[0:00] Good morning. Good morning. That's a little louder. We are awake.
[0:12] Praise the Lord that we are here, worshiping together on this beautiful day. And I too want to welcome each and every one of you as we spend time in God's Word.
[0:30] Together. A few things I want to clear up as well, or just mention. We have been talking about potentially an Israel trip in the spring sometime, a visit to the Holy Lands, and I've been in contact with a number of organizations.
[0:55] Got a little bit of an echo there, Jake. I've been in contact with organizations, and it's some troublesome times right now. Friends of Israel is one group that I reached out to, and they encourage us to plan, and if Israel opens the doors, we'll go.
[1:17] And if not, we can't. And so right now, because of the war with Hezbollah, they're saying no to tourist groups for the next weeks. But we're looking at spring.
[1:31] So with that, if there's anyone that is considering, please come and talk to me so I can put our names down and know if we have a group large enough.
[1:46] There's several couples that have already indicated they'd like to go. And so the cost would be, it depends on the length and so on, but between $5,000 and $6,000 per person.
[2:04] That's what the cost would be. And the dates aren't set either, but very likely we would target April, perhaps early May, but probably April somewhere.
[2:16] So just for your information, and so in the next couple weeks, if you're interested, please come talk to me.
[2:30] Okay, and then just a comment as well on the Billy Graham, or I should say Will Graham event, November 8th and 9th. As we're praying, we're anticipating that God will move and save people.
[2:49] It's another tool of evangelism. It doesn't replace the church's need to evangelize, but it's another form or tool or event.
[3:01] And as a result of that, we need to be ready that if there's two people or ten people or twenty people that get saved, that associate with Mountview.
[3:20] We need people that would be willing to step forward and say, I'm willing to walk with this person, a new convert, to walk with their new journey.
[3:31] and we will need men and women. So trusting that the Lord will do the saving, but he uses his people to walk.
[3:46] And so, if you would consider or like to be involved in something like that, we have no idea if it'll be a few or more or none.
[4:00] but we trust that God will move. And so, if you're interested in helping that way, talk to myself or Pastor Henry and so we can organize that way.
[4:14] So, yeah, that's, it's one way that we can be involved in a more city-wide crusade or county-wide crusade and hearing the gospel preached.
[4:30] Again, that's November 8th and 9th, Friday night and Saturday night with the Children's Fest Saturday morning. And that's, it's at the, what's that energy center called?
[4:45] Bonnet Energy Center in Grand Prairie is where the location of this event will be. okay, so there'll be lots of room for people. And we, we have Thanksgiving.
[5:02] And yet, our bulletin said we're having the feast next week. And so, and I'm not sure if Pastor Henry will have a Thanksgiving message per se, but next Sunday. all messages lead or lend themselves to being thankful.
[5:18] And the one this morning does as well, but it's not specifically geared at the theme of Thanksgiving. But I've titled the message, Israel Restored in the New Covenant.
[5:30] And as we're, as we've been going through the kingdom age, the thousand years, and I was, had already kind of decided to move on to the eternal state, but as I was studying this week, I decided or felt that we need one more in here.
[5:56] And it's God's restoring Israel. And so, I want to start with this concept of the New Covenant.
[6:09] And I want to ask of you, what is the New Covenant? Grace?
[6:24] Okay, grace is a word that would fit in. Okay. Can someone help Frank elaborate? The New Covenant.
[6:43] Okay. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Okay. Anyone add to that?
[6:54] Okay. Okay.
[7:15] Okay. Okay. So the new covenant is one-sided.
[7:31] It's a unilateral covenant, meaning one party. God established a covenant, and he said, after all history of mankind, mankind has shown themselves incapable of morally behaving, of meeting my standards.
[7:57] The new covenant is God saying, man is unable to save themselves. I will give my son. To die, to pay for sin, and to give newness of life.
[8:21] And I will die for the world, and the only way that that gift can be accredited is by faith.
[8:36] That's the new covenant. It's God doing all the work. It's called a unilateral covenant, whereas the old covenant, the first covenant, was two-sided.
[8:53] As God gave them the law and said, if you obey, I will bless. If you obey, I will bless.
[9:05] Two parties involved, and the children of Israel did not obey, and God punished them.
[9:17] The new covenant is different. It's dependent on God alone, not on our works or our ability to obey.
[9:32] And so it is a grace covenant, absolutely all the way. And so we... There's many things in Scripture that we don't fully grasp as humans.
[9:50] Just like in the Old Testament, God choosing to work through the Jewish race, establishing Abraham, like we had in Sunday school this morning, and then revealing himself to the world through this one people group.
[10:09] We don't understand necessarily why God chose to do it that way, but he did. And that Gentiles, in all ages, still by faith, could come to God.
[10:25] God. To the Jews, the Gentile nations were considered heathens. In fact, God called Abraham out from.
[10:43] You're supposed to leave that behind, what the heathens do, what they practice. And he said, come out from among them. And yet, the way back then is the same as today, by faith.
[11:03] And so, we realize, looking back, that the first covenant was never designed to save anyone. It was never designed to save.
[11:18] But it was rather a test or to reveal the hearts of men and women. And so, 400 years before that old covenant was given, Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
[11:41] He's a man of God because he believed. So, as we look at this and the thousand-year reign, where does the new covenant fit in?
[11:58] And is there a difference between the church and Israel? Are there two programs going at once? And the answer is, yes, there is.
[12:14] And we need to see it from Scripture. So, I want to start with the new covenant and the church age. And so, in the Gospels, all four of them, Jesus introduces the new covenant and a verse in Luke 22.
[12:35] If you have your Bibles, turn with me. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22.
[12:51] Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22. Luke 22.
[13:01] Luke 22. Luke 22. And so, it's the Lord's Supper after the last Passover meal, the night that Jesus would be crucified or taken to trial.
[13:14] And after the meal, he broke the bread and then in verse 20, likewise, he also took the cup after supper saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood which is shed for you.
[13:33] And so, for the first time, Jesus verbalizes that I will die and shed my blood for the new covenant. And I think we all understand that.
[13:46] That is prophetic. Jesus had not yet died. He's looking ahead and he's saying as the church will practice communion, we will remember the new covenant signed with his own blood.
[14:03] Okay? So, it's bloodshed. Hebrews chapter 9. Let's turn there. Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9.
[14:15] Lots of scriptures for us this morning. Hebrews 9, and we'll start in verse 11.
[14:31] Verse 11, But Christ came as high priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, nor with, or not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
[14:57] For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offer himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
[15:23] And for this reason, he is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death. for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
[15:42] And so Hebrews looks back and summarizes that the blood of goats and bulls pointed to the ultimate sacrifice.
[15:55] but they were unable to clean the conscience of sin. Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, forgiveness of sins.
[16:14] And he is the mediator of the new covenant by shedding his blood. God. And so we have we have that very clearly applied to the church.
[16:31] The new covenant. We live in the time of the new covenant. And then turning to Ephesians chapter 3 Ephesians chapter 3 Ephesians chapter 3 Ephesians chapter 3 Ephesians chapter 3 And I'll start in verse 1 and read through 9.
[17:05] It says, And here's the mystery that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ through the gospel.
[17:57] God revealed to the apostle Paul this mystery the new covenant would bring Jew and Gentile chosen of God in the Old Testament chosen as in God's people through whom he would reveal himself chosen in that aspect the Gentiles who without without God were without hope.
[18:28] He brings them together into one body one. in Jesus Christ. The new covenant the grace of God by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
[18:49] This is the church age. Jew and Gentile alike. Equal. Gentiles you're no longer dogs.
[19:07] We are one in Christ. Just like for us to make application in our life all people groups even no matter what country you've come from where we live today there are different nationalities probably most countries in the world are represented in Grand Prairie.
[19:36] In Christ we are one. Why? Because universally we are sinners.
[19:47] sinners. Every one of us is unable to save himself and to please God. It is by Jesus Christ for all people.
[20:05] It's an equal playing field as God brought about salvation. Now we look at the blessings that God promised would come through Abraham as he called Abraham all nations will be blessed.
[20:24] We see stage one or the fulfillment of that as God brings and Revelations chapter 5 tells us of all peoples and nations and tongue will be in heaven.
[20:45] of every people group there will be saved people as they turn to the Lord in faith. And so that is the new covenant in the church age.
[20:59] Let's turn back to Galatians. Galatians. Galatians. Galatians. Galatians. chapter 3 in Galatians 26 to 29.
[21:26] Galatians. Galatians. Galatians. Galatians. Galatians. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
[21:41] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
[21:54] And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. So this is Paul to the church in Galatia affirming up that by faith you are all equal in the Lord.
[22:18] Doesn't matter what race, whether you're male or female. And you know, back in their day ladies were often pushed down in society and did not necessarily even have the same rights as men.
[22:39] And for Paul to clarify that in Christ we are equal. This is important. Today as we live here it's not as sharp as in fact there's a lot of push society that even in our roles we are equal.
[23:06] And these verses are sometimes taken out of context in regard to salvation and now being applied to men and women are equal in all aspects of life and therefore they they override Paul's teaching on male leadership in the church.
[23:34] And so we have pressure for churches to to go over to having lady pastors. leaders. And and yet Christ's teaching Paul's teaching is that he wants the men to show leadership.
[23:59] That that is by God's design and so we need to distinguish I realize we're off a little bit on a bunny trail here but we need to distinguish that God God's treating us with equality and value is separate from the roles that he has for us in life.
[24:25] We cannot mix up the two and if we do we have confusion and unorderliness and by the way Satan is described as as the king of lawlessness and the Antichrist will be known for his lawlessness or unorderliness and so God has a prescription for order so we need to be careful with that and I want to encourage our men this morning that we take that serious and if you're a married man this morning that that we show godly leadership to our spouses to our wives and to our children and and to the young men up front here you're going there and and to to embrace that already to embrace that as as this is
[25:34] God's way you know I think nothing has frustrated my wife more is when I fail to take leadership an issue on a matter and and she's tempted to take over it's frustrating for the for our women but it's because we fail and just like an old testament example of Deborah with I think it was Gideon taking leadership he was failing he did not have the courage to do what God wanted him to and this lady took the lead and so that's it's something for us to take serious as as we we see we are equal in value before God but God has given us different roles in life and that is the only way that life functions in order without chaos there is not order in marriage or in society then soon it's all upside down and we have a mess and so with that let us continue the new covenant then brings men and women into that level playing field with with being equal in God's eyes in regard to salvation so
[27:16] Jew and Gentile alike where does that leave God's promises to Israel as Jews today as they come to faith join the church and will be raptured with the church and so on but God has promises for unbelieving Israel who are not part of the church in fact Romans 11 indicates that God has cast them aside for a bit and using the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy but going now to to to our passage in Hebrews chapter 8 let's turn back there and thank you
[28:19] Ben for reading that Hebrews chapter 8 let's let's just work through that briefly verse 6 but now he has obtained a more excellent ministry the high priest Jesus Christ in as much as he is also mediator of a better covenant which was established on better promises for if that first covenant had been faultless then no place would have been sought for the second and if Israel could have been in perfect obedience in the first covenant but that we know that was impossible for they were a fallen race because finding fault with them he says behold the days are coming future says the
[29:40] Lord when I will make a new covenant with whom with the house of Israel and with the house of Jacob not according to the covenant that I made with them with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they did not continue in my covenant and I disregarded them says the Lord so it's it's going to be not like the first one where I gave them the law and I asked them for obedience it's not going to be like that now I will do all the work it's going to be God all the way for this for this is the covenant in verse 10 that I will make with the house of Israel after those days say the
[30:41] Lord I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people none of them shall teach his neighbor and none his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them has this ever happened has this ever happened it has not and it is therefore yet future it is very clear here this covenant is not with the church it is with Israel and there's coming a time when I will establish this covenant with them and I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people this has never happened after this writing in
[31:43] Hebrews it's still waiting to happen God has a plan for corporate the nation of Israel the Jewish race where he will establish them in the thousand year reign and verse 11 none of them shall teach his neighbor and none his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know you know not even the church not even the church has experienced that if the church was experiencing that none shall teach his neighbor I wouldn't be here this morning and neither would you we wouldn't need this this is describing a time period where God himself will be physically present on earth and the knowledge of
[32:49] God will fill the earth now I've heard come back by Christians today saying I don't need to be in church I don't need to be taught I have the Holy Spirit and they'll recite a verse like this and it's taken out of context and it's deceptively misleading us into error and it contradicts the rest of scripture where it tells us that we are to encourage one another we are to gather all those things and so we need to remember context in scripture is extremely important so God has a plan for future Israel and as of yet when I watch the nation of Israel today they do not have the knowledge of
[33:51] God his plan of salvation they know all about God and the Old Testament and they could quote the Old Testament but is God in their hearts and on their minds as far as the Messiah absolutely not and we need to pray for them but God is bringing about a time period where that will happen let's turn to some more scriptures Jeremiah let's start in Jeremiah 31 Jeremiah 31 and verse 31 behold the days are coming says the
[34:53] Lord when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt my covenant which they broke though I was a husband to them says the Lord but this is the covenant which I'll make with the house of Israel after those days says the Lord I will put my law in their hearts or in their minds and write it on their hearts I will be their God and they shall be my people no more shall every man teach his neighbor and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them says the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more very clearly the book of Hebrews was quoted from this it's a repeat but
[35:54] I wanted us to see it in Jeremiah and now let's turn to Ezekiel 37 Ezekiel 37 and verse 25 Ezekiel 37 25 then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant where your fathers dwell and they shall dwell there they their children and their children forever and my servant David shall be their prince forever moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them I will establish them and multiply them and I will set my sanctuary in their midst forever my tabernacle also shall be with them indeed
[37:01] I will be their God and they shall be my people the nations also will know that I the Lord sanctify Israel when my sanctuary is in their midst forever more do the nations today know that the Lord has a plan for Israel they don't they don't but as the church we need to know we need to know and God says I will establish my sanctuary in their midst it's going to be in Jerusalem and Isaiah says and all the nations will flow to Jerusalem in worship and last Sunday I asked the question why does Ezekiel describe a worship system or a sacrificial system again and we kind of came up blank a little bit perhaps looking back on that
[38:16] Mr. Tycho had an answer and I didn't quite understand him but here is what he intended it is perhaps for Israel to see what they missed in the old that the sacrifices were all pointing to Jesus Christ and they were so caught up in their rituals and their practices that they lost sight of the picture where God was pointing all this to and so perhaps in the millennium as they will offer again the blood of goats it will not be for salvation or point to it but it will point back and it may be like he said for Israel to realize we missed it over here now we've got it and it will be like communion for us for them it will be their way so just but I appreciate that and I apologize for misunderstanding you last
[39:23] Sunday yeah so with whom it will be with Israel when after those days what will be the nature of this covenant I will put my laws in their minds and on their hearts I will be their God and they will be my people and no longer will anyone need to teach his neighbor for they will all know the Lord hallelujah that is the day that's coming a verse in Isaiah 11 9 I quickly want to turn there as well Isaiah 11 verse 9 and Isaiah 11 describes again the conditions of this kingdom age that the animals will live in harmony with mankind but verse 11 says verse 9 sorry not verse 11 they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
[40:51] Lord and as the waters cover the sea the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea as we look around today how much of the earth has the knowledge of the Lord it's something that we can hardly grasp but in this kingdom age the knowledge of God will be everywhere it'll be it'll be the main thing everybody will know about the Lord and that's that's God's plan for the Jewish people to inherit the millennium and as we understand from Matthew 25 in the sheep and goat judgment that the
[41:52] Gentiles that survived the tribulation will join those Jews so just like in the Old Testament God predominantly worked through the Jews and the Gentiles joined in in the millennium it will revert back to that and it's a promise made to the Jewish people real quickly as we as we close off I want to remind us in Zechariah chapter 13 Zechariah 13 verse 7 through 9 awake oh sword against my shepherd against the man who is my companion says the Lord of hosts strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered then I will turn my hand against the little ones and it shall come to pass in all the land says the Lord that two thirds of it shall be cut off and die but one third shall be left in it
[42:53] I will bring one third through the fire will refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested and then they will call on my name and I will answer them and I will say this is my people and each one of them will say the Lord is my God it's prophecy that through this end time coming which which according to all the signs we're approaching God will refine the nation of Israel and two thirds will be destroyed and one third will turn to God in faith and when the Messiah comes back they will embrace him Romans 11 says all Israel will be saved in that day and I in the context it's obviously written of that third that survives upon the Lord's return all remaining
[44:03] Israel will be saved and they will enter this kingdom age so this is a teaching on the new covenant that we distinguish that God has a program for the church which does not replace his program for Israel which is yet to come that we don't that we don't interchange or mix the two up because scripture is so clear about that and it's for his purposes for his promises in Sunday school again we talked about God being true and incapable of changing his mind when he promised something what he has said will happen and it will and so in closing as we consume this and allow it to stew turning to
[45:08] Hebrews 10 it's a reminder for us as the church again very familiar work verses verses 23 through 25 this is what we are to do as we watch God working bringing this all about and he says let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful hold fast to the hope that is in you because that hope is based not on me on you it's on our Lord Jesus Christ he is faithful we are to hold fast without wavering and there are times there are times when we struggle and we need to encourage one another hold fast
[46:14] God's program is advancing verse 24 and then following let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works we are to to be involved in each other's life to stir up stir up love and good works and then verse 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some but exhorting one another and then so much the more as you see the day approaching are we seeing the day approaching is it motivating us to stir up love and good works in order to do that we need to be together so may may the lord encourage you with these words and as we as we go through and we keep witnessing god's workings we cling to his promises that he has it all figured out let's pray father you alone are sovereign all powerful almighty you alone are able to keep that which you have promised and father it is to that that we cling to this morning as your people and as we go through turbulent times in life yet that hope is within and it's fixed on you by your strength father we move forward we praise you for your wonderful plan for all eternity may your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven amen