Transformative Power of the New Covenant

Devotional

Day 1: Joyful Obedience Through Internal Transformation

The New Covenant is a profound shift from external adherence to internal transformation. Unlike the Old Covenant, which relied on laws written on stone, the New Covenant inscribes God's laws on our hearts, leading to a joyful obedience rather than a burdensome duty. This transformation is essential for a genuine relationship with God, as it moves us from mere rule-following to a heartfelt delight in His will. The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in this process, enabling us to live out God's commands with joy and sincerity. [01:19]

Hebrews 10:16-17 (ESV): "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds, then he adds, I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find obedience to God burdensome? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to transform your heart in these areas today?

Day 2: Recognizing Our Need for Divine Intervention

The Old Covenant was not flawed in its laws but in the people's inability to keep it due to their hard-heartedness. This inability highlighted humanity's need for divine intervention and transforming grace. God, in His wisdom, used the Old Covenant to teach us about our dependence on His grace for true obedience. The lesson is clear: without God's intervention, our efforts to follow His laws fall short. This realization should lead us to a deeper reliance on His grace and a recognition of our need for His transformative power. [06:02]

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you tried to follow God's commands in your own strength. How can you rely more on His grace and Spirit in your daily walk?

Day 3: The Holy Spirit's Role in the New Covenant

The New Covenant, inaugurated by Christ, brings the Holy Spirit into our lives to inscribe God's will on our hearts. This internalization of God's law transforms our obedience into a natural expression of our relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live out God's commands with joy and authenticity, making our faith a living and vibrant reality. This transformation is not about external observance but about a heart changed by God, leading to a life that treasures and delights in Him. [15:31]

2 Corinthians 3:3 (ESV): "And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

Reflection: How can you invite the Holy Spirit to write God's will on your heart today? What practical steps can you take to align your life with His guidance?

Day 4: From Religious Observance to Vibrant Faith

True Christianity is not about external religious observance but about a heart transformed by God. The essence of the New Covenant is a life that treasures and delights in Him, moving beyond mere rituals to a vibrant and living faith. This transformation is essential for a genuine relationship with God, as it shifts our focus from outward compliance to inward devotion. The New Covenant invites us to experience a personal and intimate knowledge of God, where our faith becomes a joyful expression of our love for Him. [16:23]

Jeremiah 24:7 (ESV): "I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart."

Reflection: In what ways can you move from religious routine to a vibrant relationship with God? How can you cultivate a heart that truly delights in Him?

Day 5: Embracing the Reality of Christ's Presence

The coming of Christ replaced the shadows of the Old Covenant with the reality of His presence, initiating a new era where God's Spirit transforms us from within. This fulfillment of the New Covenant promises a personal and intimate relationship with God, where His Spirit guides and empowers us. As we embrace the reality of Christ's presence, we are invited to live in the fullness of His grace and love, experiencing the transformative power of His Spirit in our daily lives. [18:09]

Colossians 1:27 (ESV): "To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Reflection: How can you embrace the reality of Christ's presence in your life today? What changes can you make to allow His Spirit to transform you from within?

Sermon Summary

The New Covenant, as described in Hebrews 8:6-13, offers a transformative relationship with God that surpasses the Old Covenant. Unlike the Old Covenant, which was based on laws written on stone and external adherence, the New Covenant promises an internal transformation where God's laws are inscribed on our hearts. This change is not merely about following rules but about a profound inner delight and willingness to obey God. The Old Covenant, given at Mount Sinai, was not flawed in its laws or lack of grace, but in the people's inability to keep it due to their hard-heartedness. God, in His wisdom, withheld the transforming grace that would have enabled them to keep the covenant, teaching humanity a vital lesson about our need for divine intervention.

The New Covenant, inaugurated by Christ's sacrifice, brings the Holy Spirit into our lives to write God's will on our hearts. This internalization of God's law means that our obedience is not a burdensome duty but a joyful expression of our relationship with Him. The New Covenant also promises a personal knowledge of God, where each believer knows Him intimately, eliminating the need for external mediation. This transformation is essential for true Christianity, as it moves us from mere religious observance to a living, vibrant faith.

In this Advent season, we are reminded that the coming of Christ not only replaced the shadows of the Old Covenant with the reality of His presence but also initiated a new era where God's Spirit transforms us from within. This is the essence of the New Covenant: a heart changed by God, leading to a life that treasures and delights in Him.

Key Takeaways

1. heartedness. God used this to teach humanity about our need for His transforming grace. [06:02]
3. The New Covenant, inaugurated by Christ, brings the Holy Spirit into our lives to inscribe God's will on our hearts, making our obedience a natural expression of our relationship with Him.

4. True Christianity is not about external religious observance but about a heart transformed by God, leading to a life that treasures and delights in Him. This transformation is the essence of the New Covenant.

5. The coming of Christ replaced the shadows of the Old Covenant with the reality of His presence, initiating a new era where God's Spirit transforms us from within, fulfilling the promises of the New Covenant.

** [06:02]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:19] - Introduction to the New Covenant
[01:01] - Prayer for Transformation
[02:20] - The Need for Internal Change
[03:43] - The Reality of the New Covenant
[04:37] - Christ's Superior Ministry
[06:02] - The Fault in the Old Covenant
[07:36] - Quoting Jeremiah 31
[09:25] - The Flaw in the People
[10:18] - God's Mercy in the Old Covenant
[11:17] - Hard-heartedness and Unbelief
[12:23] - God's Withholding of Transforming Grace
[14:54] - The New Covenant's Promises
[16:07] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
[18:09] - The Fulfillment of the New Covenant
[22:48] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The New Covenant

Bible Reading:
- Hebrews 8:6-13
- Jeremiah 31:31-33
- Deuteronomy 30:6

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Observation Questions:

According to Hebrews 8:6-13, what makes the New Covenant superior to the Old Covenant? How does this passage describe the role of Christ in this New Covenant?
In the sermon, what is identified as the main fault of the Old Covenant, and how does this relate to the people's response to God's laws? [06:20]
How does Jeremiah 31:31-33 describe the New Covenant, and what are the key promises mentioned in this passage?
What does Deuteronomy 30:6 say about the transformation God promises, and how does this relate to the concept of the New Covenant?

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the internalization of God's laws in the New Covenant change the nature of obedience compared to the Old Covenant? What does this mean for a believer's daily life? [01:19]
The sermon mentions that God withheld transforming grace in the Old Covenant. What might have been God's purpose in doing so, and how does this teach us about our need for divine intervention? [12:23]
In what ways does the New Covenant promise a personal knowledge of God, and how does this eliminate the need for external mediation? [15:16]
How does the sermon describe the role of the Holy Spirit in the New Covenant, and what impact does this have on a believer's relationship with God? [16:07]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your own life: Do you experience God's laws as a joyful expression of your relationship with Him, or do they feel like a burdensome duty? What steps can you take to cultivate a heart that delights in God's will? [01:19]
The sermon highlights the importance of internal transformation. What are some practical ways you can invite the Holy Spirit to write God's will on your heart this week? [15:31]
Consider a time when you relied on external religious observance rather than a genuine relationship with God. How can you shift your focus from outward practices to inward transformation? [16:23]
How can you foster a more intimate and personal knowledge of God in your daily life? What specific practices or habits can help you grow in this area? [15:16]
The sermon suggests that the New Covenant moves us from mere religious observance to a living, vibrant faith. What changes can you make in your spiritual life to ensure your faith is vibrant and alive? [16:23]
During this Advent season, how can you reflect on the coming of Christ as the fulfillment of the New Covenant? What specific actions can you take to celebrate this transformation in your life? [18:09]
Identify one area of your life where you feel hard-hearted or resistant to God's will. How can you pray for God's transforming grace to soften your heart in this area? [11:17]

Sermon Clips

The New Covenant is that your will would be written not on Stone but on soft hearts and thus bring bring From the Inside Out delight and obedience. Lord, none of us likes to be told what to do we are Rebels to the core would you now I pray subdue us break our pride and rebellion and from the inside out produce a willingness, a delight in the law of the lord. [00:01:19]

If God doesn't do something more than just set the reality before me, namely make it real in me, I'm a goner. I'm a goner and that's the New Covenant. The New Covenant is God not only putting forth the reality to end the Shadows but moving on the reality Christ by the spirit of Christ into this hard heart and shattering it and on the soft supple warm live heart that emerges writing a law so that it comes from the inside out. [00:03:43]

The old Covenant the law the mosaic law was not defective because the Commandments were bad nor was it defective because there was no Grace or forgiveness or Mercy. You remember the words don't you they're some of the most beautiful of repeated words in the Bible Exodus 34:6 and 7 the Flaming Mountain Moses is on the mountain God passes by and the first word he speaks by way of Covenant relationship is Yahweh Yahweh the Lord the Lord a God the first words out of his mouth a god merciful and gracious. [00:09:25]

The deepest answer is that God withheld transforming Sovereign Grace he could have sovereignly seen to it that all these Rebels with their hard Hearts were shattered and their hard Hearts softened and their Rebellion overcome he could have done that but he didn't and the reason we know he didn't is that he says he didn't in Deuteronomy 29:4. [00:12:23]

The New Covenant which was inaugurated by the blood of Jesus it's called the blood of the Covenant in the New Covenant the will of God is written not on stone tablets on Mount Sinai and presented to people in their Rebellion nor merely on white paper with black ink in Bibles and presented to churches left in their Rebellion rather alongside Stone and paper comes the Holy Spirit. [00:16:07]

The Holy Spirit comes and takes up the law out of the paper out of the stone and writes it on the heart and we'll see before we're done exactly what that means but at least it means it goes from outside to inside and no longer does the Church of Jesus Christ function as self-reliant independent human beings confronted with a will of God with a gap between Rebellion here will of God there. [00:16:23]

The spirit has to come take the reality whether off of a page or out of your mouth or off of a Jesus video or a bumper sticker he can take it anywhere he wants but with it he's got to take it like a pen and go into your heart that's called conviction when it stabs like that and start to write it and you feel at that moment like your whole universe is changing. [00:20:09]

The glory here is that we have a mediator who does not stand outside and say uh there's you in your rebellion and hard-heartedness and here's God's saving will over here and even my saving work over here and I am between you come we have a mediator who does not leave us dead in bondage to sin he does not leave us paralyzed in our so-called Free Will which is code name for slavery to self. [00:22:48]

Rather this great mediator moves inside me and by his grace melts my Rebellion overcomes my resistance and enables me freely for the first real time of freedom in my life to love God to love God you remember what it says in Deuteronomy 30:6 it's another way of predicting and forecasting the New Covenant namely I will circumcise their hearts so that they love me says the Lord. [00:23:36]

Christmas Means two things it means that the Shadows have been replaced by reality and it means that God in his new covenant Mercy has taken the reality and brought it home brought it home all the way in father I pray that that's what you're doing right now I ask that you would overcome rebellion in our hearts. [00:25:28]

I pray for those who have not been born of God and therefore do not hear the voice of the master but have created a religion in their own making and their own image to maintain their own Sovereign self-determination and that you would break in and deliver and transform and write your will on our heart and now in this Advent season the Lord bless you and keep you. [00:26:48]

The New Covenant, inaugurated by Christ's sacrifice, brings the Holy Spirit into our lives to write God's will on our hearts. This internalization of God's law means that our obedience is not a burdensome duty but a joyful expression of our relationship with Him. The New Covenant also promises a personal knowledge of God, where each believer knows Him intimately, eliminating the need for external mediation. [00:15:31]

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Transformative Power of the New Covenant

Devotional

Day 1: Joyful Obedience Through Internal Transformation

Day 2: Recognizing Our Need for Divine Intervention

Day 3: The Holy Spirit's Role in the New Covenant

Day 4: From Religious Observance to Vibrant Faith

Day 5: Embracing the Reality of Christ's Presence

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Transformative Power of the New Covenant

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