WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.780 Well, this is the third in our series of what I'm calling Resurrection Colors, as we look at the resurrection of Jesus and different things that the Bible teaches us about it. 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:17.719 And you might be tempted to think, just come off it, which is not still talking about the resurrection, are we? 00:00:18.300 --> 00:00:22.500 Easter feels like ages ago, at least. It was only just less than a month ago. 00:00:23.079 --> 00:00:27.439 But it feels like quite a while ago. But yes, I am still going on about it. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:31.600 Partly because Easter isn't that significant in itself, really. 00:00:32.339 --> 00:00:35.659 The resurrection isn't something that Christians celebrate once a year. 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:41.240 Actually, the resurrection is the whole rationale for Christians meeting every single Sunday. 00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:45.980 The resurrection is something that Christians celebrate every week. 00:00:47.420 --> 00:00:55.579 And that regularity of celebration, week by week, it totally matters just how deeply impactful the resurrection really is. 00:00:56.600 --> 00:00:58.560 Which is why I'm still going on about it. 00:00:59.760 --> 00:01:07.939 And as we've been seeing, or at least what I hope has been clear, is just how radically impactful the resurrection of Jesus is. 00:01:07.939 --> 00:01:13.959 And we've been looking at each of these four Gospels to see who this risen Jesus is. 00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:15.939 Jesus is now a man who is alive. 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:17.719 And so who is he? 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:21.500 And we've seen that it impacts two things primarily. 00:01:21.780 --> 00:01:23.620 It impacts what we are. 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:25.879 And it impacts what we know. 00:01:26.599 --> 00:01:27.840 What we are and what we know. 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:32.480 So what we've seen from Matthew, that Jesus is the risen King. 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:35.600 He has all authority in heaven and on earth. 00:01:36.420 --> 00:01:39.579 Which means on the one hand that we exist for him. 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:42.359 Our lives are about him. 00:01:43.659 --> 00:01:46.719 And so I asked you, who are you living for, if not for him? 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:52.260 And in terms of what we know, as the King, he is the one who tells us what is good and what is evil. 00:01:52.620 --> 00:01:54.240 We are commanded to obey him. 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:57.379 And he is the one who defines for us good and evil. 00:01:58.780 --> 00:02:02.519 Last week from Mark's Gospel we saw Jesus is the risen Prophet. 00:02:03.699 --> 00:02:07.619 Which means his should be the loudest voice in your ears. 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:15.319 In a world that does everything it can to distract you from him with lots of alternative gods, in a sense. 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:22.019 And he's a unique Prophet because he's not just a messenger, but he is the divine Prophet. 00:02:22.099 --> 00:02:23.379 The Prophet who is God. 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:27.599 And he's the one who actually defines for us what true and false are. 00:02:28.620 --> 00:02:30.340 So he's a King who defines good and evil. 00:02:30.959 --> 00:02:33.000 And a Prophet who defines true and false. 00:02:34.620 --> 00:02:38.799 Now if you've ever read any kind of theology, or if you've just read the beginning of the sheet actually. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:42.379 You might be able to guess where we're going next. 00:02:42.379 --> 00:02:44.719 We've seen Jesus as King and as Prophet. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:50.199 And they're part of a trio of roles that if you've read any theology you'll know that the next one is Priest. 00:02:50.979 --> 00:02:54.259 King and Prophet and Priest are three roles that go together. 00:02:54.379 --> 00:02:55.719 We see them all throughout the Old Testament. 00:02:56.419 --> 00:02:59.159 And we see them in each of the Gospels. 00:02:59.300 --> 00:03:03.900 We saw Matthew's Gospel beginning talking about kings and ending talking about authority. 00:03:04.659 --> 00:03:07.419 We saw Mark's Gospel beginning with mention of prophets. 00:03:07.419 --> 00:03:15.339 And then Jesus then commissioning his disciples and lots of prophetic references looking at his transfiguration. 00:03:16.579 --> 00:03:23.039 And then here in Luke's Gospel, the first main character we meet in Luke's Gospel is a priest called Zechariah. 00:03:24.799 --> 00:03:27.639 And priest is one of those religious words. 00:03:27.839 --> 00:03:30.000 It's one of those jargony words we come across. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:34.120 It's even more religious sounding than prophet, isn't it? 00:03:34.539 --> 00:03:36.020 And certainly much more than king. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:44.620 So very simply today, we'll just think briefly what a priest is and how Jesus is a priest and what that means for us. 00:03:44.780 --> 00:03:46.240 So that's what we'll be thinking about today. 00:03:46.780 --> 00:03:48.099 What is a priest? 00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:51.000 How is the risen Jesus a priest? 00:03:51.659 --> 00:03:53.979 And what does that mean for us? 00:03:53.979 --> 00:03:56.799 So what do we mean by priest? 00:03:56.959 --> 00:04:07.359 Well, of these three roles, king and prophet and priest, the priests were the most involved in the daily lives of the people they served. 00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:09.679 They were in their lives day to day. 00:04:10.739 --> 00:04:15.079 They would be the ones you went to, to offer your sacrifices for you in the temple. 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:18.180 They would be the ones to pray for you. 00:04:18.180 --> 00:04:28.459 They would be the arbiters in deciding whether that illness that you had that made you richly impure has cleared well enough for you to be declared pure and come back in. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:35.780 They were the ones who were in charge of keeping the temple and the whole community pure in a ceremonial way. 00:04:37.100 --> 00:04:39.240 They were the ones who would lead the worship services. 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:43.000 They would arrange the music, all the singing. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:49.560 They would be in charge of taking the scriptures that the prophets, like Moses and others, had given. 00:04:50.220 --> 00:04:53.000 And it was their job to then explain it and teach it to people. 00:04:54.439 --> 00:04:58.240 It was their job to bless the people in God's name. 00:04:59.939 --> 00:05:04.699 That blessing assuring them of God's favour and of his presence with them. 00:05:05.420 --> 00:05:08.399 They were mediators of God's presence. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:13.019 They were the connection between themselves and God. 00:05:14.579 --> 00:05:19.899 And so they were a constant reminder for the whole community of God's presence in their midst. 00:05:20.719 --> 00:05:21.659 So that's what a priest is. 00:05:21.739 --> 00:05:24.139 That's what they did in the Old Testament. 00:05:25.019 --> 00:05:28.839 So what does it mean for Jesus to be the risen priest? 00:05:29.899 --> 00:05:35.579 Well, crucially, the key of his priestly work was everything leading up to the resurrection. 00:05:35.579 --> 00:05:39.300 That was his ultimate priest work. 00:05:40.019 --> 00:05:46.639 On that cross where Jesus died, he was both the ultimate priest and the ultimate sacrifice at the same time. 00:05:47.099 --> 00:05:51.579 As he offered up himself once for all on behalf of his people. 00:05:52.519 --> 00:05:54.599 That was the key of his priest work. 00:05:55.479 --> 00:05:58.860 But that connects to the main bulk of what we see him doing here in our passage. 00:05:59.419 --> 00:06:00.439 It doesn't stand out. 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:02.240 We don't necessarily see the word priest. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:06.439 But everything Jesus is doing in this passage is very deeply priestly. 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:10.860 So if you look at verses 26 and 27. 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:17.160 And then over on the page in verses 44 to 49 especially. 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:19.199 What is Jesus doing? 00:06:20.680 --> 00:06:22.720 He's doing what all priests do. 00:06:22.900 --> 00:06:25.220 He's teaching and explaining the Bible to them. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:27.600 He's explaining the scriptures. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:33.000 And here is his main point of explanation in verse 46. 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:37.360 This is his explanation of the Bible. 00:06:38.660 --> 00:06:40.620 Thus, meaning in this way. 00:06:41.100 --> 00:06:43.620 Saying this is the way that it was written. 00:06:44.520 --> 00:06:47.420 That the Christ should suffer and rise from the dead. 00:06:47.420 --> 00:06:54.720 So this suffering and rising of the Messiah is what the whole Bible is about. 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:57.379 From Genesis 1 verse 1 right until the end. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:04.080 He's not saying the Bible occasionally mentions something about the Messiah suffering and rising. 00:07:04.840 --> 00:07:07.139 And sometimes it is more explicit than others. 00:07:07.139 --> 00:07:11.139 But he is saying that the main point of the whole of the Old Testament. 00:07:11.819 --> 00:07:13.319 That had been written up until then. 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:18.319 And the main point of the whole Bible is the suffering and the glory of the Messiah. 00:07:19.419 --> 00:07:24.919 This suffering to death and rising to glory of the Messiah is the main point. 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:26.079 The whole of the message. 00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:30.620 Everything you read in the Bible is in some way teaching you about that. 00:07:30.620 --> 00:07:35.959 And so there's no point in anyone saying, well that's just your interpretation Jesus. 00:07:37.259 --> 00:07:39.660 Because his answer is, yes it is my interpretation. 00:07:40.459 --> 00:07:43.740 And I have the authority to say what it means. 00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:45.420 It's not just what I think it means. 00:07:45.459 --> 00:07:48.120 I'm telling you, this is what was meant when it was written. 00:07:48.840 --> 00:07:51.240 This is the definitive interpretation. 00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:57.699 So there's never actually any space for anyone to come along and say, yes this is God's word. 00:07:57.780 --> 00:08:00.920 But you really also need me to explain it to you. 00:08:01.860 --> 00:08:04.319 You really need this extra book. 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:07.019 You really need this extra group of people. 00:08:07.560 --> 00:08:12.060 You really need this particular translation so that you can really understand it. 00:08:12.740 --> 00:08:13.680 Yes you have God's word. 00:08:13.740 --> 00:08:17.639 But you really, really need somebody extra to explain it to you. 00:08:18.600 --> 00:08:20.639 They are misguided at best. 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:24.980 And charlatans at worst who try to tell you that. 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:28.800 So whether that's the Pope and the Catholic Magisterium. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:31.759 Or Joseph Smith and his Book of Mormon. 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:35.440 Or Jehovah's Witnesses and their New World Translation. 00:08:36.060 --> 00:08:37.200 Jesus is very clear. 00:08:37.419 --> 00:08:38.240 I'm the teacher. 00:08:39.259 --> 00:08:40.960 I will explain to you what it means. 00:08:42.220 --> 00:08:46.720 And what it means is the suffering of Christ and his glories that follow. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:53.259 So that's the key of his priestly work is his teaching the Bible. 00:08:54.560 --> 00:08:56.340 And then notice what he does right at the end. 00:08:57.320 --> 00:08:59.100 In verses 50 to 53. 00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:02.279 What is the thing that it's repeated that he does? 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:03.379 He blesses them. 00:09:04.620 --> 00:09:08.019 And as he's departing, as he's ascending, Jesus blesses them. 00:09:08.019 --> 00:09:11.319 That again was a key work of a priest. 00:09:13.199 --> 00:09:16.059 He's assuring them of God's favour. 00:09:16.179 --> 00:09:17.799 Of his own favour as God. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:21.059 And his continued presence with them. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:22.699 That's what blessing is. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:24.000 It is words. 00:09:25.100 --> 00:09:26.860 But they are powerful words. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:30.379 They're words that guarantee favour. 00:09:30.379 --> 00:09:32.820 And a commitment of love. 00:09:33.500 --> 00:09:34.340 And presence. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:37.460 As I heard one minister put it. 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:40.259 The truth is that sticks and stones do break my bones. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:43.679 But words will actually make or break my whole soul. 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:48.679 And Jesus is the one who has procured God's blessing for us. 00:09:49.019 --> 00:09:51.200 And he speaks that blessing over his people. 00:09:53.100 --> 00:09:57.159 And so that brings us to think finally about what it means for Jesus to be priest. 00:09:57.220 --> 00:09:58.159 What it means for us. 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:00.579 That's our final thing. 00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:03.600 What does it mean for us, for Jesus, to be the priest? 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:07.679 Well, we desperately need blessing. 00:10:09.579 --> 00:10:12.299 We need that promise of favour. 00:10:12.959 --> 00:10:14.259 And we need that comfort. 00:10:15.139 --> 00:10:18.179 We need that assurance that everything will work out for the good. 00:10:19.179 --> 00:10:23.519 And that specifically the one blessing us will be working it out for good. 00:10:25.079 --> 00:10:28.000 Because think of the alternative of blessing. 00:10:28.699 --> 00:10:32.500 If you know the story of Jacob wrestling the angel at all. 00:10:33.059 --> 00:10:35.079 Then you'll see what the alternative is. 00:10:36.059 --> 00:10:37.779 The alternative is struggle. 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:40.620 Jacob was wrestling the angel and said, 00:10:40.679 --> 00:10:43.059 I will not let you go until God blesses me. 00:10:44.179 --> 00:10:45.039 And he's saying to the angel, 00:10:45.159 --> 00:10:46.799 Until you bless me as God. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:49.719 And so if you don't have the blessing, 00:10:49.719 --> 00:10:51.339 What you have is struggle. 00:10:53.019 --> 00:10:55.199 That struggle of, I don't know if I'm good enough. 00:10:55.839 --> 00:10:57.139 I don't know if he loves me. 00:10:57.219 --> 00:10:58.659 I don't know if he cares for me. 00:10:58.719 --> 00:10:59.959 I don't know if he's with me. 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:04.059 I don't know if he cares about all the troubles I'm seeing around me. 00:11:04.059 --> 00:11:05.679 I just don't know. 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:06.559 It's all struggle. 00:11:06.979 --> 00:11:07.939 It's all wrestling. 00:11:07.940 --> 00:11:14.520 The writer Susan Jacobi wrote in the New York Times about five years ago. 00:11:14.940 --> 00:11:18.480 About what she calls the blessings of atheism. 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:21.300 And she offers yet another alternative. 00:11:22.740 --> 00:11:26.440 She writes of seeing her friends who believed in God in one way or another. 00:11:26.980 --> 00:11:32.580 All struggling with all kinds of questions and difficulties as they saw the plight of human suffering. 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:37.740 I think she was writing specifically in the wake of another school shooting they've had in America. 00:11:37.740 --> 00:11:43.120 And she says the blessings of atheism is that I don't have to struggle with those questions. 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:45.779 I don't have to wonder about what God is doing. 00:11:46.740 --> 00:11:47.820 I just, it's not a question. 00:11:47.899 --> 00:11:48.799 I don't believe God is there. 00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:53.580 And so, you don't need to think of hope beyond death. 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:55.460 She just thinks of death as rest and that's it. 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:01.180 But what she probably wouldn't acknowledge, to be fair to her, 00:12:01.899 --> 00:12:04.860 Is actually that's just going the other way of the alternative. 00:12:05.340 --> 00:12:07.639 It's blessing or struggle or just give up. 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:09.740 Just don't bother struggling. 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:12.299 Get in the ring and just stand there. 00:12:12.940 --> 00:12:13.759 And call that winning. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:19.080 But actually, that's not a viable alternative. 00:12:19.379 --> 00:12:20.820 That's not, that's no way to live. 00:12:21.980 --> 00:12:22.879 Just give up. 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:23.899 There are no answers. 00:12:24.379 --> 00:12:25.399 And then call that a blessing. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:31.600 But we deeply need this blessing from God. 00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:35.580 So what does it mean for us, for Jesus to be the priest? 00:12:35.580 --> 00:12:41.000 Well, who's explaining things to you now, if it's not Jesus? 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:44.340 Explaining the Bible, but also explaining your whole life. 00:12:45.060 --> 00:12:46.120 Who explains it to you? 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:48.019 Is it the BBC? 00:12:48.980 --> 00:12:49.759 Is it Sky? 00:12:49.940 --> 00:12:51.500 Is it the Sun or the Times? 00:12:52.179 --> 00:12:53.360 Is it your friends? 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:56.960 Is it films you watch? 00:12:57.179 --> 00:12:57.960 Books you read? 00:12:57.960 --> 00:12:59.519 Or is it Jesus? 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:01.139 Who's explaining things to you? 00:13:02.180 --> 00:13:03.100 If not him. 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:07.600 And crucially, where are you finding blessing if not from him? 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:10.480 We all deeply need that blessing. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:13.519 We need to know that we are accepted. 00:13:13.740 --> 00:13:15.399 We need to know that we have favour. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:17.320 But who are you looking to for that blessing? 00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:21.980 And if it's not God, can you honestly say that it's enough? 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:25.159 Can you honestly say that blessing is good enough for you? 00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:27.139 It might be your family. 00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:32.820 Just looking for that approval and assurance that everything will be fine from family. 00:13:33.640 --> 00:13:35.860 And others know that we'll never find it in their family. 00:13:36.920 --> 00:13:38.760 It might be your boss or your colleagues. 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:41.780 It might be from your church and your pastor. 00:13:43.040 --> 00:13:44.760 You might think that you can get it from yourself. 00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:46.780 I don't care what anyone else thinks. 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:48.180 I can just approve of myself. 00:13:48.900 --> 00:13:50.640 And it's a terribly lonely way to live. 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:54.340 But Jesus here is offering the blessing. 00:13:55.060 --> 00:13:57.700 Not telling you how to work towards the blessing. 00:13:57.700 --> 00:13:59.840 He has procured it for you. 00:14:00.420 --> 00:14:02.160 As the priest, he has offered himself. 00:14:02.820 --> 00:14:04.800 And he has earned the blessing for you. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:08.280 And he is the one who gives us God's presence. 00:14:08.740 --> 00:14:10.440 And a presence for favour. 00:14:10.620 --> 00:14:11.580 A presence for good. 00:14:12.100 --> 00:14:13.180 A presence for comfort. 00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:17.340 You'll notice throughout the passage, Jesus is often eating with people. 00:14:17.460 --> 00:14:20.760 And actually throughout Luke's Gospel, he's either eating with people, 00:14:21.160 --> 00:14:23.820 on his way to eat with people, or on his way from eating with people. 00:14:24.560 --> 00:14:27.760 Because he is in the lives of the people that he's ministering to. 00:14:28.280 --> 00:14:30.600 It's another priestly thing that he's doing. 00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:35.220 Being involved in their lives and giving God's favour and presence. 00:14:36.440 --> 00:14:37.779 Giving God's blessing. 00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:41.819 So that's the three things we've seen so far. 00:14:42.199 --> 00:14:44.259 Who are you living for if not for him? 00:14:45.319 --> 00:14:49.059 Who are you listening to if not to him? 00:14:49.240 --> 00:14:53.139 And where are you looking for blessing if not from him? 00:14:54.039 --> 00:14:55.759 And next week we'll see one more thing. 00:14:55.959 --> 00:14:58.179 One more colour of the risen Jesus. 00:14:58.179 --> 00:14:59.579 Let's pray. 00:14:59.579 --> 00:14:59.599 Let's pray.