Message Title: The Ultimate Commitment
Scriptures: Heb.6:19; Eph.1:18; Gal. 3:26; Rev.22:18-19; Matt.16:19; Ex.24:8
Duet. 4:23; Ex.12:14,26,27.
Do you ever find
yourself wanting more out of your Christian walk? The Bible is filled with
thousands of powerful verses proclaiming that as a believer you are more than a
conqueror, you are the head and not the tail, you are blessed in your comings
and goings, and through Christ Jesus you can do all things. As encouraging as
these scriptures are, do you still find yourself not entirely living the
victorious life???? You believe God’s
Word to be true, but you’re still living as if you don’t. Have you ever found
yourself between faith and doubt, fear and trust, hope and discouragement?
Asking yourself in the midst of it all, “What’s missing? Am I doing something
wrong? Are the promises of God no longer any good today?” And then we just ask
ourselves what is it that we really want from God? Do we want more faith, more understanding,
and love, maybe more of “Him?”
I
believe one of the biggest challenges that faces believers today is how much
God truly loves them. Their comprehension can be distorted because it is
frequently based on previous life experiences. Our faith waivers and fear rules
because we do not have a true revelation of God or the significance of the
covenant He established with us.
The
true message of the gospel is lost, if we do not understand the nature of
covenant or grasp the depth of the relationship the Lord longs to have with us.
Covenant needs to be the center of every believer’s understanding of his or her
relationship with God.
The
writer of the book of Hebrews reveals that God enters into covenant for one
reason and one reason only, to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is
completely committed to you and me. Our faith must be anchored to this truth.
Hebrews
6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and
which entereth into that within the veil;
In Luke chapter 6, we are commanded to build our faith on the solid
rock of God’s Word – not on sinking sand. It is heart-rending to realize that
although covenant was designed to be the bedrock of our faith, it remains a
mystery to many believers. Christians, both young and seasoned alike, have a
very limited understanding of God’s original design for covenant.
What
type of images and thoughts come to mind when you hear the word “covenant?”
Most of us think of it simply as an agreement, treaty, or pact between two
parties, when in fact, covenant was designed to be much more than that. It is
an ancient word that has long been misunderstood. Its meaning and purposes have
been lost over the centuries, especially in western cultures.
It
is important to understand that covenant did not begin with man, but with God
Himself. God is a covenant maker, covenant initiator, and a covenant keeper. He
does nothing outside of the context of covenant. God created covenant to be an
unbreakable, spiritual contract with Himself and mankind – passing beyond all
limits of human interaction. All contracts, legal agreements, and promises man
has devised since then are simply cheap imitations of the unbendable, divine
covenant God intended to have with us.
We
do not need to discover new doctrine to empower our lives. We simply need to
rediscover and unearth what has been there all along, but has somehow become
obscure and misunderstood. It is not an old, dusty story that has seen better
days. It remains vibrant, alive, and most of all – life changing. We must make
it our priority to immerse ourselves in covenant.
Tell
what happen with the cold water
God
has provided us with a “Covenant Book.” God’s character as a loyal and faithful
covenant keeper is revealed from the first to the last book in the Bible. The
description of His covenant terms and conditions are laid out in great length, the
blessings and curses of keeping or breaking this oath are clearly described,
and covenant ceremonies made between God and man are abundant throughout the
pages.
To
walk as covenant-understanding and covenant-functioning believers, we must
process, think, and filter God’s commitment to us through covenant language.
Every time we read God’s Word we must ask ourselves, “How does this relate to
covenant?” We will know that we have fully grasped the language of covenant
when we automatically think, act, and function in this realm.
If
you are willing to invest the time and energy exploring covenant and ask God to
reveal His truths to you in a greater measure, I guarantee that you, too, will
be changed forever. The foundation of your faith will be stronger and run
deeper than you can ever imagine. God’s Word will come alive to you and you
will be able to navigate through
the storms of life because you will know who your covenant partner is and what
your inheritance is a covenant believer.
Covenant
language will burst forth from the pages of the Bible. Words such as “remember,”
“expectation,” “kindness,” “goodness,” and “mercy,” will come alive and take on
an entirely different meaning once they are understood in context to covenant.
These new meanings will become a part of your vocabulary and will penetrate
your very soul.
We
will identify the key ingredients of covenant, including ancient covenant
practices and ceremonies that took place during Biblical times. Many of our
traditions, such as communion
and marriage ceremony are founded on these very old rituals. Unfortunately,
they often become stripped of their original significance.
Ephesians
1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is
the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in
the saints,
An amazing inheritance has been left to us. We have riches, treasures,
and blessings beyond measure. They are ours because the blood of Jesus courses
through our veins and we have been adopted and grafted into the royal family.
We are the sons and daughters.
Galatians 3:26 For
ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
The Lord inspired each of the authors to provide us with historical documentation,
prophetic revelation, impacting stories and poems, and vital guidelines for
Godly living. In this incredible life giving book, we also have the Lord’s love
letters to us and His final departing words.
Consider
the Bible as, in fact being the Last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ. This
is a very powerful concept. The Old Testament is the original will, which was
later ratified by the New Testament. It contains a concise description of our
inheritance, which was given to us upon Christ’s death and resurrection.
When
we study the Bible in regards to covenant, we must recognize that the Old
Testament is the initial will made by the Lord. In it we have a description of
the original covenants instituted by God. As time progressed, greater benefits
and blessings became available to Christ’s benefactors. The New Testament is
the revised will, based on more excellent promises. The Old Testament
functioned in its role temporarily, until the Lord established the New
Testament, which was based on better conditions and terms accomplishing what
the Old Testament could not do.
Revelation
22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of
this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the
plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the
words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the
book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written
in this book.
Once
we recognize that the Bible is made up of two testaments or wills, the above
scripture becomes even more powerful and impacting. These two verses are found
in the last chapter of the last book in the New Testament. They admonish us to
neither add nor subtract from God’s written Word, because it is Jesus Christ’s
final last will and testament! God came in the flesh and died, therefore His
Words cannot be altered. We have the Lord’s plan of redemption, His covenant
promises and terms, and a description of our inheritance. These are changes
promises that cannot be nullified, disputed, or made obsolete.
As
rightful heirs, we have the storehouses of Heaven at our disposal. In Matthew
16, we are told that Jesus Christ has given us the keys to His Father’s
kingdom.
Matthew
16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Keys
are meat to represent authority. The Webster Dictionary defines authority as
“having the power or right to give commands, enforce obedience, take action,
have jurisdiction, and make final decisions. As believers, we have been given
authority and dominion to rule the “territory” which God has given us. Our
home, family, work environment, ministries, school, church, and neighborhood
are the realms of spiritual authority in which we are to reign. This is part of
our inheritance.
Before
we walk in the fullness of our authority and God given rights, we need a
greater understanding of the power that is available to us. This can only be
obtained when we have a comprehensive picture of our covenant relationship with
God. As we study covenant in its God given form, we realize what is ours and
why. We recognize the true authority and power that is at our disposal. We
understand why God is our refuge and strong tower that He will fight all our
battles!!
As
a result, our prayer lives change. Our confidence, authority, and faith increase
when we stop thinking of ourselves as less than and begin to believe in who we
are through Christ Jesus. We were never created or fashioned to live as
paupers. We are created to be more than conquerors because we are in covenant
with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Therefore, let us learn what has been
bestowed on us. Great riches lie beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered.
We must be willing to dig deeper into the Word of God to find these rare, and
priceless treasures. If we do so, we will not be disappointed.
Covenant is the central theme of God’s
Holy Word. It is the essence of Scripture and the narrative that ties the books
of the Bible together.
Appearing more than 250 times in the
Old Testament alone, the word “covenant” is used without definition because the
practice was such an integral part of society at the time.
Unfortunately, over the years, the
original concept of covenant has been so drastically watered down.
You see, this powerful concept should
be plainly understood by every follower of Jesus Christ. It should be so
embedded into our subconscious that it becomes the very foundation and mortar
supporting our Christian faith.
The word covenant means, “to bind.” It
was considered a solemn, binding, irrevocable pledge with no escape clause. It
was more powerful than any other type of contract or agreement because it was
not created to be short term. In fact, it not only included one’s own lifespan,
but those of future generations as well. Once covenant was established, there’s
no backing out of it. Both parties were under obligation to fulfill the terms
and conditions of the agreement. In covenant, there was an exchange of persons,
with the individuals saying, “I am now yours, and you are mine.” For this
reason, there was no way out of these binding agreements.
It is interesting to note that in the
New Testament, “covenant” is the identical Greek word that is descripted as for
the word, “testament.” Therefore, the Old and New Testament can also be
referred to as the Old and New Covenant. Testament is generally limited to a
legal document declaring a person’s wishes regarding the disposal of his
property when he dies. It does not come into force until after the death of the
testator.
Covenant on the other hand usually
implies “a written agreement between two or more living parties to perform some
action.” Frequently, it is only included as wordage in a contract or other
legal document and not a true covenant. For example, when communities in the
United States establish a homeowner’s association they may set up a Covenants, Conditions,
& Restrictions to ensure that the homeowners follow an explicit list of
guidelines and regulations. Over the years, we have lost sight of the true
definition of the word “covenant” and what being in a covenant involves.
The full scriptural meaning of
covenant can only be made when testament and covenant are used interchangeably.
The Bible is indeed the last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ. It not only
gives us a clear description of our inheritance as believers, but also contains
descriptions of covenants established between God and mankind and between
nations, families, and individuals as well. The Old Covenant recounts the
covenants made between God and Adam, Noah, David, and Moses. The New Covenant
describes the final covenant - that of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.
There are two reasons why covenant
agreements were originally formulated. First, they were established to
acknowledge and solidify the love and affection that one party felt towards
another, such as those found in a friendship or marriage. Relationships such as
these were not designed to be temporary, but a permanent agreement between two
or more parties, dissolved only by death. Second, they were established to
capitalize on the strengths of the individuals, family, tribe, or country. Two
parties could accomplish more together than apart. This related (and still
relates) to matters of security, trade, conquest, etc. A peaceful tribe of
farmers would find value in entering into a covenant relationship with a tribe
who had a reputation for their strong fighting capabilities. The warriors would
agree to protect the farmers with their military strength in return for food
supplies. Perhaps a merchant formed an alliance with a manufacturer of goods –
one would make the goods and the other would sell them. This mutually
beneficial covenant made parties stronger and more successful than they would
have been on their own.
In several places, Scripture states,
“Covenant was made between…” it is important to note that the word “made” is
translated to means “to cut.”
Ex 24:8
And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, "This is
the blood of the covenant which the LORD
has made (cut covenant) with you
according to all these words." (NKJV)
De 4:23
"Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made (cut covenant) with you, (NKJV)
Notice the difference in the suggested of “made” or “cut.” Whereas the
former is constructive, positive, and domestic, the latter is violent, and
bloody. Almost all true ancient covenants were sealed in blood.
When you find a
sentence in the Bible that reads, “They made covenant” it more accurately could
be interpreted as “they cut covenant.” To “cut” carries a much stronger
implication then they “made.” It gives the reader the ability to understand
more precisely what was, in fact, taking place.
A “blood covenant” was considered the highest form of agreement one
could make. It was consummated and sealed in blood or a symbol of blood. Even
in most unsophisticated societies, it was understood that blood carried the
life of a person. The individuals involved might cut themselves, merging their
blood together. In many instances an animal would be killed and its blood used
as a substitute for theirs. In some cultures, the blood from the individuals or
animal would be mixed in a goblet and all the participants would drink from it.
These ritualistic practices, signified, “I am now in you and you are now in me.
I die to my own rights for we have become one. Your blood is now in me and mine
is in yours.” A covenant seal in blood symbolized the emphasis both parties placed
on the relationship. “If I break this covenant, do to me as we have done to
this animal.” There was no agreement, more sacred than a blood covenant. It
provided the ultimate insurance of loyalty and fidelity. It is fascinating to
note that most national flags contain the color red. The red is the
reverberation of ancient covenants where the people of the nation have declared
that they have been forged together as one nation, for life or for death.
In the ancient world, if there was a breach of covenant it almost
always meant death to the party who broke the agreement. It was such a serious
offense that it was the duty of the individual’s own tribesmen to kill the
offender, if covenant was broken, his own mother, wife, or nearest relative
would kill him or turn him over to the hands of their covenant partners to
prevent the rest of the tribe from being slaughtered. It was believed that,
“the one who breaks covenant cannot live, for he curses the very ground he
walks on.
Live
can only be found in the Blood
Jesus’ blood was shed for all mankind, yet His sacrifice only saves
those who receive and apply the blood to the doorposts of their heart. We must
be willing to come to Christ on His terms and not our own, like Cain foolishly
attempted. Life, hope, and redemption can only be found in the blood of Jesus.
Jesus is the only barrier keeping us from hell. He is the payment for all sin.
His sacrificial blood is available to every man, woman, and child, but they
must be willing to receive it. Sadly, hell will be filled with those who have
trampled upon the precious life-giving blood of Jesus Christ, rejecting His
free gift. The stubbornness of Pharaoh’s heart led to the death of thousands;
may we not be so foolish.
Our salvation comes only through the blood of Jesus, yet many times we
forget to apply His precious blood to the threshold of our hearts. Every time
we complain, grumble, and are overwhelmed by circumstances, every time we feel
defeated by the enemy, we are not applying the powerful blood of our Savior.
Jesus Christ accomplished it all on the cross, yet we forget and treat His
sacrifice as a common thing. When we walk in guilt, condemnation, fear, and
discouragement, we are refusing God’s provision; essentially implying that the
blood of Jesus is not enough to release us from these shackles.
Ex
12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a
feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an
ordinance for ever. (KJV)
Ex
12:26 "And it shall be, when your children say to you, 'What do you mean
by this service?'
27 "that you shall say, 'It is the
Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of
Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our
households.'" So the people bowed their heads and worshiped.
Music Worship Leaders:
JW & Sharon Peck
Songs:
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