A New Identity
Scripture Reading — 1 John 2:20-27
You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
Have you ever been called a prophet, or a priest, or a king or queen? Probably not often. Most of us rarely think of ourselves that way. But God does. He lifts us up to live a full life of blessing and purpose.
This month we will look at what it means to be prophets, priests, and royal rulers in God’s service. Jesus Christ, Son of God the Father, was anointed with the Holy Spirit. As the Bible teaches, Jesus is our chief Prophet. This means he fully reveals to us the will of God and how God calls us to live. Jesus is also our perfect High Priest, who gives us access to God and has delivered us through the one sacrifice of his life for us. What’s more, Jesus is our eternal King, who governs us by his Word and Spirit. (See Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 31.)
And we share in his anointing. We are called to believe and trust in Jesus and to honor his name, to serve as living sacrifices of thanks, and to reign with him forever. So let’s consider all these things as the season of Lent helps us focus on Jesus and his sacrifice for us.
As the Spirit of God works in our lives, we gradually become like Jesus. Our identity begins to align with his. Our love and obedience to Christ grow as we carry out our calling (our anointing) as prophets, priests, and rulers who serve God. This becomes our identity.
Let’s learn together what this means and how we can live it out in our lives today
Lord, help us see that you have saved us by grace to share in Jesus’ anointing and become like him. Lift us up to serve you. Amen.
About the author — Pete Byma
Pete Byma has served as a pastor of congregations in Michigan and in Washington state. Serving now as a pastor in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he is also a consultant/coach for churches experiencing conflict, and he enjoys equipping and establishing people in ministry. He is married to Cheri, and they have four grown children and six grandchildren. Pete is also a registered soccer official and enjoys bicycling.
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