The God of Covenants

Begin with a video on Covenants. - 5:15 minutes

Good morning!

I am excited about today because of the message that God has for us.

Today we are going to complete our Christmas series, The Incomparable Christ.

We are finishing today with Hebrews 1:1-4.

You may remember that I was feeling led to the book of Hebrews for 2021.

When I was talking with Zach Mullis about this Christmas series and he gave me the passage list, it was an exciting confirmation of what the Lord had been speaking to me.

We watched this video on covenants this morning because understanding what a covenant is and why God has made them with his people is necessary for to us understand what it means to be in a relationship with God.

It is vital to remember that a covenant and a contract are not the same.

We live in a society that is ruled by contracts and when one party fails to fulfill their side, the contract becomes void.

This is not the case with a covenant.

A covenant still stands, even if one party does not fulfill its commitment.

We saw this in the video today.

Covenants are generally a foreign concept to us because this is not the normal way we establish agreements with one another.

There is a significant difference between the two types of agreements.

That is why it is important to see that difference and understand the long history we have with them.

This biblical narrative of God redeeming his people is our story and we need to know our story.

We can think of this new study in Hebrews, which we will begin in a few weeks, as a way of understanding our family history.

Knowing the history of your people informs the idiosyncrasies that you have.

You know, the little quirks found in every family, come from somewhere.

I’ll give you an example of why this is important and how it changes things.

When I asked Bethany’s dad if I could ask Bethany to marry me, which is traditional, he told me yes, but that I would also have to ask her mom.

That is not traditional, but Bethany was worth it.

So, I set up a time for me to go down to Crowley and meet with her.

Our parents had also never met, so I thought it would be a good idea to bring my parents with me so they could meet.

That was fine.

During our dinner, Sherry said over and over again as we discussed the proposal, “I’m gonna get me two cents in!”

She finally did and gave me her blessing.

The whole time I thought this was very odd.

I didn’t understand why I was having to ask Sherry’s permission, but after I proposed and told Bethany about that evening, she filled me in on her mother’s life growing up, and it all became clear.

Knowing their story, gave me the details I needed to understand.

I won’t go into all the details, but due to many difficulties over her life, Sherry became the matriarch of that side of Bethany’s family at a pretty early age.

Which is why it was good for me to ask her as well.

Knowing the whole story, helps us to understand not only who our family is, but also, who we are.

We get a clearer picture of how we came to be and why certain things hold value in our minds.

The first verse of our passage today begins with, “Long ago...”, which is obviously pointing to the past.

We watched the video on covenants so that we would know what the author is referring to when he says long ago God spoke...

Let’s read it together.

Hebrews 1:1–4 CSB

1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.

These first two verses are showing us that something incredible has happened.

A major transition has happened.

With the birth of Jesus, a new covenant was being brought to God’s people.

This was something that had been long foretold.

Israel had lived in anticipation of this promise for generations.

When we read old testament passages at Christmas time, they are helping us bridge the gap between the promise of God and the fulfillment of that promise.

It is a reminder that God is faithful and always does what he says he will do.

God promised that he would make a new covenant with his people.

Jeremiah 31:31 CSB

31 “Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

It says in the first verse of Hebrews that God told his people through many prophets and in many different ways that He was sending His son.

The author wants to make sure we understand that Jesus wasn’t an accident.

God had this plan from the beginning and has been preparing his people for the completion of that plan.

However, we see that God’s people continued to be unfaithful.

They continued to live for themselves and ultimately we see that between the Prophet Malachi and the book of Matthew, there were nearly four hundred years in which God did not raise up another prophet.

Prophets were the way that God revealed himself to his people, and God chooses to be silent at that time.

Look at what God told his people through the prophet Malachi.

Malachi 3:1–4 CSB

1 “See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, the Messenger of the covenant you delight in—see, he is coming,” says the Lord of Armies. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will be able to stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s bleach. 3 He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4 And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord as in days of old and years gone by.

Malachi 3:16–18 CSB

16 At that time those who feared the Lord spoke to one another. The Lord took notice and listened. So a book of remembrance was written before him for those who feared the Lord and had high regard for his name. 17 “They will be mine,” says the Lord of Armies, “my own possession on the day I am preparing. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. 18 So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

This messenger that God promised was John the Baptist.

After Malachi prophesies, the next time we see God speak is through the angel, Gabriel, who told Zechariah that John would be born.

This story can be found in Luke chapter one if you would like to go read it later.

After the initial shock of seeing an angel, can you imagine how exciting it was, for Zechariah, that God spoke and that the long-foretold Messiah was about to arrive?

But he couldn’t tell anyone!

God, who had been silent for so long, was speaking and announcing the fulfillment of his promise.

There is also something significant in the way God chooses to reveal this news.

In our family devotion time this week, we read from Luke 2:8-12.

Look at this with me real quick.

Luke 2:8–12 CSB

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

God reveals something about himself in the way that He chooses to announce the news of Jesus.

God revealed his heart for all men by announcing Jesus’ birth to shepherds.

Out of all the people that God could announce this incredible news to, he chose the lowly.

Shepherds were not what anyone would have considered important.

They were just general laborers who were working the night shift.

God could have had these angels announce this news to the religious leaders, political leaders, or anyone else of importance, but he chose common men.

As we study Jesus’ life we see that, he too, cared greatly for those that were looked down upon or disregarded.

God is revealing that he loves everyone, regardless of status, power, or wealth.

This was not normal!

When the Wisemen came looking for Jesus, where was the first place they went?

To see Herod.

Have you ever wondered why?

If anyone knew about the birth of the Messiah, obviously it would be their leader.

God does not operate as the world does.

Our world is not grounded in wisdom, justice, or peace.

In fact, it is often grounded in the exact opposite.

Because we know that, we shouldn’t expect God to work as the world does.

They tend to think this way because this is how the world works.

Think of all the steps we go through to make ourselves appear certain ways for a job interview or a date.

We go all out to look and act our very best because if we don’t, there will be no job or second date.

It is no wonder that we apply that same logic to our approach to God.

There is a misconception that it is only by making ourselves look good that we can be good enough to be accepted by God.

This logic is based on the way we understand the world to work, not who we see God to be.

Under the covenants, prior to the New Covenant, people were responsible for cleansing themselves and making sacrifices in order to be made right with God.

It was up to man to become clean and make a sacrifice for atonement.

Jesus came because from the time of Adam until the death of Christ, men proved that they couldn’t do it.

If you read Malachi or most of the Old Testament, you see that Israel, over and over again, disobeyed, took advantage of, and ran from God.

God begins revealing his heart for all men through his announcement and through the life of Jesus.

Hebrews 1:3 CSB

3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

People did not know or understand God and Jesus, his son, came to reveal God to his people.

Jesus came to show people that he values all of us the same regardless of how the world values us.

Jesus wants us to understand and feel the love that God has for all of his children.

Jesus left his place in heaven and came to earth so that we could know God in a way that was not possible before he came.

In order for God’s people to enter into this new covenant, they needed to know God.

This was the plan.

Jesus came the way he did, announced it to common men, and lived here on earth with his creations so that we could know this truth about him.

The truth is that God loves all of us.

The life and death of Jesus are proof of that love.

After living here, and dying in our place, Jesus returned to his throne at the right hand of God.

The author is making the case for the reader, showing the nature of God and of Jesus.

He wants the readers to understand that Jesus was not another prophet or an angel.

Jesus is one part of the triune God.

Jesus, the son of God, came to establish the new covenant with His creation.

This final idea at the end of this section, that Jesus is superior to the angels, is there to finalize this argument.

Jesus is greater than all the prophets and all the angels because he is God.

God, in order to establish this new covenant, came to us.

Every previous covenant that God made with us, was broken by us.

But because God loves us, he continues his work of restoring the relationship with us.

God loves us and this is what we are celebrating at Christmas.

God promised that he would come and redeem us.

Jesus’ birth is the God beginning that work.

As we celebrate Christmas, year after year, it is a reminder of what God has done for us.

We celebrate the coming of Jesus and the beginning of the new covenant.

We are reminded of the life that Jesus led so that we could know him.

We are reminded of the sacrifice that he made so that we could be forgiven for our sins.

Today, to finish out this series on the Incomparable Christ, we are going to follow the instructions of Jesus to partake in the Lord's supper.

Jesus told us to do this often and to proclaim the death of Jesus.

We do this so that the world can know what Jesus has done for us.

He is the New covenant.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

This is the reminder to all of us of the incomparable gift that we have been given.

Jesus gave his life for each of us so that we could be forgiven for our sins, and therefore able to enter into a relationship with God.

It is our task, until Jesus returns, to share this incredible news.

Come this morning and receive the cup and the bread, take it back to your seats, and we will partake of it together.

Pray, giving thanks to God.

This is the body of Christ, sacrificed on your behalf. Eat it in remembrance of the perfect gift given to you.

This is the cup of the new covenant in Jesus blood. Drink it in remembrance of the blood that was shed for the forgiveness of our sins.

This week, as you celebrate the birth of Christ with your family, remember what you are celebrating.

Take time to have purposeful conversations about why Jesus came.

Take time to meditate deeply on what this means for you personally.

Ask the Holy Spirit to give you opportunities to share the gospel with those who don’t know the love of God.