Priests & Portions (Lev 5-7)

Its time for my first evaluation as pastor of Radiant Church and I've been reflecting a great deal on what a pastor does. In my evaluation tool there are questions about my leadership, communication, accountability, etc etc... But the ones I am most interested in are those of a more personal nature; "have you personally felt cared for by pastor Jeremey? How?" "How has pastor Jeremey challenged you in your faith journey?" These are the questions that drive me to do a better job because they are deeply relational. While I share skill sets with many other vocations, it is the heart of my vocation to push beyond the content and into the dynamic of living life with people. Further, my vocation calls me to equip those who are part of the community I serve to do the same. In fact, the best evaluation would be to give those same questions to people in the lives of Radiants (My friend and Vision Team member, Chris, calls our Mission Partners... Radiants). "Have you felt cared for by Chris? How?" "How has Chris challenged you to grow in your faith journey?" 

I wonder what it was like for the priests in the Old Testament? Were they able to be pastoral at all? As I read I notice that there are a ton of rules and regulations for preparing, and making sacrifice. Even more rules are devoted to what the priests get to use or keep. It seems there was a sacrifice for every occasion and sin. This means that, over and above the required tithe (means tenth) of giving to God, a given person would have to make any number of sacrifices throughout the year. A particularly sinful person may end up racking up a small fortune of penalties... Wait, this is sounding more and more like our tax system by the minute. Exhibit A extremely complicated requiring a special class of people to interpret; Exhibit B just when you think you are in the clear you discover you owe even more; Exhibit C it feels like you payments go up in smoke (I couldn't help myself on that one). 

In all seriousness the priests must have spent so much time in the sacrificial system, that they were not able to really care for the people or teach them well. when Jesus called us all to be priests, what Martin Luther called the "Priesthood of all Believers," he tore down the curtain that kept us from coming directly to God...

"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."
Matthew 27: 50-51 


While much of popular culture views a pastor as a priest, we are not. Many ask me to pray for them each day, often joking that I somehow have a direct line, a batphone to God. As a pastor, my vocation is to train the priesthood of all believers to love one another and reach out to those who don't know that God has torn down every barrier between himself and them. 


Each person who puts their full weight on Jesus is a priest and shares in the portion of his sacrifice. That is why Jesus, when acting as a servant and washing the feet of his disciples, says to Peter "unless I wash you you have no portion with me" (John 13). May we seek to serve the world as priests of Jesus and those who share in the portion of his inheritance. 


In Jesus' Name,
Amen