Free to Serve
By John McCoury
Roan Mountain, Tennessee
Leviticus 21:6a
“They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God.”
In the Gospel according to Leviticus, we come to a section that is specifically addressed to priests—to Aaron the high priest and his sons. This family was set aside in Israel to do a specific work of ministry in relationship to God.
All the members of Aaron’s family were priests by birth. They did not become priests by choice or by desire on their part, but by being born into the family of Aaron. There was no other way to become a priest. No other family was ever recognized as having valid membership in the priesthood.
But even though they were members of the family of Aaron, they could serve as priests only if they met certain qualifications. So there is a difference between merely being a priest and serving as a priest.
That distinction is important and instructive to us, because the priesthood of Aaron’s family is a picture of the ministry we now have as believers in Jesus Christ. Every one of us who is born again—born into the family of our great High Priest, Jesus—is inescapably a priest.
But whether we can serve as a priest or not depends upon the qualifications in our life. Membership in the family is by birth; service in the family is by qualification.
In order to exercise this priesthood, a priest must be holy. Now, let me remind you: this word holy has often been twisted and misunderstood. Many assume that holiness means being long-faced, somber, and joyless—but that’s not true at all!
Holiness means wholeness.
It means to be healed.
How can you help someone unless you have been helped?
How can you encourage the discouraged if your own heart is burdened and defeated?
How can you bring joy to someone facing pressure and pain if you have not found joy amid your own struggle?
How can you deliver someone from a moral failure if you are still caught in the same trap? You must be set free first. You must experience the liberty and joy of God before you can truly minister to others.
You don’t have to be perfect in every way. But you must be whole in the area in which you are trying to help. That wholeness comes through the redeeming and indwelling work of Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus,
How often I have found renewed ministry when I have dealt with these areas that were wrong in my life.
Teach me now to draw strength from You, to be holy, and to set aside my blemishes.
What are the incredible privileges and responsibilities of being born into the family of the Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest?
Are we healed, whole, and free to serve the One who heals and makes whole?
______________________________________________
John McCoury is the pastor of Evergreen Freewill Baptist Church in Roan Mountain, Tennessee, and the chaplain at Roan Highlands Nursing Center. You can read more good Christian news from John HERE.
_____________________________________________