An Everlasting New Covenant.
Jeremiah 31.
Israel is in captivity because of their habitual disobedience. -70 years in Babylon should be a sure cure for their disobedience.
What does God do? He sends a prophet named, Jeremiah.
Jeremiah states after those days, there will be a new covenant.
So where is the new covenant first spoken of? In the Hebrew scriptures, God spoke to the prophet, Jeremiah saying, “the days are coming, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel, and with the people of Judah, not like the covenant, I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to take them out of Egypt, the covenant that they broke…
This New Covenant was solely accomplished by God. John 15:16NLT You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
In the wise words of Rev. Charles Spurgeon, "God's grace is illustrated and magnified in the poverty and trials of believers."
So the new covenant is born of brokenness. It exists because of brokenness. It was first spoken of in the days when the land of Israel lay in ruins, in the wake of judgment.
It's the covenant God made for those who had fallen from grace, a covenant for the broken.
Our trials, our struggles, our moments of doubt and despair, they do not negate God's grace. On the contrary, they illuminate it, magnify it, make it all the more apparent and precious.
We begin at, Jeremiah 31:1-4NIV “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.” 2 This is what the Lord says: “The people who survive the sword will find favor in the wilderness; I will come to give rest to Israel.” 3 The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. 4 I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Again you will take up your timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful.“
Hear Verse 1 again, At that time declares the Lord, they will be my people! -That’s God’s heart. He wants a people. -His people.
2 Chronicles chapter 7, is a treasure chest filled with Diamonds, Emeralds, and I’m convinced that the Church should feed from often. It’s a model, It’s a 21st century model. P.H
2 Chronicles 7:1-16NLT When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. 2 The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying, “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” 4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to the Lord. 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God. 6 The priests took their assigned positions, and so did the Levites who were singing, “His faithful love endures forever!” They accompanied the singing with music from the instruments King David had made for praising the Lord. Across from the Levites, the priests blew the trumpets, while all Israel stood.
7 Solomon then consecrated the central area of the courtyard in front of the Lord’s Temple. He offered burnt offerings and the fat of peace offerings there, because the bronze altar he had built could not hold all the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and sacrificial fat. 8 For the next seven days Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters. A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south. 9 On the eighth day they had a closing ceremony, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the Festival of Shelters for seven days. 10 Then at the end of the celebration, Solomon sent the people home. They were all joyful and glad because the Lord had been so good to David and to Solomon and to his people Israel.
(The Lord’s Response to Solomon and God’s people).
11 So Solomon finished the Temple of the Lord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace. 12 Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. 13 At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. 16 For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.
Remember this honor in, Matthew 16:13 Who do men say that I am? Some say....Some say.... But what do you say? Vs.16 You are Christ, the Son of the Living God.
-Who do you say?
Vs. 17-21, (The Lord’s instructions to King Solomon) Solomon had to make a choice...
Abundance for all of Israel. Spiritual armor, or Solomon’s riches... Sadly at some point it became more about riches than obedience for Solomon.
Hear this word, A lot is at steak with King Solomon’s decisions, and the call of God on his life.
“Can I tell you, A lot is at steak in our decisions, and our call by God”! -P.H
Again, God is looking for a people. Did you know that God calls everyone.
Romans 11:29NLT For God’s gifts and His call can never be withdrawn.
Again the text, Jeremiah 31:1b.“I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
Jeremiah 31:2AMP Thus says the Lord, “The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness [of exile]—Israel (the Northern Kingdom), when it went to find its rest.”
Again, where did they find grace? “In the wilderness.”
“I believe and can testify that, As you follow the Lord, you will find grace in the wilderness, and you will have rest!” PH
So what is this New Covenant? How does it help me? So the new covenant is the covenant God gives to all who have sinned, all who have failed, all who have fallen, and all who have no hope of any covenant with God. All who don't deserve it.
It is the covenant that God makes with them regardless. So what is the power of the new covenant?
It's the power to put together that which is broken, the power to heal… And to restore. It's the power, to pick up and bring together all the broken pieces of our lives.
It's the covenant of the broken. As much as you failed, get up. As much as you've fallen, get up. He redeems that which is broken. -Go and do likewise.
Hebrews 9:14NLT Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
The New Covenant is alive.
The New Covenant begins and ends with Jesus.
The New Covenant is costly.
The New Covenant never ends or fades away.
The New Covenant is finalized.
The New Covenant offers freedom from sin.
The New Covenant is better than, greater than.
The New Covenant propels us into heaven.
Can I remind you, “What’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way.” P.H
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” ?-Jesus made it happen. He’s our game changer!
God through His only Son Jesus made it happen!
-The New Covenant is your Covenant, it is a how much more! -For the blood of Jesus Christ changed everything.
Jeremiah 31:3NLT Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.’’’
“When you think about the love of God, it's easy to picture it as something distant and abstract. But the truth is, God's love is not just a concept, it's a reality that you can experience every day.” PH
God loves you, and God’s love is complete.
Again, Jeremiah 31:3AMP The Lord appeared to me (Israel) from ages past, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.
“Like baby Moses being drawn out of the River Nile, you have been drawn out, and placed in a pool of redemption.” P.H
It's a love that reaches out to us, that draws us close, that wraps us in its embrace. It's a love that is always there, always ready to welcome us back, no matter how far we've strayed.
This kind of love is not something we often encounter in our human relationships: Our human love is often conditional, dependent on how the other person treats us, or how they make us feel. -But God's love is different.
Romans 8:38-39AMP For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It's a love that is constant, unchanging, and unconditional. It's a love that is always there, no matter what we do or don't do. This is the kind of love that God has for us.
“It's a love that is so deep, so wide, so high, that we can't fully comprehend it.” P.H
As we experience God’s love through His New Covenant, it changes everything. We can feel it. We can know it. -And when we do, everything changes!
The New Covenant breeds favor. Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the land. (You will be favored)!
The New Covenant multiplies love, mercy and grace. “
“The New Covenant, the more you trust and rest in the finished work of Jesus, the better, and the richer you’ll live.” P.H
Hebrews 1:1-4NIV ”In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.“
Again verse 1, God has always spoken to men in various ways, but now in these last days... His Son (Jesus) speaks and sustains.
Notice, Jesus Christ is far superior to prophets, angels, and even Moses. Jesus is superior of his priesthood to the Levitical priesthood. Now the focus shifts to the new covenant.
-God promised a New Covenant.
Are you ready? Almost everything in the New Covenant was prophesied in the Old Covenant.
(An everlasting New Covenant).
Jeremiah 31:31-34NLT “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord.
33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”
In the early chapters of Jeremiah, Jeremiah painfully recounts the ways the people of God have broken covenant. So when we arrive at Jeremiah 31, we hear something unusual. -We hear hope.
Tim Keller writes, The difference between the Old and New Covenant, Try to imagine how the Israelites under Moses’ leadership would have given their “testimony” to someone who asked for it. They would have said something like this:
“We were in a foreign land, in bondage, under the sentence of death. But our mediator—the one who stands between us and God—came to us with the promise of deliverance. We trusted in the promises of God, took shelter under the blood of the lamb, and he led us out.”
“Sounds a lot like today, living in the 21st century. There is unsteadiness all around us, but God has promised through His New Covenant, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” P.H
Hebrews 10:11-12NLT Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Listen to, Hebrews 10:19NLT And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.
Under this New Covenant you will experience God’s grip upon you! Hebrews 13:5AMP Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!”
Do you want to hear some great ‘New Covenant talk?’
Romans 10:9-11TPT And what is God’s “living message”? It is the revelation of faith for salvation, which is the message that we preach. For if you publicly declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will experience salvation. 10 The heart that believes in him receives the gift of the righteousness of God—and then the mouth confesses, resulting in salvation. 11For the Scriptures encourage us with these words:“Everyone who believes in him will never be disappointed.”
Here is our New Covenant. Like the Israelites we are on the way to the Promised Land. We are not there yet, of course, but we have the Word to guide us, and through blood sacrifice we also have His presence in our midst. So He will stay with us until we get to our true country, our everlasting home!
When Jesus rouse from the dead; When God’s spirit quickened Jesus’ earthly body, He in-turn establishes the New Covenant.
Eternal, not made with the hands of man. -An everlasting covenant!
Abraham Lincoln once said, “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”
Can I remind you that, God hustled for your sake. He sent, Jesus. He’s given you the New Covenant!
There is no God. All of the wonders around us are accidental. No almighty hand made a thousand billion stars. They made themselves. No power keeps them on their steady course. The earth spins itself to keep the oceans from falling off toward the sun. Infants teach themselves to cry when they are hungry or hurt. A small flower invented itself so that we could extract digitalis for sick hearts. The earth gave itself day and night, tilted itself so that we get seasons. Without the magnetic poles man would be unable to navigate the trackless oceans of water and air, but they just grew there. How about the sugar thermostat in the pancreas? It maintains a level of sugar in the blood sufficient for energy. Without it, all of us would fall into a coma and die. Why does snow sit on mountain-tops waiting for the warm spring sun to melt it at just the right time for the young crops in farms below to drink? A very lovely accident. The human heart will beat for 70 or 80 years without faltering. How does it get sufficient rest between beats? A kidney will filter poison from the blood, and leave good things alone. How does it know one from the other? Who gave the human tongue flexibility to form words, and a brain to understand them, but denied it to all animals? Who showed a womb how to take the love of two persons and keep splitting a tiny ovum until, in time, a baby would have the proper number of fingers, eyes and ears and hair in the right places, and come into the world when it is strong enough to sustain life? There is no God?
Benediction.
