What's a priest? (Hebrews - Day 21)

Sermons are tricky beasts...they can get away from you sometimes. And with the kindest respect to our vicar, Paul, I think his sermon back in October on Hebrews 7:23-28 rather got away from him. As I've read back through my notes of the sermon, and as I re-read the passage I'm forced to conclude he tried to say too much..breaking my personal rule that a sermon should be summarisable in one sentence (see here for a rather brutal critique of a service I attended).

I think Paul was trying to summarise a number of Hebrews-related themes:
1. The High Priest
2. Sacrifice
3. Sin
4. Exaltation and Acension

Now as it happens I've already picked up the theme of ascension in Hebrews here. And I've spoken about sacrifice here, amongst other references. And sin get's an expose in other places too. (This is why it's useful to do a journey through the book - not an edited highlights approach of the lectionary)

This then leaves us with the High Priesthood to consider.

(It's certainly worth saying at this point that I have, as someone who is seriously interested in ordination, found this study of Hebrews very helpful in deepening my understanding of the priestly function of a vicar...who's other main functions might be seen as pastor and prophet...or is that chaplaincy?...)

It's worth, while we're thinking about Priests to pause and consider what Hebrews notes they do:
- They represent the people (Heb 5:1) and in a sense vicars do still do that. They are not mediators - Hebrews streses this later in the letter - Jesus is the only mediator. But priests stand alongside people, almost like a union rep, petitioning and standing up for them.
- Intercessions (Heb 7:25): we see Jesus in heaven offering prayers for us, and so priests on earth would be expected to do the same.

- Sacrifices...perhaps of praise (Hebrews 5:1; 13:15), but also the role of our priests is to preside at communion which is an enactment of Christ's sacrifice. They are recounting the passion of Christ.
- Gifts: I think priests do unlock our potential and talents, but they also practically receive and offer to God our monetary offerings (Heb 5:1)
- Pastoring (Heb 5:2) is part of being a priest - like Jesus the shepherd - where the ignorant and those going astray are cared for by the priest.
- Worship (Heb 8:1-2) is part of making God present to us. We are brought more consciously into the very throne room of God when our priests lead us in worship of God.

But Hebrews makes it very clear that Jesus is a FAR superior High Priest to those who served in the Tabernacle, or in the Temple.

In these six verses in Hebrews 7:23-28 we review six ways in which Jesus is shown as totally adequate to meet our needs:

Hebrews 7	Jesus	The High Priests
v.23	One	Many
v.24	Permanent	Temporary
v.25	Saves completely	Saves incompletely
v.26	Holy, blameless, pure, set apart, exalted	Earthly, sinful, profane
v.27	Once-for-all	Repeated
v.28	Perfect	Weak

There is only one JESUS, but he is totally sufficient.

Our response?

Come to Jesus, through God (Heb 7:25) and he WILL save you completely. That's a promise!

Corpus Christi - why do you take communion?

I grew up attending a fantastic Baptist church in Ashford, Kent. And I particularly remember the times I took communion in the evening services as a young teenager. In fact, it's likely that during one of those evening services as a 12/13 year old I really began to take seriously my faith and what I believed.

When I started studying Christian doctrine as a sixth-former (and having moved to another Baptist church) I studied Sacraments, which included communion. [In fact it's worth pointing out that there are multiple names for this particular element of church life. For some it is Communion, for others the Eucharist, for others Mass, and some simply call it the Lord's Supper. Whichever name you use says something about your particular tradition].

As I studied, I had a creeping realisation that my particular tradition had (whisper it) got it wrong. There was simply too much emphasis on the memorialism of the rite - too much remembrance and not enough active present faith.

And so, on this particular day, I want to ask...

What does Communion mean to you? Why do you take it? What does it do?

The reason for asking this on 7 June, 2012 is that today is a Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion. It is called 'Corpus Christi' by some, and is a signifacnt festival for Roman Catholics.

As ever, the Anglican lectionary has this as an optional festival (or simply a commemoration), which means it has some significance.

I want to invite people to comment. Why do you take communion - why is it significant to you? What's your tradition? Does anything happen to you? Do you feel anything when you take it?

I will blog again later with some further reflections on the day...but let's get chatting.