Go a little deeper
Pastor Keith Kirkpatrick explores Zechariah 4’s vision of a lampstand supplied by olive trees. He places it amid the returning exiles’ work on the ruined temple and emphasizes dependence on the Spirit for completion. He interprets the two anointed figures as representing priestly and governing roles.
Pastor Keith describes priestly mediation and governing authority as distinct roles that meet in Melchizedek and are fulfilled in Jesus. He connects Exodus 19 with Israel’s calling, Hebrews with Jesus’ mediation and saving work, Revelation with his supreme authority, and Matthew with his ancestry. He then applies Revelation 1 and 1 Peter 2 to believers’ identity and responsibilities in Christ.
Pastor Keith interprets the oil as the Spirit and connects the vision with John 15’s vine imagery, urging continued dependence on Jesus rather than self-sufficiency. He calls for prayer, unity and faithful conduct across workplaces, schools and homes, then invites listeners to receive salvation and righteousness through Jesus.
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Transcript from the recording’s captions. Select any timestamp to hear the original audio.
[applause] Hey, if you brought your Bible, we want to receive a word from the Lord today. Get it out right now. If you brought your word, you could hold it in the air like you care because God has a word for his people. Even if you didn't bring your Bible, I want you to join with me. On the count of three, we're all going to shout word. On the count of three, get ready. Shout word. Here we go. One, two, three. Word. We're getting into God's word. So God's word gets into us. You know, God never intended his people to simply come to church. The role of being a Christian is not that you would simply attend church. I'm glad that you came to church today. So, thank you for coming here, but that's not the role of a Christian. Our role is to invite God's presence into our lives. There would be
a great tragedy if somehow we think that going to church is the end all. In fact, the greatest tragedy is not that people aren't going to church. It's that people come to church and leave the same. It's that people would come to church and not welcome his presence. In fact, God never desired that if if his people would believe in him that we would come and be spectators. Church is not a spectator sport where you come and just watch what happens and then you leave and be the same. In fact, we live in America, which God bless America. I love this great nation. But we are consumers. And the church is never meant to be a place of consumption where you just get to take something and enjoy it and be better because of it. The church ought to be a people that allows the presence of God to flow in them and through them.
If you're just joining us, we've been in the book of Zechariah. Everyone shout Zechariah. Zechariah means the Lord remembers. Zechariah says in chapter four of the Holy Spirit is like oil. But if you're going to be a a light, you are the lamp and you're going to need some oil. You're going to need something to burn inside of you. And today I want to show you a truth that you may not ordinarily think about. You may not even at first glance it might seem unfamiliar at first, but once you understand the truth I'm going to share with you today, it will completely change your life. And I mean no exaggeration with that. It might be unfamiliar to you. It might even be a little uncomfortable at first. But when you truly understand who Jesus is, it will shape who you are.
Doesn't matter how old you are. It doesn't matter how long you've been coming to church or it doesn't matter how much you know about the Bible. I want you to see clearly who you are and it will shape and change your life forever. The title of today's message is the oil flows through kings and priests. The oil flows through kings and priests. I'm not hearing any amen. So, would you just would you say that with me? Would you preach a little better than the preacher today? Say it with me. The oil flows through kings and priests. Hey, if that doesn't hit right now, if you're not quite sure what that means, you will by the end of our time together. And I believe it's going to shape and change who you are as you discover that God wants you to be a king and a priest. Not an either or, but a both. And we find ourselves in Zechariah
chapter 4. If you got a Bible, turn there right now. Zechariah is the second to the last book of the Old Testament. The Bible is made up of 66 books. The New Testament is everything after the birth of Jesus. So find the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, everything that tells us about the life of Jesus in the flesh. And just go back a few books and you'll find Zechariah. Find the fourth chapter. We find ourselves this summer trying to understand and experience God's kingdom come as we discover that we have a mountain moving God. Do you believe that today? Zechariah chapter 4, Zechariah is a prophet some 2500 years ago. So it might seem like the ancient times, but God never changes. He's faithful and who God was then is still the same God today. And in Zechariah chapter 4, we have a story of a prophet that reminds his people that God's not finished yet. You
may not see it. You may not know how it's going to happen, but God's going to do it. And it's not going to be by might. It's not going to be by the power, but it's by the spirit of God. See, what happened during this time is God's people ended up in exile. They were in Babylon, which is modern-day Iraq. But God allowed his people to head back home to Jerusalem. So imagine, if you will, they travel from what today we know as Iraq, Babylon, back to Jerusalem. But this small remnant of people get back to Jerusalem and it's in ruins. It's in destruction. It's destroyed. Much like many of our lives, we'll find ourselves in a place we don't want to be. We'll find ourselves in a place where you hear the promise of God, but the reality of what you're going through versus what God has said in your life is different.
There's a gap, but that doesn't mean God's not going to do it. Because if God says it, he's going to do it. So God sent Zachchariah as a prophet to give a word to his people that they will rebuild the temple. It might be a mountain of rubble right now, but they're going to do it because the temple represents the presence of God. And what we see in the Old Testament has been fulfilled in Jesus. And today, you are the temple of God. So, if you feel like your life is in ruins right now, if you feel like there's a mountain of rubble in front of you, I've come here today to let you know that God is going to level that mountain. He's going to build up your life and he's going to fill your life with the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. Today, we come to
the last verse in the fourth chapter of Zechariah. But to set the stage for those of you who have not been here, we're going to just go ahead and read the entire chapter and then we're to camp on that that that last verse in chapter 4. or the 14th verse. If you're able to today, would you stand for the reading of God's word? I'm going to read to you all of Zechariah chapter 4. I'll give you a little commentary as we go along. For those who are just joining us today, let's dive right into the text. Uh tell your neighbor, hold tight. Come on, somebody. I want you to go with me. Hold tight. Here we go. Zechariah chapter 4, starting with verse one. And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. If I just press pause here, God is giving Zachchariah a series of
visions. And God's about to give a new vision. But to see a new thing, you got to awaken from where you are. It's time for the church to wake up. If we're going to see the vision of God, we can't just stay in the same place we've always been. It's time to wake up. Verse two. And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see and behold a lampstand." Lamps produce what? Shout it out. Light. This represents God. Jesus came in the flesh. God in the flesh. He says, "I am the light of the world." This is an image of a manora because this this lampstand was olive gold with a bull on top of it and seven lamps on it with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on top of it. Let me take a pause really quick. Seven is the number of perfection. It's the number of completion. When we see seven in the Bible, it always points to who God is.
He's the only one that's perfect. He is the only one who is completely perfectly the light with seven lips on it. Describes that there's the fullness of light. He is the one that gives us the light. And on this lamp is a bowl that's going to hold the oil, the source. Let's keep reading. Verse three. And there are two olive trees by it. Here's where the oil comes from. one on the right of the bowl and one on his left. And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?" And the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord, or else I wouldn't have asked." Verse six, then he said to me, "This is the word to Zerubabel." Zerubabel is the governor of the people.
Zerubabel represents the ruler, the governance, the decree. He's the one that's going to lead the people to do what God says. So this is the word of the Lord to Zerubabel. Not by might, not by power. Say it with me, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Verse seven, who are you, oh great mountain before Zerubabel, you shall become a plain, and he shall bring forward to the top stone. This is the last stone of the temple. The temple's not built yet, but God says when you put that last stone amid shouts, I wonder if there's a people that are willing to shout. I wonder if there's still some people today that recognize that sometimes we got to shout that when you don't see it, when you don't have it, when you don't
know what else to do, you still got to shout. And the shout is, say it with me, grace, grace to it. Then the word of the Lord, verse 8, came to me saying, verse 9, the hands of Zerubabel, remember the governor, have laid the foundation of this house. They laid the foundation, but opposition stepped in. I'll tell you this, when you start doing the work of the Lord, opposition will come. You ever experience this? Sometimes it's your health, sometimes it's your wealth. Oftentimes it will come in the form of your family or relationships or some type of opposition that will discourage you. And in this case they started laying the foundation. Discouragement came. Criticism came. So they stopped.
The enemy loves it when we stop. But God's not done. Look at verse nine. The hands of the Zerubable have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. Verse 10, for whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice. We learned this last week. Do not despise the small things in your life. No matter where you've been, no matter what you've gone through, as long as you're still alive, you can know that God's not finished with you yet. The best is always yet to come with God. Don't despise small things. Don't despise small prayers. Don't despise small bank accounts or small relationship. Don't despise the the small things in your life because God is able. You might as well start
rejoicing right now because God's going to do it. And you shall see the plum line in the hand of Zerubabel. This is a straight line. This is don't waver right now. Stay focused. Seek the Lord. These seven are the eyes of the Lord. Seven represents who again? God. This God is omnipresent. God is perfect. God sees everything. and God knows everything which reigns through the whole earth. Then I said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" And I said a second time, and I answered and said to him, "What are these two branches of the olive trees which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?" Now, if you're you're just joining us, oil represents the Holy Spirit. So each time
you hear me say oil, I need you to identify oil is the Holy Spirit. So So who represents the these trees? He said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my Lord." And here's our focus for today. Verse 14. Then he said, "These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth." This is the word of the Lord. You may be seated. From the beginning of time, God has always advanced his kingdom. This is why we have been focusing this year on kingdom come because Jesus taught us to pray your kingdom come your
will be done on earth as it is in heaven. God has always advanced his kingdom and we see two primary primary ways he's done this and they go hand in hand. He's done it through the priestly devotion and the kingdom authority. God has established both priests and kings. Two different roles, two different uh authorities. We find that both of these roles are fulfilled in Jesus. And we're going to see that these offices ultimately point to who Christ is. We come to the text today and Zachchariah has a very clear vision from God. There's a lamp and there's these two olive trees. And I'm so grateful for
the scriptures that remind us that what happened with Zachchariah will happen in our lives. Zachchariah saw the vision of God, but he didn't understand what it meant. I want to just say it's okay that if you've been saved by God, you've been called by God, if there's something inside of you that you know you're made for more, but you're not quite sure what that means yet, that's okay. What's not okay is just to stay that way and do nothing. So if you're not quite sure what God's going to do in your life or why God has allowed destruction or you're not quite sure what the vision of what God's going to do in your life, so it was with Zachariah who was a prophet. And if the word prophet the title sounds kind of weird to you, maybe I could just use the word preacher. This guy preached God's word, but he's still not quite
sure what does this mean? He asks of God over and over. Do you notice that God didn't just answer it quickly the first time? So if you've ever come before God and you said, "God, what is your will in my life? God, I want to know clearly what the vision is for what you have for me." If you don't have that answer immediately, I want to just say that's okay. But don't give up on God. He hasn't given up on you. There's often a reason for his patience in your life. So Zachchariah asked of the Lord, "What are these two trees? I get the lamp. I get the light. I get the oil, but who is the source of this oil? What what do these two trees actually represent?" And then the answer is given in verse
14. Then he said to me, "These are the two anointed ones. These represent the two, not just one, anointed ones. It's really important that you understand the word anointed. We see it in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and it's something you ought to desire. Anointing represents God's holy power. It represents what God can do through you that you couldn't do on your own. Anointing is the very presence of God. When we talk about a service being anointed or worship being anointed or something being anointed, we're simply saying there was God's presence there.
There was God's power there. How can that be that you would sing a song and one song is anointed and one song is not? There's anointing. Be not mistaken with emotions. I'm talking about anointing, which is God's holy power that has the power to heal. In just a moment, I'm talking about God's holy power which has the power to save. In just a moment, I'm talking about God's holy power where you can experience and encounter a living God and know he's true in just a moment. That's anointing. And God tells Zachchariah, here's where this oil is going to flow from. Two anointed ones. I want to bring to Revelation today what this text is
actually telling us because they represent God's design of how he's going to get it done. How's God going to get it done? The temple's in ruins. How is he going to get it done? Maybe you can ask that question in your life. How is God going to get it done in your life? Can I give you that answer today? It's in verse 14 and it points to the person of Jesus. Listen, I'm going to go ahead and use the whiteboard today just as a lesson in school just so we can understand this simply so that we can understand the greater revelation of what it means in our lives. So, first I want to just start that God uses priests and kings. Remember the title of today's message, the oil flows through kings and priests. Do y'all remember that title? I had you preach it back to me because nobody shouted amen. The oil flows through kings and priests. You remember that? The oil flows through kings and
priests. Point number one today, you can write this down if you're taking note. It says, "God's kingdom has always needed both kings and priests." God's kingdom has always needed both kings and priests. God's kingdom has always needed both kings and priests. Let me just give you a context today. I'm going to write this down. If you can't see the board, go ahead and turn to a screen. At this time, I'm going to just write down who these represent during the days of Zachchariah. Okay? So, track with me for just a moment. The priest at this time, his name is Joshua. Everyone shout Joshua. So Joshua represents the role of priest. I'm going to put priest under here. He is the high priest in the days of Zachchariah. Now this Joshua is not to
be mistaken with the same Joshua that led the Israelites into the promised land. The exact same name but different time in history. The name is really important because this name Joshua in Hebrew is Yeshua. This is the name that Jesus was born with. Yeshua literally translated means the Lord saves. The Lord is savior. That's what Joshua means. It's very significant. You say, well, why is why do we say Jesus instead of Joshua or Yeshua? Jesus is the Greek form of Yeshua. Jesus was born in the Greco Roman time where Greek was the the modern language of the day in the whole world where
people learned how to read, write and speak Greek. So we we in our English often say Jesus when really he was born with the name Yeshua. So Joshua is the high priest during the times of Zechariah. There was not a king over God's people because they've been in exile. But God established a ruler over the people. And his name was, it's a cool name that we need to bring back to some babies today. Zerubabel. Maybe you don't want to bring this name back because Zerubabel means born in Babylon. Babel is representation of Babylonia or Babylon which today is modernday Iraq.
You can go and find uh remnants of archaeology uh during this time. So Zerubabel uh means born in Babylon or son of Babel. He represents the rulers. He's the governor. I'm going to write down ruler. But what I really mean by this is he represents kingship. So he's represents the ruler. So we've got two roles during this time that God's going to use. Two anointed ones, the priest and the king. Can we all see this? The king and the priests. I want to establish this on the whiteboard today so that we could understand who these two roles are. are and I'm going to come back to them but I
first need us to understand that God has constantly established the order of kings and priests. Now if I can just paraphrase and go back for just a moment to the beginning. The first book of the Bible is what? Genesis. Genesis means the origins, the beginnings of all things. The first book of the Bible, Genesis, God would establish a covenant with a man named Abraham. He's known as the father of our faith. Abraham at one point runs into a man named Melkisedc. Now that is a cool name that we should bring back. Come on somebody. MelkiseDC. MelkiseDC. The very name Melkisedc means the king of righteousness. The king of righteousness. He introduces himself as the king of Salem. Sale. Salem. Sound familiar to anybody?
That's our state capital. Salem means God's whole perfect peace. MelkiseDC is the king of Salem, but he also is a high priest, which doesn't make sense because the role of king and the role of priests are completely separate. Kings are to to rule with order. They're to make decrees. They're to have the authority to establish justice. The king rules and governs. That's the role of a king. A priest is a mediator between the people and God. They're the intercessors. They're the ones praying for the people. Oh God, please don't wipe them out. They're the ones that teach the Torah, the
instructions of God. They're the ones that establish the sacrifices. They're the ones that say, "You would be dead if it wasn't for God, but bring forth the sacrifice. We'll sacrifice the animal instead of you." And now you can have a right relationship with God. a mediator between man and God. So normally a priest and a king are completely different roles. But from the beginning God even with Abraham in which book of the Bible again? Genesis from the Genesis God established the order of his kingdom of kings and priests. Now in the New Testament, the Bible points and says this Melkisedc that we read about in the Old Testament,
the book of Genesis points us to none other than who? It's all about Jesus. So it points to us the order that God established here on earth, which is his kingdom. So I want to just write above here. What did I do with my pen? Did someone steal it? Who took it? I found it. It's back here everybody. We're going to put above the priest and above the king a kingdom. Now today we talk about kingdom and it's hard for us to understand in a wonderful republic like we have where we have states and we have a democracy and we have an order where where it's of the people by the people for the people.
God's kingdom is established in such an order that there would be a king and there there would be a priest. And in doing so, we see the oil flows through kings and priests. Just for a pop quiz, what does oil represent again? Shout it out. Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the person of God. God works through the order of kings and priests. We see this when Moses was delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, taking them to the promised land, God established an order and he gave them the Torah, which is the word of God, the instructions of God. And on this journey, God makes this statement in Exodus 19:5 and 6. Now therefore, if here's the condition, you will indeed obey my voice and keep my
covenant. This is the covenant God gave to Abraham that you'd be my people. You'd be my nation. Represent me established through the order of every male being circumcised. If you keep my covenant, you be my people set apart different than everyone else. You shall be my treasured possession among all peoples. For all the earth is mine. Let's stop right there for a moment. Do you see the language of God? He never changes. He loves us. You're my treasured people. I am the God of all the earth. Not a nationality, not a race. I am the God of all the earth. Look at verse six. Now, here it comes. And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy
nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel. Now, notice this. God wanted both from the beginning. Israel this time doesn't even have a king. It's a theocracy. God is their their king. God is their king. And during this journey, he would establish a priest, which would be Moses' brother. His name's Aaron. And he would be the first high priest. But we have from the beginning an order of kingdom of priests. What's amazing about the Old Testament is that the entire Bible, this book is not man's story. This is God's story. And some will say, well, if the New Testament is everything after the birth of Jesus, what is the Old Testament really about? It's also about Jesus.
So, I want you to see the second point today. Both offices of kings and priests find their fulfillment in Jesus. Both offices find their fulfillment in Jesus. So, we've got Joshua. We've got Zerubabel. And then we have eventually the birth of Jesus. Jesus is our high priest and he is our king of kings. Jesus is a greater Joshua and gre Jesus is a greater Zerubable. Now, can we just witness the power of God's word here for just a moment? Can we go here for just a moment? All right. is a 9:00 a.m. service. You coffee still sinking in. So I just I just want to go here for just a moment.
Jesus fulfills that he is the greater Joshua. Hebrews 4:14. This is the New Testament. Since then, we have a great high priest, a great high priest who has passed through the heavens. Who is it? Come on, shout it out. Jesus. Jesus is the great high priest, the son of God. Let us hold fast our confession. Now the reason he's the great high priest is he is not just a mediator between man people and God. He's not just an intercessor which he is even still today. He is the last and great sacrifice the lamb of God. So we see in verse or chapter 7 verse 25 of Hebrews consequently he who's the he here? Jesus he's able to save the uttermost of those who draw near to God through him. Can I
just tell you this is why this church exists. is all about Jesus. He can save anyone at any time. He died on the cross not for some sins but for every sin once and for all. That whoever draws near to Jesus, Jew or Gentile, he can save you today by believing in Jesus, he can save you today. He is the great high priest. And look what it says here. He always lives to make intercession for them. He's the great intercessor, the great high priest. He is, if we come back here to Joshua, he is the priest. Joshua in the days of Zachchariah couldn't save all the people, but Jesus can. He is the great high priest. Now, he's not just the great high priest. Come on, somebody. He's also the king of kings.
Let's see the context here in Revelation 19:6. Revelation in Greek means apocalyptto. It is the revealing. It is the apocalypse. John the author of this text gets the revelation of Jesus and it says on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written king of kings and lord of lords. Jesus is established forever as king of kings. There will never be a prime minister, a president or a king that even compares to Jesus. is established on his thigh for ever and one day the world will see. Isaiah
the prophet tried to point forward to who the Messiah would be, the chosen one of God. And he tells us of the increase of his government. He's a greater governor than Zerubabel. Jesus is a greater ruler and governor than Zerubabel. His government will increase. His peace will increase because he is the king of all kings. When Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, describes Jesus, he gives a genealogy, but he points Jesus to his kingship. He comes from the tribe of Judah. He fulfills every prophecy that's been written for thousands of years
about who the Christ is. Look at how Matthew opens up in chapter 1 verse one. The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Here's the geneal Jesus. And he gives two titles here. The son of David, the son of Abraham. The son of here is a title. Bar David. David represents a kingship. Jesus is a greater David. He's a greater king. Now, here's what's really interesting here. Matthew points out that Jesus was born in the lineage of David. Zerubabel, although he was born in Zeru, I spelled Zerubabel wrong. Nobody caught this.
All right, somebody help me out here. Let's go. Did anybody catch that? Okay. All right. I'm a preacher, not a teacher. Zeru. Zeru. B A B E L. If you can recall earlier in class today, friends, Zerubabel means born in Babylon. Born in Babel. Zerubabel is in the lineage of David even though he was born in Babylon. Now, this is going to be mind-blowing in just a moment. So far, it's not mind-blowing, but it's going to be mind-blowing in just a moment. He was born in Babylon. May I just declare over
your life, it doesn't matter where you were born. It doesn't matter what family you were born into. God had a perfect plan in this lineage that Zerubabel was born in the line of David. Jesus is born in the line of David, which means that Jesus is a greater Zerubabel. He's a greater governor. He's a greater ruler. Matthew 1:12. After the deportation to Babylon, this is when the Israelites ended up in Babylon. Exile, modernday Iraq, Jacaniah was the father of Shielil and Shiel, the father of Zerubabel. This is all in the lineage of Jesus. Jesus is a greater Zerubabel. Jesus is a greater David. And now we start to understand that Jesus doesn't have a divided authority. He's not 50%
priest and 50% king. He is 100% king of kings and 100% the great high priest. And it doesn't stop there. God's power has always flowed through his kingdom come and his will to be done to a surrendered people who keep his word, that want his word. He will work. The oil flows through kings and priests. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. So if Jesus is the King of Kings, if Jesus is our high priest, when you believe in Jesus, here it comes. Here's the fire. Now, here's where we start shouting amen if we haven't thus far. Through Christ, that's Jesus. He's Messiah. Through Christ, we slap your neighbor and say we. Just come on,
somebody. We we who believe in Jesus have become kings and priests. [applause and cheering] It doesn't stop with Jesus. It doesn't stop with Jesus. It starts with Jesus from Genesis to Revelation to where we are right now. Listen to Revelation chapter 1. John gets the revelation and he says, "And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, meaning he is the first to defeat death and the ruler of the kings on earth to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood." If you're new to church, I need you to know this today. God loves you more than you can imagine.
God is love and he's demonstrated that love through the person of Jesus Christ. God wrapped himself in flesh and he did what no one else can do. He lived a perfect life. He died on the cross for every single one of our sins. He freed us from the tyranny of sin. He's freed us from the from the lie of the devil that you got to do the things on earth because God designed you and made you for more. That's Jesus. Listen to verse six. And made us. Is that still us today? Are you sure? He made us a kingdom priests to his God and father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. [cheering] So the kingdom we come back to this board follow with me here. The kingdom.
This says kingdom which God established through priests and kings and has been fulfilled in Jesus. Now when you are in Christ, you have believed in Jesus. The kingdom is fulfilled in your life when you understand he destined you not to be one or the other. A priest welcomes the presence of God. A worshipper loves prayer. wants to be at church. He didn't design you just to be a priest. He designed you to have the authority, the rule, the reign to take the keys of the kingdom that only Jesus can give you. That you have authority over the enemy.
You have authority over every demon. You have authority over every sickness. You have authority to rule and to reign. But not either or. We are a kingdom of priests in Jesus. Now I like the old English of the King James how it establishes this verse. Can we just read this one? King James version says in Revelation 1 verse 6, Jesus made us kings and priests. I like that. Do you like it too? He made us kings and priests. Now, to all the ladies in the house for just a moment, some of y'all might be like, "Well, wait a second. Why is it kings and not kings and queens? Can I just explain this for just a moment?" Don't get caught up in the semantics or the gender here. King means a ruler. And notice here, you are not
the king of kings. There's only one king of kings. That's Jesus. It's in Jesus, you become a ruler. So, ladies, there's equality. There's neither male nor female. It doesn't matter if you're Jew or Greek. You are a part of this kingdom. So the old English of the King James version just says, "I don't care about all this like gender sensitivity thing. I just need you to know in Jesus you're a king and a priest." Come on, ladies, give me an amen. You too are given the same rule and authority as kings and priests. You are a kingdom of priests. This is what Peter says in 1 Peter 2:9. Peter who by all accounts might might be written off as
unqualified who was a fisherman and yet he becomes a fisher of men. He says loudly in chapter 2:9 of first Peter, you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood. He's combining royalty, kingship, kingly to priesthood. Now, you've got to understand why this is so huge. Normally, those two roles would never be combined, but in Jesus, this is our identity. This is who you are, your royalty. I don't know how you felt waking up today. Maybe you were tired. Maybe you were hung over. Maybe you just weren't even sure what to expect in church today. But God, when he looked at you when you woke up, the King of Kings says, "You're my kings." That's right. You You are who I say you are.
You are now priests, which means you're my intercessors. You're the worshippers. You're the ones that will fulfill who I am. Jesus said, "It's good that I go that the oil would flow through you as kings and priests, that the world would see who I am." My last point today, and you could write this down, is the oil flows through those who stay connected. The oil flows through those who stay connected. So if the oil flows through kings and priests, some of you today might say, "I don't feel like a king and a priest." Some of you would say, "Today, I've never operated as a king and a priest." Some of you would say today, "Well, it still feels a little strange for you to tell me that I'm a king and a priest. I believed in Jesus. I know he died on the cross for me. I want to go to heaven, but this whole kings and priest thing, I'm not quite sure." Let me just tell you, God did not make you to live an ordinary life. He
made you for more. And the oil flows through those who stay connected. Remember Zechariah 4:14, the two anointed ones. The oil is going to flow through them. They simply were connected. Listen to John 15:4. Jesus is speaking to those who believe in him. He says, "Abide in me and I in you." He likened himself to the vine and his believers as branches. He says, "As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me." 12 times in chapter 15, this is just hours before Jesus goes to the cross. Here's what was on his mind for his believers. I need you to know the secret to your identity. It's staying connected to me.
The fruit doesn't come because they work harder. They they try harder. They want to be better. Fruit comes out of the branch because it's connected to the vine. Life comes through the vine into the branch. We got a lot of branches that are going to church trying to produce some fruit when really the cure is staying connected to the King of Kings, staying connected to the high priest. And when you're connected, you just naturally produce who you're connected to. But if you are the branch and Jesus says, "I need you to abide in me." If you abide in any other form, you will produce the fruit that you're abiding in, that you're connected in. It's hard to get some amens today. I'm trying.
But but I believe what I just said probably hurt or you missed it because what you abide in is what you bear fruit in. Amen. So if you find yourself depressed or angry or hopeless, if you find yourself in a place where you don't want to be full of rage, if you find yourself addicted to some substance to cover up the pain of your life, you're just connected to the wrong vine. I'm so grateful for a God that doesn't condemn us when we connect to the wrong vine. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. There's a great invitation to come to Jesus today, to receive the life of Jesus. And with it comes the anointing. I need to wrap this up, but I I I want to just make sure to cast the vision of application for your life.
Psalm 133 describes what happens when God's people do this. You're not meant to be a king and a priest alone. If we come back to the board here, Joshua was by himself. Zerubbabel was by himself. And then Zachchariah was trying to preach to them that that you're going to be the ones that that build the temple. But God doesn't look at you today and say, "This is on you to fulfill the kingdom." That that's not the kingdom. Psalm 133 says, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity." Oh, it's so good when we're in unity and we say, "We are kings and priests. You're a king and a priest. You're a king and a priest." How good it is. Here's what it's like. Ready for this? Verse two. It is like precious. Say it with me. Oil on the head running down on the beard on the beard of Aaron.
Remember Aaron was the first high priest. It's like the priestly office is happening in our lives when we're in unity. Now, the Bible tells us in the New Testament that we are a body. Do you know who the head is? Jesus. When we're in unity and we put Jesus in his proper place, it flows downward. Oil isn't hard. There shouldn't be friction here. We shouldn't be fighting over the oil. We ought to be in unity putting Jesus in his proper place and the oil just runs down the body. Come on, somebody. Verse three. It is like the dew of Herman. Hermon was the highest place in Israel which falls on the mountains of Zion. That's the place of Jerusalem. It's a refreshment here. This is this is the kingship here. It's not not a burden to
rule and to govern. It's refreshing for there the Lord has commanded. [music] Someone say commanded. Commanded the blessing life forever more. It's time for you to take your role seriously and start commanding those blessings. Receive the promises of God and start operating under your authority as a king and a priest. Start declaring decrees. You have the word of God. start announcing the decrees as a king today. We are to be in unity. Revival is coming and central Oregon doesn't need more people attending church. It needs more people operating as kings and priests with an invitation today that what I have you can have. I'm not saying I'm better than you. I'm saying I've been saved by grace through faith and it can happen to you, too.
Business owners filled with the Holy Spirit. Teachers who are walking to their classrooms this fall filled with the Holy Spirit. Police officers who don't take their job just being a peace officer, but they are filled with the Holy Spirit. I declare construction workers filled with the Holy Spirit. To every mom and grandma and auntie in this place filled with the Holy Spirit. to every student bringing revival to their schools because they're filled with the Holy Spirit. I declare over entrepreneurs, artists, and creatives that God made you and he doesn't make mistakes. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Government leaders, doctors, counselors, every sphere to say whatever you walk into, I got a mountain, but I believe I
have a mountain moving God. And so I will declare things will not stay the way in Central Oregon. grace, grace to it in the name of Jesus. [music] It's not by might. It's not by power, but by the spirit, says the living God. Friends, today I need you to see that God doesn't change. He's still calling us to be priests and kings. I want to share with you one last final verse out of Romans 5:1 17. This is the gospel. And today, whatever you walked in with, this is your invitation right now. For if because of one man's trespass, speaking of Adam, the first man that sinned, because of Adam's sin, we've all sinned. Because of one man, death reigned through that man. It's why
we die today because of sin. because of Adam. Much more, the author says, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. There is only one man greater than any other man, and that's Jesus. Because he did what no one else can do. And just like sin came through that one man and it came through your parents and it's going to come through you. It's why we're all so dysfunctional. It's why we all need grace upon grace. And if you're willing to accept Jesus today, believe in Jesus today, surrender your life to Jesus, you get not only an abundance of grace, we're told here, you get the free gift. Someone say free.
It's free today. You don't have to buy this. You don't have to earn it. You do not deserve it. The free gift of righteousness is yours. The kingdom is [music] righteousness in Jesus. You're completely righteous. Not someday, another day. Not you're going to work harder to get this righteous. You are righteous. And look at that. Look at that kingly language. You reign. There's a reign of life. You know what? This world could use a little more of reign in life. That's a ruling. That's a governance that you bring that life with you wherever you go. This world does not need more Christians who have platforms creating more consumerism. We need more presence of the living God in our lives. People who long for the prayer room like a priest. People who operate wherever they are with the governance of God.
That he is a God of abundance and we operate under his authority. The same Jesus that died and rose from the grave is ours today as well. So today, if you've never believed in him, your invitation has come. For some of you, you have believed in him, but you need more intimacy. You feel a disconnect in that relationship. And so, I invite you, come. Some of you need to operate under that authority because you felt lost. You felt uncertain of your future. And today, I give you an invitation. Come. It's not an eitheror intimacy or authority. It's both. You are a royal priesthood. You are a kingdom of priests.
I want to just ask if you would close your eyes. We've come to a place right now where we're concluding the service, but I need you not to rush in your heart or your emotions. You're here today not by accident. God loves you so much. He wants you to be freed from sin. So the invitation is for you today that if you believe in Jesus, you get the free gift of forgiveness, the free gift of grace, the free gift of righteousness, and the free gift of eternal life in Jesus. God even further and says in Ephesians chapter 1, the Bible says that you by believing in Jesus are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Meaning the person of God never wants to leave you, never forsake you. He wants to fill you in your life. But you have to be willing to invite this a daily dependence connecting to Jesus.
If today you want to believe in Jesus for the first time or maybe you've been coming to church for a long time, but you want to receive this today. You want to be renewed today, restored today. If you want to be set free, if you want to declare and say, "I am a king and a priest." Would you just raise your hand right where you are and say that I need to believe. I want to be set free from my past. I want to be set free from my sins. Would you just raise it high? This is unashamed. [music] It doesn't matter who you are. Don't be thinking about anyone else but God right now because he loves you. He wants a right relationship with you. Raise that hand [music] nice and high. Hold it up there. This is this is an establishment that from this day forward, I am no longer the same person. I am who God says I am. Forgiven, loved, a child of God. Don't miss this moment, my friend.
You're going to die. And you can know with confidence what happens when you die because the Bible says in Jesus to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. God doesn't want you to be surprised of eternity. You're going to face a real judge and the gift of eternal life with [music] God is offered to those who receive that free gift. Praise be to God today. Hallelujah. Anyone else right where you are? Just just raise that hand. Receive your identity in Jesus. This is lifech changing. This is identity changing. God has a purpose for you. If you've been wondering why your life is so hard, I want to just declare over you, you have an enemy that hates you. He steals,
he kills, he destroys. But Jesus came to give you life and life abundantly. Don't keep living life the same. Is there anyone else today? I don't want to miss this. Maybe it's those watching even online, but I I see a few hands, but I I don't want to miss this if [music] someone else is here. Come home to your family. For those who have their hands raised, you can put it down. I want to pray with you [music] today. I want you to receive this through prayer. Prayer doesn't save you. It's not saying the right words. It's not even going to church. A preacher can't save you. A parent can't save you. Your good works can't even save you, but Jesus can. And if you believe that today, it's going to change everything from this day forward.
Surrender your life and come back to Jesus every day. Get into the Bible every day. Pray every day. Not as an action of good works, but staying connected [music] to Jesus because it's easy to get disconnected in such a dark world. So, can we pray with those who who want to receive this gift today? Let's all pray out loud together. Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus, I believe in you. I believe in you. You are the king of kings. You are kings. You are the great high priest. You are the great high priest. And in you in you I am forgiven. I am forgiven. I am loved. I am I am a king. I am a priest. And I believe in you. I've received the Holy Spirit. I've received the gift of righteousness. I receive your love. I pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. And amen. Amen. Someone shout amen today. Amen.
And amen. Amen. Praise God. Come on. Can you stand to your feet and say thank [music] you to Pastor Keith? What a word. I think I think about uh old school preachers that would say, "If that message don't light your fire, your wood sweat." How many kings we have in [music] the room? Come on. There's something about that revelation that just makes [music] you want to put back your shoulders and walk a little bolder this week. Come on, anybody? Let's go. Let me pray for you as we give this week. Lord, in Jesus name, I just thank you for uh the people of God and our I just bless our giving this week, God. I just think about my own four kids who have had lifech
changing experiences at summer camp this week, [music] God. And I just thank you for the revelation for all of us that that doesn't happen without having a church that gives. And so God, I pray that as we give to you this [music] week, Aba, of our finances that we would all be reminded that we are we are sewing into lives being marked and transformed for eternity. So we thank you, God. Thank you for all that you're [music] doing in this house. And God, I pray a blessing on the people of God as they go this week that they would begin to see themselves [music] as priests and as kings in Jesus name. God, I bless their finances. I bless their relationships.
God, I thank you that you will perfect that which [music] concerns
