Embracing the Better Covenant Through Christ's Sacrifice
Summary
Summary:
Today, we explored the profound truth that "His blood speaks a better word." This concept, rooted in the scriptures, reminds us of the power and significance of Jesus' sacrifice. The blood of Jesus speaks of a new covenant, one that is not based on following rules but on trusting in His finished work on the cross. This new covenant offers us healing, restoration, and freedom from bondage. As we partake in communion, we do so in remembrance of Him, acknowledging the better covenant we have through His sacrifice.
We also delved into the depths of God, recognizing that His love, knowledge, and goodness are limitless. The Spirit of God reveals these truths to us, and as we grow in our understanding, we are called to live as spiritual beings, not merely reacting to the physical world around us. This means embracing the fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, and patience, and allowing these qualities to guide our responses to life's challenges.
Patience, in particular, is a virtue that requires toughness. It is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. This patience is not passive but active, requiring us to hold on and trust in God's timing and purposes. As we grow in patience, we learn to react to life's pressures with grace and faith, rather than fear or anger.
In our journey of faith, we are reminded that we are no longer bound by the law but are free to live by the Spirit. This freedom empowers us to forgive, to love, and to pray for those who oppose us, trusting that God's love and mercy can transform even the hardest of hearts.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Power of Jesus' Blood: The blood of Jesus speaks a better word, offering us a new covenant based on trust in His sacrifice rather than adherence to rules. This covenant brings healing, restoration, and freedom from bondage, reminding us of the profound significance of communion. [21:56]
2. Limitless Depths of God: God's love, knowledge, and goodness are boundless. As we seek to understand Him more deeply, we are called to live as spiritual beings, guided by the Holy Spirit, and not merely reacting to the physical world around us. [41:32]
3. Embracing Patience: Patience is a virtue that requires strength and resilience. It involves accepting delay, trouble, or suffering without anger or upset, trusting in God's timing and purposes. This active patience allows us to respond to life's pressures with grace and faith. [01:04:12]
4. Living by the Spirit: We are no longer bound by the law but are free to live by the Spirit. This freedom empowers us to forgive, love, and pray for those who oppose us, trusting in God's transformative power. [54:11]
5. Responding to Life's Challenges: Our reactions to life's challenges should be guided by the fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, and patience. By training ourselves to respond spiritually, we can overcome fear and anger, and live in the fullness of God's promises. [01:08:41]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[20:39] - The Blood Speaks
[21:56] - New Covenant in Christ
[22:54] - Purposeful Communion
[24:33] - Covenant of Healing
[29:39] - Symbolism of the Bread
[30:47] - Receiving the Better Word
[32:08] - Remembering His Sacrifice
[37:45] - Greeting and Dismissal
[39:29] - Exploring the Depths of God
[41:32] - Limitless Spirit of God
[42:44] - Living as Spiritual Beings
[45:08] - Reacting to Life Spiritually
[50:15] - The Virtue of Patience
[54:11] - Living by the Spirit
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 2:9-12
2. Galatians 5:22-25
3. Hebrews 12:24
---
Observation Questions:
1. What does 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 reveal about the depths of God's knowledge and the role of the Spirit in understanding it? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on living as spiritual beings? [40:24]
2. In Galatians 5:22-25, what are the fruits of the Spirit listed, and how do they contrast with living by the flesh? How does the sermon describe the process of living by the Spirit? [54:11]
3. According to Hebrews 12:24, how does Jesus' blood speak a better word than Abel's? How was this concept explained in the sermon? [21:56]
4. How does the sermon describe the significance of communion in relation to the new covenant established by Jesus' blood? [22:54]
---
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon interpret the phrase "His blood speaks a better word" in the context of the new covenant? What implications does this have for how believers view their relationship with God? [21:56]
2. What does it mean to live as spiritual beings according to the sermon, and how does this align with the teachings in 1 Corinthians 2:9-12? [42:44]
3. How does the sermon suggest believers should respond to life's challenges, and what role does the fruit of the Spirit play in this response? [45:08]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that patience is an active virtue, and how does this understanding challenge common perceptions of patience? [01:04:12]
---
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you reacted out of anger or fear. How might embracing the fruit of the Spirit have changed your response? [47:21]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of patience as an active virtue. Identify a current challenge in your life where you can practice active patience. What steps will you take to trust in God's timing? [01:04:12]
3. How can you incorporate the practice of communion into your personal spiritual life to remind yourself of the new covenant and the better word spoken by Jesus' blood? [22:54]
4. Think of a person or situation that tests your ability to live by the Spirit rather than the flesh. What practical steps can you take to respond with love, joy, peace, and patience? [54:11]
5. The sermon discusses the limitless depths of God’s love and knowledge. How can you intentionally seek to deepen your understanding of God this week? [41:32]
6. Consider a time when you felt bound by rules or expectations. How does the new covenant of grace and freedom through Jesus' sacrifice change your perspective on living a life of faith? [21:56]
7. Identify one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit that you find challenging. What specific action can you take this week to cultivate this fruit in your interactions with others? [55:01]
Devotional
Day 1: The Transformative Power of Jesus' Blood
The blood of Jesus is not just a symbol of sacrifice; it represents a new covenant that transcends the old ways of rule-following. This covenant is based on trust in His finished work on the cross, offering believers healing, restoration, and freedom from bondage. As we partake in communion, we are reminded of this profound truth and the better word that His blood speaks. This act of remembrance is not merely ritualistic but a powerful acknowledgment of the new life and freedom we have in Christ. [21:56]
Hebrews 9:14 (ESV): "How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to trust more in the power of Jesus' sacrifice rather than your own efforts?
Day 2: Exploring the Limitless Depths of God
God's love, knowledge, and goodness are boundless, inviting us to delve deeper into understanding Him. As we grow in our spiritual journey, we are called to live as spiritual beings, guided by the Holy Spirit. This means not merely reacting to the physical world but allowing the Spirit to shape our responses and actions. By embracing this spiritual perspective, we align ourselves with God's limitless nature and open ourselves to His transformative work in our lives. [41:32]
Ephesians 3:18-19 (ESV): "May have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper understanding of God's limitless love and goodness in your daily life?
Day 3: The Strength of Active Patience
Patience is more than just waiting; it is an active virtue that requires strength and resilience. It involves accepting delays, troubles, or suffering without anger or upset, trusting in God's timing and purposes. This kind of patience is not passive but a deliberate choice to hold on and trust in God's plan. As we grow in patience, we learn to respond to life's pressures with grace and faith, rather than fear or anger, embodying the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives. [01:04:12]
James 1:3-4 (ESV): "For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: What is one situation in your life where you can practice active patience, trusting in God's timing?
Day 4: Living by the Spirit's Freedom
In Christ, we are no longer bound by the law but are free to live by the Spirit. This freedom empowers us to forgive, love, and pray for those who oppose us, trusting in God's transformative power. Living by the Spirit means embracing the freedom to act in love and mercy, even when it is difficult. It is a call to rise above the constraints of the law and to live in the fullness of God's grace, allowing His Spirit to guide our actions and decisions. [54:11]
Galatians 5:13-14 (ESV): "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Reflection: Who is someone you find difficult to love or forgive, and how can you begin to extend God's love and mercy to them today?
Day 5: Responding to Life's Challenges with the Fruit of the Spirit
Our reactions to life's challenges should be guided by the fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, and patience. By training ourselves to respond spiritually, we can overcome fear and anger, living in the fullness of God's promises. This spiritual response is not automatic but requires intentionality and practice. As we cultivate these qualities, we become more aligned with God's will and better equipped to handle the pressures and challenges of life with grace and faith. [01:08:41]
Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: What is one specific challenge you are facing today, and how can you respond to it with the fruit of the Spirit?
Quotes
1) "When you're in the scriptures, when you're reading the scriptures, you know, God said that Abel, Abel's blood cried out to him, the life is in the blood, and blood speaks. Now, I can't tell you everything about it, obviously, because I don't know. I don't fully get it, but there's truth in the fact that. That the blood speaks. And there's other places in the word where it talks about that. Well, so then when this song, what we're singing right now, says that his blood speaks a better word, what does that mean? Well, that means that just like what Jesus said on the night he was betrayed." [20:39] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2) "The old covenant was, if you follow all these rules, you can be in. The new covenant is you trust what I'm going to do tomorrow, the next day when he was crucified, you trust me tomorrow, after after tomorrow. You trust what I do tomorrow and you're in. You don't have to follow any rules. That's a whole lot better. That's a better covenant. That's a better covenant and the blood. As. Just as we've been singing." [21:56] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3) "We're going to remember, we're going to speak that. The words that he fulfilled on that cross, and it's. You listen to these words. It's healing, it's restoration, it's breaking of bondages. It's a better covenant. Do you know that the Old Testament, the Israelites in the Old Testament, when they partook of the bread, they would break the bread and says that I'm by his stripes, I will be healed. And they would partake of the bread at Passover. That was a sign of the covenant of healing." [24:33] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4) "There's no end to him. There's no end to the spirit of God. There's no end to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. There's no end to the goodness of God. There's no end to the love of God. There's just no end. And this past week I was very blessed. And all the pastors of the nine churches and a couple of other ministers, I think there were 20 of us from RVFM that went to the ministers conference out in Colorado Springs. And in that, the Lord was just. Even I took voluminous notes and I thought, this is all still more. The deeper parts of God, there's so much more. And the more you dig, you keep. There's just more and more. You'll never exhaust God. You'll never run out of God. You'll never run out of his authority, his power, his love, his blessings. It's just my goodness. It's so amazing, the goodness of goddess." [41:32] (66 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5) "We too much are affected by what just happened five minutes ago, what somebody said to me or what I read in the newspaper, or how my body feels in the moment. We're too affected by that. Oh, I have a headache, and everything has to change because I have a headache. No, the headache has to change because his word says something different. His word says something better. And that physical symptom has to come in line with the word of God. And if you don't live that way, it actually sounds foolish. And Jesus said, he says his word is foolishness to the world, but you're not a part of the world anymore. You have a new culture." [45:08] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6) "We should learn. We need to learn how to react to life situations by the spirit. And that's what we're talking about, the fruit of the spirit. If somebody disses dis, I'm so cool. I'm just so cool. Really not. I can't think of the word of what's dis. Disrespects. Thank you. I got there. I think I got there right before you did. Just. Just, you know, just so you know, if somebody disrespects you, how do you react to them? Well, the. The physical says I react this way. Retaliate, or whatever it is the spirit says. What does the spirit say? Bless them. Love them. That's hard. You have to learn to do. We formerly, formerly notice, I say formerly carnal people have to retrain. Our spirits are new, but our mind has to be renewed, and our body has to be renewed." [47:21] (71 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7) "Patience is not a wimpy response. Oh, I'll just sit here. No, patience is, I will sit here as long as it takes and I will hold on as long as it takes and I will not give up as long as it takes. We need to be tough in these days. We need to be tough right now and we need patience in these situations. All right, here's the definition of patience. I didn't get it to the video, so I apologize. Maybe we'll get it up sometime. Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay. The capacity to accept or tolerate delay. Now, I did that the way I did it on purpose because I'm setting you up because it doesn't stop there. It's not a period, it's a comma. Capacity is to or patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay trouble. Oh, shoot. Trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset." [01:04:12] (89 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8) "We don't live in this physical world anymore. I mean, we live in this physical world, but we're not dictated any longer by this physical world. When trouble comes in our life, we need to have the fruit of the spirit of patience, that what the first things that come out of us is. All right, let's see what God's going to do on this one. Now, that's not a natural response that has to be trained. And the only way it's trained is by the Holy Spirit. The water of the word, the washing of the word and the holy and cooperating with the Holy Spirit. You can't sit there and go, I won't react. I won't react. I won't react. You focus on not reacting. What are you going to do? React. It takes training by the spirit that when that trouble, that moment comes, you immediately start looking for the Holy Spirit solution and not dwelling on whatever situation it is." [01:08:41] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9) "We don't have to react to trouble. We don't have to react to suffering. That's the thing I remember. You thought I was going to skip that one, didn't you? The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble or suffering without being angry or upset. And I'm not talking well, I'm going to have to bear this sickness. No sickness goes in Jesus name. I am healed. I am whole. You are healed. He's already done it. You're healed. Suffering is when people persecute you, when they despitefully use you. That's suffering. Having to deal with situations that are. That are outside of your control, where evil people are doing evil things. This world is stinking full of evil people doing evil things. How you react to it, how you react to it emotionally, psychologically, physically, has to be in patience and that's hard." [01:13:50] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10) "Do you know that you have the authority to forgive their sins? Now the theological wheels are going. Now, I know Jesus was God on the cross. He says, forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do. But Stephen, Stephen, while he was being stoned to death, looked at them and said, Father, forgive them. Hold not this sin against them. And I've heard many theologians say, I've read a lot of books, I've heard a lot of people preach on it. They believe because Stephen prayed, that because Paul was standing in their midst is the reason that Paul got saved as God opened a door for Paul, because Stephen said, don't hold this against them. Don't hold this sin against our governor. Don't hold this sin, Lord, forgive them, Lord. I pray for their salvation. If all the Christians in Minnesota, Wisconsin, America would pray for our leaders with that kind of conviction. I'm telling you, man, watch out." [01:19:54] (71 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Oct 07, 2024. Do you have any questions about it?