Embracing the New Covenant: Understanding God's Word

Devotional

Day 1: The Bible's Unparalleled Significance

The Bible stands as the most significant book in human history, not just because of its widespread distribution and sales, but due to its divine inspiration and profound impact on humanity. Comprising 66 books written over 1,500 years by more than 40 authors, the Bible's structure and history reveal a tapestry of divine revelation and human experience. Understanding its composition helps us appreciate its role as the foundation of our faith and the guide for our lives. The Bible's unique significance is underscored by its ability to speak to every generation, culture, and individual, offering wisdom, guidance, and the revelation of God's character and plan for humanity. [01:03:12]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV): "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Reflection: How can you make time today to read and reflect on a passage of Scripture, allowing it to teach, correct, and equip you for your daily walk with God?

Day 2: Understanding God's Covenants

God's relationship with humanity is framed through covenants, particularly blood covenants, which reveal different aspects of His grace and expectations. The three main covenants—the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and New—each serve a unique purpose in God's redemptive plan. The Abrahamic Covenant is a grace covenant, highlighting God's promise and faithfulness. The Mosaic Covenant is conditional, emphasizing the law and human responsibility. The New Covenant, established through Jesus Christ, is an unconditional grace covenant based solely on Jesus' performance, not ours. This New Covenant underscores God's unconditional love and grace, offering us a relationship with Him that is secure and eternal. [01:09:15]

Hebrews 8:6 (ESV): "But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises."

Reflection: Reflect on the New Covenant in Jesus Christ. How does understanding that this covenant is based on Jesus' performance, not yours, change the way you approach your relationship with God today?

Day 3: Interpreting Scripture Through the Cross

All Scripture must be interpreted through the lens of the cross, meaning that everything before Jesus' death, including His teachings, must be understood in light of His sacrifice. This principle helps resolve apparent contradictions and aligns our understanding with the New Covenant of grace. For instance, the Lord's Prayer, which includes a confession of sin, must be understood as an Old Covenant prayer, as we are already forgiven in the New Covenant. Interpreting Scripture through the cross ensures that we grasp the full significance of Jesus' sacrifice and the grace that flows from it, transforming our reading and application of the Bible. [01:15:24]

Colossians 2:14 (ESV): "By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."

Reflection: How does viewing Scripture through the lens of the cross change your understanding of God's forgiveness and grace? Can you identify a specific passage that you now see differently?

Day 4: The Role of the Law and Grace

While the law is perfect and eternal, it must be interpreted through the cross for New Covenant believers. The Old Covenant required performance for righteousness, but in the New Covenant, righteousness is a gift received through Jesus' perfect fulfillment of the law. This shift from performance to grace transforms our relationship with God, freeing us from the burden of trying to earn His favor and allowing us to rest in His completed work. Understanding this distinction helps us live in the freedom and joy of God's grace, rather than under the weight of legalism. [01:25:10]

Galatians 3:24-25 (ESV): "So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you still find yourself trying to earn God's favor? How can you shift your mindset to rest in the grace that Jesus has already provided?

Day 5: Receiving God's Blessings

In the New Covenant, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. These blessings are received through faith, yielding, and obedience, not through performance. Embracing God's principles and promises allows us to experience the fullness of His blessings in our lives, transforming our daily walk with Him. This means actively trusting in God's promises, surrendering our will to His, and walking in obedience to His Word. As we do so, we open ourselves to the abundant life that Jesus promised, filled with His peace, joy, and provision. [01:33:35]

Ephesians 1:3 (ESV): "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places."

Reflection: What is one specific promise of God that you need to trust in today? How can you actively yield to His will and walk in obedience to experience His blessings more fully?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, Harmony Church! Today, we gathered to celebrate the unique gift of this day, a day that has never existed before in the history of the world. We began by positioning our hearts to rejoice in the Lord, to love, worship, and give Him praise. We then transitioned into a video presentation and some announcements about upcoming events, including a business seminar and a prophetic summit.

Our main focus today was on the second of our Kingdom Culture values: "His Word is Our Foundation." We explored the Bible's unparalleled significance, noting its status as the best-selling and most widely distributed book in history. We delved into the structure of the Bible, highlighting its 66 books, written over 1,500 years by more than 40 authors, and its translation into numerous languages.

We discussed the importance of understanding the Bible through the lens of hermeneutics, emphasizing that while all Scripture is God-breathed and useful, not all of it is written directly to us. The Bible contains two testaments, or covenants: the Old Testament, which primarily deals with the nation of Israel, and the New Testament, which focuses on Jesus, the Church, and the Kingdom of God.

We examined the concept of covenants, particularly blood covenants, which are central to God's relationship with humanity. We highlighted three main covenants: the Abrahamic Covenant (a grace covenant), the Mosaic Covenant (a conditional covenant), and the New Covenant in Jesus Christ (an unconditional grace covenant). We emphasized that the New Covenant is based solely on Jesus' performance, not ours, and that it is for us but not with us.

We also discussed the importance of interpreting the Bible through the cross. Everything before Jesus' death must be understood in light of His sacrifice. This principle helps us make sense of passages that might otherwise seem contradictory or confusing. For example, the Lord's Prayer, which includes a confession of sin, must be understood as an Old Covenant prayer, as we are already forgiven in the New Covenant.

Finally, we touched on the blessings of God, which are abundant in both the Old and New Testaments. In the New Covenant, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, and we receive these blessings through faith, yielding, and obedience. We concluded with a call to embrace the principles and promises of God, yielding to His Word and experiencing the fullness of His blessings in our lives.

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Key Takeaways

1. selling and most widely distributed book in history, with over five billion copies sold. It is composed of 66 books written over 1,500 years by more than 40 authors. This underscores its unparalleled significance and the divine inspiration behind its creation. Understanding its structure and history helps us appreciate its profound impact on humanity. [01:03:12]
2. Understanding Covenants: God's relationship with humanity is framed through covenants, particularly blood covenants. The three main covenants—Abrahamic, Mosaic, and New—each reveal different aspects of God's grace and expectations. The New Covenant, based solely on Jesus' performance, is a grace covenant that is for us but not with us, highlighting the unconditional love and grace of God.

3. Interpreting Scripture Through the Cross: All Scripture must be interpreted through the lens of the cross. This means that everything before Jesus' death, including His teachings, must be understood in light of His sacrifice. This principle helps resolve apparent contradictions and aligns our understanding with the New Covenant of grace.

4. The Role of the Law and Grace: While the law is perfect and eternal, it must be interpreted through the cross for New Covenant believers. The Old Covenant required performance for righteousness, but in the New Covenant, righteousness is a gift received through Jesus' perfect fulfillment of the law. This shift from performance to grace transforms our relationship with God.

5. Receiving God's Blessings: In the New Covenant, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. These blessings are received through faith, yielding, and obedience, not through performance. Embracing God's principles and promises allows us to experience the fullness of His blessings in our lives, transforming our daily walk with Him.

### [63:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[61:49] - Announcements and Upcoming Events
[63:12] - The Bible's Unique Significance
[64:49] - Fun Facts About the Bible
[66:32] - Understanding Hermeneutics
[67:52] - Old and New Testaments
[69:15] - Blood Covenants Explained
[70:40] - The Abrahamic Covenant
[72:05] - The Mosaic Covenant
[73:38] - The New Covenant in Jesus Christ
[75:24] - Interpreting Scripture Through the Cross
[78:42] - The Cross as the Filter
[80:12] - The Role of the Law and Grace
[85:10] - Jesus' Fulfillment of the Law
[87:02] - Old Covenant vs. New Covenant Love
[88:20] - Yielding to God's Love
[93:35] - Receiving God's Blessings
[95:16] - Closing Prayer and Call to Salvation
[97:49] - Communion and Final Thoughts

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does 2 Timothy 3:16-17 say about the purpose of all Scripture? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on the Bible's significance? [01:03:12]
In Genesis 15:17-18, what is the significance of the smoking firepot and blazing torch passing between the pieces? How does this relate to the concept of a blood covenant discussed in the sermon? [01:09:15]
According to Ephesians 1:3, what kind of blessings do we receive in Christ? How does this verse support the sermon’s message about receiving God's blessings through faith and obedience? [01:33:35]

Interpretation Questions

How does understanding that "all Scripture is God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16-17) influence the way we approach reading the Bible? How does this understanding help us appreciate its divine inspiration and authority? [01:03:12]
The sermon mentioned that the New Covenant is based solely on Jesus' performance and not ours. How does Genesis 15:17-18 illustrate the concept of a grace covenant, and how does this understanding impact our relationship with God? [01:09:15]
Ephesians 1:3 states that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. How does this verse challenge the idea of earning God's blessings through performance? How does it encourage us to live by faith and obedience instead? [01:33:35]

Application Questions

Reflecting on 2 Timothy 3:16-17, how can you incorporate more of the Bible's teachings into your daily life? What specific steps can you take to ensure you are thoroughly equipped for every good work? [01:03:12]
The sermon emphasized interpreting Scripture through the lens of the cross. How can you apply this principle when reading difficult or confusing passages in the Bible? Can you think of a specific passage that you need to re-evaluate in light of Jesus' sacrifice? [01:15:24]
Considering the concept of covenants discussed in the sermon, how does understanding the New Covenant as a grace covenant change your perspective on your relationship with God? How can you live out this grace in your daily interactions? [01:09:15]
The sermon highlighted the importance of yielding to God's Word to experience His blessings. What areas of your life do you need to yield more fully to God's principles and promises? How can you take practical steps to do this? [01:33:35]
The role of the law and grace was a key point in the sermon. How can you balance the understanding of God's law with the grace provided through Jesus? Are there areas in your life where you are still trying to earn God's favor through performance? [01:25:10]
The sermon mentioned that we are already forgiven in the New Covenant. How does this truth affect the way you handle guilt and confession? How can you remind yourself of your forgiven status in Christ during moments of failure? [01:16:57]
Reflect on the blessings mentioned in Ephesians 1:3. How can you actively receive and live out these spiritual blessings in your daily life? What specific actions can you take to align your life more closely with the blessings God has already provided? [01:33:35]

Sermon Clips

1. "The Bible is completely unique. 1 Timothy 3:16 says all scripture, that means the whole Bible, all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Amen. It says the whole word is God-breathed and is useful for teaching. The entire book is the Bible. Okay, not just the New Testament, not even... the whole book is from the Bible. Amen. It's the Bible." [01:05:29] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Although it is all the word of God, we gotta watch it how we interpret the Bible. Why? Because the Bible is all written for us, that means like for humanity, but it's not written all to you. It's all for you, but it is not all to you and this is very, very important in understanding hermeneutics. Hermeneutics is interpreting the Bible. Amen." [01:06:32] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The old covenants, which a lot of the Bible is old covenants, right, is not with you. It's for you but not with you. It's for us because we can learn from it but the covenant, the relationship, the contract that we have with God is not for it will never was and it never will be. It is for you because we can learn but it's not our covenants." [01:13:38] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We need to learn that everything theological, every interpretation, hermeneutics from the old and everything in the Bible has to go through the cross. That means that before Jesus died, which was kind of three quarters throughout the New Testament, not the Old Testament, New Testament, three quarters up to that time it was what kind of covenant? Old covenants. Some of you are saying that means that what Jesus said before he died is old covenant and has to be interpreted through the cross." [01:14:24] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "The cross is the filter. Let's say it together. The cross is the filter for any interpretation and particularly the Old Covenant, the whole Bible up to Jesus' death. Okay, so when did the New Covenant start then? Selling of blood. When did that happen? Yes, but when? What day? Yeah, it was Friday. Bingo. Good Friday. When Jesus says at the end, he says, it is finished. What is finished? Well, that is the New Covenant. The New Covenant is finished." [01:17:57] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "I want you to be not excited. I want you to get excited about who he's made you to be. I want you to get excited about who he is. Because he is just so amazing. He is so loving, so kind, so powerful. Woo, Jesus. So all scripture is God breathed. But it also doesn't mean that everything that Jesus says before the cross in the gospels, chapter 1, 2, 3, 4 is invalid. No, it's not invalid, but it's got to go through the cross." [01:20:12] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "In the old covenant, you've got to perform to be righteous. You've got to keep the law to be righteous in this way. And by keeping the law and do well, you get blessed. And if you don't do well, you get cursed. Do good, get good. Do bad, get bad. Everybody say that. Do good. Thank you. It's all good. In this way. It was always a yo-yo relationship." [01:24:01] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "In the new covenant, you've been loved by God so much. Now, he pours his love into your hearts. He makes you a son and daughter, and now we yield to the love of God. It's a completely different world. It's a brand new world. It's a brand new world. I'll tell you almost everything in the new covenant is because, I'm not done yet, guys. You can come, but I'm not done yet. We started five minutes late, so I'm going to have five minutes more." [01:27:37] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "The blessings of God. This Bible is full of the blessings of God. And I'm not talking about Old Testament only. It's old and new are blessings. Now the old, the way you got to blessings, do good, get good, do bad, get bad. Right? New covenant is different. We are now blessed in every, you can put it on there Fabian if you want to, that scripture in Ephesians, the spiritual blessing, Ephesians 1.3. We are now, it's opposite now because now we've been given, every spiritual blessing in Christ has been given to us." [01:32:04] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "The principles of God. I tell you, the blessings of God, they are connected to the promises and to the principles of God. And when we start saying, yes, Lord, to the principles of God, yes, Lord, in my life, yes, Lord, I will yield, I will obey, I get these things in there, you will find that these blessings will find you in the way that you've done." [01:35:16] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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