The Risen Christ Exercises His Offices Through Us

 After John the Baptist baptized Jesus, God the Father Anointed Jesus to the offices of Prophet, Priest and King.  These are the three offices which combine in Jesus to make Him our Redeemer.  Though you may be fully aware of this grand wonder of our salvation, I will give you three texts that support the fact that Jesus our Redeemer functioned effectively in each of these separate offices:

1. Prophet: Jesus was referring to Himself as a prophet when he said in Luke 2:24 “No prophet is acceptable in his home town.”

2. Priest: The writer of Hebrews is describing Jesus when he says in Hebrews 7:26, “Such a high priest meets our need – one who is holy, blameless, pure…”

3. King: In Acts 2:33 – 36, Peter is insisting that God has seated Jesus on the throne of King David when he says, “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus…”.  Though the specific word “king” is not used here, the words “Lord and Christ”can apply only to our greatest King.

 Jesus was anointed ( installed, ordained, consecrated) to all three of these offices at his Baptism.  By fulfilling these offices during his ministry, including dying on the cross and rising from the dead, Jesus redeemed us from our sin and gave us the new life of His Resurrection.  But does this say anything about our baptism?

Yes, indeed it does!  Our Baptism is completely analogous with our Savior’s Baptism.  By receiving and fulfilling the offices of Prophet, Priest and King, Jesus laid the foundation stone for our redemption, the foundation stone for building the Kingdom of God. By receiving those same offices at our Baptism we become “living stones… built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.” I Peter 2:5.  In verse 9 of that same passage, Peter calls us a “royal priesthood”.  To be royal means that we are “Kings”.  On the DAY OF PENTECOST, Peter had taught the assembled pilgrims that  their “sons and daughters would “prophesy”, making it plain in this new age that everyone of them would have the office of prophet.

Now that last paragraph is only the briefest summary of the wonderful doctrine that new believers in this age are anointed to all three of these same offices that our Savior used to Redeem us.  But I submit that this is consistent with the broad and deep teaching of the New Testament.  Though we are not prophets, priests and kings on the same Divine level as our Savior, that great Savior has, nevertheless, passed these offices on to poor sinners like we are, enabling us to exercise those offices in our limited human way for the blessing and upbuilding of His church.

This great Biblical truth enriches the idea of DISCIPLESHIP in a remarkable way.  When Jesus’ disciples gathered around him both before and after his Resurrection, he was discipling them and the content of that discipling work of the Savior consisted in equipping and empowering them by His Holy Spirit to exercise those powerful offices – prophet, priest, king.  He was equipping them to do that in the same humble, loving way in which He himself was working with them.  They were becoming prophets, priests and kings like their blessed Lord and Savior, and they were learning how to lead new believers into those same glorious offices.

What magnificent dignity and honor this bestows on all of us!!   Have we come anywhere near to understanding and appreciating what God is making of all of us???!!!  Our hearts overflow with thanksgiving and joyful wonder as we think on this glorious effect of our Savior’s RESURRECTION.