Tuesday Reflections on a Sunday Service

This week, I wanted to lay out in text the observations I made about Melchizedek from the pulpit on Sunday. Though the theories surrounding this mysterious Biblical person range far and wide, I see him as an actual King/Priest who also serves as a foreshadowing of Christ. Allow me to posit the similarities below:
Melchizedek: Is a King of a city
Jesus: Is the High King over all His creation
Melchizedek: Is a Priest- he would take the sacrifices and offerings, perform the rituals, and pronounce people cleansed/forgiven
Jesus: Is our High Priest- His sacrifice and offer stands as His eternal practice that cleanses us as He pronounces us clean through our belief in Him
Melchizedek: Not of the priestly line of Levi/Aaron. Not even a Hebrew.
Jesus: Is of the tribe of Judah, not Levi
Melchizedek: Left the city to bless Abram
Jesus: Was sacrificed outside the gate of the city and blesses all of humanity
Melchizedek: Brought bread and wine to Abram
Jesus: Used bread and wine at the last supper to explain the New Covenant in His flesh and blood. That bread and wine still brings nourishment and cleansing to us today
Melchizedek: When he brought out the meal, he praised God and the work God was able to do through Abram
Jesus: Praised God at the Last Supper and all the work that God accomplishes through Jesus obedience

When the Bible says that Christ is a high priest in the order of Melchizedek, we get the idea that His focus, His attention, was singularly on what was important- God and the work God was doing in and through others. If we, through the Holy Spirit, have Christ living within us, we have Christ's capacity to be of the order of Melchizedek as well. May we be quick to encourage others and praise the Lord for all that He is doing, AND may we do so outside of our own city walls (the walls we put up to ensure no disturbance ever comes to our comfort zones). 

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