Moraine Valley Church

The Rest of the Story / Hesed: The Greatest Love

Christmas: The Rest of the Story

 The Rest of the Story!
The Mystery of the Covenants and Christmas
November 27, 2022   

1. Introduction:
   1. When I was younger there was a radio commentator named Paul Harvey and he would do a daily radio segment called the rest of the story.  
      1. Paul would tell in a very interesting way a little-known historical fact and at the end of the story connect it with a famous person or event 
      2. His final words would be, “Now you know the rest of the story!”   
   2. Well there are some very interesting and important facts that relate to Jesus’ birth that are often overlooked when it comes to Christmas.
      1. Most often, we hear from Christians this simple little phrase connected with Christmas that “Jesus was born to die!”  
         1. True, Jesus was born to die for our sins, 
      2. But there were other reasons for his birth, reasons that are often overlooked a Christmas and that is the rest of the story we want to talk about this Christmas.
   3. The series this Christmas I am calling the rest of the story, the rest of the story about Christmas, the rest of the story about why Jesus was born and some of the other key reasons Jesus was born other than just to die for our sins.
   4. Today’s message closes up the series regarding people of promise and opens up Christmas, the rest of the story at the same time.  
      1. The knowledge you gained about the covenant promises will help you better understand the rest of the story as to why Jesus was born!
   5. In the Davidic covenant, we learned that God was going to send from the line of David, one who would be king forever, reigning forever over a forever kingdom. 
      1. This expected king was known as the Messiah, which translated into Greek is Christ.
      2. In Isaiah 9 God tells them that there will be a son born to whom God will give the throne of David and over his kingdom, he will reign from then on and forevermore.  
         1. Read Isaiah 9:6-7 
         2. This is where the stories of the Bible and the covenants and Christmas intersect with Jesus as the main character of all three!
      3. Right from the very start of the New Testament, they are showing that Jesus is the Messiah by proving through his genealogy that he is the son of David and the son of Abraham – the seed who was promised in both covenants to those two men, the one who would bless all the nations and reign as king forever. 
         1. Read Matthew 1:1-2
         2. Thus, we see in 1:16 that Jesus birth is connected with him being the Messiah – the one who was promised to Israel to be their savior and king who would set up a forever kingdom!
      4. So the one question that I have heard the most in this series is “What about the church, what about us believers today, how do we fit in to all of these covenant promises?” 
         1. I am encouraged by this question because that means you have followed us well as we have sought to be faithful to what the Bible teaches rather than forcing our times, lives, our applications and our theology on what the Old Testament clearly has taught.
         2. We have learned over the past few months that the covenant promises God made were with Abraham, David and Israel, not with the church, nor with humankind, or with us as individuals!
      5. So what about us – I going to show us today that one of the other reasons for Jesus’ birth was so that you and me, believers today, can participate in God’s covenant program.

• I am going to tell you my answer right up front and then show it to you in the Scripture  …

1. The church is heirs of and participates in the covenant promises through Jesus Christ!   
   1. Let’s start by defining an heir
      1. Many in this room have experienced being an heir.
      2. An heir is someone who inherits something normally from their parents when they die.  
         1. Normally they receive their possessions, 
         2. But in the case of King Charles recently he not only received possessions but also he inherited rights, privileges and a position from Queen Elizabeth when she died
      3. As believers, we are closer to King Charles as we do not just get possessions yet to come in the future but also rights, privileges, positions and promises in our inheritance!
   2. So let’s look at this in the Scripture – turn to Ephesians 2:11
      1. He is speaking to Gentile believers here and recalling their former state to them.  As I read I want you to note the five different things that characterized their condition when they were unbelieving Gentiles = non-Jews. Read 11-12.
      2. In verse 13, we see what has happened to them now that they are in Christ!   Read v13.
         1. They are no longer are strangers to the covenants but now they have been brought near to the covenants by Christ. 
      3. The five things mentioned in v12 that they were far from, four of those they are now near to, but in v14-15 he explained the fifth – being excluded from the commonwealth of Israel.  Watch as I read v14-15
      4. This one new man he is talking about is the church.   A new commonwealth if you will, a new community, one body in Christ – the body of Christ made up of Jews and Gentiles.
         1. It’s a completely new thing that God does, as Gentiles do not become Jews nor do Jews become Gentiles but they are all unified as a completely new community in Christ.
      5. Chapter 3 expands upon this and shows that they are not only together now as one but they are fully equal in status and privileges.
         1. Read 3:1-5 – what he is saying here is that during the time of the Old Testament God did not reveal to them this truth about the Gentiles that we just saw in chapter 2.
         2. Then he gets very specific – 
            1. As I read, recognize that fellow simply means to be of the same group with equal status and rights! 
            2. Read v6
         3. Simply Gentile and Jews through Jesus now share together equally as
            1. Heirs – someone who receives the inheritance – the possessions, rights and privileges and promises that are passed to them
            2. Members – that means Jews and Gentiles have equal status in the body of Christ 
            3. Partaking in the promise of Jesus the Messiah! – they share in the promise that comes from the Messiah himself.
         4. Turn now to Galatians 3 where we will see essentially the same thing. 
            1. Read v13-14 where we will see the death in verse 13 and the inheritance promises in v14
            2. Look down now at v16 and note to whom the Abrahamic promises were made .   Read
            3. In v19, we see again that the promise was given to Jesus as well.  Read
            4. Now go down to v28 where we will see once again the same truth that both Jews and Gentiles are all one new entity in Jesus Christ.   Read v28.
            5. Now here is the big one in v29.   Read
               1. Because we belong to Jesus – the seed, we are Abraham’s seed, heirs, recipients of the promise made to Abraham.
               2. Since I am in Christ, then I am in the seed to whom the promises were made thus as Romans 8:17 says I, as a Gentile, am not only a fellow heir with the Jews but with Christ!  Read Romans 8:16-17 
               3. “I will be their God” PowerPoint!
            6. Conclusion
               5. So like Paul Harvey, God was revealing a detail about his covenant promises that was little known and understood in the Old Testament times. But now with the coming of Jesus and his birth he came also to include the Gentiles in God’s program as full members along with the Jews.
               6. What a time to bring Thanksgiving, Christmas and the covenants all together by giving thanks to Jesus for bringing us near and making both Jews and Gentiles a brand new community who are co-heirs of the covenant promises and co-equal members of the body of Christ!   
               7. We have a reason to celebrate Jesus!

 

 

 

Being Thankful / Thanksgiving 11.20.2022

 Being Thankful
Various passages November 20, 2022   

1. Introduction:
   1. Psalm 127 says that children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward…. how blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  
      1. We have a God who not only delights to bless us but who has joyfully bound himself to bless us and even pursues us to bless us!
   2. It all started with Abraham when God blessed Abraham, told him to be a blessing and then said that through his seed, Jesus the whole world would be blessed!  He took that promise and turned it into a covenant just to assure Abraham of how serious God was about blessing.
      1. We learned just a few weeks ago in the new covenant that God has given some unbelievable life changing at the core of our being types of blessings to his children – things like forgiveness, the removal of the old heart and giving us a new heart and placing his Holy Spirit within us to enable us to live in his ways
      2. Because of Jesus, we learn in Ephesians 1 that we have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 1:3
      3. Let’s go a step further the ultimate blessing is the blesser himself!  God and his presence with us and even in us by his Spirit, is the greatest blessing!  Sometimes we can get all caught up in the blessings and forget all about the blesser.
   3. Blessing is simply a benefit that has supernatural fingerprints on it!  
      1. That means it is not just good things that happen or even beneficial things happen.  But a blessing is a benefit that has God’s fingerprints on it!   It originates from God and he gives it to you as a gift!
         
         
         
      2. Sometimes those blessings/benefits come in wrapping paper that looks more like trouble or a trial because our God is using everything in our life, the good, bad and ugly to work out his good purpose in our life!
   4. Going back to Ephesians 1:3 we are called to bless God for all the blessing he has given us in Christ.
      1. Psalm 103:1-2 tells us the same thing.  Turn and read 
      2. To bless God is to speak well of him, to praise him and thank him for these blessings.  
      3. So we are to bless God, praise and thank him for all the benefits and blessings that touch our lives both spiritual and daily practical benefits and blessing!   
         1. We are to do it with all our hearts!
         2. So we are to bless God with all our hearts for all he has done for us.
   5. As we prepare for the Thanksgiving week, which really according to the Bible should be thanksgiving life, moment by moment, day by day in both the ups and downs of life 

• I want to talk to you for a moment about 

1.  Thanking God for his blessing us!   
   1. The word thanks simply means the acknowledgement and expressing appreciation for something you have received from someone else!   
      1. It is the natural response that just flows out of our hearts when someone does something special for us.   It’s like – wow!  Thanks! 
   2. If giving thanks to God is not a natural response that spontaneously flows from your heart on a regular basis; then 
      1. You are not aware of the working of God in your life and the blessings that ultimately come from him James 1 says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights!”  James 1:17 
         1. The every good thing and every perfect gift includes both spiritual and daily practical blessing and benefits that come our way that have God’s fingerprints all over them.
   3. So if I am depending moment by moment upon Jesus for everything in my life then I should be constantly and naturally from the depths of my heart be thanking him for literally everything in my life
      1. Even the difficult things that come my way that God uses to grow me and build more of the life of Christ within me.   
      2. This should be true all the way from forgiveness in Christ, the ability to live the way he calls us to, to every breathe we take every day!

• So let’s 

1.  Practice thanks for the blessing God has given us!
   1. I hope that we can prime the pump today for a weeklong attitude and practice of thanks that would prime the pump for a day-by-day, moment by moment lifelong thanking of God for his blessings upon us!
   2. Let’s start right now
      1. I want you to take a few minutes and think of the three biggest benefits/blessing over this last year that you are or should be thankful to god.  
         1. Either spiritual or daily practical, or internal or external are fair game!
      2. Now I want you to take a few minutes to actually express to God your thanks for these benefits/blessing 
   3. Close by finding someone sitting close to you and share what one or two of the biggest things you are grateful to God for and how he has spoken to you today.

Understanding the Old Testament Prophets Through the Lens of Covenant / People of Promise

When Will All of These Covenant Promises Happen

Acts 3, Zechariah 10, Romans 11, Revelation 16-19

November 13, 2022

I. Introduction:

A. We have learned in this series that God has joyfully bound himself

by means of covenants to carry out promises he made to Abraham,

David, and Israel. We also learned that we are heirs of these

covenant promises, because we also are the seed of Abraham

because we belong to Jesus.

B. What are all these covenant promises? Remember when I first

introduced this series I said that all the prophecies have their roots

in the covenants so when we make sense of the covenant promises

it will make sense of the prophecies as well.

1. Like a puzzle it simply takes a picture and cuts it in as many

pieces as they desire- could be 1,000 pieces could be 16

pieces. While the picture is still the same it is much easier to

figure out when we see the whole picture in just 20 pieces.

a. 1,000 piece puzzle

b. 16 piece puzzle

C. So what are these key pieces? The covenant promises that God

joyfully bound himself to do!

1. Abrahamic – God promised Abraham

a. A land forever

b. Innumerable descendants

c. Blessings

d. In his seed all the nations will be blessed

e. God will be their god forever

2. Deuteronic – God promised Israel in spite of their

disobedience and discipline that he would grant them

a. Future repentance of Israel

b. Restoration to the land

c. Regathered from dispersion

d. Nation converted

e. Israel’s enemies will be judged

f. Nation receive full blessings in the land

3. Davidic –God promised David that from his line would be a

a. King forever

b. Kingdom forever

c. Reign forever

4. New covenant – God promised Israel that for his own name

sake he would

a. Spiritual blessing – forgiven, new heart, the Holy

Spirit.

b. Abiding material blessings in the land

B. That is the literal 16 piece puzzle of prophecy which drives the

hundreds of verses on prophecy that describe in detail what these

things will be like.

1. The Bible teaches us that there are two main pieces of prophecy

puzzle.

a. 1 Peter 1:10-11

b. The two main pieces are:

1. Suffering of Christ

2. The glories to follow!

• So my question today is simple “when are these glories that follow

Jesus’ sufferings

II. When will all the covenant promises take place?

A. We learned in the new covenant that certain aspects of the

covenant – the part of being in fellowship with God – forgiven and a

new heart indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we already participate in but many

of the sixteen pieces we just saw are yet to be fulfilled!

B. We also know from the New Testament and Jesus’ words

that when it comes to his kingdom we are in a position of already

not yet.

1. Already means we are enjoying the first fruits of the kingdom

of God right now in a spiritual sense, a spiritual kingdom where

Jesus rules over the hearts of the children of God from the right

hand of the throne of God in heaven

2. But the not yet means our hope is found in the future when the

fullness of a literal earthly kingdom where all the promises of

the covenants will be fulfilled. Then Jesus will rule over the

entire earth from his throne where he will sit on it in

Jerusalem.

a. We, the church, during that time will reign with Jesus

in that kingdom.

b. The way we live our lives today determines just what

role we will have in the reign

C. So some aspects of the covenant promises and the kingdom

of God we are already experiencing much like the first fruits as a

guarantee of the rest to come in the future.

1. According to Ephesians 1, that is why we have been given the

Spirit, a pledge, down payment, a guarantee of our future

redemption and inheritance!

D. Let’s see in the Bible when all these things will happen!

1. We already learned there are two key categories to prophecy –

Jesus’ suffering and the glories to follow. Now look at what we

learn in Acts 3:17-21. Where we see the same two categories

but with a bit more detail! Turn

a. Read

b. Tells us that in Jesus’ first coming he fulfilled the Old

Testament prophecies concerning his sufferings

c. When he returns he will fulfill the Old Testament prophecies

concerning the restoration of all things. restoration = kingdom =

glories

2. At Jesus’ return is when he fully sets up his kingdom.

a. Key verses that shows Christ’s kingdom is in the future

1. Matthew 19:28 = regeneration equals restoration of Acts

3.

2. Matthew 25:31- says at Jesus’ return is the time he will

sit on his glorious throne!

3. Revelation 3:21 – Jesus speaking to the church in

Laodicea said, “In the future you will sit down on my

throne with me just as he is seated now on the Father’s

throne, at his right hand.”

b. He makes a distinction here between the Father’s throne now and

Jesus’ own throne in the future! I love to trace the place of Jesus on the

throne.

1. In Old Testament – Father and Son on throne

2. While Jesus was on earth – the Father

3. After Jesus ascended into heaven – right hand of the

Father

4. During future millennium – Jesus on his throne in

Jerusalem

5. Eternity – Father and Son on the throne

together! Revelation 22:3

3. Romans 9- 11 indicates that God still has a future plan for

Israel. Romans 11:11-15 – stumble = trip, fall = cease;

a. V16-17 – Gentiles grafted in with Israel, not in place of them.

b. V24 Israel will be grafted back in- key word “will”

c. V25-28 - Israel will enter back into God’s covenant program after

the fullness of the Gentiles have come in,

1. Note the words mystery and until

2. We see first that this is the time when Jesus returns – the

deliverer will come

3. It is at the time Israel sins will be forgiven. - We know

that is the new covenant.

4. So the new covenant goes into effect for Israel when

Jesus returns. When the new covenant goes into effect,

as the catalyst covenant, the covenant that activates all

the other covenants so they go into effect at the return of

Jesus.

4. Zechariah 12:1-3 – nations gathered for war against

Jerusalem and Judah

a. Revelation gives us the heavenly view of this war. Revelation

16:13-14,16; 17:12-14; 19:17-21 -

1. Satan and his demons against the Lamb and his chosen

ones

b. Zechariah teaches us the earthly human view of the

war - all the nations against Judah and Jerusalem

c. Zechariah 12:8-11 – Jesus returns to defend Israel, and

Israel repents when they see Jesus and new covenant

begins. Read

d. Zechariah 13:1-2 – forgiveness

e. Zechariah 13:8-9 – 2/3 of Israel is judged and 1/3 is

saved all Israel, 1/3 left at that time saved – read Romans

11:26

f. Zechariah 14:9, 16-17 – the outcomes of this war

F. We see all of these things come together in the future in four major

passages (Jeremiah 32:36-42 & Jeremiah 33:7-9, 14-26; Ezekiel

36:16-36 & Ezekiel 37:21-28)– I want to read just one of

them. Ezekiel 37:21-28

F. While the terms or promises of the new covenant were made in the

Old Testament during the time of Ezekiel, the new covenant was

ratified by Jesus through the shedding of his blood at the cross, but

the complete enactment, fulfillment of the new covenant will take

place at the return of Christ.

1. How does that make sense – work out a deal to buy a house and

you agreed upon the terms last week. But the contract will not

be signed until the end of next week, that is when it is ratified,

but you will not take possession of the house until the start of

next year.

III. Application

A. So what do we do right now while we are waiting for Jesus’

return? Suggest just two

1. Many Christians are trying to turn the 16 piece puzzle into a

1000 piece puzzle by trying to mix current events and Bible

prophecies so we can figure out who is who and when it will

happen? But that in not what God’s word tells us to do!

2. Let me suggest two things: First listen to 1 Peter 1:13

a. Fix your hope completely on the grace and glory yet to come at

Jesus’ second coming.

b. Do you have your hope fixed there or in your political party or

the rebound of the stock market?

3. Secondly, listen to Jesus’ counsel on how to operate while

waiting for his return and not knowing the exact time.

a. Read Matthew 24:42-47

b. More important than figuring out the puzzle is doing the will of

God for our lives!

c. Do you know what God’s will is for your life –

1. It is different than mine because your gifts, passion,

calling are all different than mine

2. If not read this book and talk to someone mature

3. If you do, then do it

God’s Faithful Love / People of Promise

 God’s Tenacious Faithful Radical Love
   November 6, 2022   

1. Introduction:
   1. We have completed going through each of the major covenants that we are going to cover in this series. so today and the next few weeks we just want to close up with a few details that help us better understand the context of these covenants.  
   2. This morning I want us to see it is God’s tenacious, faithful, radical love that is the ultimate driver of these covenants.
      1. We have placed this series in the context of the big story of the Bible with the covenant promises being the major structure, the backbone, the major thoroughfares to the story
      2. It is possible that so far in the series you’ve seen these covenants more as a story line or a legal contract of how God would relate to Israel and ultimately us, rather than a love relationship
      3. While at times covenants were used to legally define the relationship between nations or a superior over an inferior, the covenants we studied were based on a love relationship between God and the people he has chosen to love.
   3. We have said all along that there are two key words throughout the Scripture that go hand and hand with the covenants, faithfulness and loving-kindness.   They help us clearly see the motivation of God’s love behind these covenants.
      1. Loving-kindness – an intense deep desire and active pursuit to bless your covenant partner.  It is both an attitude and an action
      2. Faithfulness – speaks of the unending nature of a covenant as long as each member of the covenant is alive.  It gives confidence that one covenant partner will never leave or forsake the other covenant partner.   
      3. Some other words that reveal God’s heart in the covenants are kindness, mercy, peace, steadfastness, loyalty and friendship.
   4. What I have to say today I believe can be a major encouragement to those who feel unloved or unlovable because of the neglect they’ve received from key relationships.   And for those who have committed major grotesque sins against God and others resulting in feeling as if they’re not worthy of God or maybe even lost their salvation because of it. I think everyone in between those two should be encouraged as well!
   5. Today’s message gives us another window to see the truth in 2 Timothy 2:13 
      1. When I see the way God deals with Israel in the midst of their unfaithfulness and disobedience by not quitting on them it gives me greater understanding and personal encouragement regarding the way God deals with me when I am unfaithful and disobedient to the Lord and that he will not quit on me.
      2. We will see the truth of 1 Corinthians 13:7 regarding love in action.   

• So today I want to look at some things that helps us see …

1. God’s tenacious faithful radical love!
   1. Is first seen in the very nature of a blood covenant.
      1. We have said repeatedly in this series that God joyfully bound himself to do these promises:  
         1. If he just bound himself to do them, it can feel legal 
         2. But when you recognize that he joyfully bound himself to do these promises; the aspect of love is at the heart of it
      2. The fact that God used covenants showed them how serious he was to be tenaciously faithful to them at all cost since: 
         1. A covenant is kept until death and since God will never die, he will be faithful throughout eternity.  They are everlasting covenants
         2. God would be worthy of death if he breaks his covenant promises with Abraham, Israel and David.
      3. In the Mosaic covenant, God says he will discipline Israel for their rebellion but that he would not break his covenant with them!   
         1. Listen to what God says he will do if they repent!  Read Leviticus 26:42-45
         2. Yes, God is going to spank them with discipline but he is not going to break off the relationship with them just as our parents spanked us but did not end their relationship with us!
         3. Thus, he remains tenaciously faithful to these promises and his people in spite of their disobedience!
      4. Turn to Deuteronomy 7.  Read v 6-9
         1. V6 – becoming God’s chosen people was what the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants were all about.  
         2. Listen now to why God set his love on them and choose them.  
            1. Read 7-9
            2. God set his love upon them because he loved them period.   
         3. It was God’s unconditional, unprovoked, tenacious, faithful, radical love that moved God to make and keep his covenant promises.
      5. Turn to Micah 7 which talks about the return of the Lord and the time of new covenant goes into effect with the forgiveness of their sins!
         1. Read v18-20
         2. Unchanging love is the Hebrew word for loving-kindness so the translators are saying God’s loving-kindness equals his unchanging love.
         3. In verse 20 when he talks about God’s unchanging love/loving-kindness towards Abraham that he swore to him, they are basically equating or describing God’s covenants with his unchanging love/ loving-kindness  
      6. In Mary’s magnificat in Luke 1 listen to what she says
         1. Read Luke 1:54-55  
         2. She views the covenant promises and Jesus’ birth to fulfill them, as God’s mercy to his people.   
      7. Finally, the existence of Israel in the land after nearly 1900 year of being out of it is unheard of regarding any other nation. This helps us see God’s tenacious faithful radical love for his people

• As we prepare for
• Communion 
  1. Listen to this amazing account of Israel’s history with God and how he loved and responded to them and loves and responds to his children today even though we may be unlovely or unfaithful  
  2. Ezekiel 16 where God married (v8) the abandoned and unloved Judah and poured his amazing, tenacious, faithful, radical love upon them. Read 13-14
     1. But then they played the harlot on him in the boldest way! V15, 32-34, 46-47, 51 – 
        1. Samaria in was the northern kingdom, Israel’s capital
     2. God said he would give them into the hands of their lovers who will tear them apart; just as he told them in the Mosaic covenant. 
        1. Read v37-39.     
        2. Yes, he will discipline them for disobedience
     3. But we also learn in this passage that in spite of their disobedience and discipline God will not break his relationship with them but he will restore and bless both Israel and Judah in light of their repentance, which we learned in both the Deuteronic and new covenants that God brings about.  read v55, 61; 
        1. He establishes his covenant with them when they repent and God forgives them.      
        2. That is the new covenant in the future when Jesus returns to fulfill the covenant promises.
     4. Now I love this word at the start of v60, nevertheless.  
        1. Nevertheless means in spite of this 
        2. So even though their sins were much more and grosser than Israel and Sodom, both who were judged for their sins, and even though Judah was being disciplined for their sins.
        3. In spite of this listen to what God says he is going to do!   Read v60-63   
     5. My hope is that this sermon has become different windows for us to look in and see God’s amazing grace and mercy to Israel
        1. God’s amazing grace and mercy to you and me!
        2. God’s amazing, tenacious, faithful, radical love to all his children.
     6. As we take communion today let God’s love sink into your heart and respond as your heart moves you.
        1. Reflect
        2. Take communion

 

The New Covenant / People of Promise

The Davidic Covenant / People of Promise

Has God Abandoned Israel?/ People of Promise

Deuteronic – Land Covenant

Deuteronomy 28, 29:1; Deuteronomy 30

October 16, 2022

I. Introduction:

A. We are continuing our series “people of promise” where we are

looking at the covenant promises that God has joyfully bound

himself to do!

1. We have seen that God promised to Abraham –a seed – a family

line of people, descendants who come from him, to give them a

land forever, to bless them in that land and God would be their

God. Along with a descendant of Abraham who would bless all

the nations!

a. This drives the story line of the Old Testament and the entire

Bible.

2. Last week we learned that God set up a covenant with Israel

through Moses, called the Mosaic covenant or the Law, where

he laid out the principle by which he was going to deal with

Israel, the descendants of Abraham.

a. Simply if you obey me, then I will bless you; if you disobey

me, then I will curse/disciple you and if you repent then I

will restore you to blessing.

b. We also learned that the ultimate discipline for their

disobedience and refusal to repent would be to be expelled

from the land and scattered among the nations

3. When we weave these two covenants together, it helps us make

sense of the twists and turns in the Old Testament story.

B. But here is the dilemma

1. As a nation, Israel not only disobeyed God they even rejected

the Messiah himself resulting in 70 AD when they were

expelled from the land again and scattered throughout all the

nations of the world.

2. While some Jews have returned to the land, and some Jews have

even come to Christ as their messiah and savior - as a nation

they still are in disobedience to God and rejecting Jesus as the

Messiah.

3. Is God done with Israel as a nation? Has the church replaced

Israel in God’s program?

C. To answer that we must look at the most overlooked verse in the

entire covenant program of God and the most overlooked covenant

itself.

1. Because people miss this verse they do not even know that this

covenant in Deuteronomy even exists!

D. So we will see here in Deuteronomy that God proactively makes

another covenant with Israel – the Deuteronic covenant, to

guarantee that he will bring about their repentance, regenerate

them, give them a heart to obey him thus restore/regather Israel to

the promised land and bless them there!

• Let’s take a look at this in

II. The Scripture

A. Many people say that the book of Deuteronomy is a restating of the

Mosaic covenant. I am going to tell you today that is not the case

and there is a completely different covenant in this book.

1. It is true that the standards (civil, moral and ceremonial laws)

and the principle of the Mosaic covenant (if you obey me, then I

will bless you and if you disobey me, then I will discipline you

and if you repent then I will restore you to blessing) are restated

in Deuteronomy.

2. But while all of that is restated, he attached another covenant to

it near the end of the book.

B. Turn to Deuteronomy 5

1. The context is that Israel is standing right across the Jordan in

the wilderness of Moab ready to enter into the promise land for

the first time. This is 40 years after the covenant God made

with Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai. Moses is reviewing

their history and the Mosaic law

2. In chapter 5, Moses is reviewing for them how they responded

to the Mosaic covenant when God first gave it to them on Sinai,

which is also called Horeb!

a. Read 5:27-28 – God commends them for affirming that they

will do what God asks them to do.

b. But in v29, he states their core problem with obeying what

God says so they can be blessed. Read

3. It is a heart problem – they do not have the kind of heart that

would fear and obey God!

C. So in chapters

1. 6-26 he reviews the laws from the Mosaic covenant

2. Chapter 27 he charges them to obey these laws and reminds

them cursed is the one who does not.

3. Chapter 28 he reviews with them the basic principle of dealing

with them that God set up through Moses, which we learned

about last week in Leviticus 26.

a. If you obey me, then I will bless you; if you disobey me,

then I will curse/disciple you. If you repent then I will

restore you to blessing

D. Now in chapter 29 we see the verse that is so often overlooked thus

overlooking this very important and foundational covenant.

1. Read v1 – did you catch it? This is another covenant God is

making with them in Moab besides the one he already made

with them at Horeb/ Mount Sinai 40 years earlier.

2. Again, while the standards and principle of the Mosaic covenant

are the same; now another covenant is being made with them.

3. Now look down at verse 10 where he is speaking to the people

who are there on that day. Read v10-13.

a. Note in verse 12 that the Lord is making this covenant with a

new generation of Israel!

4. V 13 so that he may establish with them the covenant promises

he swore to Abraham. Read

a. Note a key distinction here – he made the covenant with

Abraham in the past and he wants to establish it with them.

b. Establish means to confirm, to bring it about, put it into

effect the promises God made with Abraham with his

descendants.

E. So the tension exists – yes God has established obedience as the

principle by which he would bring about these promises to

Israel. But we also saw that Israel does not have the heart to do

them.

F. But just as God made an unconditional covenant with Abraham

where he bound himself to bring about those covenant promises;

now he is going to make an unconditional covenant with Israel!

1. In spite of their disobedience that was so severe that they were

scattered among the nations;

a. He will bring them back to the very land that their fathers –

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived on.

b. He will give them a heart that obeys him.

c. He will abundantly bless them in the land.

2. Thus, he will bring about the covenant promises he made with

Abraham regarding his descendants Israel!

G. This is absolutely crucial because God is making this covenant with

Israel.

1. So God does not disqualify or replace Israel from receiving the

promises made with Abraham because of their disobedience or

rejection of the Messiah

2. But rather God is guaranteeing to them that he is going to fulfill

his covenant promises in spite of their persistent and severe

disobedience!

a. Read Ezekiel 36:20-24

• Now we are ready to see the promises God made with Israel in the

III. Deuteronic covenant

A. Turn now to chapter 30

1. As we look at this today, we will see the Promised Land

mentioned numerous times. Just remember this covenant has to

do with the regathering to the land, not the rights to the land,

which was made with Abraham.

2. Also, note that the only condition in this whole section is a time

condition – not if but when – so it is tied to a time element.

3. Finally, we will see that this covenant is going to take place at a

time when the nation of Israel is plucked off the land for

disobedience and scattered among the nations.

B. Detail out the promises:

1. Future repentance of Israel. Deuteronomy 30:1-2 not if but

when!

a. Repentance = recall, return, restore

2. Regathered from captivity and from all over the world

Deuteronomy 30:3-4. Not Assyria nor Babylon but all the

nations of the world.

3. Restoration to the land given to their fathers. Deuteronomy

30:5

4. Israel regenerated by a work of God to get a new heart that will

love and obey the Lord... Deuteronomy 30:6, 8

5. Israel’s enemies will be judged. Deuteronomy. 30:7

6. Israel will prosper abundantly. Deuteronomy 30:5, 9

C. So the big question now is when will the covenanted promises

made to Abraham which will be established with his descendants,

his seed be carried out. Remember not if but when.

1. Chart

2. Turn to Zechariah 12:9

a. Context – he is talking about the time when the entire world

will come against Israel and Jerusalem. We also read about

this in Revelation 16-19.

b. Read v9-14 - note two things:

1. God pouring out his grace precedes and is the cause of

their repentance

2. We see a national repentance here and not just an

individual. At the return of Jesus Israel will repent.

D. So God brings about the necessary repentance in Israel thus then

God will pour out all his covenant promises/blessing upon them at

that time.

E. Romans 11 tells us why this has not happened yet.

1. It is so the fullness of the Gentiles can come into the experience

of his promised blessings then all Israel will be saved.

2. Read Romans 11;25-27

3. Turn and read 2 Peter 3:9

III. Application

F. If you are here today and you do not know Jesus Christ repent

1. Recall what Jesus says about you and about himself

a. That our sin separates us from God and that Jesus’ death and

resurrection deals with our sin problem and gives us life!

2. Turn to him by calling upon him in faith to save you!

G. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ

1. And you have walked away from Jesus and living just like the

rest of the world I would encourage you today to repent as well.

a. Recall what God says in his Word about who you are and

how to live as a child of God

b. Return to him by admitting/confessing you are not living as

you ought

c. Call upon him to give you the grace to live like a believer in

Jesus

2. Maybe today you need God to bring about in your heart the

willingness and ability to give up some area of your life that is

not pleasing to him or even an area that has taken control of you

and you could not give it up with all the trying, programing and

steps in the world.

a. Read Philippians 2:12-13

3. Open your heart to Jesus this morning and invite him to work

into you both the willingness and the ability to live fully for him

The Power of Promise / People of Promise

Mosaic Covenant – The Way God Dealt with Israel

Leviticus 26

October 9, 2022

 

I. Introduction:

A. Today’s message along with last week’s on the Abrahamic

covenant is enough to give you the core knowledge you need to

understand the basic skeleton of the Old Testament.

1. The four main promises of the covenant God made with

Abraham give shape to the story/stories of the historical section

of the Old Testament and become the foundation for the New

Testament!

a. Review - Four promises are. Land, seed, blessing, and God

would be their God.

2. Today we are going to talk about the Mosaic covenant that God

made with Israel. This covenant establishes the principle upon

which God dealt with Israel, his chosen people, Abraham’s

seed.

a. The Mosaic covenant not only helps us further understand

the history of the Old Testament and why things happened

the way they did, but it also is the foundational structure and

driving message of the prophetic section of the Old

Testament!

B. One more important distinction between these two covenants turn

in your Bibles to Galatians 3:15

1. Read Galatians 3:15-19

2. Simply stated, the law was temporary until Jesus came while the

Abrahamic covenant was an everlasting covenant and nothing

about the law changes or supersedes the Abrahamic covenant.

3. It was put in place alongside the Abrahamic covenant only until

Jesus came!

• Let me give you a couple of …

II. Introductory thoughts on the Mosaic law/ covenant

A. The law is found primarily from Exodus 19 through the end of

Leviticus, and is reviewed in the book of Deuteronomy.

B. These laws covered three primary areas:

1. Civil laws – how to live with one another

2. Moral laws – how to walk with a holy God

3. Ceremonial laws – how to worship a holy God

C. We need to understand right up front that the Mosaic covenant was

not like the Abrahamic covenant where God made unconditional

promises that he would keep independent of Abraham’s

behavior. In the Mosaic covenant God imposed obligations upon

Israel and made conditions that were dependent upon their

behavior.

1. The heart of the principle

a. If you obey me then I will bless you

b. If you disobey me then I will curse you

c. If you repent then I will return you to blessing.

2. Repeat that with me.

• Let’s look closer at this foundational principle! Turn to

III. Leviticus 26.

A. After detailing these civil, moral and ceremonial laws from Exodus

19 to Leviticus 26:2 we come to a great summary that is so key to

understanding the Old Testament.

1. If you obey me, then I will bless you. Read Leviticus 26:3-4.

a. Then he details some of those blessings: land will be fruitful,

peace in the land, eliminate harmful beasts, no war, you will

defeat your enemies, God will dwell among them and he will

be their God.

b. Read v9

2. But if you disobey me, then I will curse you. Read v14-17.

a. Now we need to note God’s grace even in his discipline of

Israel for their disobedience as he starts with lesser

disciplines then increases them as their refusal to repent

continues – good parenting principle. Read v18, 21, 23-24,

27-28.

b. This continues until we get to the ultimate and most harsh

discipline, the expelling of Israel out of their own land,

which God promised to them and scattering them among the

nations. Read 32-33.

c. Now we understand why Israel and Judah were both

deported out of their land and went into captivity in Assyria

and Babylon. A big part of the Old Testament story!

1. God had to be faithful to the covenant that he made with

his people when they disobeyed.

2. This does not make me think of a God as angry and mean

but rather a God that is faithful to “all” of his word, a

God who can be trusted that when he says something he

will do it, whether it is a good thing or a bad thing.

3. Now the third part of this principle shows up in verse 40. If you

repent, then I will return you to blessing.

a. Read v40-46

b. Simply, this principle says when Israel is obeying God then

they will experience the land, the blessing, and God being

their God as promised in the Abrahamic covenant

• So now we understand a lot more of twists involved in the story of

God carrying out his promises with Abraham in the historical books

of the Old Testament. But what about

IV. The prophets

A. Listen to the ministry of the prophets Read 2 Kings 17:13-15, 23

B. The basic structure of all the prophets, both their ministry and their

books in the Old Testament was to

1. Point out their sin of how they were breaking the Mosaic

covenant

2. Call them to repentance

3. Remind them of the promised blessings they would experience

if they repented!

4. If you read the prophets with that in mind, they will be much

easier to understand!

C. The book of Isaiah is a perfect example of this

1. The first 40 chapters Isaiah are pointing out how they have

broken the Mosaic covenant and calling them to repent

2. The last 26 chapters reminds them of the promised blessing they

will receive when they do repent!

D. We see these basic principles worked out in the history of Israel.

1. Cycle in judges (disobeyed - discipline - repentance -

deliverance)

2. Solomon broke the covenant, which resulted in the divided

kingdom. Northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom

(Judah) 1Kings 11:1-13

3. The northern kingdom (Israel) broke the covenant by setting up

idol worship. 1 Kings 12:25-33

4. The northern kingdom (Israel) falls and is taken into captivity

just as the covenant says. 2 Kings 17, 18:11-12

5. Jeremiah warns Judah of judgement for breaking the covenant

and calls for repentance. Jeremiah 25:3-11

6. The southern kingdom (Judah) falls and is taken into captivity

just as the covenant says. 2 Kings 24:17-25, 12

7. After recognizing God’s timetable, Daniel turns to God in

repentance based on the covenant.

8. Ezra 1 and the return to their land out of captivity is the direct

result of Daniel 9 and the repentance he did in behalf of the

nation.

9. Rebuilding of the walls was based on the repentance and

blessing of the covenant. As acknowledged by Nehemiah in his

prayer. Nehemiah 1:4-11

• As you saw today, the story of God fulfilling his covenant promises

to Abraham is interwoven with the principle by which God

covenanted with Israel in the Mosaic covenant. what I want to close

with are …

V. Applications for us today

A. There are two important truths we must keep in mind today.

1. As we learned in Galatians 3, earlier the Mosaic covenant was

only on the table for Israel until the seed, the Christ, the

Messiah, Jesus came!

2. We also learn in 1Timothy 1:8-9 that the law is still useful today

if we use it lawfully.

a. Read 1 Timothy 1:8-9

b. Paul also said in Romans 3:20 that through the law comes

the knowledge of sin something he reaffirms in detail in

Romans 7.

c. So the good and lawful use of the law is to point out sin to

the unbeliever so they will turn to Jesus to be delivered from

the penalty and power of sin!

B. But my bigger concern today is that many Christians still live as if

we are under the principle of the law – if you obey then God will

bless you and if you disobey then God will curse you.

1. Maybe it is not the Mosaic Law, but they turn the New

Testament commands into laws and apply the principle of

obedience resulting in blessing and disobedience resulting in a

curse.

2. Here is the difference between the two:

a. In the Old Testament God supernaturally intervened with

blessings /good things when they obeyed and supernaturally

intervened with curses/trouble when they disobeyed.

b. In New Testament times obedience brings its own blessings

because you are living in conformity with God‘s wisdom

how to live and disobedience brings its own trouble because

sin has personal and relational poison in its DNA.

1. It’s not a matter of God doing it to you but a matter of

you doing it to yourself by ignoring what is best for you!

3. When it comes to blessings

a. In the Old Testament blessings were conditional upon their

obedience

b. In the New Testament, we have already been blessed with

every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

c. So today we obey for two reasons:

1. Not in order to get blessed but out of love because we are

already blessed

2. We also obey because God’s way is the wisest and best

way to live.

4. When it comes to difficulties or trouble in our lives in the New

Testament there are two reasons for it.

a. To ignore God’s wisdom is to do it to your own hurt! We

drink the poison laced Kool-Aid called sin

b. But sometimes even our trouble and difficulties are designed

by God to bring us ultimately to the place of blessing and

good in our life.

1. Often the blessing has to do with God working in us a

greater and deeper Christ like character or to restrain us

from going a direction we should not go.

c. So when it comes to trouble in our lives we need to discern if

it is sin, thus trouble of our own making or God giving us a

gift of blessing dressed in wrapping paper of trouble!

5. So this is how most of us stumble in this area – we look at our

outward circumstances or even the inward disposition of our

hearts and if they are good, we say it is because God is blessing

us and if they are bad, we say it is because God is not blessing

us.

a. They have more money, nicer and more things, better

circumstances, better health, better looks, better results,

bigger ministry, more opportunities etc., so we interpret that

as God is blessing them more than he is blessing me.

b. As a matter of fact, we wonder if God is blessing us at all –

maybe he is not pleased with me, maybe I am doing

something wrong!

C. We cannot measure God’s goodness and blessing to us by our

circumstances or feeling but by the cross of Christ, all the spiritual

blessings we already have in Christ Jesus, and God’s call and

purposes for my life as different from someone else’s!

1. We need to measure our lives by our gratitude to God for Jesus

and the blessings that come with him and our faith in his good

purposes he is working in our lives!

God Will Come Through / People of Promise

 Abrahamic – Foundational Promises
Genesis 12,15,17 & Hebrews 6  October 2, 2022 - Communion    

1. Introduction:
   1. The foundation of a building not only supports the weight of the structure but also determines the shape of it!
      1. The Abrahamic covenant is the foundation that not only supports the entire covenant program of God but also is the foundation that gives shape to the story of the Bible, what God is doing in this world – past present and future and ultimately in our own lives.  
      2. The better you understand covenants, the better you understand the Bible!  A synonymous word to covenant is testament.  New and Old Testament = new and old covenant!
   2. A covenant is the strongest word in any language to express and define relationships. 
      1. It is a solemn binding agreement between two parties, which provides a clear statement of how they will relate to one another with promises being made, and conditions agreed upon!
      2. The blood sacrifice required in a covenant indicates that they are permanent until one of the parties dies and is broken only under the penalty of death! 
   3. We are doing a series we are calling people of promise as we look at the promises that God has bound himself to by means of the solemn and serious means of covenants.  Promises that drive the story of God, the Bible and our lives!
2. The promises in the Abrahamic covenant
   1. There are five main promises that God made in the covenant with Abraham.   
      1. Land – actual dirt, ground, soil that would become their property. 
      2. Seed – a people, a nation, a lineage, descendants, children, offspring 
      3. Blessing – benefits God would bestow upon them
      4. In your seed all the nations will be blessed.
      5. God will be their God 
   2. Let’s start by reading where God first makes promises in Genesis 12:1-3 and then we see them progressively developed in chapters to come!   Read.
   3. I want to show you each of these promises one at a time.
      1. Land – an actual geographical piece of earth.
         1. Genesis 12:5-7 – fact
         2. Genesis 13:14-15 – forever
      2. Seed – descendant, offspring, children, the nation of people! 
         1. Fact - Genesis 12:2,7
         2. Numerous – Genesis 13:16, 15:5
      3. Blessing 
         1. Fact – Genesis 12:2-3
         2. Clarification – we see here and as the Scripture continues to unfold that God’s plan right from the beginning was to bless Abraham, the nation of Israel and the entire world!   
      4. In your seed all the nations will be blessed.  
         1. Read Genesis 12:3c: Genesis 22:18
         2. As we learn in Galatians 3, a few weeks ago, in Jesus, the ultimate seed of Abraham all the nations will be blessed and we get in on these promises because we belong to him.
      5. God will be their God -   
         1. Before God set up the covenant of circumcision, he reviewed with Abraham the promises he had already made by means of covenant to him and adds a few extra here.  
            1. Read Genesis 17:2-8  
            2. Not only a seed and land but he adds three more things here
               1. Father of a multitude of nations
               2. Kings will come forth from him
               3. God will be their God – both to Abraham and his descendants/seed 
         2. This is a key promise of this covenant and the whole covenant program!
            1. Note in Exodus 6:5-8 what God tells Moses when he reassures him regarding what he had promised in his covenant with Abraham.  Read
            2. This phrase is used ten times referring to the new covenant and is used to summarize the heart of the new covenant in the New Testament.  Hebrews 8:10 
   4. We see many of these put together when God confirmed the covenant with Jacob.   Read Genesis 28:13-15
   5. The heart of the Abrahamic covenant promises:  a land, seed, blessing and God being their God drives the stories behind the formation of the nation and the entrance into the Promised Land as seen from Genesis all the way to Joshua! 
      1. It is the why behind all these stories and the thread that ties them together.
      2. By the way, “promised land” is a term we have heard for years and even is in songs we sing–– it was the land promised to Abraham as an inheritance for his descendants in the Abrahamic covenant.  

• Note 

1.   The weight of the Abrahamic covenant
   1. Turn to Genesis 15 where we see these promises being made into a covenant.  
   2. The reason for the covenant was to give assurance to Abraham that God was going to fulfill his promises to him.     Listen to Genesis 15:7-8 – How may I know?
   3. Now we see God responding by making his promises into a covenant.  
      1. Read v9-10
      2. We learned last week that this is the procedure of a covenant
      3. Note that it only takes one animal to sacrifice to make it legitimate but this covenant is so big that God has three animals sacrificed
   4. Now as I read the details of this covenant I want you to notice who goes through the middle of the sacrificial animals and who does not.   
      1. Read 12-18 – know for certain.
      2. God alone went through the pieces of the sacrifice in the form of a smoking oven and smoking torch while Abraham was asleep
      3. The covenant was made with Abraham, not Israel.  The existence of Israel  the seed, descendants, the family line from Abraham, was one of the promises, provisions of the covenant
   5. That made this covenant an unconditional covenant where God bound himself under the curses of a covenant, the death penalty for breaking them, regarding the promises he was going to do for Abraham.
      1. This covenant places no conditions upon Abraham but only upon God himself!
2. Communion
   1. Turn to Hebrews 6 where he picks up on the theme of Genesis 15 and shows us that God made these promises into a covenant not only to assure Abraham that he would do what he promised.  Also, to assure the Jews living at that time and you and me as believers who are also in on these promises through Jesus!   
      1. Now before we look at this passage remember it was written about 35 years after Jesus ascended back into heaven as the writer was assuring these Jewish readers that the Abrahamic promises/covenant were still a sure future hope they could build their lives upon like an anchor for their souls.
         1. They were not something that have been spiritually fulfilled with the church now because of Israel’s disobedience or rejection of the Messiah. Rather it was a hope they could look forward to!  
      2. Read v13-20 - v18 – two unchangeable things, promise and covenant
      3. The reason for the covenant is three fold
         1. To show the recipients of the promise unchangeableness of his purpose. 
            1.  God is going to raise up a people for himself! He is going to be their God! He is going to give them the land! He is going to bless them!
         2. We might have strong encouragement
         3. Gives us a hope that is sure enough to be an anchor for our soul.
   2. We, the church, along with Israel have the hope and look forward to all these covenant promises going into effect when God fulfills them with Israel and us in the future when Jesus returns.  
3. Communion 
   1. I want to speak for just a moment regarding the promise of blessing.
      1. While the Mosaic, Deuteronic and the new covenants detail out more of what that blessing will look like.
   2. I want to close with how the New Testament helps us further understand that blessing.
      1. Turn to Acts 3 and read v25-26   
         1. What we see here that ultimately the promise of Abraham’s seed blessing of all the families of the earth is the blessing of salvation and the deliverance from the power of sin in their lives.
      2. We see this again in Galatians 3:8-9 – turn and read 
         1. We see here that God actually preached the gospel to Abraham in this promise
      3. Read Galatians 3:13-14 – the blessing of Abraham was so the Gentiles might also receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.
         1. Interesting to note that the promise of receiving the Holy Spirit was not given until the new covenant, which further explains the blessing of the Abrahamic covenant.
   3. So every person in this room who knows Jesus personally on the basis of faith has experienced the covenant promise of Genesis 22:18.  Both the blessing of salvation and the blessing of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
   4. As you go to communion would you thank God for including us and thank Jesus for dying for us so we can experience the promised blessings to Abraham and for the hope of what we still have to look forward to!