Our Priest Brings Peace

This was a week. I was plagued by terrible headaches, took on unexpected extra hours at work, and was called on last-minute to lead worship. And it was all good because God is all good, but yes, it was long.

It's no wonder this week started the memorization of Romans 5

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Peace with God.

But what does that mean? Why do we need it?

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. (Titus 3:3)

We were enemies of God. That's what sin is: active rebellion against God and his will and his people.

But in Christ, we have peace with God.

When I found out I was leading worship the week our pastor was preaching Hebrews 8, I knew we had to sing Before the Throne

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me 

Because Jesus is our high priest.

we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven (Hebrews 8:1b)

Christ as high priest means peace for us. The promise God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah is fulfilled in King Jesus

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more (Jeremiah 31 quoted in Hebrews 8:12)

The word remember here has to do with action. We have peace with God not because he gave himself amnesia and forgot that we sinned; we have peace with God because he doesn't have to deal with our sin because he ALREADY dealt with it in Christ on the cross.

And isn't that amazing?

Today I got the best feedback a worship leader could hope to get:

Thanks for leading worship today; you could really hear the voices in our church praising Jesus.

With one voice, we sang.

My name is graven on his hands
My name is written on his heart
I know that while in heaven he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.