Renewing Our Covenant: Embracing Grace and Transformation
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, church. Today, we reflected on the concept of a fresh start and the importance of renewing our covenant with God. Just as Gordon Ramsay helps restaurants start anew in "Kitchen Nightmares," we too need a fresh start, which begins with renewing our covenant with God. In the kingdom of God, a fresh start is not just about external changes but a deep, internal renewal of our relationship with Him.
Covenant is a central theme throughout the Bible, from the Abrahamic covenant to the Mosaic and Davidic covenants, culminating in the new covenant through Jesus Christ. This new covenant is characterized by three key aspects: grace, transformation, and learning.
Firstly, the covenant of grace is about receiving God's unmerited favor. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we are given salvation and forgiveness, not based on our ability to follow laws but through grace. This grace simplifies our relationship with God, making it about loving Him and our neighbors.
Secondly, the covenant of transformation speaks to the inner change that God brings about in us. God promises to write His laws on our hearts and minds, leading to a transformation that aligns us more closely with His will. This transformation is a lifelong journey, making us more like Christ each day.
Lastly, the covenant of learning emphasizes the importance of continually growing in our knowledge of God. This lifelong journey of discipleship means that we are always learning and becoming more like Christ. God desires for us to know Him deeply, and this knowledge empowers us to live strong, impactful lives.
As we renew our covenant with God, we are given a clean slate to start afresh. This renewal calls us to be more hospitable, passionate in worship, intentional in discipleship, and generous in our mission and service. Let us embrace this new beginning with a heart full of grace, a spirit open to transformation, and a mind eager to learn more about our Creator.
### Key Takeaways
1. Covenant of Grace: The new covenant is founded on grace, not on our ability to follow laws. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we receive salvation and forgiveness, simplifying our relationship with God to loving Him and our neighbors. This grace is unmerited and freely given, allowing us to live a life we do not deserve. [25:12]
2. Covenant of Transformation: The new covenant brings about an inner transformation, where God's laws are written on our hearts and minds. This transformation is a lifelong journey, making us more like Christ each day. It emphasizes that while coming to Christ is instantaneous, becoming like Christ is a lifelong process. [29:36]
3. Covenant of Learning: This covenant emphasizes the importance of continually growing in our knowledge of God. It is a lifelong journey of discipleship, where we are always learning and becoming more like Christ. Knowing God deeply empowers us to live strong, impactful lives. [36:46]
4. Renewal and Fresh Start: Renewing our covenant with God gives us a clean slate to start afresh. This renewal calls us to be more hospitable, passionate in worship, intentional in discipleship, and generous in our mission and service. It is an opportunity to embrace new beginnings with a heart full of grace and a spirit open to transformation. [41:44]
5. Living Under Grace: Living under the new covenant of grace means that obedience and fruitfulness come naturally as a result of our renewed relationship with God. It is not about working our way into God's favor but about living in the freedom and transformation that grace provides. [35:38]
### Youtube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[15:35] - Uncertainty of Life
[17:26] - Kitchen Nightmares and Fresh Starts
[19:10] - Renewal of Covenant
[21:19] - Biblical Covenants Overview
[23:17] - The New Covenant
[25:12] - Covenant of Grace
[27:14] - Grace and Transformation
[29:36] - Covenant of Transformation
[31:26] - Lifelong Journey of Transformation
[33:27] - Becoming More Like Christ
[35:38] - Living Under Grace
[36:46] - Covenant of Learning
[38:36] - Knowing God Deeply
[40:22] - Shepherds After God's Heart
[41:02] - Covenant of Grace, Transformation, and Learning
[41:44] - Embracing a Fresh Start
[42:29] - Covenant Prayer
[45:52] - Announcements
[55:27] - Prayer of Thanksgiving
[56:17] - Closing Hymn
[01:02:15] - Final Blessing
Study 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."
### Observation Questions
1. What are the three key aspects of the new covenant mentioned in the sermon? ([25:12])
2. How does the sermon describe the process of transformation under the new covenant? ([29:36])
3. According to the sermon, what role does learning play in the new covenant? ([36:46])
4. What does the sermon suggest is the starting point for a fresh start in the kingdom of God? ([19:10])
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of grace in the new covenant change our relationship with God compared to the old covenant? ([25:12])
2. What does it mean for God's laws to be written on our hearts and minds, and how does this affect our daily lives? ([29:36])
3. In what ways does continual learning about God empower us to live strong, impactful lives? ([36:46])
4. How can the idea of a fresh start through renewing our covenant with God influence our approach to worship, discipleship, and service? ([41:44])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's grace in a significant way. How did it change your perspective or actions? ([25:12])
2. What are some practical steps you can take to allow God's transformation to work in your heart and mind this week? ([29:36])
3. Identify one area in your life where you feel you need a fresh start. How can renewing your covenant with God help you in this area? ([41:44])
4. How can you be more intentional in your discipleship journey? What specific actions can you take to grow in your knowledge of God? ([36:46])
5. Think of a person or group you can show more hospitality to this week. What specific actions will you take to be more hospitable? ([41:44])
6. How can you incorporate more passion into your worship, both personally and within the church community? ([41:44])
7. Reflect on your current mission and service activities. How can you be more generous and impactful in these areas? ([41:44])
Devotional
Day 1: Living in Grace
The new covenant is founded on grace, not on our ability to follow laws. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we receive salvation and forgiveness, simplifying our relationship with God to loving Him and our neighbors. This grace is unmerited and freely given, allowing us to live a life we do not deserve. Grace is the cornerstone of our faith, and it is through this grace that we are able to approach God with confidence and humility. It is not about our works or our ability to follow the law, but about accepting the gift of grace that Jesus has provided for us. This grace transforms our relationship with God, making it about love and not about legalism.
Grace is a powerful force that changes everything. It allows us to live in freedom, knowing that we are loved and accepted by God, not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done for us. This grace should inspire us to love others as we have been loved, to forgive as we have been forgiven, and to live lives that reflect the love and grace of God. [25:12]
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Reflection: Think of a time when you felt unworthy of God's love. How can you embrace His grace today and extend that same grace to someone else?
Day 2: Inner Transformation
The new covenant brings about an inner transformation, where God's laws are written on our hearts and minds. This transformation is a lifelong journey, making us more like Christ each day. It emphasizes that while coming to Christ is instantaneous, becoming like Christ is a lifelong process. This transformation is not about external changes but about a deep, internal renewal of our relationship with God. It is about allowing God to change us from the inside out, aligning our hearts and minds with His will.
This inner transformation is a journey that requires us to continually seek God and allow Him to work in our lives. It is about being open to the changes that God wants to make in us and being willing to let go of the things that hold us back from becoming more like Christ. This transformation is a process that takes time, but it is a journey that is worth taking. [29:36]
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to allow God to bring about transformation? How can you take a step towards that transformation today?
Day 3: Lifelong Learning
This covenant emphasizes the importance of continually growing in our knowledge of God. It is a lifelong journey of discipleship, where we are always learning and becoming more like Christ. Knowing God deeply empowers us to live strong, impactful lives. God desires for us to know Him deeply, and this knowledge is not just intellectual but experiential. It is about knowing God in a way that transforms our lives and empowers us to live out our faith in practical ways.
This lifelong learning is about being intentional in our discipleship, seeking to know God more each day. It is about being open to the ways that God wants to teach us and being willing to learn from Him. This learning is not just about gaining knowledge but about allowing that knowledge to transform our lives and make us more like Christ. [36:46]
Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV): "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally grow in your knowledge of God this week? How can this knowledge impact your daily life?
Day 4: Embracing a Fresh Start
Renewing our covenant with God gives us a clean slate to start afresh. This renewal calls us to be more hospitable, passionate in worship, intentional in discipleship, and generous in our mission and service. It is an opportunity to embrace new beginnings with a heart full of grace and a spirit open to transformation. This fresh start is not just about making external changes but about a deep, internal renewal of our relationship with God.
Embracing a fresh start means being willing to let go of the past and embrace the new things that God wants to do in our lives. It is about being open to the ways that God wants to change us and being willing to step into the new opportunities that He has for us. This fresh start is a gift from God, and it is an opportunity to live out our faith in new and impactful ways. [41:44]
Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need a fresh start? How can you embrace this new beginning with a heart full of grace and a spirit open to transformation?
Day 5: Living Under Grace
Living under the new covenant of grace means that obedience and fruitfulness come naturally as a result of our renewed relationship with God. It is not about working our way into God's favor but about living in the freedom and transformation that grace provides. This grace allows us to live in a way that reflects the love and character of God, not because we have to, but because we want to.
Living under grace means that our obedience to God is not about trying to earn His favor but about responding to the love and grace that He has already given us. It is about living in the freedom that comes from knowing that we are loved and accepted by God, not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done for us. This grace empowers us to live lives that are fruitful and impactful, reflecting the love and character of God to those around us. [35:38]
Galatians 5:1 (ESV): "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
Reflection: How can you live in the freedom and transformation that grace provides today? What is one way you can reflect the love and character of God to those around you?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "We all want a fresh start. We all want or need a new beginning, right? Every restaurant wants fresh that so is the people of God is the kingdom of God but in the kingdom of God a fresh start begins with a renewal of covenants with God. Let me say that again in the kingdom of God a fresh start begins with a renewal of covenant everybody say the renewal of covenant when we renew our covenants with God we are giving what I call a clean slate to start all over again." [19:10] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "How many know that they are here today, not because of how handsome you are like me or how beautiful you are, but it's because grace found you. Do I have weakness this morning? People that know that grace has located you. Grace brought this new covenant for us. Through the new covenant, we see God's grace initiated to us. The scripture says that I will forgive their iniquity and their sin. I will remember them no more." [25:12] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "It takes a moment to come to Christ. It takes a lifetime to become like Christ. Did it sink in? It takes a moment to come to Christ takes a lifetime it's a lifelong journey of transformation yes you may have missed the mark yesterday but today today God gives you a clean slate to start over again because your life is not done yet. God is not done with you yet. God has a plan of transformation for you and for me and for the church, making us better each and every day." [31:26] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Who doesn't want a fresh start? Who doesn't want a clean slate? All of us, right? How many want a fresh start? A clean slate? Thank God. Praise God. We all do. When we... When we renew our relationship, our love with God, all our past mistakes, all the things that have been done in the past, thank God for the things that have been done in the past, you know, when we say the slate is clean, we are not saying we don't know the reality. We know the reality. We know the baggage of the past. We know. But we know that there is a God of newness." [41:44] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "When God gives us a clean slate, sometimes the ocean will rise, the mountains will roar, the things will come against us. But what keeps us grounded is the covenant we have in God. And the covenant we have in God is that God says, you will be my people and I will be your God. Let us go to the places God has called us into our families, our workspaces, our friends, our communities. And let us renew, be an embodiment of God's covenant. doesn't matter where the ocean rises. We belong to God." [01:02:15] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "In the new covenant, everything comes together. We see that throughout the Old Testament, the passages announce the new covenant. Everything in the Old Testament points to the New Testament, points to the new covenant that we have in God. Jesus specifically, God used the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus to initiate the new covenant that we have by the blood of Jesus. A new covenant is given to us. A new covenant is given by the recognition and remembrance of the birth and call of Jesus." [23:17] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The new covenant is a covenant of transformation. It says that God speaks through Jeremiah it says that I will put my law into their minds and write it on their hearts the new covenant brings inner transformation the law of God was no longer going to be external was no longer going to be written on quotes it was going to change our minds and change our hearts and connect us to a loving relationship with god the covenant that we have received the new covenant we have in christ is a covenant of transformation." [29:36] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The purpose of God making a covenant, bringing Christ into this world is for us to know the hearts of the Father. Amen. For us to know God more and more. And as we know him more and more, the Bible says in the book of Daniel, it said, those that know their God, they shall be strong and they shall do exploit. The more you know your God, the more you become strong, the more you do exploit. The level of your knowledge about who God is, oh my God, is established in your life, becomes a reality in your life." [38:36] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Charles Spurgeon, who is one of the greatest preachers of the 19th century, a British preacher, Charles Spurgeon said that the Old Testament requires that we are obedient to the law. God demands obedience under the law. God works obedience under the gospel. In the New Testament, God is not demanding obedience from us. It comes as a result of renewal of relationship with God, because when we renew our relationship with him, oh my God, the result is obedience. The result is fruitfulness. The result is love. The result is just everything." [35:38] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God said, I will give you shepherds after my own heart who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. God said, I will give you. So even having a pastor is a covenantal relationship. God said, I will give you. Last week we saw about divine appointment, divine allocation. God said, I will give you covenant. I will give you what? Let me get it right. I will give you shepherds after my own heart. I'm not here because I chose myself. You are not here because you decided to be here. You are here because God wanted you to be here and you are part of the covenantal relationship." [40:22] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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