Embracing the Abundant Life of the New Covenant
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound transformation that comes with the New Covenant, as prophesied by Jeremiah. This New Covenant is not like the one made with our ancestors, which was broken despite God's faithfulness. Instead, it is a covenant where God's law is internalized, written on our hearts, and where we all know the Lord intimately, from the least to the greatest. This intimacy with God is a gift that removes the burden of wickedness and remembers our sins no more.
Reflecting on the words of C.S. Lewis, we are reminded that our desires are often too weak, and we settle for less than what God offers us. We are like children making mud pies in a slum when we are offered a holiday at the sea. We often live passionless, diminished lives, chasing after temporary pleasures instead of embracing the abundant life that Jesus died for us to have.
We discussed three ways in which we compromise and live diminished lives. First, we struggle with forgiveness, carrying the weight of guilt and shame. Second, we lack intimate fellowship with God, often feeling lonely despite His promise of companionship. Third, we fail to internalize God's truth, living in reluctant obedience or pushing boundaries instead of delighting in His law.
To live abundantly, we must embrace the gifts of confession and repentance, recognizing them as pathways to freedom from condemnation and guilt. We must cultivate a conversational relationship with God, allowing His Spirit to speak into our loneliness. And we must allow God's truth to saturate our hearts, transforming us from the inside out.
As we seek to live out this New Covenant, we are called to throw away the mud pies and embrace the fullness of life in Christ—a life of intimate fellowship, forgiveness, mercy, grace, and truth that transforms us.
Key Takeaways:
- The New Covenant invites us into a relationship with God where His laws are not external demands but desires written on our hearts. This internal transformation leads to a life of delight in obedience, rather than a life of begrudging compliance. As we allow God's truth to penetrate our being, we find that His commands are not burdensome but the very essence of our joy. [01:13:18]
- Forgiveness is a central theme of the New Covenant. It is not just about being forgiven but also about learning to forgive ourselves and others. The struggle with forgiveness can be a significant barrier to experiencing the abundant life Christ offers. Embracing God's forgiveness can liberate us from the chains of guilt and enable us to extend that same grace to those around us. [01:00:07]
- Intimate fellowship with God is a remedy for the loneliness that plagues our human condition. The New Covenant promises a personal knowledge of God, akin to the deep, relational knowledge reflected in the Hebrew word used for "know." By engaging in a conversational relationship with God, we can experience His presence in the loneliest of places, just as St. Patrick did. [01:09:09]
- Confession is a powerful practice that brings us into the reality of the New Covenant. It is not about ritualistic penance but about honesty before God and the community. Confession allows us to confront our sins and receive the fresh start promised in 1 John 1:9. This practice can be a profound experience of God's mercy and a step toward living abundantly. [01:03:03]
- The abundant life promised in the New Covenant is not a life without struggle, pain, or hardship. Jesus was clear that we would face these challenges. However, the New Covenant assures us that we can live lives free from the entanglement of sin, guilt, and condemnation. It is a life where the truth of God saturates our very bones, leading us to a deeper, more fulfilling existence. [01:18:49]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Jeremiah 31:31-34 - "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the Lord. "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the Lord. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
2. Hebrews 9:15 - "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."
3. 1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
#### Observation Questions
1. What is the main difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant as described in Jeremiah 31:31-34?
2. According to Hebrews 9:15, what role does Christ play in the New Covenant?
3. What promise is given in 1 John 1:9 regarding confession and forgiveness?
4. In the sermon, what metaphor did C.S. Lewis use to describe how we often settle for less than what God offers us? ([55:30])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the internalization of God's law in our hearts, as mentioned in Jeremiah 31:33, change our approach to obedience and relationship with God?
2. What does it mean for Christ to be the mediator of the New Covenant, and how does this affect our understanding of forgiveness and grace? ([57:13])
3. How can the practice of confession, as described in 1 John 1:9, lead to a more abundant life in Christ? ([01:03:03])
4. Reflecting on the sermon, why do you think we often struggle with forgiveness, both of ourselves and others? ([59:26])
#### Application Questions
1. The New Covenant promises that God's law will be written on our hearts. How can you cultivate a deeper delight in God's commands rather than seeing them as burdensome? ([01:13:18])
2. Forgiveness is a central theme of the New Covenant. Is there someone you need to forgive or seek forgiveness from? How can you take a step towards that this week? ([01:00:07])
3. Intimate fellowship with God is described as a remedy for loneliness. How can you develop a more conversational relationship with God in your daily life? ([01:09:09])
4. Confession is a powerful practice. Is there a sin or burden you need to confess to God or a trusted friend? How can you make confession a regular part of your spiritual practice? ([01:03:03])
5. Reflect on the metaphor of making mud pies in a slum versus enjoying a holiday at the sea. What are some "mud pies" in your life that you need to let go of to embrace the abundant life Christ offers? ([55:30])
6. The sermon mentioned that the abundant life is not without struggle. How can you find joy and purpose in your current struggles, knowing that the New Covenant promises freedom from sin and guilt? ([01:18:49])
7. How can you allow God's truth to saturate your heart and transform you from the inside out? What specific steps can you take this week to internalize God's word more deeply? ([01:12:27])
Devotional
Day 1: Heartfelt Obedience Transforms Life
The New Covenant invites believers into a transformative relationship with God, where His laws become internal desires rather than external obligations. This shift from a life of begrudging compliance to one of joyful obedience is akin to the difference between a duty and a delight. When God's truth penetrates the heart, it reshapes the very fabric of one's being, aligning desires with divine will. This internal transformation is the essence of the New Covenant, promising not just a change in behavior but a metamorphosis of the heart, leading to genuine joy in following God's commands.
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." - Hebrews 8:10 ESV
Reflection: How does your daily life reflect a heart that delights in God's commands, and what is one step you can take to further align your desires with His will? [07:40]
Day 2: Embracing Forgiveness Frees Us
Forgiveness is a cornerstone of the New Covenant, encompassing both the forgiveness we receive from God and the forgiveness we extend to ourselves and others. The struggle with forgiveness often acts as a barrier to the fullness of life that Christ offers. By embracing God's forgiveness, believers can break free from the chains of guilt and shame, opening the door to a life of grace and mercy. This liberation is not just a theological concept but a practical reality that empowers individuals to offer forgiveness to those around them, reflecting the grace they have received.
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." - Colossians 3:13 ESV
Reflection: Who is someone you need to forgive, and what practical step can you take today to move towards forgiveness and reconciliation? [01:00:07]
Day 3: Intimacy with God Dispels Loneliness
The New Covenant promises an intimate knowledge of God, a personal relationship that goes beyond mere intellectual understanding. This deep connection is the antidote to the loneliness that so often afflicts the human heart. By engaging in a conversational relationship with God, believers can experience His presence even in the loneliest of places. This fellowship is not dependent on external circumstances but is rooted in the reality of God's constant companionship.
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." - John 14:16-17 ESV
Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a more conversational relationship with God, and how might this practice change your experience of loneliness? [01:09:09]
Day 4: Confession as a Pathway to Freedom
Confession is a powerful practice within the New Covenant that brings believers into the light of God's truth and mercy. It is not about performing ritualistic penance but about approaching God with honesty and humility. Through confession, individuals confront their sins and receive the fresh start promised in the scriptures. This act of vulnerability before God and community can be a profound experience of His mercy, leading to a life unburdened by the weight of hidden sins.
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." - James 5:16 ESV
Reflection: What is one sin or struggle you have been reluctant to confess, and how can you take a step towards transparency and healing today? [01:03:03]
Day 5: Abundant Life Beyond Struggle
The abundant life promised in the New Covenant is not characterized by the absence of struggle, pain, or hardship. Instead, it is a life lived in the freedom that comes from being unentangled by sin, guilt, and condemnation. This life is marked by a saturation of God's truth, which permeates every aspect of one's existence, leading to a deeper and more fulfilling experience of God's presence and purpose.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20 ESV
Reflection: What aspect of your life needs to be more deeply saturated with God's truth, and what practical steps can you take to allow His Word to transform that area? [01:18:49]
Quotes
1) "The profound truth of New Covenant Life is that this isn't truth that we say 'oh yes I adhere to that, yeah I understand, yes I can do the Systematic Theology of that.' No, the offering of new New Covenant living is that his truth, his Revelation gets deep within our bones and we begin to not just reluctant obedience... but the truth of God we're soaking in our souls and our hearts." [01:13:18]
2) "We have been given and promised and offered this incredible life, this amazing life, and yet so often aspects of this amazing life we leave sitting on the shelf or in the garage and we're not truly living the life of abundance. In fact, some people look at us and the life that we're living is really rather than abundant, it's a diminished life." [51:21]
3) "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you Your Heart of Stone and give you a heart of Flesh. And I will put my spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Let me say it like this... that 20 minutes with the open Word was more powerful than all the classes that I was taking." [01:15:45]
4) "How Deeply do we struggle with forgiveness? How Deeply do we struggle with guilt and bitterness? Sometimes it's a struggle to forgive ourselves for the things that we've done, sometimes it's a struggle to forgive others for the things they've done to us, but we walk in and that unforgiveness or shame or guilt plagues us." [01:00:07]
5) "Patrick Found Jesus truly found him or better yet Jesus found Patrick and he started to discern the voice of God those fields in Ireland and he began by himself to be transformed into the image of Christ all by himself... he discovered this enslaved boy in a foreign country in the lonliest place on the earth had fellowship with God intimate Fellowship." [01:09:09]
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