Blood Covenant.1449

                                             BLOOD COVENANT - (New Covenant)

                                                                     Ref. 1449

BIBLE READING: Exodus 12:1-11, Jeremiah 31

INTRODUCTION: Again we have a "DIATHEKÉ" covenant - one party doing all the giving, the other party doing all the receiving. What does God promise to do?

       i. I will take away your sin.

      ii. I will write my law on your hearts.

     iii. I will cause you to know me.

      iv. I will make myself available - I will be your God, and you will be my

          people.

1. THE MEAL - was of enormous importance, Passover meal - lamb chosen. The lamb was weak, fangless, and clawless. The lamb gives itself to die.

The symbol of Egypt was the snake. Now God has got the Egyptian snake by the tail. God is about to deal with the snake of Egypt. The Lamb that God is going to supply destroys the Serpent.

The Lamb is taken on the 10th day of Nissan, and it is examined for 3 days. It is then slain - the blood put on the doorposts. (Walls of blood). The carcasses were then roasted (braaied) a lamb for a family. Approximately 2,000,000 people.

If there were twenty persons in a family that would mean 100,000 sheep (what a braai! What a smell!) All this between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

It looks as if they are still slaves, but that is only an illusion, the lamb has already conquered the snake.

Their cases were packed, they had their hiking boots on, walking sticks in their hands. Families were ready, tents packed.

But they cannot go before they have a last meal in Egypt. The covenant meal. At this meal something fantastic happens. As slaves they were sick and weak from the slime pits and the heavy work.  PSALM 105:37  "He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes". Which means that the Lord healed them all before they left Egypt.

Inside their homes each family sat in fellowship with their covenant God. They all had one thing in common, each family had a whole covenant lamb inside them. In later years the ceremony would change. (Explain the third cup of the Seder).

2. NEW COVENANT

To people keeping or offering Passover lambs years later the priests made it easy

they bred flocks of sacrificial sheep and lambs. (Outside Jerusalem - Temple shepherds probably heard from the Angel - they would understand about the New Covenant Lamb). John the Baptist made a Passover statement when he said, "Behold the Lamb of God...." (Explain the Passover - Return to Jerusalem - Meal, Goof - (Body) Hillel’s sandwich - Garden/Cup - Examination - Death - Burial -

Resurrection - Ascension. (Chorus - "Living He loved me ......".

That was the last Passover God recognised. We, in our New Covenant meal REMEMBER

Jesus - not in death but in Triumph. Singing "Worthy is the Lamb". Rev. 19 - 22.

At this New Covenant meal we are in fellowship with our Covenant Meal God and brethren Abel, Abraham, David Peter , Calvin, Booth to Frank Retief and (...).

Now it is here that the miracles takes place. I feed on Him in my heart by faith with thanksgiving and I am regenerated. I am enabled (remember that it is by faith and it is symbolical).

There was a lamb to a family - each had to partake. In the new meal, we each partake of a bit of bread, but all the pieces make a loaf. Kept separate we are just so many crumbs - we need each other in order to be a loaf. Christ the wheat we, the leaven. Therefore we should be in harmony with each other. The Bible says EPH 4:26 " ..... and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:"

The New Covenant meal is a time for rejoicing - it means freedom is at hand. It means I am at the beginning of a journey.

We must examine ourselves, Yes! But it means that if I do, and I find sin, it can be dealt with, for I have the Passover Sacrifice in me. And the Spirit of God to lead me, guide me, keep me. I can confess sin and FORGET IT!

The Covenanters of Scotland met to have "communion" in secret, if they were caught by the British Red Coats, it could mean torture and death. One young lady was caught and asked where she was going. She felt that she could not lie, neither could she tell them. So she staked all on their ignorance of the "New Covenant" and said, "My elder brother has died and I am going to the reading of the will so that I can claim my share in the inheritance. She was allowed to proceed. (Men of the Covenant).

CONCLUSION

"Our older brother has died, we have been studying His will, now let us accept the inheritance. From now on Christianity is no longer my responsibility, but my response to His Ability.

Let us draw near and accept the sacrament to our comfort.