Embracing the New Covenant: God's Unbreakable Promise

Today’s gathering was a celebration of God’s faithfulness and a deep dive into the profound reality of covenant—how God relates to humanity, and how that changes everything about our relationship with Him. We began by recognizing a spiritual awakening happening in our world, a “sleeping giant” rising as millions are confronted with the gospel and the name of Jesus is boldly proclaimed in public spaces. This is a time to ride the wave of God’s glory, to stand for truth, and to be a church that is alive and powerful in Christ.

The heart of our time together was an exploration of the biblical covenants, especially the new covenant in Jesus. Covenant is not just a religious word; it is the very mechanism by which God establishes relationship and dominion on earth. It is a relational exchange—God gives all that He is and has, and invites us to respond with all that we are. The best earthly picture of this is marriage: not a contract of convenience, but a total giving of self, a union sealed by blood, reflecting the sacredness and depth of God’s commitment to us.

We traced the story of three main covenants: the Abrahamic, the Mosaic (Sinai), and the New Covenant in Christ. The Abrahamic covenant was a gift of grace, established while Abraham slept, showing that God’s promises are not dependent on our performance. The Mosaic covenant, in contrast, was conditional—blessing or curse based on obedience. But humanity could never keep its side of the bargain. The New Covenant, established by Jesus’ blood, is again a covenant of grace, made between the Father and the Son, for us but not with us. We are invited in, not by our pedigree or performance, but by our position in Christ.

This new covenant is unbreakable, unshakable, and immovable—not because of our faithfulness, but because of Jesus’ perfect obedience and sacrifice. In Christ, we are as accepted as He is, and our sins are remembered no more. This is not just theology; it is the foundation for a life of freedom, joy, and worship. We are called to live boldly in this reality, to love Israel as the root of these covenants, and to share this good news with a world in need of awakening.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Covenant Is the Foundation of Relationship and Dominion God’s way of relating to humanity is always through covenant—a binding, relational exchange. This is not a mere contract, but a total giving of self, mirrored in the sacredness of marriage. Through covenant, God not only establishes relationship but also imparts authority and inheritance, enabling us to bring heaven to earth. [59:58]
• 2. The New Covenant Is a Gift, Not a Bargain Unlike the old covenant, which depended on human performance, the new covenant is a gift of grace, established between the Father and the Son. Our inclusion is not based on our ability to keep the law, but on Jesus’ perfect obedience and sacrifice. This means our standing with God is secure, unbreakable, and not subject to our failures. [77:22]
• 3. The Old Covenant Reveals Our Need for Grace The law was perfect, but people were not. The old covenant exposed humanity’s inability to achieve righteousness through effort, pointing us to our need for a Savior. God’s solution was not to lower the standard, but to fulfill it in Christ and offer us a new way—by grace through faith. [81:01]
• 4. Our Identity and Security Are Found in Christ Alone In the new covenant, our identity is not rooted in our background, performance, or even our faithfulness, but in our position “in Christ.” Because Jesus fulfilled the law and established the covenant, we are as accepted as He is, and God remembers our sins no more. This truth brings deep freedom and joy, freeing us from striving and fear. [83:15]
• 5. We Are Called to Boldness and to Bless the Root As Gentiles, we are grafted into the covenants made with Israel, sharing in the promises and blessings. This calls us to honor and pray for Israel, recognizing the spiritual battle against God’s purposes for His people. At the same time, we are called to boldness in sharing the gospel, knowing that the world is awakening and the time is ripe for harvest. [92:26]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Announcements and Service Changes
• [02:30] - Awakening and Evangelism in Our Time
• [06:10] - The Power of Public Testimony
• [08:30] - Introduction to Covenants
• [12:00] - Covenant as Relational Exchange
• [15:00] - The Sacredness of Marriage and Blood Covenant
• [19:00] - The Treaty of Waitangi and National Covenants
• [22:00] - Overview of the Seven Biblical Covenants
• [24:00] - The Abrahamic Covenant: Grace While Asleep
• [28:00] - The Mosaic Covenant: Conditional and Performance-Based
• [33:00] - The New Covenant: Established by Jesus
• [38:00] - Gentiles Grafted In and the Mystery of Israel
• [44:00] - Why the Old Covenant Was Insufficient
• [48:00] - Communion: Celebrating the New Covenant
• [52:00] - Living in the Freedom of Grace
• [56:00] - Invitation to Salvation and Boldness
• [59:00] - Communion and Closing Worship

Bible Reading

Genesis 15:9-18 (ESV) — > He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him... When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram...

Hebrews 8:7-12 (ESV) — > For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah... 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... For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV) — > For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Observation Questions

1. In Genesis 15, what was Abraham doing when God made the covenant with him? What does this show about Abraham’s role in the covenant? ([01:06:03])
2. According to Hebrews 8, what was the main problem with the old (Mosaic) covenant? ([01:17:22])
3. In 1 Corinthians 11, what does Jesus say about the cup during the Last Supper? What does this mean for us today? ([01:22:09])
4. The sermon compared covenant to marriage. What are some ways that a covenant is different from a contract? ([59:58])

Interpretation Questions

1. The Abrahamic covenant was made while Abraham was asleep, and God alone passed through the pieces. What does this teach about God’s initiative and grace in His relationship with us? ([01:06:03])
2. The old covenant required obedience for blessing, but people could not keep it. Why do you think God gave a covenant that He knew people would fail to keep? ([01:21:01])
3. The new covenant is described as being made between the Father and the Son, not with us directly. How does this affect our sense of security and acceptance before God? ([01:23:15])
4. The sermon said that in the new covenant, “we are as accepted as Jesus is, and God remembers our sins no more.” How does this challenge or encourage your understanding of forgiveness? ([01:23:15])

Application Questions

1. The sermon described a “spiritual awakening” and a call to boldness in sharing the gospel. Is there a public space or relationship where you feel God is prompting you to be more open about your faith? What holds you back? ([01:32:26])
2. The new covenant is not based on your performance, but on Jesus’ perfect obedience. Are there areas in your life where you still feel you have to “earn” God’s acceptance? How can you remind yourself of your position in Christ this week? ([01:23:15])
3. The old covenant exposed our need for grace. When was the last time you tried to “do better” for God and felt like you failed? How does knowing you are under the new covenant change how you respond to failure? ([01:21:01])
4. The sermon called us to honor and pray for Israel as the root of the covenants. How can you practically pray for or bless Israel this week? ([01:32:26])
5. The picture of covenant as marriage is one of total giving, not a 50/50 contract. In your relationship with God, are there areas you are holding back? What would it look like to give yourself fully to Him? ([59:58])
6. The new covenant brings freedom and joy. Is there a specific fear or area of striving in your life that you need to surrender to Jesus? What step can you take this week to live more freely in His grace? ([01:23:15])
7. The sermon encouraged us to “ride the wave of God’s glory” and be a church that is alive and powerful in Christ. What is one way you can encourage someone else in the group to live boldly in this reality? ([01:32:26])