God of Covenant The promises of God

Transcription

1 God of Covenant The promises of God

2 Better Covenant & Promises But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. Hebrews 8:6-7 NLT

3 God speaks In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 The Word was God. He is continually articulate. Our entire Bible is about God speaking to us The Bible is divided by Old and New Testament A problem: the word testament and covenant are the same word, but the Old Testament and the Old Covenant are two different things. The Old Covenant is not the Old Testament, but is usually referring to the Mosaic Covenant.

4 God wants a family Why does God care so much that He would actually enter into a covenant with us? He binds himself voluntarily to human beings, or puts himself under obligation to us. God wants a family, He wants sons and daughters to be in a great relationship with Him. He wants a bride. The Bible is the story of the covenants God has made with human beings. God has made amazing promises to us that He will never break. The covenant is the backbone of a relationship with God. And God is the God of covenant. The covenant defines our relationship with God---nothing is more important.

5 God can not lie When God promises something, you can count on it. God is a God of promises and He cannot lie, He is God of integrity and truth. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Psalms 89:34 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. II Corinthians 1:20 God is a God of covenant, a God of promises. He always keeps His Word. The Bible is full of I wills from God.

6 Hold to the Promises The promises of God that we hold to or embrace, are the key to us partaking of the Divine Nature, or becoming Christ-like. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, II Peter 1:4 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) Hebrews 10:23 If we had no promises from God, our life would be filled with despair and hopelessness.

7 Abraham Believed the Promises He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Romans 4:20-25

8 5 major Covenants To understand what being in a covenant relationship with God is will change the way you believe, think and act. It will change you for the better. There are 5 major covenants in the Bible that are in the Old Testament and referred to in the New Testament. There are other smaller covenants that are subsets of these five general covenants. Four of these 5 major covenants are still in effect today and one is not. One is exclusively Jewish and is now completed, void, obsolete and of no effect.

9 Covenant with the Creation There is a Covenant with the Creation that is not specifically called a covenant in the Bible, but it is God stating His terms of life. The word covenant is not used in the creation story, but God clearly states His terms, conditions and expectations for His Creation in Genesis 1-3. Covenant with the creation Edenic Covenant - Before sin Adamic covenant - After sin

10 Five Covenants 1. Noahic Covenant 2. Abrahamic Covenant 3. Mosaic Covenant Fulfilled by Jesus Christ, made obsolete 4. The Davidic Covenant 5. The Messianic Covenant or The New Covenant

11 FYI The lessor covenants or smaller ones, that we find in the Bible 1. The Covenant of the everlasting priesthood 2. The Covenant of the Sabbath 3. The Salt Covenant 4. The Covenant of marvels

12 What is a Covenant? Contract: When 2 equal parties have bilateral negotiating rights enter into an agreement, both can break the contract. (ex: hire a contractor to build a house) I will be what I should be as long as and to the degree of you being what you should be. Contracts are conditional.

13 What is a Covenant? Covenant: When 2 parties are not equal, unilateral, One person decides the terms, the weaker person only has to decide whether to accept or reject. Modern society doesn t even have covenants anymore. We don t have a word for it, because in our society, everything is ordered around the self s pursuit of happiness.

14 What is a Covenant? Marriage should be a covenant but has evolved in our culture as a contract. I will be what I should be whether you are being what you should be or not. I will be committed to meeting your needs no matter what happens. I give you my freedom and independence. I will sacrifice for you.

15 What is a Covenant? Last will and testament you are the stronger party and it is your decision to leave your property to whomever you want. It is your promise to your heirs. The New Covenant was not made effective until the death of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews) He has established His covenant and invites us to accept, believe and receive. He wants to make us his children, heirs and His Bride.

16 Covenant רי ת ב ב ר ber-eeth - Strong s #1285, in the sense of cutting; a compact (made by passing between pieces of flesh): confederacy, to eat together, confederate, covenant, league, the promise of God. It is much more than an agreement. The ancient world operated with covenants.

17 Covenant רי ת ב ב ר And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof, The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf; I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life:.. Jeremiah 34:18-20

18 God s promises to Abram Promise: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:2-3 Condition: This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. Genesis 17:10-11

19 Heart of the Gospel After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. Genesis 15:1-4

20 Heart of the Gospel And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. Genesis 15:5-8

21 Heart of the Gospel And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. Genesis 15:9-12

22 Heart of the Gospel And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: Genesis 15:17-18 God passed between the pieces, instead of Abraham. The Lord, the greater said, I will pledge my loyalty to you and if and when you break the covenant, I will take the punishment for you.

23 Covenant 2,000 years ago on a cross, on Calvary s hill, a horror of great darkness came upon the land, the sun refused to shine. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God was the sacrifice, cut up and broken, and God passed between the pieces. Slain animals, cut up The Son of God Smoking furnace The Holy Spirit Burning lamp The Father God said, you cannot keep your word, you cannot be holy or righteous on your own, so I will do it for you, and I will take your punishment for you.

24 Covenant What is a covenant? A relationship more loving and intimate than a legal relationship, but more biding and accountable than a personal relationship because it is legal. Is the New Covenant conditional or unconditional? It is unconditional: God loves you unconditionally no matter what. God is full of grace and mercy. It is conditional: God must punish sin and judge the sinner because God is holy and just.

25 Covenant Two schools of thought: Conditional: Law is the reality and love is secondary. believe the law and the covenant is conditional. You feel guilt ridden and condemned because you are never perfect; God is very loving, but in the end he wont love you because you have been bad and God is just and will judge and punish sin Unconditional: Love is reality and law is secondary, believe in love, the promises of God are unconditional; yes you should obey, but in the end God loves everyone and will accept everyone A mixture of law and love is the only way to relate to God.

26 Covenant Abraham was never called to pass through the pieces. The ceremony ended without Abraham even making an oath or promise. God knew that Abraham would break the covenant so God took his punishment for him, in Abrahams place, as his substitute. God is saying, not only will I be torn to pieces if I don t keep the covenant, but I will be torn to pieces if and when you don t keep the covenant. God is saying, I will bless you, even if it means that my immortality must become mortal, even if I have to be torn in pieces because you can t keep the covenant.

27 The Messianic Covenant The New Covenant But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. Hebrews 8:6-7 NLT

28 The Messianic Covenant The New Covenant I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors,..they did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the Lord. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people, You should know the Lord.. And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins. When God speaks of a new covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear. Hebrews 8:8-13 NLT

29 Terms of the New Covenant Inward instead of outward: Written in peoples minds and in their hearts, people would not only be told how to live, but now given the desire to live it. You will know him personally, intimacy, not through Moses, Aaron or a priest. The Holy Spirit will tell you when you have grieved or quenched Him. Jesus Himself is our mediator. God will forgive your sins and remember them no more. God forgives and forgets, He can control His memory. The covenant is made with individuals, not made with the nation. This covenant you come into it by yourself, individually. It is for anyone, Jew or Gentile.

30 New Covenant And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26:27-28 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

31 It is Finished Enter into a covenant relationship with God, through the broken body and the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ and receive God s promises. Forgiveness of sins God will forget your sins You will be made righteous and holy Guilt and condemnation will be gone forever You will have a right relationship with God

32 It is Finished God will come into your heart He will write His law (the law of Christ) on your hearts and minds He will live the life for you that you couldn t possibly live He will give you the desire to live holy He will fill you with His Spirit, overflowing He will give you power and authority over the devil and his kingdom

33 It is Finished He will resurrect you from the dead and give you a resurrected, glorified body God promises to complete the work in you that He started Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 1:6 God promises eternal life

34 Accept, Believe and Receive Accept the terms and conditions of the Covenant Believe the promises by faith Receive Him into your heart That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10

35 What shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:38-39 Accept terms and conditions Believe: (Repent, be baptized) Receive the Holy Spirit

36 New Covenant All that are in a New Covenant relationship with God, through the blood and the broken body of Jesus Christ should be full of faith, hope and victory. Just knowing God s promises and understanding His covenant will change everything. Accept God on His terms, believe His promises by faith, receive Him into your heart and enter into a eternal covenant with Him that is unchangeable and unbreakable.

37 New Covenant I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors,..they did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the Lord. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people, You should know the Lord.. And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins. When God speaks of a new covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear. Hebrews 8:8-13 NLT