Elements City Church
Gift of Christmas - wk1 Jesus as Priest
As we examine the Matthew 2 account of the birth of Jesus and the supporting story of the magi from the east who visited. Their arrival sparked the intrigue about his child and their gifts point toward Jesus’ true nature, identity and calling that would play out in his life. Jesus came as the great high priest who would offer a sacrifice once and for all cleansing our sin and creating a way to have a restored right relationship with God. (The gift of frankincense)
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 4:00 PM
Welcome to Elements City Church
We're excited you've chosen to join us in worship for The Holy Roar at Four! Whether you're on-site or online, we are praying that this time will be an encouragement to you! If you're new and want to get connected, we'd love to hep you do so. Click the link below to fill out our Connection Card.
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https://elementscitychurch.snappages.site/prayer-requestAs we begin our Christmas series - we'll be diving into the account from the gospel of Matthew in chapter 2 and looking at the significance of the gifts the magi brought to Jesus - what they speak too about his life, divine identity and ultimate mission.
How many magi were there?
What were they?
Where were they from?
When did they visit?
The gospel of Matthew is strategically making the case for Jesus to be recognized as the Messiah for the jewish people. As gospel of Matthew proceeds to recount here - the bulk of Israel in Jesus’s day would reject him as their deliverer-king. They’d miss him…all together. And Instead, (irony) here we have Gentile magi —perhaps from a nation that had held Israel captive, (if the Babylon theory is right)—who alone read the Scriptures rightly and came to herald the true King.
What were they?
Where were they from?
When did they visit?
The gospel of Matthew is strategically making the case for Jesus to be recognized as the Messiah for the jewish people. As gospel of Matthew proceeds to recount here - the bulk of Israel in Jesus’s day would reject him as their deliverer-king. They’d miss him…all together. And Instead, (irony) here we have Gentile magi —perhaps from a nation that had held Israel captive, (if the Babylon theory is right)—who alone read the Scriptures rightly and came to herald the true King.
Wise men offered three gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts were not only valuable, they were practical, and yet they were deeply spiritual.
Frankincense was a very expensive, practical gift that helped heal sicknesses or treat wounds AND was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ priestly role…
Frankincense was the oil that the priests would use during the sacrifices to burn the incense that would then make the smoke that would arise to Heaven, symbolizing the prayers of the people rising in faith to God, and that is why Bible scholars agree that frankincense represents the priestliness of Jesus.
Frankincense was the oil that the priests would use during the sacrifices to burn the incense that would then make the smoke that would arise to Heaven, symbolizing the prayers of the people rising in faith to God, and that is why Bible scholars agree that frankincense represents the priestliness of Jesus.
Jesus the High Priest. The priest in scripture served 1 big primary role that was broken into 2 functions. The priest essentially would be the representative of the people before God.
1) Priest made sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins.
2) Priest prayed prayers on behalf of the people to God.
1) Priest made sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins.
2) Priest prayed prayers on behalf of the people to God.
We have to understand the reality of sin because there's the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. If we don't understand the holiness of God, we'll always have a casual approach to sin.
God is transcendently separate — Our God is perfect in every single way. He is flawless, He is pure, there is no fault, no wrong, no stain in Him, our God is transcendently other, He's separate, He is perfect, and so we need to understand that holiness isn't just one of the attributes of God, holiness is the perfection of all of his attributes.
Our God is holy and our challenge is = we're not!
Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement (read Leviticus 16 and all the priest would do the represent the people and seek God's forgiveness of their impurities, sins and brokenness)
God is transcendently separate — Our God is perfect in every single way. He is flawless, He is pure, there is no fault, no wrong, no stain in Him, our God is transcendently other, He's separate, He is perfect, and so we need to understand that holiness isn't just one of the attributes of God, holiness is the perfection of all of his attributes.
Our God is holy and our challenge is = we're not!
Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement (read Leviticus 16 and all the priest would do the represent the people and seek God's forgiveness of their impurities, sins and brokenness)
Christmas invites us to come boldly again and anew before God - to see Jesus as our High Priest who interceded for us - laid down his life for us so that God’s forgiveness and mercy could meet us and renew us.
He is your High Priest who intercedes for you continually now…
(Romans 8:27-28) as the Spirit / Jesus intercedes and prays for YOU
He is your High Priest who intercedes for you continually now…
(Romans 8:27-28) as the Spirit / Jesus intercedes and prays for YOU
Quote:
The gospel is good news, not good advice. -Timothy Keller
The gospel is good news, not good advice. -Timothy Keller
What's your posture toward this Jesus?
There are mainly only 3 options:
Hostile (like King Herod)
Indifferent (like the chief priests and scribes)
Seeking (like the wise men/magi)
truth: "Wise men and women still seek Him"
may you continually keep seeking the ONE this season is truly all about.
There are mainly only 3 options:
Hostile (like King Herod)
Indifferent (like the chief priests and scribes)
Seeking (like the wise men/magi)
truth: "Wise men and women still seek Him"
may you continually keep seeking the ONE this season is truly all about.
Thank you for partnering with us
Thank you for giving your tithes and offerings to Elements City Church. They enable us to be the church, and they help us to fuel the mission and vision. Our capacity to function on a daily basis is a direct result of your support, and we are so grateful for it! You can give online at the link below, through the website or through the Elements City Church app.
http://elementscitychurch.org/giveAren't you glad you came to church tonight?!?
Thanks for coming to The Holy Roar at 4!
Keep up to date with all that's going on through the Events tab of the Elements City Church app.
Coming up:
-December 14th - Cookies and Cocoa in the Courtyard following service
-December 21st - Walk Winterhaven with your Egroup or a small group of friends following service.
-CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE will be at 3pm this Dec 24th. Invite a friend or extended family to join you as we lean into the reason for the season.
Thanks for coming to The Holy Roar at 4!
Keep up to date with all that's going on through the Events tab of the Elements City Church app.
Coming up:
-December 14th - Cookies and Cocoa in the Courtyard following service
-December 21st - Walk Winterhaven with your Egroup or a small group of friends following service.
-CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE will be at 3pm this Dec 24th. Invite a friend or extended family to join you as we lean into the reason for the season.