Jesus our High Priest...Now!

The Prophet David said about Christ...in Psalm 110:4...The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

The above Prophecy of the Priesthood of Christ was made approx. 600 years before Christ was crucified and risen.

During Christ's Earthly ministry (at the age of 30 according to Moses Law) John's Baptism was the Jesus' inauguration into the Priesthood. Matthew 3:15-16...And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized

After Christ rose...Hebrews 9:11...But "Christ being come an high priest" of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Before the ascension of Christ into Heaven no man could touch physically touch Christ. Why? In order to be a High Priest in the heavenlies and sprinkle His blood upon the mercy seat in the holy of Holies, Christ had to be clean. If a person would've touched Christ physically before His Ascension Christ would've became unclean and therefore void of maintaining His office of High Priest in the heavenelies. That's why Christ made the following statement to Mary. John 20:17...Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

After Jesus' ascension to Heaven He entered into the Holy of Holies...Hebrew 9:11,12...But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Now today in the Heavenlies...Hebrews 9:23-24...It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Today in the Heavenly Tabernacle as a High Priest, Christ sprinkles His blood on the mercy seat while He appears in the presence of God for us.

John the Baptist...prophesied in the Old Testament records

 John the Baptist was "foretold in the Old Testament Prophets" by Malachi and Isaiah. John was foreknown by the determinate council of God. The birth of John was spoken of by an angel of the Lord.

Luke 1:13-15...But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

When John appeared and began his ministry in Israel Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled. John the Baptists' ministry prepared Israel for the coming Messiah. How? His baptism allowed them to repent from a backslidden state and worship Christ as the promised Messiah. John's service within Israel was confirmed in the records of the Four Gospels.

God spoke through Malachi the Prophet saying that He would send His messenger before the Lord. The messenger that came before Christ was John the Baptist.

Mal 3:1...Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in:

John declared he was a prophetic voice for God that cried in the wilderness.

Matt 3:1-3...In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

John the Baptist was God's forerunner to the Messiahship of Christ. John's Baptism was God's way for Israel (who had gotten away from the moral requirements of the Torah) to accept and worship Christ as Israel's promised Messiah. This was prophesied by Isaiah the Prophet.

Isa 40:3...The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

What does passing from Glory to Glory mean?

 2 Cor 3:18...But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

This Blog was sparked (at a service at the upper Room) by a dear sister in the Lord, Grace Allen. As we celebrated our first two years of service for Christ at the Upper Room...the sermon made reference to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and how the Spirit of God changes the moral make-up of the believer. The transformation to become a child of God is an instantaneous work of God's Saving Grace.

In order to understand a more defined Glory to Glory one must first understand the distinction between Law given to Israel and Grace given to both Jew and Gentile in the Universal Church, the body of Christ.

Many today teach the "gradual process of God" or "trying" which involves the process of man in human effort. The Grace of God does not involve human action. The Grace of God is the action of God!

The question came up last night, "What does it mean to pass from glory to glory?"

To answer such question the student of God's Word must know the difference between Law and Grace. It must be understood; who the Law of Moses was given to; when the Law began; and when the Law ended. Passing from Glory to Glory makes a distinction between the ministry of the Law of Moses given to Israel and the ministry of the Holy Spirit given to the Church...now present tense.

The ministry of the Law of Moses was glorius...but the ministry of the Holy Spirit today in the Church is even more glorious.

2 Cor 3:7-9...But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory "was to be done away": How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

Note how the above verse stated that the Glory of the Law was to be done away.

In the past God ministered to Israel with His Law and Commandments. At present God ministers to the Church through the ministry of His Holy Spirit. The Law was done away with at the Cross of Calvary. The presence and blessing of the Holy Spirit in the Church came into play in this present Grace Age of the Church. That's what the Apostle meant when he said the following,

2 Cor 3:3-6... Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

The life of the Spirit is a greater glory than letter of the Law.

2 Cor 4:1-5...Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Going from Glory to Glory makes no reference to the process of a Christian or the gradual change into holiness. Going from Glory to Glory made reference to Israel's transformation from the ministry of the Law and commandments to the ministry of the Spirit under Grace in this present Grace Age. The fruit of the Gospel message is the,"Changed heart and life of a believer in Christ".

By the Grace of God we will post the actual audio recording of this sermon (in the future) at his Blog. Questions bring answers. Thank you Grace Allen for the excellent question at the Upper Room services.

God's Grace is much more than unmerited favor...its unlimited power!

 God's Grace may be called unmerited favor by some...but a child of God is entitled to abundant Grace out the love of God's Heart which is plentiful. The Bible teaches God's unlimited Grace does "much more" than just save your soul from sin. Don't limit yourself to what people say. God has more in store for those who realize the magnitude of God Almighty. Here's a little glimpse of God's Grace that offers unlimited power. This overview comes from the Bible that testifies of God's unlimited Grace and power.

• God's Grace saves lost souls from Hell and damnation.
• God's Grace gives man power to do right.
• God's Grace produces holiness in the heart on this side of Heaven.
• God's Grace delivers people from sin, completely.
• God's Grace keeps the Holy Spirit present in our lives.
• God's Grace sanctifies the heart of a believer from the Adamic life.

Acts 20:24...But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God