 (NLT) I will … splatter your faces with the manure from your festival
sacrifices, and I will throw you on the manure pile.
Nahum 3:6: “I will pelt you with filth, I will treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle.”
Malachi 2:3 … And one will take you away with it.
III. GOOD JOB, GOOD EXAMPLE.
Malachi 2:4 Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that
My covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 2:5 “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to
him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me and was reverent before My name.
Malachi 2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips.
He walked with Me in peace and equity, and turned many away from iniquity.
Malachi 2:7 “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek
the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
IV. BAD JOB, BAD EXAMPLE.
Malachi 2:8 But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble
at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 2:9 “Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base before all
the people, because you have not kept My ways but have shown partiality in the law.”
We can have partiality for different doctrines.
Proverbs 29:25 (VOICE) If you fear other people, you are walking into a dangerous
trap; but if you trust in the Eternal, you will be safe.
Galatians 1:10 (ESV) For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am
I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of
Christ.
You can’t make everyone happy. You’re not pizza.
Isaiah 8:13 (TLB) Don’t fear anything except the Lord of the armies of heaven! If you
fear him, you need fear nothing else.
V. THE NEW COVENANT AND THE NEW PRIESTHOOD.
1 Peter 2:5 (ESV) You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual
house to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who
called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Revelation 1:6 (ESV) And made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him
be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
As priests we are to become intercessors.
1 Timothy 2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and giving of thanks be made for all men,
