A Covenant with God

by

Brian Birdow

Sermon texts:

Genesis 15:13ff & Matthew 11:13

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Aim of this lesson

1. To know what a covenant is

2. To know where the covenants began and ended and how is it applicable to us today.

3. To realize that Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Covenant.

Covenant in Hebrew is berith

• The Lord made a covenant - signifies to cut a covenant, or rather the covenant sacrifice; for as no covenant was made without one, and the creature was cut in two that the contracting parties might pass between the pieces, hence cutting the covenant signified making the covenant.

Covenant in Greek

• Covenant- (Diatheke) a non-negotiated treaty where the terms are laid out by superior party.,

• A disposition an arrangement made by one party with plenary power, which the other party may accept or reject, but cannot alter.

Covenant• W.E. Vine says that diathake also carries the idea of

a single person making a commitment. That could mean one is forced into doing something the other is not. Or it may mean, out of love, one party volunteers freely to do something.

• In contradistinction to the English word covenant (lit. a coming together), which signifies a mutual undertaking between two parties or more, each binding himself to fulfill obligations, it does not in itself contain the idea of joint obligation.

Goal # 2

2. To know where the covenants began and ended and how is it applicable to us today.

Old……………….New

1. Law

2. History

3. Psalms

4. Prophets

• Gospel (s)

• Acts

• Christian living

• Hope of a Christian

Noah• Genesis 6:18 But with you will I establish my

covenant; and you shall come into the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons' wives with you.

• Genesis 9:9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your descendants after you;

• Genesis 9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

Genesis 15 : 9 - 13

• Genesis 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto your descendants have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

• Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.

John the Immerser • Matthew 11:13 For all the prophets and the

law prophesied until John.

• John is preaching of a new dispensation and a new covenant; and that the old one, where the prophets and the law of Moses were the guide, was closed when he preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand.

All the prophets and the law prophesied until John

• Prophesied means here, they taught, or continued to instruct. They were the instructors concerning the Christ or Messiah who was to come, until John came and showed that all the predictions of the one, and the types and ceremonies of the other were now about to be fully and finally accomplished; for Christ was now revealed. (Gal.4:4-5)

Luke 1:67-72 turn to please• And his father Zachariah was filled with the

Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he has visited and redeemed his people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

• As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant;

Luke 1:73-76

• The oath which he swore to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

• And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways;

Luke 1:77-80• To give knowledge of salvation unto his

people by the remission (forgiveness) of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; by which the dawn from on high has visited us,

• To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.

Matthew 3:1-3

• In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, And saying, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

John 1:15-17

• John bore witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spoke, He that comes after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Goal # 3

• To realize that Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Covenant.

Romans 10:1-3

• Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

• For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Romans 10:4

For Christ

is the end of the law for righteousness

to everyone that believes.

END of the Law

• The law ended at the cross at Christ death (Col. 2:14).

• END here does not refer to the cessation of the law, but rather to the aim or purpose of the law. The law was unto righteousness in that it pertained to righteousness.

• BUT to be perfect according to the law demanded perfect keeping of the law! Which no one did….except JESUS!

Luke 24:44

• And he said unto them, These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Law of Grace (rom.6:14-18)

Heard and Learned

Believe

Repent

Confess

Be Baptized

John 6:45

John 8:24

Acts 2:38, 3:19,17:30 Luke 13:3,5

Rom 10:10, Acts 8:37

Matt 28:18,19, Acts 8:35-39; Mark 16:15-16