Ministry of any kind is a front-row seat to some of the most beautiful and painful moments of people’s lives. As a worship leader, I have often stood at the front of a church as a bride meets her groom at the altar - this is a beautiful moment. And I have sung while friends buried children - this is a painful moment.
In the Old Testament, the priests would slaughter the animals, burn the sacrifice, splash the blood, and throw the incense. This was hard physical work. This is holy work. This was work that required time, cleansing, and intentionality. This was the work that was required for a sinful people to not be consumed before a holy God. This was messy work.
But thanks be to God because of Christ Jesus…
“…holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted about the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.” Hebrews 7:24-27
The messy work of sacrifice has been accomplished once and all for Christ. But God has made us a kingdom of priests - those who intercede on behalf of another. Those who bear the burdens of one another before God. To point people to their Great High Priest:
“…To him who loves us and has freed us from our sings by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6
“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:4-5
Followers of Jesus are called into the messy work of laboring for and on behalf of our brothers and sisters. We must know the people we lead, so that as we stand on a platform we are singing over them, to them, and on their behalf as we look to the One who daily bears us all up.