During the Last Supper Jesus declared, "This is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20). He repeated these words in 1 Corinthians 11:25, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood."
We will see today what the benefits are of the new covenant which Jesus established during the Last Supper. Hence, I entitled this sermon, The Benefits of the New Covenant.
a) husband and wife (how to raise their child)
b) between two people (a friendship pact)
c) between two nations (an alliance)
d) between God and man.
According to the Bible, in the covenant between God and man, God sets
the terms or conditions. God is pure and
perfect. Therefore, He alone is in the
position to set the terms and conditions of the covenant.
Sinful man is not in a position to set the terms of the covenant because
we have sinned against God. God is the
offended, innocent party; He sets the terms.The result of the new covenant is friendship with God. But this friendship with God is not something that we deserve or earn; it is a gift.
This is good news: we do not have to be enemies with God. Through Christ we become His friends.
If I was to define the New Covenant in two words, what would that be? Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the embodiment, the essence of the New Covenant. Without Jesus, there would be no New Covenant.
Mal. 3:1, "“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,' says the Lord of hosts."
But why do we need a new covenant?
Heb 8:13, "When He said, 'A new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear." (Note "obsolete" appears twice in this verse). Therefore, a New Covenant was needed to replace what has become obsolete.
III. The New Covenant Was Established by Jesus
Christ
Heb 7:22, "So much the more also Jesus has become the
guarantee of a better covenant."Jesus established a better covenant, better than the first.
Heb. 8:6, "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant."
Yes, the new covenant is better than the previous one.
1 Cor. 11:24-25, "And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'”
By the way, only God can establish a covenant. Since Christ established this covenant, therefore, Jesus must be God. This is a good proof-text of Jesus' deity.
V. The Five Benefits of the New Covenant
A. Forgiveness of SinsThe Old Covenant could not forgive sins because it was based on the blood of rams, goats, sheep and lambs. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away our sin.
In the Old Covenant, sins were not blotted out, because Jesus had not yet died. So, sins in Old Testament were simply covered. But when Jesus died and established the New Covenant, sins were completed removed; not simply coverefd.
Eph. 1:7, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses," Forgiveness is based on the blood of Jesus poured out at the cross.
If there could have been forgiveness of sin in Old Covenant, then Jesus would not have had to die.
As Christians, all our sins - past, present, future - have been paid for and dealt with once and for all at the cross. There is no more God can do to bring forgiveness; it has all been done once and for all at Calvary.
1 John 1:7b, "and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." Cleanses us from past sins, cleanses us from present sins, and cleanses us from future sins.
At the cross God has dealt with sin finally and absolutely, perfectly and completely.
Forgiveness is not because of our merit, our righteousness, or our goodness; but by the blood of Jesus.
Let us look at the contrast between the Old and New Covenant.
In the Old Covenant only the High Priest was able to enter the Holy of Holies, and only once a year (during Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement). The Holy of Holies represented God's Presence. No one else was allowed to enter.
The waist of the High Priest would be tied with a rope just in case of an emergency. For example, if the High Priest collapsed, had a stroke, a heart attack, or suddenly died, no one was allowed to enter to rescue him. So the priests who waited outside had to pull him by the rope. The key point is that only the High Priest could enter God's very Presence, and only once a year.
But in the New Testament every believer in Jesus can enter God's presence, not just once a year, but as often as one desired.
Heb 10:19, "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,"
Yes, as believers, we have the confidence to enter God's presence daily; and many times daily.
John 1:17, " For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ."
The Old Covenant, called the Law, came from Moses; the New Covenant came from Jesus Christ.
Rom. 6:14b, "For you are not under law but under grace."
Rom. 7:4, "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead."
Gal. 4:4-5, "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."
We were delivered from the Law because the Law kills.
Rom. 8:3, "For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,"
We see here two facts.
First, notice the phrase "what the Law could not do." The Law could not save us. Therefore, God sent His Son to save us by "an offering of sin." That is the crux of the gospel.
Secondly, notice the phrase "weak as it was." The Law was weak to save and redeem us. Thus we needed the New Covenant that can save.
Heb. 7:25, "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."
In the Old Testament the High Priest would die, and be replaced with another High Priest who would later die and be replaced again with another High Priest, and so on. The High Priest would die, and a dead High Priest cannot give Life.
But this verse says that "He always lives." Jesus lives forever; therefore, He can give Life.
A dead person cannot give Life. Jesus can give Life because He lives forever.
But in our verse, Heb 7:25, "He is able also to save forever." Why save forever? Because He lives forever.
Notice the phrase "save forever." This is the clearest verse in Scripture on the security of the believer.
In other words, our salvation is certain and secure.
Christ died to save us, and now lives forever to keep us saved forever.
The Romans would shake hands forearm to forearm. This was their handshake. One forearm is mine, the other is Christ. While I may let go of Christ, He never lets go of me. Thus, I am safe and secure in His strong arms.
1 Peter 1:5 KJV, "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." It is God's power that keeps me saved. If it depended on my power, I would lose my salvation.
5. Established a New Priesthood
Only priests could enter the
temple, which represented the presence of God.
Only a few, the descendants of Levi, were permitted to enter the temple,
God's dwelling place on earth.But today all believers everywhere are priests; therefore, all believers worldwide have the privilege to enter God's presence..
This doctrine is called, "The Priesthood of the Believer."
1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession."
Rev. 1:6, "And He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father."
Gal. 3:24, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith."
Notice here two facts:
First, the Law was given "to lead us to Christ." The Law was like a signboard pointing to Jesus.
Second, this verse says we are "justified by faith."
It is faith on Him who died for you that saves you. And because He lives, you live.
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