We are born priests in Christ.

When we are found in Christ through new birth we are born priests in Christ, we are in His priestly body - that is the Church. This requires no special performance or test to join this priesthood, but rather faith and hope in Christ. The ability to minister comes from the Holy Spirit as we are under a new and better priesthood, one lived under grace and mercy, one that can accept those who are physically and even mentally handicapped to participate in 'ministry'. Where the children, youth, and women can also enter, and the older generation do not need to retire but all are able to continue in the capacity given to them by the Lord who gives to each a measure of His grace to minister.

All is made new in Jesus, His coming into the world is a moment of the transformation of the religious ministry, a way of life that reaches for the best of people has now come...how we often turn back to the lesser forms of ministry rather than living in the better. Jesus began His public ministry at the age of thirty, but does this mean all should wait until they are thirty years old until there can be a participation in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This would seem presumptuous and ill conceived. The Church is to be a model of the ministry of the Holy Spirit; it is to be a priesthood of all believers; an ability to participate through God's gracious gifting and calling rather than just human effort and intelligence; a place of witnessing the way of Jesus, but lived out in a group of people saved by grace and continuing to live by that grace (1Peter 2:4-5, 9-10). Ministry in the church is not for just the educated and the popular, it is for those who have received something from Jesus - the head of the Church - something to share with the others in the community of faith.

The New Testament speaks of a church where there is a participation (1Corinthians 14:26), so that every part can give and share in the responsibilty of growing spiritually. In giving and sharing what God has given to you personally - the Lord gives back more abundantly, this is a wonderfully simple spiritual principle. "What can I give?" you might say, well you can give your-self, time, prayers, thoughts, hopes, spiritual gifts, help, administration, songs... the church should be a sharing community where fellowship is based in the grace that God has given each member. When I speak of 'member', I mean a member of the spiritual body of Christ into which we are born spiritually 'members'. This is not by a written or signed document, not by passing a spiritual test, but by entering into Christ by inward working of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew Armstrong
Issue 14, 26th Feb 2010
Blantyre.

4. Lost and Found - sons of the Father

The father in the parable in (Luke 15:11-31) is concerned about both of his sons, the younger 'prodigal' son and the elder 'responsible' son. the story which had mainly been about the younger sons choice to leave and then return home is dramatically switched and focuses upon the elder son's attitude and state of heart. The father has to go out and again call his son into his house. The party is in full swing; the fatted calf has been killed; the music is playing; and the dancing has started...yet he heart of the elder son when he hears what is happening stubbornly refuses to enter the father's house. The younger son doesn't deserve it and he feels himself unjustly dealt with, his self-righteousness is plainly seen. when discussing with his father he says that he has been 'slaving away, following orders' yet when the father gives him another request to enter the celebration, he refuses...he considers that the father is wrong...he is better, more righteous, more just!

How often do we refuse to enter the celebration of those who find Christ, or we don't even think others worth speaking to about Jesus. The Fathers heart is full of compassion to all his children that are lost, He desires that they are able to enter into His house, in which Jesus Himself says there are many rooms of which He is preparing for those that are the Lords (John 14:1-4) a place which is ours to live in and enjoy for eternity. We need to enter into Christ and experience the presence of the Father.

Consider even when you are attending church, do you actually consciously enter into the Fathers presence? The church should be a place of experiencing God in all His capacity, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We might consider that as long as I am a member of the house - that therefore all is ok, that you consider yourself in the Father's house. The parable we have been looking at reveals that we can be misdirected in our attitudes towards god, and think that the Christian life is just about working, serving and not celebrating the grace, love, mercy and forgiveness that is ours and our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ most wonderfully won for us by His death upon the cross.

We should be living in His house...a spiritual house...where all is ours in Christ, but how often do we realise this and still think that we are outside and lost, we keep our minds full of a poverty mentality when it comes to what we have as Christians - wonderfully in Ephesians 1:3 it is our heavenly Father 'Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus' (NIV). We need to trust our Father God in that He knows best as we are His children.

Matthew Armstrong
Issue 19 26th February 2010
Blantyre.