Embracing the New Covenant: Trusting Jesus' Atonement
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound theme of perspective, particularly in the context of our ongoing series, "Easter Eggs." This series is about uncovering the hidden truths in God's Word, much like finding Easter eggs, and understanding how these truths from the Old Testament are fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus Christ. We began by reflecting on what we desire Jesus to do in our lives, whether it's healing, wisdom, or purpose, and how we often try to solve these issues on our own. However, the message today is about speaking the name of Jesus over these struggles and recognizing His power and presence in our lives.
We delved into the history of God's covenant with His people, starting with Abraham and moving through the lineage to King David, and how this covenant was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. The Israelites, much like us, often found themselves in cycles of sin and redemption, trying to meet their needs through their own efforts. Yet, God had a plan from the beginning, a plan that involved a new covenant through Jesus, who is both the fulfillment and the embodiment of this covenant.
Isaiah's prophecies were central to our discussion, highlighting the coming of a Messiah who would be unlike any king before Him. This Messiah, Jesus, would not only fulfill the law but also offer a new covenant, one that is written on our hearts and minds, offering forgiveness and a relationship with God. This new covenant is not about our efforts but about accepting the gift of grace through Jesus' sacrifice.
We also explored the concept of atonement, understanding it as both a covering and a removal of sin, made possible through Jesus' sacrifice. Isaiah's prophecies foreshadowed this atonement, and the New Testament confirms its fulfillment in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. This assurance of atonement gives us confidence in our faith and hope for our future, knowing that our citizenship is in heaven and that Jesus will return for us.
As we reflect on these truths, the invitation is to receive Jesus' atonement, to let go of our attempts to fix our lives, and to trust in His power and grace. Whether it's a struggle you're facing or a decision to follow Jesus, the call is to let Him be your strength and guide.
Key Takeaways:
1. Perspective and Struggle: Our struggles often stem from trying to solve problems on our own. By speaking the name of Jesus over our challenges, we invite His power and presence into our lives, recognizing that He walks with us through every trial. [27:46]
2. The New Covenant: Unlike the old covenant, which was based on human effort and sacrifice, the new covenant through Jesus is about grace and relationship. Jesus Himself is the covenant, offering forgiveness and a new way of living that is written on our hearts. [50:07]
3. Atonement and Assurance: Jesus' sacrifice is both a covering and a removal of sin, offering us assurance of forgiveness and a restored relationship with God. This atonement is a gift, not something we earn, and it transforms our lives. [57:25]
4. Prophetic Fulfillment: Isaiah's prophecies about the Messiah highlight God's plan for redemption through Jesus. These prophecies assure us of the truth of God's Word and the fulfillment of His promises, giving us confidence in our faith. [01:03:27]
5. Invitation to Trust: The call is to trust in Jesus' atonement and to let go of our attempts to fix our lives. By accepting His grace, we find strength and purpose, knowing that our future is secure in Him. [01:07:31]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction and Greetings
- [02:30] - Series Overview: Easter Eggs
- [05:15] - The Power of Perspective
- [08:00] - Personal Reflection and Prayer
- [12:00] - Historical Context: God's Covenant
- [15:30] - The Role of the Kings
- [20:00] - Isaiah's Prophecies
- [25:00] - The New Covenant Explained
- [30:00] - Understanding Atonement
- [35:00] - Assurance in God's Word
- [40:00] - Invitation to Trust in Jesus
- [45:00] - Closing Prayer and Worship
- [50:00] - Announcements and Opportunities
- [55:00] - Final Blessing and Dismissal
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Isaiah 7:14 - "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
2. Isaiah 53:1-10 - A prophecy about the suffering servant, highlighting the atonement through Jesus.
3. Jeremiah 31:31-34 - The promise of a new covenant written on the hearts of God's people.
Observation Questions:
1. What does Isaiah 7:14 reveal about the nature and identity of the Messiah? How does this prophecy connect to the New Testament understanding of Jesus? [43:35]
2. In Isaiah 53:1-10, what are the key characteristics of the suffering servant, and how do they relate to Jesus' life and mission? [01:00:02]
3. How does Jeremiah 31:31-34 describe the new covenant, and what makes it different from the old covenant? [54:01]
4. According to the sermon, what role does perspective play in understanding our struggles and the power of Jesus in our lives? [27:46]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 about Immanuel, "God with us," shape our understanding of Jesus' role in our lives today? [43:35]
2. What does the concept of atonement in Isaiah 53:1-10 teach us about the nature of Jesus' sacrifice and its impact on our relationship with God? [01:00:02]
3. How does the new covenant described in Jeremiah 31:31-34 change the way we relate to God compared to the old covenant? [54:01]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that speaking the name of Jesus over our struggles can transform our perspective and experience of those challenges? [27:46]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a current struggle in your life. How can you intentionally speak the name of Jesus over this situation and invite His power and presence into it? [27:46]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of letting go of our attempts to fix our lives. What is one area where you need to surrender control and trust in Jesus' atonement and grace? [01:07:31]
3. How can the assurance of atonement through Jesus' sacrifice change the way you view your past mistakes and future challenges? [57:25]
4. Consider the new covenant written on our hearts. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God that goes beyond religious rituals and into a personal connection? [54:01]
5. Isaiah's prophecies assure us of God's plan for redemption. How can you use this assurance to strengthen your faith and share the message of hope with others? [01:03:27]
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you have been trying to solve problems on your own. What steps can you take this week to rely more on Jesus' guidance and strength? [27:46]
7. The sermon invites us to trust in Jesus' atonement. What practical steps can you take to deepen your trust in Jesus and live out the new covenant in your daily life? [01:07:31]
Devotional
Day 1: Inviting Jesus into Our Struggles
In our daily lives, we often find ourselves trying to solve problems on our own, relying on our strength and wisdom. This approach can lead to frustration and a sense of inadequacy. However, by speaking the name of Jesus over our challenges, we invite His power and presence into our lives. Recognizing that Jesus walks with us through every trial can transform our perspective, offering peace and assurance that we are not alone. This shift in perspective allows us to see our struggles not as insurmountable obstacles but as opportunities for Jesus to demonstrate His love and power. [27:46]
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Reflection: What is one specific struggle you are currently facing? How can you intentionally invite Jesus into this situation today by speaking His name over it and trusting in His presence?
Day 2: Embracing the New Covenant
The new covenant through Jesus is a profound shift from the old covenant, which was based on human effort and sacrifice. This new covenant is about grace and relationship, with Jesus Himself as the embodiment of this promise. It offers forgiveness and a new way of living that is written on our hearts. By accepting this covenant, we move away from striving to earn God's favor and instead embrace the gift of grace that transforms our lives. This relationship with Jesus is not about what we can do for Him but about what He has already done for us. [50:07]
Jeremiah 31:33 (ESV): "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
Reflection: In what ways have you been trying to earn God's favor through your efforts? How can you shift your focus to embrace the grace and relationship offered through the new covenant in Jesus?
Day 3: Assurance through Atonement
Jesus' sacrifice is both a covering and a removal of sin, offering us assurance of forgiveness and a restored relationship with God. This atonement is a gift, not something we earn, and it transforms our lives by freeing us from the burden of sin. Understanding this assurance allows us to live with confidence in our faith, knowing that our sins are forgiven and that we are loved by God. This assurance is not just for the future but impacts our present, giving us hope and strength to live out our faith daily. [57:25]
Hebrews 10:14 (ESV): "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."
Reflection: How does the assurance of Jesus' atonement change the way you view your relationship with God? What is one area of your life where you need to embrace this assurance more fully?
Day 4: Confidence in Prophetic Fulfillment
Isaiah's prophecies about the Messiah highlight God's plan for redemption through Jesus. These prophecies assure us of the truth of God's Word and the fulfillment of His promises. By understanding the prophetic fulfillment in Jesus, we gain confidence in our faith, knowing that God's plan is perfect and His promises are true. This confidence allows us to trust in God's Word and His plan for our lives, even when circumstances seem uncertain. It reminds us that God is faithful and that His promises will come to pass. [01:03:27]
Isaiah 53:5 (ESV): "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."
Reflection: How does the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies in Jesus strengthen your confidence in God's Word? What is one promise from God that you need to hold onto today?
Day 5: Trusting in Jesus' Atonement
The call is to trust in Jesus' atonement and to let go of our attempts to fix our lives. By accepting His grace, we find strength and purpose, knowing that our future is secure in Him. Trusting in Jesus means surrendering our control and allowing Him to guide us. This trust is not passive but an active decision to rely on His strength and wisdom. As we trust in Jesus, we experience the peace and assurance that comes from knowing that He is in control and that His plans for us are good. [01:07:31]
Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Quotes
God, I pray that you would be present, whether you immediately heal or remove or answer that prayer or take care of that need, or whether you choose to walk with them through the challenge. Father, we thank you for that, and we thank you that your power is present. Your grace more than covers the sin that we're gonna talk about today that we are all plagued with. We trust in you, God, to do what only you can do that we can't do for ourselves. And so, though you applaud sometimes our vain efforts and our willingness to get in to do our part, God, we put these things in your hands. [00:30:11] (44 seconds)
And so much like them, and we're gonna be looking at this together today, the Israelites had this repeated behavior of kind of just messing up over the years. God, and as Chandler talked about, he had a plan from the very beginning with this sin that entered into the world. Satan enticed, Adam and Eve chose. They full up have to own it. And as life continued on, God began to work in the lives of some names, the people that we're super familiar with. We know that he made a covenant with this guy named Abraham. [00:31:49] (45 seconds)
And so he created this covenant with Abraham, and then it was passed on to Isaac, and then it was passed on to Jacob. And what we find in the beginning of the book of Isaiah is that we find this transformation of Isaiah going back in time 150 years before this huge invasion into the two nations, the two kingdoms that existed at that time of Israel and Judah, of God's people. And there's this group of people called the Assyrians, okay? And the Assyrians were part of all of the different nations that were around Israel and where they had come in. [00:32:48] (42 seconds)
And so after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God's people began to ask and request because they saw the other nations around them had them, they asked for a king. God didn't want to necessarily give them a king. He said, I'm God. Who else do you need? But he didn't relent. He just allowed. He said, okay, fine. Pick your king. Have you ever done that with your kids? They really want to do something, and you're just like, I know this isn't going to end well, but I'm going to go ahead, and I'm just going to let you pick it. [00:33:30] (33 seconds)
And so Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of, man, isn't God amazing? Back in Genesis, when he said that the serpent would be crushed, that sin would be defeated, now David, he picks this young boy to be king and to serve. And from him will be a line of other kings to the point that we reach Jesus and who Jesus is. He says, God and man, born of the virgin, born of the spirit, and he becomes the ultimate king, but a king like no other that we would ever see. [00:46:26] (45 seconds)
And he says, the spirit of the Lord will rest on him first. The spirit of wisdom will be with him. A spirit of understanding beyond any comprehension would be with him. Only a God understanding. A spirit of counsel will be with him. A spirit of power would be with him. And we see that throughout the New Testament. All of these are just come out in the life of Jesus. A spirit of knowledge and a fear of the Lord will be there. And he will delight in the fear of God himself, the Father, the Lord. [00:47:28] (45 seconds)
But remember in their minds, they're still even at this point, they're riding on this covenant idea of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And then Isaiah says, wait a minute, that's not going to work anymore because we have a new covenant. And so he begins to speak about that. And I want to walk us through that because these are some important scriptures that are here. Why a new covenant? Well, obviously because the people kept failing it. Now, this is a little hard for me, I think even initially to wrap my brain around because I really had to process it and I had to think about it. He, Jesus, will actually be the covenant. [00:50:07] (43 seconds)
It is a promise of a relationship of one who reconciles us, one who redeems us, one who restores us, and he erases the sin of man. So the way I view this, all right, that when God now in this new covenant, he looks at man, he looks at you. And when you realize that the only path forward, the forgiveness of your sins and to be a child of God and to be forgiven is through Jesus Christ and what he does on the cross, what we're going to be talking about here in another week, because we're coming up on Good Friday. Right? Palm Sunday. [00:51:08] (47 seconds)
When you look at that, Jesus, God says, I don't just see you in your sin anymore. When you accept me as your Lord and Savior, I see Jesus in you. I look at you and I don't see your sin. I see the forgiveness. I see the blood that covered everything that you couldn't do for yourself. And so the covenant is actually Jesus. Isn't that amazing? I mean, you think about it from that perspective. It's not like this covenant relationship of I have to. [00:52:02] (34 seconds)
You don't do it on your own and you can't do enough to get it right before you come to God. You see, he looks at you and he goes, this is going to be a new covenant. I'm going to do this with my son and with you, but all you have to do is accept the gift because this covenant between me and you, when I look at you, I don't see your sin anymore. All I see is Jesus and what he did on the cross for you. And so Jesus becomes the covenant. [00:52:59] (30 seconds)
I love this in Philippians 3, 20 through 21, but our citizenship is in heaven, right? We eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so just like we know in Isaiah that it was prophesied and it happened, you and I read the scripture today and we know that he's coming back for us, who by the power that enabled him to bring everything under his control will transform us to be like him. [01:06:54] (29 seconds)
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