A Priest Pete Kersker - Dec 16, 2025 Long before Jesus was born, he was needed, promised, and described. We already saw yesterday how Jesus was described as a pure, spotless lamb like the ones in the Passover celebration. The angel of death passed over their homes after seeing the blood of the lamb. After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests (Exodus 28:41 NIV). The blood of a sacrificial animal became an integral part of the Israelite worship in the days of Moses. The animal was often offered to the LORD to make atonement for their sin. The blood was poured out and the animal was placed on the altar before God. The priest would follow the LORD's instructions so the worshiper would be forgiven. The priest was an intermediary between the person and God. The priest brought them to the LORD so they could be reconciled with God again. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything (Genesis 14:18-20 NIV). Five hundred years before Moses, we learned about another priest, Melchizedek, who brought Abra(ha)m together with God. They celebrated the victory God gave Abra(ha)m when he recovered people and wealth that had been captured by enemies. Abra(ha)m thanked God with a tenth (tithe) of everything he had. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek" (Psalms 110:4 NIV). Jesus, the one who would come to bring us the LORD, was described as a priest. He would not be like the priests in Moses' day, who sacrificed the animals to pay the price for our sin. In that image, Jesus is the lamb. Jesus is a priest like Melchizedek, who brings to God so we can celebrate our victory over captivity and death. Through Jesus, the LORD gives us many reasons to celebrate. In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father." And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:5-6 NIV). Did you know that, as a priest, Jesus brings us to celebrate with God? Do you celebrate your victory over sin and death? How?