Sanctify them in the
truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them
into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also
may be sanctified in truth. (John 17:17 – 19/NASB)
If we are sent by Jesus into the
world, even as He was sent by the Father into the world, and if He sanctified
(consecrated) Himself for our sakes, then ought we not to sanctify ourselves
for the sake of others?
Ought not those called to the ministry
of the Word and sacrament to be sanctifying themselves for the sake of their
people? Ought not our churches to be sanctifying themselves for the sake of
their communities? Ought not we all to be sanctifying ourselves for the sake of
the world, and especially for the sake of those who God is calling to Himself
in and through Jesus Christ?
Paul writes that he endures “all
things for the sake of those who are chosen…” (2 Timothy 2:10).
The Priesthood of Jesus Christ is
that of a Priest – Offering; He is the High Priest and He is the Lamb of God. Ought
not our priesthood to incorporate these elements of our Lord Jesus? We want to
be priests but we do not want to be lambs – we want the resurrection but we do
not want the Cross.
Our lives are not our own, they
belong to Jesus Christ. We are called to be living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2).
How is it that we have fallen away from the Cross? How is it that we no longer
know Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:1)?
Who will stand in Christ and with
Christ and, by Christ, consecrate himself or herself for the sake of the People
of Christ? Can there be anyway back to Christ but through the Cross?
No comments:
Post a Comment