Dear Christian friends:

You know you yourselves are priests? I think you are surprised to hear that. You say, "Me a priest? Jewish Church long ago had priests. Catholic Church today has priests. Me a priest?" That Peter says here in our text. "You are holy priests." Peter wrote that to all Christians; it means you and me, too.


Why did Peter call us priests?

Remind us and impress on us our beautiful relationship with God and our happy duty to God. What is a priest? (See if anyone knows? Use their answers and proceed to explain the duties of the Old Testament priests. Also explain why Catholics call their clergy "priests")

God Himself chose us to become His priests, verse 9. He made us acceptable to him because of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament High Priest before he can serve God in the temple must offer animal and blood to God, first to take away his own sins and then also to take away people's sin. (Hebrews)

Jesus is our Chief Priest. He did not offer animal's blood to take away our sins. No! He offered Himself, His own blood on the Cross. His offering Himself upon the cross once takes away forever our sins. God calls us to believe in Jesus Christ for our Savior. Accept His offering of Himself as our forgiveness.

That's how we become God's holy priests through faith in Jesus Christ!

"God chose you, you are priests of the King Jesus, you are holy and pure, you are God's dear ones." (verse 9) Peter tells us. For what purpose?

To serve God, as all priests. Come to him and offer to God those things that please Him! Praise.

Thanks. Not only in church service, but also daily at work, at home and when we play! Paul says, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)

Obey His Commandments: Love God: 1st, 2nd, 3rd Love Your Neighbor: 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Commandments.

"Show to others how God has called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." (verse 9) Support preaching of the Gospel Church. Understand that you each one of you are priests not me. You have power to forgive sins in Jesus' name. You have Office of Keys, every Christian. They don't belong to the pastor. The pastor only does it because you called him and asked you do it instead of yourselves in public. But the power to forgive sins is yours, the power to baptize and give the Lord's Supper is yours, not mine. I only do it as your servant. We call that "priesthood of all believers." Catholics and Episcopal church do not have that teaching. They say only clergy and all who have "apostolic succession" have power to forgive sins, baptize and give the Lord's Supper.

Deaf sometimes say, "Hauptman's Church - here is Hauptman's church." Here is not Hauptman's church. Here is your church. You are the church. Your name is correct: "Good Shepherd of the Deaf Church." You should feel responsible and eager for preaching Gospel, Baptizing and giving the Lord's Supper. You should feel more responsible than I. You are the Lord's and I am only your servant.

Also you should feel eager and responsible to witness one to one how Jesus has called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

You are very weak about that. Shut-up too much! Remember you are His holy priests.

Amen.