Living Sacrifice: The Priesthood in Scripture

The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

2017 Priest Conference

July 10-13th, 2017 at Oglebay Resort & Conference Center

Monday

Living Sacrifice: A Biblical Theology of the Priesthood, Part I Dr. Scott Hahn

Tuesday

The High Priests Farewell Dr. John Bergsma

The Biblical Meaning of Sacrifice Dr. Brant Pitre

Living Sacrifice: A Biblical Theology of the Priesthood, Part II Dr. Scott Hahn

Wednesday

High Priests in Rivalry Dr. John Bergsma

The Jewish Roots of the Liturgy of the Hours Dr. Brant Pitre

Living Sacrifice: A Biblical Theology of the Priesthood, Part III Dr. Scott Hahn

Thursday

Nuptial Sacrifice of the High Priest Dr. John Bergsma

Jesus and the Celibate Priesthood Dr. Brant Pitre

Living Sacrifice: A Biblical Theology of the Priesthood, Part IV Dr. Scott Hahn

In Armenia during an earthquake in 1989 buildings swayed and buckled, then collapsed like houses of
cards. Less than four minutes later, over thirty thousand were dead from a magnitude 8.2 earthquake. In
the muddled chaos, a distressed father bolted through the winding streets leading to the school where
his son had gone early that morning. The man couldnt stop thinking about the promise hed given his
son many times: No matter what happens, Armand, Ill always be there.

He reached the site where the school had ben, but saw only a pile of rubble. He just stood there at first,
fighting back tears, and then took off, stumbling over debris, toward the east corner where he knew his
sons classroom had been.

With nothing but his bare hands, he started to dig. He was desperately pulling up bricks and pieces of
wall-plaster, while others stood by watching in forlorn disbelief. He heard someone growl, Forget it,
mister. Theyre all dead.
He looked up, flustered, and replied, You can grumble, or you can help me lift these bricks. Only a few
pitched in, and most of them gave up once their muscles began to ache. But the man couldnt stop
thinking about his son.

He kept digging and digging for hours... twelve hours... eighteen hours... twenty-four hours... thirty-six
hours... Finally, into the thirty-eight hour, he heard a muffled groan from under a piece of wallboard.

He seized the board, pulled it back, and cried, Armand! From the darkness came a slight shaking voice,
Papa...!?

Other weak voices began calling out, as the young survivors stirred beneath the still uncleared rubble.
Gasps and shouts of bewildered relief came from the few onlookers and parents who remained. They
found fourteen of the thirty-three students still alive.

When Armand finally emerged, he tried to help dig, until all his surviving classmates were out.
Everybody standing there heard him as he turned to his friends and said, See, I told you my father
wouldnt forget us.

Thats the kind of faith we need, because thats the kind of Father we have.

Scripture testifies to how God has cared for his family throughout the ages, making a way for his
children to live with him forever. The biblical record shows that our Heavenly Father has kept each and
every one of the promises he swore concerning our redemption at the cost of his only beloved Son.
Because of Gods grace, the gift of salvation is free, but it is not cheap.

The story of that unfailing love is the story of this book. Well examine together what God has done in
history to make us his family and to save us from the wretched misery of our own sin and selfishness.
Along the way, well discover anew how passionately he seeks us, how firm is his intention to make us
whole again and how deserving he is to receive our gratitude, trust and obedience.