A New Covenant (Part A)

I will never leave you nor forsake other words, God is saying you want more. The flesh always wants more than just a little bit more with the spirit says I'm content with you. This pictured in the Levitical priesthood. They got no land allotment. All the other tribes. The land allotment tribal land allotment all the little land to live well tribal God was supposed to be sufficient.

He was their inheritance that is an attitude that we as a royal priesthood, or also supposed to share. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Hebrews chapter 8 as he begins a new message called a new covenant. We are continuing our verse by verse through the letter to the Hebrews.

We are in the eighth chapter and if you have your Bibles please turn to Hebrews chapter 8, we will begin reading at verse seven for if that first covenant had been faultless in no place would have been sought for a second because finding fault with them, he says, behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them says Yahweh. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be my people, none of them shall teach his neighbor and none his brother saying no. Yahweh, or all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their lawless deeds. I will remember no more. And that he says a new covenant, he has made the first obsolete.

Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away and preparing it.

This was quite a challenge to bring out of this Scripture so much information, especially if you're not very knowledgeable again of the of the Old Testament and what is going on here in the new and as has been my custom each Sunday session in Hebrews give you a very brief background writer is writing to Christians who are Jewish and they are being lured back into Judaism or at the very least trying to mingle the two Judaism, which Chris with Christianity both fatal, both the spiritually fatal try to blend anything else with Christianity is enough. An affront to God and to go away from Christianity to be incoming apostates of the writer's is of course calling to them reaching out and encouraging them in one of the temptations we may fall into it knowing this is that while that was for the Jews of the Hebrew letters really not for me is for Hebrews that is not at all the case because while their struggle was with an obsolete vanishing religion. Ours is with the world with less false religions with sex with false ideas with all sorts of things that are against God and so we do very well to pay attention because this is a template on how to deal with these things in our own lives and in the lives of others around us.

Whoever would listen in whoever God would allow us to minister to a brief review of this eighth chapter, and further in verse 20 says this is the main point.

And, of course, that was a superior superiority of Christ. He started in chapter 7 we really started the very beginning of this Hebrew letter, but he worked it through chapter 7 the order of Melchizedek and he says the main point is Christ is superior to everything and everyone. He then went on to show that Christ is our high priest in heaven, not ministering before the throne, but on the throne as King of Kings and Lord of lords is the minister of the sanctuary on behalf of sinners us. He spoke of the gifts and the sacrifices the admission and the submission that's with the gifts and sacrifices when you bring a gift to the house of God you are, you are admitting that God is worthy you are a sinner and you're submitting to him when the gifts and the sacrifice are brought to him the high priest would handle those things of the Jewish people, but Jesus Christ handles those things for all people who come to him. He spoke of the pattern shown to Moses on earth the template for the temple that would be first erected in the wilderness that portable tabernacle and then of finally of course built by Solomon will not finally but eventually built by Solomon in that statement to the people was that God owns worship and he owns on behalf of people who are not worthy to come to him but are allowed because he is love is kind is forgiving. And as we in the New Testament have further information about the character of God in Christ. As Paul bellowed out, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is what gives us a real cost approach to our faith there we go through miserable times and sufferings in low times.

We also had the high ones in the victories we have so much in Christ and those of you have been with Jesus for decades.

You look back and you say amen and those of you who are just starting out you plan to give it all you have blessed the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. Then in verse six of this eighth chapter he gets to yet another profound point that as Christians not going back to Judaism.

That's how he was approaching it to them and we would again make that application today and say as believers of Jesus Christ not going anywhere else. We have a more excellent ministry, we have a better covenant covenant built on better promises because it's a better God has designed this very thing. Now, not better.

To the Hebrews they had Yahweh was the same God who had developed the faith for them but for those coming out of the world today.

Our God is better than any concept of any other God. And so that is what is going on the background here in verse seven now will begin our verse by verse analysis. Remembering that this is not just an exercise of going through the Bible. This is not a treatment of Scripture is literature.

This is something that is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul, spirit joins the marrow, and is a discerner it sorts it out. It knows right from wrong and it tells you to your face to my face and we who love the Lord love that he does it that way and so verse seven for if that first commandment had been faultless. The no place would have been sought for a second. Now remember, they're sitting down and there in the assembly like we are today. The women on one side. The men on the other side were likely following that Jewish pattern in the synagogue would not necessarily end and there they are sitting in the reader has received this letter and is reading it to the congregation. Now what he's up to what we call Hebrews 87, but to them it was just one continuous presentation of a man of God to the people of God, and he says for that first covenant. Each one of the Jews would've known what that meant we might need some explanation of the old covenant or the Old Testament built on Mosaic law. Everything that is the ED hinge pin to all that happens in the Old Testament from Genesis 1 leads up to that moment. And then of following Deuteronomy goes out through that moment as one package is the mind of God.

The righteousness of God. The people of God, presence of God in all of those things and more.

But it was still incomplete. It was not false is not saying that the old covenant was false saying was inadequate. God planned it that way it was. Not by mistake. It was perhaps a better way it was.

Not fully developed, we can understand that, therefore, when it was put next to that which is fully developed, it was inferior and that which is fully develop.

The New Testament is superior.

That is his his argument to them. But this law is revelation from God of his holiness.

How else would they have known everyone else just about God. They mixed him. They know they put the head of a jackal on humans body and bow down to that or shall carve out some other grotesque representation of deity and call that God be very serious about man has to be told who God is, is no other way for him to know is not going to stumble into all okay that's salvation all okay that's Jesus Christ not going to ever happen that way. It is by revelation, not speculation. And so, this holiness of God for the instruction in righteousness, that they would need but yet it still lacked the ability to save the sinner. It could only cover their sins and not remove them, and they know that they knew that they call the atonement. The call for the covering of sin, John the Baptist would say to you later say, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin he does more than cover it. Psalm 119 verse seven the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul is nothing wrong with God's word, not in the sense it was no there were no nothing false in it. Paul in the New Testament writings as we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, but is good. Just not enough. If you were not there would be no need for a bleeding, suffering, dying, crucified Savior, but there is. There was so the Commandments that are found in the Old Testament. They express the righteousness of God who people that otherwise would not have known his righteousness and and how to perform it in their own lives towards others. The judgments they were given concerning Israel's social life.

We would while the New Testament is condensed it, do unto others as you'd have them do unto you. The blameless before God is very simple.

Simplified in that sense then there were the ordinances the religious life how to approach God how to carry out one's religion and it made the people conscious of the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man, something that still must take place. It offered more righteousness in this life, then everything else around it, the worshipers of worshipers of Mulligan Bowlin and whatever gods that were out there were shown to be false and inferior and demonic. By this law of the Lord, it also the law of God, serve to save his people from spiritually perishing and perishing as a people and ethnic people. It it kept them distinct enough, and Satan never he was relentless in trying to destroy this to destroy the people of God so they would be a simulated into other peoples, as were the Amalekites and the Edomites and other peoples of the land Philistines gone there word.

God used it to preserve a people, by whom he would bring Messiah.

In fact, to use them as a platform for Messiah to come. All perfectly choreographed by God whether the people knew it or not, whether they liked it or not, God was moving forward. He says here in verse seven, then no place would have been sought for a second okay so if the first covenant was funded be no need for second come to Boise get this idea that there is a second one to begin with from one of their own profits and not only one Jeremiah afraid and he's going to take over from verse eight all the way to verse 12 he is going to quote nothing. Literally just going to quote Jeremiah the prophet is going to minister to his people and appeal to them as I'm doing as any pastor is a minister of the word does when we use Scripture means everything to us, would take the Scripture way you left with nothing, absolutely nothing and so he says that no place would've been sought for a second that the first one was right and still did not solve soon the Old Testament verse eight he says because finding fault with them, he says, behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh is the Old Testament covenant name, believed to be pronounced that way of of God to his people.

When I make a covenant with them with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. So again God pointing to one of his prophets through one of his writers. At this point that the Mosaic system was again not false but limited and the fault where he says, because finding fault with them, that would be the people not the law. Law of God again is perfect, converting the soul turning one to righteousness, but really not going far enough, says here in verse eight he says now is going to start quoting Jeremiah, behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh when I will make a new covenant again to verse 12 he is going to to give direct quotation to Jeremiah 31 versus 31 to 34 now Isaiah may have been the one that God used to ignite this in the heart and ministry of Jeremiah who was living through so much junk I mean that the people of God were throwing so much persecution and idolatry at him and vicious. His own family. At one point wanted to kill and yet he continued steadfastly in his ministry.

Isaiah who came before Jeremiah by about 100 years he wrote for I Yahweh, love, justice, and he still does. I hate robbery for burnt offerings. I will direct their work.

In truth, and will make with them an everlasting covenant. All ligament Isaiah. There is already the Mosaic covenant when the Mosaic that that which is what was given to Moses who gave it to the people and when Moses gave to the people, the people said yes we we received this week. We are into this, we submit to this and that made that that bound them to the covenant. So Isaiah pointed out that there's a new one coming in and and also as is so typical of Scripture really no one. Verse says it all. God takes the Scripture any states makes a statement and then he spreads it out another places of the Scripture to develop it for is it example easy keel talks so much about the millennial reign of Christ, all of that is built on the new covenant, but you might miss it if you rush through it. Well, let's review briefly the I wills of Jeremiah's prophecy, which are all quoted here in Hebrews verse eight of Hebrews quoting Jeremiah.

I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah. In verse 10, I will make with the house of Israel after those days, in verse 10. Again, I will put my laws in their mind, write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be my people. I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. Verse 12 and their sins and their lawless deeds. I will remember no more. I will I will I will I will six. Whenever there is that form of repetition in Scripture is the Holy Spirit insisting on his point and we catch that point, God will that's a promise.

Promise is no better than the person that makes it you don't get any better than God. God is made and that's why when we suffer and we trust by faith.

It's because we know whom we trusting in whether he removes the suffering and not we will be the Kings man and that's that. He came in he suffered and died for us. The innocent for the guilty.

Suffering is a part of our faith across the sign of the cross is an emblem of suffering and shame, and yet how many Christians where cross and are ashamed to tell people that they stand for Christ. Be careful you can get very good at that. So good that when the pastor brings it up.

You tune them out because you know that you do not want that door to open up because it will convict you and that conviction will make you uncomfortable and you will either have to face it or turn your back to it and so may we not be ashamed ever of Christ in our confession of who he is and why we believe in him will along with this section. In Jeremiah earlier in his prophecies. Jeremiah the prophets spoke about the ark of the covenant into the Jew, the ark of the covenant that was a chest that that at one point had the rod of Aaron and the pot of manna and the word of God written by the hand of God, that represented that she has represented all the law all the covenant all the Old Testament to them. So when they were saying to Jeremiah, the ark of the covenant, the ark of the covenant they were saying we are people of the law. They were not there were lying to the prophet.

That's why he was dispatched to them. But that covenant has to do with with sin with God. With the new covenant, the cleansing of sin.

The promise that God is making about this new covenant is that it will reach their heart, the disposition of their heart, their attitude in life will be inclined to worship and to be just towards others, spirit, dwelling in them, enabling them to walk in obedience. This is not happened yet. Jeremiah said this is the did the new covenant is coming in is going to bring your heart in line with God you look at Israel. 90 and you say this not happen. That is not the case.

And of course the new covenant will be a final covenant as far as human history goes. Now this is all paralleled in the New Testament so that we don't say what he was talking to Jews about their covenant. That's true but that's not all of it is a paralleled is eyes just said the I wills of God and also a covenant with the break it down to get it in pieces. First will take the I wills in the new covenant so that none of us think again that we as Christians are somehow blocked out of the blessings that go to Israel. Israel as a nation gets their blessings, but believers in Christ. There's is not a competition. Matthew four. First I will of choice Matthew in the in Revelation, the book of Revelation have great watershed of the I wills Matthew 419 and he said to them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men is the work of Christ.

When you do evangelistic work. In Christ name according to Christ's word.

You are doing so because he made you a fisher of men. Matthew 1032 therefore whoever Confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my father who is in heaven. And then there's this stark contrast but whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my father who is in heaven. And then John 637 all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out, you never have to worry about Christ giving you the boot proverbial boot. He will hold you. He will keep you, he will love you and invite you and me to is useless if I'm preaching to you and not to me. John chapter 14 verse 18 I will not catch that. First I will I will not leave you orphans and the second in that same verse I will come to you. John 1421 he who has my commandments and keeps them is he who loves me he loves me will be loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Hebrews 13 five at your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have for he himself says I will never leave you nor forsake you other words, God is saying to you want more. The flesh always wants more than just a little bit more, but the Spirit says I'm content with you, Lord. This pictured in the Levitical priesthood. They got no land allotment. All the other tribes were see the land allotment tribal land allotment of the land to live for themselves but it was in tribal God was supposed to be sufficient. He was their inheritance and that is an attitude that we as a royal priesthood are also supposed to share and then Revelation speaking again to one of the seven churches.

To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne. What an invitation.

Now we will be all bunched up on the throne with that's not the picture, but that authority that Majesty the kingdom.

We will be every bit a part of it.

Then Revelation 21 seven. Again, we are discussing the I wills of the New Testament. In contrast to the I wills of the new Old Testament they both belong to us to some to some degree, sometimes not want to come salute, for example, Israel's land allotments and in the millennial kingdom. That's not for the church will have new Jerusalem.

But anyway, here he who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. Family more than just saved more than just in heaven. Family with God and he continues here in verse eight with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Now again he is talking to Jews. I just made an application to the New Testament church.

From what he is saying to the Jews. And so now it back to the Jews new covenant. It was again a limited Revelation.

Why why why is the church not in this. I will make a new covenant with you because the church wasn't in any any other thoughts.

None of them but should the Jews struggled with the concept of the New Testament church. Why do you think faulted so many beatings from Jewish people is on people because they could not make the transition. Why they stopped listening to the Scriptures, and he started listening to their rabbis in rabbinical Judaism killed them. The Scripture was right there. Not all of them.

Many of the Jews listen to the Scripture. That's why Philip found Nathaniel and said we found the Messiah, the one whom the Scriptures talks about moon you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick cast Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast.

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