Category: The Gospel

Is God Willing to Involve Himself in Our Everyday Problems?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2  and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3  The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” John 2:1-3 (NLT)

Jesus’ first miracle is extremely intriguing on several levels. First of all, of all the things he could have done that day, he went to a wedding. We might think that Jesus was totally consumed with heavenly things, walking about with a halo over his head and hands clasped in prayer continually, but that would be inaccurate. Jesus was very down to earth. We are not provided with many snapshots of his personality, but I would be greatly surprised if he were not thoroughly enjoying himself and feeling very comfortable at the party. By the way, people were drinking wine, and apparently quite a lot of it because they ran out, a big “no-no”

Secondly, even though he had already begun his public ministry and had followers, he still hung out with his mother. Perhaps she was a disciple, but based on other passages, I think not at this point. Jesus was most likely fulfilling a family obligation to honor a friend’s family by attending the wedding feast.

Even though Jesus was fully committed to the kingdom of God, he never lost sight of taking care of his family and being with friends.

Even as he hung dying on the cross, he asked John to take his mother into his family after his death. He loved his Mom.

“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5  But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” John 2:4-5 (NLT)

Thirdly, his mother felt free to pull on him to do a miracle to help out someone who faced embarrassment. When we know someone loves us deeply, it gives us boldness to ask him or her for favors and blessings, not out of a desire to abuse the relationship, but because we are confident. Mary presented Jesus with the need, without ever making a specific request. Sometimes I resent this being done to me. It almost seems a little passive aggressive. But Jesus did not mind. Mary simply expected him to do something about the problem. She probably felt the embarrassment of the hosts.

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. 7  Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8  he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. 9  When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10  “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” 11  This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:6-11 (NLT)

Fourthly, Jesus did what his mother asked, even though apparently he otherwise would not have. Jesus’ first response was simply, “Sorry, Mom, that’s not my problem.” She was undaunted and very bold. She told the servants to do whatever her son told them to do and probably dropped the mike and walked away. Jesus was free to do nothing, but for some reason, probably love and a desire to honor her, he conceded to his mother’s request and met the need. This was remarkable in that it tells us that God responds to our requests even when it might not be what he apparently had in mind. I hope this does not sound like heresy.

God is sovereign over all things, but within his lordship he leaves himself room to work with us in a dynamic partnership. He ordains the means as well as the ends. This should give us great confidence as we pray.

Lastly, this miracle tells us a whole lot about God’s heart for people. God cares about our everyday problems. He is not watching impassively from heaven. He is right in our midst. We also learn that Jesus (God) is not nearly as bent out of shape about some things as we tend to be. These people were probably a little tipsy. They had drunk up all the wine, and we have to think the host thought he had enough on hand for the entire feast. Nevertheless, instead of piously telling the crowd that running out of wine was probably God’s will because they had been drinking too much, which was sinful, he made between 120 and 180 gallons of the best wine ever! Obviously God is willing for people to have a good time. Even though he commands us to avoid becoming drunk with wine (Ephesians 5:18), he provided those party goers with enough to get thoroughly drunk, if they so desired. Is this the God with whom you are familiar?

Application

What do we learn from this passage that we can apply to everyday life?

  • God cares about the everyday aspect of our lives.
  • God cares about social gatherings and what is needed to make them successful.
  • God will respond to our prayers, even if it seems our request may not be exactly what he was planning to do. Sometimes God tests our resolve and our faith in his loving faithfulness.

God is not as tense about things as we might imagine. Those who approach life rigidly and legalistically do not understand his heart and misrepresent him to the world.

  • God is willing to demonstrate his love and power in everyday life as a testimony to his goodness, love, and power to save us.

This is the Jesus we preach. This is the Jesus of the Gospels. It’s no wonder people love and follow him.

Share this post...

Can We Really Know God?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was in high school, it was fashionable among my peers to be an agnostic. We believed that there was a God, but that he was unknowable. I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church and knew all about God, but did not know God. In my immaturity, I reasoned that my experience must be the norm. God was unknowable. Nevertheless, I continued my search to find out the truth about God. I wanted to know him, but I did not know how to get there. The Bible calls this being “lost.” Little did I know that my experience is common to man and is the reason Jesus came to our planet.

For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Luke 19:10 (NLT)

Jesus taught his followers that knowing God is eternal life.

And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. John 17:3 (NLT)

Eternal life does not come from being part of a church organization or believing a set of doctrines. It comes from knowing God.

I had been taught by the church that Jesus came to earth to die for my sins, but no one ever told me that part of the deal was being able to know God. I had been robbed by the church that only taught a partial and corrupted form of the gospel, that is, until my girlfriend (now, wife) told me she had come to know Jesus.

When I first read her letter describing what happened to her (That was before email and texts, folks.), I thought she was crazy. As a Roman Catholic, I had no way to adequately understand her experience of coming to know that Jesus is real and having complete faith in him. How could that happen to a person? But she and God had my attention, not just because Jesus had gotten between me and my girl, but because I wanted to know God like she did, if that were possible.

After talking a lot with her and others and doing a lot of thinking, I decided to take a huge step. I prayed to a God that I was not even sure existed. I asked Jesus, if he were really out there,to reveal himself to me. After all, if God is real, he ought to be able to do that, right? I asked him to come into my life, because that is what I was told was the right prayer by an student evangelist, who just happened to come by my room one day. Hmmm, coincidence? I prayed that prayer in all sincerity, but with absolutely no attempt to make something happen. I prayed and “let it go.” I did not give it a second thought. I did not try to believe because I thought that would be totally false. It was going to be real or nothing. In fact, I forgot that I even prayed. Nevertheless, God heard that prayer. I had cracked open the door of my heart, and God came in.

I did not know about the following Bible verse, but Jesus did.

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20 (NLT)

What I found out is that God pursues people, is well able to communicate with us, and is looking for some kind of response from us.

He had been after me. He was pulling on my heart through other people and the Holy Spirit, and finally I responded.

Looking back, I realize now that after praying I changed immediately. I remember thinking how much happier I was and how much more other-focused. I found joy in doing things for people. I had no idea it was because Jesus had responded to my prayer and come into my life. I thought it was because my Zen meditations were especially effective. Oh, brother! The things the Lord has to put up with!

A couple of weeks later, Martha and I got together again and discussed Jesus, since he was center of her life now. It got me thinking about things again. Late one night, on my way home from being with her, I found myself alone in a room full of vending machines. How romantic! The perfect place for God to show up, right?

As I pondered how my life was changing, I suddenly remembered praying that prayer to Jesus. In a flash, it seemed as if God filled the room. I had never been in a room with God before, but somehow I knew he was with me. I was no longer an agnostic. I was a knower.

I knew for the first time that Jesus really rose from the dead and everything the Bible says about him is true. I have no idea how the Holy Spirit accomplished that transformation in me, but I am so glad he did. A few days later I read the following Bible verse, which seemed to describe what happened that night.

The wind (Greek: pneuma - wind, spirit) blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (NLT)

The first thing I did was tell all my dorm mates about what just happened. I remember seeing tears in my roommate’s eyes. I have no idea if he was a believer, but God touched him that night. It was the most normal and natural thing in the world to tell others about Jesus because I just found out that there really is a God and he can be known by us through Jesus!

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NLT)

Being new to all this, I really did not want to go to sleep that night. I was afraid that the emotional high I was riding would dissipate, leaving me right back where I was before – an agnostic. Finally around four in the morning I drifted off to sleep. I think I got up around 7 or so, and, guess what? I still believed, and today, 49 years later, I still believe. Something remarkable happened that night. I had come to know God deep in my spirit. I was born again and had eternal life. It’s real!

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 (NLT)

What joy I experienced and still do, knowing that I have eternal life!

The Catholic Church never told me I could possess eternal life. They told me I could never know for sure. It was a lie. Now I know the truth! Knowing God is eternal life.

John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus came to help us know God. We might say that was his purpose.

No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. John 1:18 (NET1)

The only one who knows the Father came to make him known to us, so that we can experience the incredible joy of knowing him for ourselves.

My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Matthew 11:27 (NLT)

Do you have a longing to know God? Are you willing to open your life to Jesus and ask him to reveal the Father to you? That is what I did, and it forever changed my life for the better. Why don’t you pray something like the following?

Prayer

Jesus, I want to know God, but so far I have not been able to get there. I hear that you came to reveal the Father to those you choose. I ask you to choose me. I open my heart to you, Jesus, and ask you to come in and take possession of my life. Please forgive my many sins and make me yours completely. Open my heart and eyes to behold Father God. I want to know him for myself and experience eternal life. Amen.

If you prayed that, you have every reason to believe Jesus will answer your request. After all, he is the one who said.

...those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT)
Share this post...

Is Jesus Really in Control?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we watch things apparently spinning out of control around the world, we face a huge question. Is Jesus really the Lord of Lords? Is he truly in control, or is he merely a religious refuge in whom we can hide when our emotional tanks are running on empty?

The Gospel of John supplies us with an answer in the very first chapter.

Before the world began, the Word was there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was there with God in the beginning. 3 Everything was made through him, and nothing was made without him. 4 In him there was life, and that life was a light for the people of the world. 5 The light shines in the darkness,♦ and the darkness has not defeated it. John 1:1-5 (ETRV)

Jesus, the Word who became a human being, is the Creator of the universe. This gives him complete authority over what he made.

Contrary to the assertions of Deists, God did not create things and then back away as an uninvolved observer. The author of Hebrews makes the amazing claim that everything we see around us is being constantly sustained by the Creator.

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power... Hebrews 1:3 (NASB)

This means that, in agreement with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the universe requires a continual input of energy from an outside source to keep it going. This source is the Source of Life itself, Jesus the Creator God.

This is the second reason he is in control of all things. He not only has the right of ownership as the Creator; he also controls through being the continual Sustainer. Without his continual input, everything will fall apart.

Lastly, after his resurrection from the dead, Jesus became Lord of Lords.

and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 1:4 (NLT)

Jesus’ lordship is qualitatively different from his role as Creator and Sustainer. He was the first two things before becoming a human being. His lordship as the risen Son of God, the Jewish Messianic King, is directly related to his humanity. As the risen human King of Israel he has been declared to be Lord of Lords.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8  he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9  Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11 (NLT)

When Jesus walked this earth during his public ministry, he was never a victim of the plots and attempts on his life by his enemies. Not until it was the absolutely perfect time for him to be offered as the Lamb of God for our sins did he allow himself to be taken and crucified. But this was also part of the plan.

But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24  But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. Acts 2:23-24 (NLT)

His control was and is absolute because he is Creator -Sustainer – Redeemer – Lord. Nothing can happen on planet earth without his permission, and all things ultimately work for his glory.

As we listen to the news, we should remind ourselves that Jesus “has this.” It is his world. His kingdom shall prevail. There is no doubt about it at all. Be at rest. To conclude, let us think about the following amazing promise.

My Father has given me everything. No one knows the Son—only the Father knows the Son. And no one knows the Father—only the Son knows the Father. And the only people who will know about the Father are those the Son chooses to tell. 28 "Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. 29 Accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will be able to get some rest. 30 Yes, the teaching that I ask you to accept is easy. The load I give you to carry is light." Matthew 11:27-30 (ETRV)
Share this post...

The Gospel in Relationship to the Covenants

 

 

 

 

One way to look at the Bible is as one long gospel message. God always planned to send his only begotten Son so that we humans might live through him. God’s relationship with man over the centuries was based on a series of covenants that ultimately found expression in what is called the New Covenant, which is the last and most extraordinary. It’s coming was the most wonderful news for mankind.

The New Covenant was inaugurated against the backdrop of Israel’s extensive history with God. It was the last of a series of covenants which began at creation, or even before. Other covenants were added at very significant times in Israel’s spiritual history. Each covenant built upon or stood in contrast to the others. In order to properly understand and appreciate the New Covenant and it is important that we grasp the meaning and purpose of the other covenants, the sacrifices, and the feasts, about which I have written in other articles. You may wish to click on the links in the previous sentence in order to read those articles before going forward in this one..

Understanding the covenants will greatly increase our appreciation of Jesus and his finished work on our behalf and give us new insights into the overall plan of God and the gospel.

God has always chosen to relate to his creation through covenants. This should not be surprising because God, by nature, is a promise keeper. He is always faithful and true to his word, because that is the essence of his character.

Covenants are built upon promises to be faithful to a relationship and an agreement. Covenants are serious business because God is serious about being faithful to keep promises.

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen? Numbers 23:19 (NET1)

Some of the covenants have great significance for the human race in general and others specifically relate only to God’s covenant people. Covenants can be unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral. In a unilateral covenant, the covenant maker takes sole responsibility for keeping the conditions of the covenant. These are unconditional covenants, meaning that the one to whom the promise is made does not have to perform in order to gain what is promised. Bilateral and multilateral covenants are conditional in nature. In a bilateral covenant, two parties each take responsibility to keep their end of the agreement. A multilateral agreement affects more than two parties.

An example of a unilateral covenant is the one God made with Noah following the flood. God promised that he would never again destroy all life by means of a great flood. He gave Noah the sign of the rainbow as a reminder that He would forever keep his promise. Noah was not required to do anything to keep God bound to his promise. A bilateral covenant is exemplified in marriage. The husband and wife both bind themselves to be exclusively faithful to each other until death. The ring is given as a token of the covenant. An example of a multilateral covenant is the one between God and Israel called the Mosaic covenant. If the Israelites would obey God’s Law and serve him only, God would pour out blessings upon them. Otherwise, they should expect judgments. Circumcision was the sign of this covenant.

Unconditional unilateral covenants are also called covenants of grace. This means that the benefits of the covenants come to us as free gifts from God. Conditional covenants are also called covenants of works. The benefits of these covenants depend upon the involved parties ability to keep the conditions of the covenant. Let’s take a look at some major covenants and then focus on the New Covenant.

Covenant of Creation or Edenic Covenant

But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 2:16-17 (NLT)

The Edenic Covenant was a multilateral conditional covenant of works. God sovereignly set the terms of this covenant. Obedience to a simple commandment would result in life; whereas, disobedience would end in death. Adam and Eve failed to keep their end of the covenant and brought death and curses upon the entire human race. At a deeper level, this covenant tested humanity’s willingness to draw life from God in humble dependence. Instead our first parents chose to strike out alone in independence from and opposition to God, which cut them off from the life they had with the Creator / Sustainer of the universe. God made the first gospel promise in the garden after their epic failure.

Adamic Covenant

Then the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. 15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15 (NLT)

This unilateral promise or covenant was announced to the serpent who authored the deception that led to Adam’s and Eve’s sinful rejection of God’s authority. Although its full meaning was not understood by those who heard it, we now know that here God promised to send the Messiah who would be a descendant of these fallen ones who would defeat the serpent (Satan). No conditions were attached to Adam and Eve to bind God to this promise.

God bound himself to redeem mankind by giving his word, which is inviolable.

Noahic Covenant

Then God told Noah and his sons, 9  “I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, 10  and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth. 11  Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.” 12  Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. 13  I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. 14  When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, 15  and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. 16  When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” 17  Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.” Genesis 9:8-17 (NLT)

As in the case of the Adamic covenant, the Noahic Covenant was a unilateral unconditional covenant of grace that followed on the heels of a horrific judgment against sin called the great flood. Grace is most appreciated against the backdrop of human failure and God’s judgment. When man’s best is not enough, the grace of God comes to the rescue.

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. Romans 5:20 (NLT)

Abrahamic Covenant

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; 2  And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3  And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB)

God appeared to Abraham several times to give him “installments” of the wonderful covenant he made with him. The good news or gospel contained in this covenant promise is that all the families of the earth would be eventually blessed through this man in the person of one descendant named Jesus.

Abraham is called the “father” of our faith because through him God raised up a nation through which would come the written Word of God and the Messiah.

In another installment in Genesis 15, we see God making a unilateral unconditional covenant of grace with Abraham. Most striking is the theophany (appearance of God in symbolic form). In the Old Testament covenants were literally “cut,” rather than “made.” Animals were sacrificed as part of the covenant cutting ceremony. God told Abraham to divide several animals and put their separate pieces side by side with a path between them. In a bilateral or multilateral covenant, both parties would walk between the pieces showing that they bound themselves to faithfully keep the conditions of the covenant upon pain of death. They were saying, in effect, may it be done to me as has been done to these animals if I violate the covenant.

In the passage above, it is important to see that God alone passed between the animals, taking upon himself full responsibility for keeping the promise he made to Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant guaranteed that God would give to Abraham innumerable descendants and the land of Canaan, and that through him the entire earth would be blessed.

indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18  "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." Genesis 22:17-18 (NASB)

This covenant promise is a integral part of the gospel message. It is part of the backdrop against which we understand who Jesus is and what he came to do. This promise was fulfilled when Jesus came as the Messiah.

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NASB)

Mosaic Covenant

And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (ESV)

But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Deuteronomy 28:15 (ESV)

The covenant God made with Israel at Mount Sinai is also called the Law or the Old Covenant. It was a multilateral conditional covenant of works. Essentially, God promised to be Israel’s God, protector, and provider if they would keep the requirements of the Law. These requirements were broken down into three main categories – ceremonial, moral, and dietary laws. The feasts and sacrifices, which I wrote about in other articles, were part of the ceremonial aspect of the law. If Israel obeyed God, they would be blessed, but, if they disobeyed, they would suffer the “curses” (judgments) attached to violating the covenant.

The history of Israel is the story of repeated covenant violations on the part of the Jewish people. The Old Covenant failed to bring the blessings it promised because the people were unable to keep its provisions because sin had hopelessly corrupted human nature. The Mosaic Covenant underscored the sinfulness of all human beings and pointed to our need for a savior.

This covenant is part of the gospel in the sense that it acts as a guide to lead us to Christ.

So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24 (NIV)

Davidic Covenant

Furthermore, the LORD declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 15 But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. 16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever. 2 Samuel 7:11-16 (NLT)

The covenant God made with David was unilateral, unconditional, and based on grace. This covenant was partially fulfilled through David’s natural offspring, but that dynasty eventually came to an end, as did the political nation of Israel.

This promise is part of the gospel. Through it God announced beforehand the coming of the great Messianic King, a descendant of David, who would redeem Israel and become a blessing to the entire earth. He rose again as Lord of lords and will eventually judge the living and the dead.

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30  But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:29-33 (NIV)

The New Covenant

“The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD. 33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NLT)

The Old Covenant was not able to provide God’s people with blessings, but only revealed how sinful they are. It had no hope of success because people are fundamentally and tragically flawed by sin.

But when God found fault with the people, he said: “The day is coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. Hebrews 8:8 (NLT)

The New Covenant had been God’s plan all along. It does not depend upon sinful human beings for its success.

Whereas the blessings of the Law of Moses, under the Old Covenant, were conditioned upon individuals and nations keeping God’s laws in perfect obedience, the New Covenant depends upon the perfect obedience of the only begotten Son of God.

The New Covenant, therefore, is a bilateral covenant between God the Father and his Son, Jesus, our Messiah and Savior, in which we participate by faith.

I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. Isaiah 42:6-7 (ESV)

We benefit from the New Covenant by “riding the coattails” of our Savior. Through the spiritual mystery of identification and the new birth, we become one with God in the spirit and joined to all the blessings found in God’s perfect Son.

But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NLT)

We are baptized into (become one with) the death and resurrection of our Lord. His death was the punishment we deserved for breaking the terms of the Old Covenant. Although he perfectly obeyed his heavenly Father and did not deserve to die, he willingly laid down his life on our behalf as our substitute. When he died, we died; and, when he rose again in victory and life, we rose with him. As a result, the power of sin has been defeated on our behalf. We now participate in the life of God, thanks to the Holy Spirit, who lives inside every born again believer. Truly, we are being saved from the inside out. God’s life begins as a seed and grows inside us in order to permeate every area of our lives.

You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23 (NET1)

The New Covenant was always in God’s mind from the very beginning. (Ephesians 1:3-6) Some believe it is actually an eternal covenant made between the Father and the Son before the world was created. God the Father knows that his Son is the only source of life and blessings. It has been that way from the beginning. Therefore, the New Covenant had to draw its life from Jesus, and could not depend on sinful man.

Rather than expecting people to conform to external regulations of behavior, it promised to save people from the inside out. God would provide us with a substitute to die for us, reveal himself to us, forgive our sins, and change our hearts. He will actually give us a new heart, compliments of the indwelling Holy Spirit!

The New Covenant depends upon the Holy Spirit opening our spiritual eyes, ears, and hearts to know and believe in Jesus as savior and lord. It is only by “beholding” Jesus as he really is that a person can be changed. Seeing Jesus as the Son of God and Lord of Lords inspires our hearts to believe, and, through trusting in Christ and his finished work, we are saved.

A divine power is released in us that transforms us when the Spirit of God opens our eyes to know Jesus by revelation.

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day. John 6:40 (NASB)

The New Covenant Completes or Fulfills the Other Covenants

The New Covenant is connected with all the other covenants in one way or another. The tree of life mentioned in the Edenic Covenant typifies Christ. He is the source and sustainer of life. Adam and Eve were meant to draw their life from him as the branches of a vine draw their life from the root.

Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NET1)

Jesus fulfilled God’s promise to our first parents after the first sin. He is the seed of the woman who crushed Satan’s head through his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection.

The Noahic Covenant prefigured what is yet to come when God shall once more judge the entire earth at Christ’s Second Coming. Even as God restarted the human race, in a sense, through Noah, he also inaugurated a new generation of believers through the gospel.

The Abrahamic Covenant was also fulfilled in Christ. God’s promise to Abraham that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed has come true in Christ. Through the preaching of the gospel, God is gathering persons from every culture group and nation in the earth and providing them with every spiritual blessing in his Son.

The Davidic Covenant’s promise that a descendant of that great king would sit upon the his throne has come true in Christ, the King of Kings.

The Mosaic Covenant has been fulfilled and replaced. Only one person could keep its requirements – the Son of God. After our Lord fulfilled its covenant conditions and obtained the corresponding blessings, which have been passed on to all believers, the New Covenant has superseded it and made it fade away; although, it still condemns those who sin and have not asked Christ to forgive them and be Lord of their lives.

When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear. Hebrews 8:13 (NLT)

New Covenant Grace

Under the New Covenant, Christians live by grace (God’s ability and blessings, which come via his indwelling Holy Spirit) and not by the merits of their own performance. We depend on God’s free gift instead of trying to earn a right standing with him through our works. As beneficiaries of the New Covenant, we must now refuse to submit to external regulations and rules as a means of gaining a right standing with God. (Colossians 2:10-17)

Instead, our rule of life now is to love God, love people, and teach others to do the same. The moral aspects of the Old Covenant Law of Moses are still in effect. Christians are not permitted to murder, commit acts of immorality, lie, or steal. This is because these sins violate the law of love. Since we are being changed on the inside, our desires are also being changed. Rather than needing to be constrained by external laws, God is constraining us inwardly to love and serve him in order to bring him glory. The difference is that before, under the Law, we sought to obey him in order to obtain and maintain a right standing with God.

Under the New Covenant, having been given a right standing with God, we obey him as an act of gratitude and surrender to the One who loves us so greatly and who deserves to be glorified and properly feared. Our desire is to bring glory to him in every aspect of our lives. The motivation has been changed from trying to earn favor to wanting to bring him glory. (1 John 5:2-5)

God created us to draw our life from him. We were never supposed to be independent operators. When Adam and Eve abandoned this plan in order to pursue their desire to live without restraint and be “like God,” it brought untold sorrow and destruction to humanity.

Even in that pristine state of having been newly created, Adam and Eve quickly walked away from intimacy with and dependency upon God. Jesus, through the New Covenant, restored us back to God’s original purpose. Through our faith in Christ and the life of the indwelling Spirit, we have been once again united to the One who gave and sustains life.

What Satan used to try to destroy us, the pursuit of “god” status, now has been freely given to us in Christ. Through the new birth and transformation of the Spirit, we are being remade into Christ’s image and are becoming truly “like God” as we draw our life from him, the source of all life and blessings! May all glory and honor be his forever and ever!

Share this post...

Be Appropriately Provocative

Gospel in a Minute

Paul concluded his testimony by relating how God commissioned him to take the gospel to the Gentiles, which angered his listeners.

I saw a vision of Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem, for the people here won’t accept your testimony about me.’ ...‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’” 22  The crowd listened until Paul said that word. Then they all began to shout, “Away with such a fellow! He isn’t fit to live!” 23  They yelled, threw off their coats, and tossed handfuls of dust into the air. Acts 22:18-23 (NLT)

Principle: Be Appropriately Provocative

Why did Paul say what he knew would inflame his listeners? Surely he was not naive! Was he led by the Spirit? That we cannot know for sure, but we would assume so. Paul addressed one of the major sins of Judaism, its racist assumption that God did not include the  Gentiles in the blessings of Abraham. In their pride, Paul’s hearers hated the idea of non-Jews being part of God’s plan. Paul knew his statement would anger his listeners, but he said it anyway in order to highlight the sin that was dragging them to hell.

In today’s politically correct world, Christians are warned that we must color inside the lines and not say certain things – or face the consequences.

What are the egregious sins of those who hate the gospel today? Abortion and homosexuality immediately come to mind. Call out these biblical sins and we will surely set off an explosion of hatred and persecution, and yet these sins, and others, must be confronted if our listeners have any hope of repentance and forgiveness from God.

Gospel preachers must be unafraid to be appropriately provocative, regardless of the consequences. It’s part of the cost of discipleship. It is one of the reasons we need to be led and baptized in the Spirit.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses [Greek: martyrs], telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NLT)
Share this post...

How Much Will This Cost?

Gospel in a Minute

Paul continued his testimony by explaining how God called him to put his faith in Christ into action.

“Then he [Ananias] told me, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. 15  For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. 16  What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’ Acts 22:14-16 (NLT)

Principle: How Much Will This Cost?

Hearing and understanding the gospel must result in obedience, or I am merely a consumer of religious stories.

Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. Romans 1:5 (NLT)

Consumer Christianity has mass marketed a version of Christianity that only requires church attendance, not obedience.

Disciples are called to formally and publicly declare their allegiance to Christ through water baptism and to be a witness to others of the truth of the gospel for a lifetime. If we correctly share the gospel, our hearers will know that following Christ is like signing a blank check, which the our Lord will fill in and cash as he sees fit.

Paul was warned that he would face hardship and suffering as Christ’s servant and messenger; nevertheless, he made an immediate surrender to Christ and the call God placed on his life. When we share the gospel we must make certain our hearers understand the enormous price tag associated with being a disciple.

If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26 (NLT)
Share this post...

What’s the Point?

Gospel in a Minute

Paul continued his testimony by relating what his encounter with Christ meant.

“I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ “And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.’ Acts 22:10 (NLT)

Principle: What’s the Point?

Here is where the “rubber meets the road” in Paul’s testimony. It is all well and good to have a religious experience. Plenty of celebrities bandy about the name of God in their award acceptance speeches, but a bigger question is, “What difference does knowing God make? What’s the point?” Many people who profess to be Christians live as though they are not. That was not the case with Paul. His encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus profoundly altered the course of his life. The key is his using the word “Lord.”

The point of the gospel and a good testimony is that Jesus is the Lord.

In fact, if we were forced to reduce the gospel to three words, these three would suffice. Paul immediately comprehended that the One he encountered was and is the Lord.

When we share our testimonies, we should make sure we include how we too came to this realization. Knowing that Jesus is Lord is vastly different from knowing him as savior. Being forgiven makes no demands upon us, but when we surrender to Jesus the Lord, are lives are no longer our own.

Perhaps this is a good time for each of us to consider if this is actually our story. If not, now is the time to make Jesus our Lord, too.

Prayer

Jesus, I never completely realized that your being the Lord means that my life belongs to you now. I surrender to you every aspect of my life from this day forward. Help me to faithfully love and serve you. Amen.

Share this post...

Share How God Showed Up

Gospel in a Minute

Paul continued his testimony by introducing the supernatural part of his story.

As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me. 7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8  “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting.’ Acts 22:6-8 (NLT)

Principle: Share How God Showed Up

A testimony is essentially the relating of how God intersected a life.

Unless God intervenes, we are headed for hell. We don’t need any help to pull that off. That was certainly the case with Paul. He was “hell bent” on persecuting Christians in an attempt to stamp out what had become known as the Way. He was the chief enemy of the faith and perhaps the most unlikely of all people to have an encounter with the risen Christ, and that is exactly the point.

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16  But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NLT)

A good testimony invites people to consider that God is real, cares about us, and is able to communicate effectively. Most people are unaware that this sort of thing can happen, and, even if they know it can, they do not believe it will.

If we have successfully made people realize we were just as unlikely a candidate for divine intervention as they are, our testimony may require them to come to terms that the gospel might be for them, too. When I share with people how God intersected my life and revealed to me that Jesus is truly who the Bible says he is, I always tell them that God does not turn away any sincere seeker. If our listeners will honestly turn to God and ask him for help, the Lord will not turn his back on them.

A testimony offers people hope that God will intersect their lives, too.

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT)
Share this post...

Share Your “Back Story”

Gospel in a Minute

Paul continued his testimony by telling his listeners that he previously was an enemy of the gospel.

And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison. 5  The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the Christians from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished. Acts 22:4-5 (NLT)

Principle: Share Your “Back Story”

If people are meeting us for the first time, they have no context for understanding how Christ has impacted our lives. After establishing solidarity, It is important for us to relate what we were like before we became followers of Christ. People need to know that we were not always as we are today. We had a life before Christ of which they know nothing.

Sharing our “back story” is another way for us to establish common ground with our listeners and sets the stage for relating how Christ gives purpose to our lives and transforms us.

People may argue with our doctrine and conclusions, but they cannot deny our personal story. Related properly a testimony can be a powerful corroboration of the gospel.

Share this post...

Establish Solidarity

Gospel in a Minute

Paul was in Jerusalem when hostile Jews attacked and falsely accused him. In order to quell a riot, Roman soldiers took him into custody. On his way to the military outpost, the commander granted Paul permission to speak to the crowd.

Paul provides us with a model for sharing our own testimonies.

Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today. Acts 22:3 (NLT)

Principle: Establish Solidarity

People generally think that followers of Christ are at least a little weird. I became a disciple during what was called the “Jesus Revolution” or “Jesus Movement” back in the early seventies. Society labeled those who turned to Christ during that great awakening as “Jesus Freaks.”

Anyone who is not like everyone else arouses suspicion. When we promulgate a message that runs counter to the accepted norm, we become a threat. Gospel communicators must be aware of these two barriers by first establishing solidarity with the audience.

Since Paul was addressing Jews, he first established that he was a Jew. People need to know that we understand them. Not only was Paul Jewish, he also had been a man of stature in the community, having studied under the finest teachers. In other words,

Paul told his listeners that he understood them and was like them.

Secondly, Paul complimented them on their zeal, however misplaced. As mentioned in a previous article, if we can find common ground with our listeners, it helps a lot. It is rarely a good idea to launch an attack on those whom we are trying to convert. Even though his antagonists were in the wrong, he found something for which to praise them: their zeal for Jewish beliefs.

We also should look for what we can acknowledge as being good in our listeners in an effort to establish solidarity prior to sharing the gospel.

Share this post...
Share this post...