Covenant-3 10.12. 02
COVENANT #3
10/12/02 and 10/13/02
REVIEW
-We have been talking about Covenant. We discussed the BLOOD OF THE COVENANT and ABRAHAM AND COVENANT. There are a lot more things we could say and will say but I’m going to skip around a little. Today we are going to talk about COVENANT RELATIONSHIPS.
If you can start the day without caffeine or pep pills,
If you can be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food everyday and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when loved ones are too busy to give you time,
If you can overlook when people take things out on you when,
through no fault of yours, something goes wrong,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
If you can do all these things,
Then you are probably the family dog.
-For the rest of us, there are covenant relationships.
-I had them show a little of the part #2 videotape to new believers. That is one of the key things for your growth. Can you get along with others?
-When I woke up Saturday morning I was thinking. Everything I am is the fruit first of all from my relationship with God but secondly because of my relationship with others.
-I have strengths that were once weaknesses because of my relationship with Becky. She has highlighted my strengths and uncovered weaknesses so I could change and be better. (And vice versa)
-That is true with every good relationship to some extent.
-I am who I am because of my relationships.
Proverbs 27
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another. (NIV)
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so people can improve each other.” (NCV)
17 As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.(TLB)
Hebrew
2302a. חָדָה chadah (292c); a prim. root; to be or grow sharp:— sharpens(2).
“We find comfort among those who agree with us-growth among those who don’t.” (Frank A. Clark)
Psalm 133
1 How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down upon the collar of his robes.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.
-The blessing of God rests upon a group of people who are walking in covenant.
-People almost never leave the church because of doctrine. They don’t stay because of doctrine or they will get up in the middle of a service and walk out with their family if they disagree with something I’ve said.
-People have church problems because of selfisness and insecurity and relationship problems.
-The most difficult test to pass is the love test.
-I know some people I would just like to slap or at least make fun of them in front of people. That is because of my problems and insecurities.
-Walking in love has nothing to do with others. It is totally up to what is inside of you.
-People who treat others badly and are easily offended have internal problems-I am one of them to some extent, so are you.
-I’m not as sharp as I need to be, but I’m not disconnecting from the file.
John 13
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
1 Samuel 18
1 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
-We talked on a Wednesday night about the covenant that David and Jonathan made.
-Jonathan in the Bible is one of the underappreciated characters. He was loyal to both his father-who was wrong and his friend David.
-David was getting what some thought would go to Jonathan. Jonathan submitted to God’s will. He didn’t push for a position.
-I can’t say enough about that.
PRINCIPLES OF COVENANT RELATIONSHIPS
1- YOUR COVENANT WITH SOMEONE WILL NEVER RISE ABOVE YOUR COVENANT WITH GOD
-You can only walk in covenant with another to the degree you are walking it with God.
-I can only love because I know I am loved by God.
-I can only forgive as I know I am forgiven.
-You can only give the measure you have received.
-Jonathan saw God in David’s future because he knew God.
-Without this principle we are only practicing good techniques.
2-YOU CAN NEVER HAVE A PROPER RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE YOU ARE COMPETING WITH
-I wouldn’t be who I am without Becky and others.
Philippians 2
2 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature a God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature b of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
-Compare Absolom, David’s son, with Jonathan. Absolom thought that in order to be somebody he had to step on somebody.
-Jesus said that isn’t the way to be great, watch I’ll show you. In order to be great you have to serve and love.
-Trust your future to God. Let God make you into His choice for you.
3-THE THIRD PRINCIPLE OF COVENANT RELATIONSHIPS IN DEMONSTRATED BY JONATHAN –HONOR/IDENTITY/SECURITY
1 Samuel 18
4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
-Jonathan honored David with his own robe. He was a prince and he preferred David.
Romans 12
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
-Jonathan identified with David by giving him his belt. That was like exchanging rings.
-He wasn’t ashamed of him.
-He identified with his friend. We need to identify with our friends.
SIDEBAR-CORINTH
PAUL IDENTIFIED WITH CORINTH AS A CHURCH. I WOULD HAVE BEEN QUIET ABOUT THAT ONE. THEY HAD A GUY LIVING WITH HIS MOTHER IN LAW. THE MEETING WERE MORE HARMFUL THAN GOOD. THEY GOT DRUNK AND GORGED THEMSELVES AT THE COMMUNION TABLE. THEY WERE COMPETING WITH THEIR SPIRITUAL GIFTS. YET PAUL CLAIMED THEM.
SIDEBAR # 2 – PAUL AND JOHN MARK
Acts 15
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
-Later Paul said to bring John Mark with him because he was profitable or helpful to him. (2 Timothy 4:11)
-Jonathan was secure with David. He gave him his weapons.
-What if I trust someone and they let me down? Love anyway. Trust anyway.
-In Michaelangelo’s painting of the last supper, Judas is knocking over the salt. A salt covenant was a O.T. type of covenant. In other words, Judas was breaking covenant.
(A covenant of salt was an indissoluable alliance between friends.)
EXAMPLE-NOAH AND HIS FAMILY WERE IN THE ARK WITH A LOT OF ANIMALS. THE VEHICLE OF SALVATION STUNK INSIDE. IT IS STILL AN OASIS COMPARED TO WHAT IS HAPPENING OUTSIDE. DON’T ABANDON THE SHIP JUST BECAUSE YOU GET AN OCCASIONAL WHIFF OF AN ANIMAL.
4-ANOTHER PRINCIPLE OF COVENANT RELATIONSHIPS IS TO ACCEPT PEOPLE AS GOD ACCEPTS THEM.
Romans 14
14 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2 One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.
Chapter 15
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
-Accept one another as you want to be accepted.
-There are messy people that God sends us. Jesus died for them and you.
4- COVENANT RELATIONSHIPS COVER SIN BUT IT DOESN’T COVER IT UP
Proverbs 17
9 He who covers over an offense promotes love,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
-We shouldn’t expose one another’s weaknesses like Noah’s one son. Instead, like his other two sons, we should cover over sin.
-This doesn’t mean we don’t confront.
-This is a tough balance.
-If you love your children you will spank them. God disciplines us because He loves us.
-But, you discipline them in love and in private if possible.
-This has to be balanced with Matthew 18 and 1 Corinthians where church discipline is to take place.
-If a Christian breaks the law they must face the consequences.
-I’ve reported people to the police. That is still covenant love.
-I’ve told people to stop sleeping around if they are a covenant partner. Etc. etc. That is still covenant love.
-The key to our future as a church is our ability to walk together in Covenant.
-You see the church in the book of Acts face real revival then things start to creep up.
-Ananias and Sapphira lie to the Holy Spirit.
-The widows aren’t getting fed and a murmuring sets in.
-Real life begins.
-Its like marriage. You show up at your wife’s doorstep and there she is. Both of you are spit shined. You eat at the best places and clean your car up.
-Then you get married and begin to show up at McDonalds in sweat clothes.
-You’re in covenant. You walk it out and live it out. That is what covenant is for.
-It keeps us drawn close in situations where we would be prone to pull apart.
-We have a vertical covenant with God but we also have a horizontal covenant with each other.