omeini, a dual spiritual and political leader. One day we may have a Pastor/president.
He is a priest of God Most high. Some of us tend to think that Abram was the first person to believe in one God. But there were other people groups who worshipped God Most High, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Think of Noah and his descendants. They were believers in God Most High. Archeologists believe that the people who pioneered Jerusalem were Semites, decedents of Shem. Melchizedek simply did not worship God as Abram did. Abram is a pioneer of sorts for he pioneered a certain expression of faith. Abram’s faith tells us to believe in God’s promises and decide to live by faith; following God’s leading in our lives, ways that are tough and filled with faith building events. Melchizedek was a spiritual leader of a religion that worshiped the God of Noah and Abraham. But it did not involve living by faith as Abram was doing. Yet, he was a sincere servant of God and God was working though him.
There are times when we don’t respect other followers of Christ, if they do not worship like our own congregation or denomination. But Abram recognized Melchizedek as a servant of God and learned from him and submitted to him. We need to realize that God is not just working through evangelical, non-denominational Protestants. He is working through many denominations and expressions of faith. I am not saying that God is working through all world religions or purveyors of false gospels, but if there are Christians out there that are not like us and who worship differently in their churches we need to respect them as servants of Jesus Christ and acknowledge that God is working through them.
Melchizedek was a great man and yet very humble. He was a king. He was also a priest. He had great power and authority. And yet he came to meet old Abram, out in the desert. He came and brought the bread and wine. He came to encourage and bless and share spiriitual fellowship. This is very humble. He reminds me of Jesus. The attitude of Christ Jesus, was, in a word, humbleness. Philippians 2:6-7 reads, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Jesus is the Creator God, through whom all things were made (Jn 1:1-3). But he did not clutch the power and glory of his equality with God. It was his. Yet, he divested himself of it and became flesh to dwell among us (Jn 1:14), even being born in a stable.
In our sinful nature, we want to be recognized, and honored. We want people to come to us. But Jesus’ attitude was humility, not self-glory seeking. He made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant. In the world, no one ever gives up his or her position of authority and power, whether it is deserved or not. We would rather be served by others, and lord it over them. Jesus had all authority in heaven and on earth, but he used his power to serve the weak. Instead of demanding people to come up to his standard, Jesus reached down to us, serving our needs. He said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:45) Melchizedek reflected the heart of Jesus.
The fact that he came to have spiritual fellowship is also very significant. We like to socialize and hang out with our friends. But do we intend to have spiritual fellowship with them? When we have spiritual fellowship with people, we pray with them, we discuss spiritual things, we examine the scriptures, we are mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. Having spiritual fellowship is very intentional. It does not come easy. It is a sign of spiritual maturity when we seek this type of fellowship out.
Part lll: Melchizedek, The Blesser (Gen 14:18-20)
Melchizedek came to bless Abram. Look at verse 14:19a, “and he blessed Abram, saying, ….” What does it mean to bless someone? Does it mean to give endless charity? No, in fact, Abram is the one who gave money away to Melchizedek, not the other way arou