Jesus was gathered together with his disciples to celebrate the Passover.
! And so they were remembering together what God did long ago in the days of the Israelites
! when they were slaves in Egypt and how he saved them.
Many of you are already familiar with the story of what happened that night as Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples.
We read that he took bread and he gave thanks and then he broke it and he passed it out to them.
As he did, he said, this is my body given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.
The bread symbolized what was about to happen to Jesus the next day.
His body would be broken, meaning that he would die.
And his death was for them, to give them life.
Which is what them eating the pieces symbolized.
Then we read that Jesus took a cup.
And again, he gave thanks to God.
And then he gave it to them.
And he asked them all to drink of it.
He said, this cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Which is poured out for you.
We talk a lot about the blood of Jesus.
And how it provides forgiveness for our sins.
How his death makes atonement for us.
There's declaration of that in many of the songs that we sing.
What can wash away my sins?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
We learn from the Old Testament that the punishment for sin is death.
But that God will accept the death of another on our behalf.
And so animal sacrifices were offered by God's command in ancient times.
To make atonement.
And we learn from the scriptures that those sacrifices really pointed ahead to the ultimate sacrifice.
Which Jesus became for us.
To make atonement for our sins.
But there's another word here that Jesus said.
Which maybe we don't talk as much about.
This cup is the new covenant.
What does that mean?
Covenant.
And new covenant.
And so this morning we're going to take some time to just reflect on those words.
That word.
Covenant.
We're going to look back a little bit into the Old Testament.
And be reminded of some of the covenants that God has made.
And then we're going to turn to the book of Hebrews.
For a deeper understanding of this new covenant.
The one that Jesus is talking about.
This night as he breaks bread with his disciples.
As we look back to ancient times in the Bible.
The language of covenant is used a lot.
The first time is when God makes a covenant with Noah.
And his sons.
Promising never again to destroy all life on earth.
With a flood.
We learn there that a covenant is a solemn promise.
Made to another.
Then after the days of Noah.
We read the story of Abraham.
And how God made a covenant with him.
And here too we see that a covenant is a solemn promise.
Made to another.
And with Abraham.
It's God making this promise to him.
Actually not just one promise.
But a whole set of promises.
To Abraham and his descendants.
Now the whole point of a covenant.
Is to add seriousness.
Or weight.
To the promises being made.
We could even call the promises vows.
By making a covenant with someone.
You are binding yourself to them.
You are obligating yourself.
To fulfill your vows and promises.
And so people back then.
Enacted a covenant.
With each other through a ceremony.
Or a ritual.
And it was a very graphic.
And serious ceremony.
They would basically cut some animals in half.
And then they would separate those halves.
And then they would walk.
Between the halves.
Both parties would walk between the halves.
As they made their promises and vows to each other.
And by doing this.
You were declaring something.
You were basically saying.
May God do to me.
What has been done to these animals.
If I fail to keep my promise.
Or my vow.
To you.
And so.
Basically.
They bound themselves to each other.
By a curse.
It was like calling God as a witness.
To the things that they were promising.
And then asking him to bring death.
Should they fail to keep their promises.
And so.
Already we start to see.
How blood.
Relates to covenant.
So.
A covenant was the most serious kind of promise.
You could make to another.
And it is truly amazing.
That in those days.
God.
Made this kind of a covenant.
With Abraham.
He himself.
Walked between the pieces.
Of the.
Of the animals.
Or passed between them.
I should say.
Um.
While promising.
To bless Abraham.
And to.
Give him a son.
And to make his.
Descendants increase.
And give him possession.
Of the land all around him.
Well fast forward.
From.
Abraham.
Over 400 years.
And we find the descendants.
Of Abraham.
The children of Israel.
At Mount Sinai.
God has.
Led them out of slavery.
In Egypt.
By great acts of power.
And.
They come to Mount Sinai.
In the desert.
And there at Mount Sinai.
God makes.
Another covenant.
With them.
In the days of Moses.
And we read all about.
This covenant.
In the Bible.
In Exodus.
And Leviticus.
And Numbers.
And Deuteronomy.
It's actually.
There's a lot to it.
Now this covenant.
Was between God.
And the whole nation.
Of Israel.
And it's a very different covenant.
Than the one made with Abraham.
The covenant made with Abraham.
Was an unconditional.
Covenant.
God made promises.
To Abraham.
That he would keep.
No matter what.
Abraham.
Didn't make any promises.
That day.
He didn't pass through.
The halves of the animals.
He was just a recipient.
Of the promises.
That God made to him.
But here.
In the days of Moses.
At Mount Sinai.
God made this second covenant.
With Israel.
And this one.
Was conditional.
God set out his.
Laws.
And his commands.
Concerning life.
For the nation.
The ten commandments.
Were part of.
That covenant.
But there were also.
Commands given about.
All kinds of things.
How the Israelites.
Were to worship God.
Ceremonial.
And sacrificial.
Laws.
Civil laws.
How they were to.
Treat one another.
And how justice.
Was to be.
Done in the land.
It was a whole package deal.
Whereby the nation of Israel.
Entered into this covenant.
Relationship.
With God.
Binding themselves.
To God.
In a solemn.
Agreement.
And that covenant.
Came with promises.
From God.
To bless them.
And to prosper them.
Beyond their wildest dreams.
If.
They.
Kept.
The requirements.
Of the covenant.
Covenant.
But it also came.
With promises.
From God.
To bring judgment.
And to punish them.
If they.
Broke the covenant.
And the people agreed.
They committed themselves.
To this.
Binding covenant.
Relationship.
With God.
Through.
Ceremony.
This is a big part.
Of what the.
Overall story.
Of the Bible.
Is about.
In the Old Testament.
Leading up to.
The coming of Jesus.
But let's now look.
To the letter of Hebrews.
We just heard.
From Jesus.
Own lips.
That the cup.
Represents a new covenant.
In his blood.
So there's a new covenant.
There's a new.
Agreement.
That Jesus is going to.
Bring about.
By his blood.
By his.
By his death.
And what is.
The new covenant.
Let's look at.
What the author of Hebrews.
Has to say.
We pick up his teaching.
In chapter 7.
Verse 22.
We read there.
These words.
Because of this oath.
Jesus.
Has become the guarantor.
Of a better covenant.
He says.
Jesus has become the guarantor.
Of a better covenant.
Now we're jumping right into the middle of Hebrews.
Up till now.
He's been talking about how Jesus is supreme.
And superior.
To everything.
And everyone.
He is the son of God.
He is the exact representation.
Of his being.
He is far greater than the angels.
He is greater than Moses.
And though he was the son of God.
And the exact representation.
Of God's being.
He was truly human.
He was one of us.
He had flesh.
And blood.
As we do.
He was tempted.
And suffered.
As we are.
And the author of Hebrews.
Wants us to know.
That part of why Jesus came down into our world.
And actually became one of us.
A human being.
Was so that he could represent us.
Before God.
So that he could become.
Our.
Great.
High priest.
And offer to God.
The ultimate sacrifice for us.
Here in chapter 7.
He's been talking about.
How Jesus is our high priest.
Forever.
How he was made our high priest.
Forever.
By God's oath.
And the implications of this are massive.
Because we now.
Have.
In Jesus.
A permanent.
High priest.
One who will.
Never die again.
One who is continually.
Representing us.
Before God.
Forever.
This new covenant.
That he establishes.
By his blood.
Is guaranteed.
It cannot fail.
And therefore.
It is not only a new covenant.
But it is a better covenant.
Than the one that God made long ago.
With Israel.
At Sinai.
The covenant at Sinai.
Required.
That the people.
Fulfill their obligations.
To God.
It required.
That a high priest.
Go into the most holy place.
In the temple.
And make atonement.
For the sins of the people.
Once a year.
It required.
All kinds of other sacrifices.
To be offered.
As well.
But eventually.
The high priest.
Would get old.
And he would die.
And he would.
Be replaced.
By another.
And as the story.
In the Old Testament.
Goes.
There were many.
High priests.
Some were good.
But some were bad.
They didn't do.
What was required.
By God.
Some of them.
Eventually.
The priests.
And the kings.
Came to neglect.
The worship of God.
Altogether.
At his temple.
They no longer.
Did what God commanded.
And then.
They went even further.
And replaced.
The worship of God.
At his temple.
With the worship.
Of other.
False gods.
The gods.
Of the nations.
Around them.
And so.
They broke.
The covenant.
What was needed.
Was a better.
High priest.
One who wouldn't.
Die.
And be replaced.
By sinful men.
And so.
God.
By an oath.
The author of Hebrews says.
Appointed his.
Son.
To be.
High priest.
Forever.
So that this new covenant.
Could not fail.
It would be guaranteed.
By Jesus.
Continual service.
As priest.
On our behalf.
Forever.
And so.
This is the first reason.
We see why this covenant.
Is a better covenant.
Now let's jump in.
And read a little bit.
We'll turn the page over.
To Hebrews 8.
We're going to start.
In verse 3.
And learn a little bit more.
About this.
New covenant.
Every high priest.
Is appointed.
To offer.
Both gifts.
And sacrifices.
And so.
It was necessary.
For this one.
Jesus.
Also.
To have something.
To offer.
If he were on earth.
He would not be a priest.
For there are already.
Priests.
Who offer the gifts.
Prescribed by the law.
They serve.
At a.
Sanctuary.
That is a copy.
And shadow.
Of what is in heaven.
This is why.
Moses was warned.
When he was about.
To build the tabernacle.
See to it.
That you make.
Everything.
According to the pattern.
Shown you.
On the mountain.
But in fact.
The ministry.
Jesus has received.
Is as superior.
To theirs.
As the covenant.
Of which he is mediator.
Is superior.
To the old one.
Since the new covenant.
Is established.
On better promises.
Jesus.
So here we come.
To the explanation.
Of it.
There's lots.
In there.
Reading from Hebrews.
Is kind of like.
Drinking from a.
Fire hose.
There's just so much.
In there.
We won't linger long.
On verses three.
And three to five.
There.
But basically.
He's contrasting.
Jesus.
As our great.
High priest.
With the Levitical priests.
He's saying.
Jesus.
Our great.
High priest.
Represents us.
In heaven.
Before God.
While the Levitical priests.
Did their work.
On earth.
At the earthly temple.
He's saying.
That Jesus priesthood.
And the work.
That he does.
On our behalf.
Is superior.
To the Levitical priesthood.
Because Jesus.
Has gone right.
Into heaven itself.
Right into the presence.
Of God.
To represent us.
And he says.
That it's superior.
Because.
The covenant.
Of which Jesus.
Is a mediator.
Is superior.
To the old one.
See that in verse six.
We already heard that.
A moment ago.
In chapter seven.
That this new covenant.
Of which Jesus.
Is guarantor.
Is better.
We hear it again here.
This covenant.
Is superior.
To the old one.
We kind of translate that.
Into everyday.
English speak.
The new arrangement.
For relationship.
With God.
That Jesus brings about.
Is far better.
Than the arrangement.
God had in the old.
Testament times.
With the people of Israel.
And what's better.
About this new arrangement.
The author of Hebrews.
Tells us.
That this new covenant.
Is established.
On better promises.
Than the old covenant.
So let's keep reading.
And see what.
Those promises are.
Verse seven.
For if there had been.
Nothing wrong.
With that first covenant.
No place.
Would have been sought.
For another.
But God.
Found fault.
With the people.
So there was a problem.
With the arrangement.
That God had.
With the children of Israel.
Long ago.
At Sinai.
And what was the problem?
The problem was not.
With the covenant itself.
But with the people.
Who entered into this covenant.
With God.
God.
Found fault.
With the people.
A covenant.
Is solemn promises.
Made to another.
But promises.
Can be broken.
God laid out.
The terms.
Of this covenant.
But those terms.
Were violated.
By the people.
They did not.
Keep the covenant.
They broke it.
Let's listen.
As the author of Hebrews.
Tells us a little bit more.
But God.
Found fault.
With the people.
And said.
The days are coming.
Declares the Lord.
When I will make.
A new covenant.
With the people of Israel.
And with the people of Judah.
It will not be.
Like the covenant.
I made.
With their ancestors.
When I took them.
By the hand.
To lead them out of Egypt.
Because they did not.
Remain faithful.
To my covenant.
And I turned away from them.
Declares the Lord.
The author of Hebrews.
Right here.
In this.
These verses.
Verses 8 and 9.
Is actually quoting.
Words that God spoke.
Over 600 years earlier.
Through the prophet.
Jeremiah.
In fact.
If we look back.
Into Jeremiah.
We can even see.
Right around.
Where this prophecy is given.
Good indications.
That.
These words.
May have been spoken.
At the very moment.
That Jerusalem.
Was under siege.
By the Babylonians.
Just before.
Jerusalem.
Was conquered.
And the people.
Deported.
And that's.
That's pretty significant.
Actually.
It's as though.
God was explaining.
Through Jeremiah.
Why he was allowing.
The Babylonians.
To defeat.
His people.
All those years ago.
He was allowing them.
To be defeated.
Because.
Those were the terms.
Of the covenant.
Made at Sinai.
They had rebelled.
Against God.
They were living.
Wickedly.
They had broken.
The covenant.
And according to the terms.
Set out in the covenant.
God said.
That if they did not keep it.
He would punish them.
He would.
Even bring this exact form.
Of punishment.
That they would be conquered.
Uprooted.
Taken out of.
The land.
That he had given them.
We can read about that.
In Deuteronomy 28.
So God found fault.
With the people.
They did not.
Remain.
Faithful.
To the covenant.
The old covenant.
Could very easily.
Be broken.
And that relationship.
Between God.
And his people.
Ruined.
Because of the sinful bent.
Of the people.
But.
Here's the amazing thing.
Even as God.
Was bringing.
That punishment.
Promised on them.
In Jeremiah's day.
For breaking the covenant.
He was also.
In that same moment.
Through Jeremiah.
Announcing his plan.
To make a new.
And different covenant.
With his people.
Over 600 years.
Before Jesus came.
God said.
This is the covenant.
I will establish.
With the people of Israel.
After that time.
I will put my laws.
In their minds.
And write them.
On their hearts.
I will be their God.
And they will be.
My people.
No longer.
Will they teach their neighbor.
Or say to one another.
Know the Lord.
Because they will all know me.
From the least of them.
To the greatest.
For I will forgive.
Their wickedness.
And will remember.
Their sins.
No more.
Here are those.
Better promises.
That he mentioned.
Up in verse 6.
This new covenant.
Is superior.
It's better than the old one.
Because it's established.
On better promises.
And here he lays out.
The promises for us.
Right out of the words.
Of Jeremiah.
The first promise.
I'm getting ahead of myself here.
There's 8.
10.
the first promise that he makes
we read in verse 10
he says I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts
the problem with the old covenant
is that it required the people to live obediently
and righteously
it required them to be holy
this was necessary
because to have a close relationship with a holy God
they themselves had to live holy
and of course God understood they couldn't do that perfectly
that's why there was sacrifices which could be offered
to make atonement
but even more God was showing them all along
that there was a greater problem
in us than we realized
he was showing that sin was not just bad things that we do
but a corruption
a restless evil
in our hearts and in our minds
the problem
was that God's righteous
and good laws were not
in the hearts
and the minds
of the people
they were only an outside standard to us
the problem was that we did not love
the good
and the righteous
we did not desire it
and so the promise God made
was that with this new covenant
he would put his law in their minds
and write it on their hearts
this is no less than a promise
to change their hearts
their loves
their desires
so that no longer do we
love evil
and hate what is good
but that we love what is good
and hate what is evil
and so that's the first promise
to write his laws on our hearts
to put them in our minds
the second promise is in verse 10
I will be their God
and they will be
my people
this promise is really not new
we can look all the way back
to the beginning
almost
and we can see
that this has been the desire of God
right from the start
to have a personal relationship
with us
with people
God said to the children of Israel
when they were slaves in Egypt
that he was going to
take them out of there
so that they would be his people
and he would be their God
and so that's been his desire
for a long time
but the stubbornness
and the sinfulness
of our hearts
is what's getting in the way of that
and so as God restates
that desire here
as a promise
it's as though God is saying
I will make this happen
once and for all
I will deal with the sinfulness
I will deal with the waywardness
that's keeping us apart
I will be your God
and you will be my people
the third promise is in verse 11
no longer will they teach their neighbor
or say to one another
know the Lord
because they will all know me
from the least of them
to the greatest
it appears that this is how it was
in the days of Jeremiah
there were a chosen few
in Israel
men like Jeremiah
who by God's grace
had a sincere faith in the Lord
and knew the Lord
there was few
there was this remnant
and we almost get this picture
from these words
that they would say
to their neighbors
or to one another
know the Lord
get to know
your God
because the majority
of the people around them
did not know
the Lord
they had forsaken
the God of their forefathers
they'd replaced
his worship
with the worship
of false gods
they had been ignoring
the prophets
that he sent
and so this is promise
number three
with this new covenant
coming
you will no longer say
know the Lord
get to know him
because all of my people
all those called by my name
will know me
from the least of them
to the greatest
there's coming a day
when according to the promise
of God
there will not be a mixture
of believers
and unbelievers
or of true worshipers
and pretenders
all that will be left
of the people
who bear the Lord's name
are those who truly
know him
those who truly
have a relationship
with him
men like
who have faith
like Abraham
did long ago
some of the other
Old Testament prophets
like Micah
and Isaiah
spoke of a day
when the nations
would stream
to the mountain
of the Lord's temple
all of them eager
to know
the Lord
and his ways
and I think
this promise
points to
the end
and what will be
at the very end
finally there's
the fourth promise
here
this is perhaps
the most precious
of all these promises
of the new covenant
they're all great
but
what about the wicked
things that we've done
what about the sins
we've all committed
what about the thing
that caused the old
covenant to fail
God found fault
with the people
there's going to be
a relationship
with God
where we know him
and he is our God
and we are his people
then the problem
of our guilt
has to be dealt with
there has to be
a solution
to our wickedness
and our sins
and over 600 years
before Jesus came
God said what he would do
he made a promise
I'm going to make
a new covenant
a new arrangement
and here's how
it's going to go
I will forgive
the wickedness
of my people
and I will forget
their sins
I will not remember
them
anymore
this is the big
difference
between the old covenant
and the new covenant
with the old covenant
came promises
to punish
for wickedness
and sin
with the new covenant
comes the better promise
to forgive
and forget
their sin
and their wickedness
and there's so much
to say here
I mean we could meditate
on this all day
we might wonder
why couldn't God
simply forgive the sins
under the old covenant
the short answer
is that God
is just
and he just can't
overlook
the wrong things
that we have done
he can't pretend
that it didn't happen
what about the sacrifices
in the old testament
days
that they had to make
did they accomplish
anything
well the author of Hebrews
gets into that
in chapters 9 and 10
and he explains more
how does it work
how is it that God
can forgive us
of the wicked things
that we have done
and decide to remember
them no more
and still be just
well that's
what he's about
to go on and tell us
in chapters 9 and 10
and we're going to
summarize some of this
Jesus
our great high priest
offered a sacrifice
to atone for our sins
he offered the only
thing to God
that God
could accept
as payment in full
for our sins
he offered his blood
instead of
ours
he offered his life
for ours
God can keep his promise
to forgive and forget
everything that we've
done wrong
because Jesus gave
his blood
his life
for ours
like the lambs
and the bulls
and the goats
offered under the old
covenant
Jesus was slaughtered
for us
to make atonement
to establish
this new covenant
and I'm just going to
read these precious
words from chapter 10
starting in verse 11
day after day
every priest
stands and performs
his religious duties
again and again
he offers the same
sacrifices
which can never
take away sins
but when this priest
had offered for all
time
one sacrifice
for sins
he sat down
at the right hand
of God
and since that time
he waits
for his enemies
to be made
his footstool
for by one
sacrifice
he has made
perfect
forever
those who are
being made
holy
the Holy Spirit
also testifies
to us about this
first he says
this is the covenant
I will make with them
after that time
says the Lord
I will put my laws
in their hearts
and I will write them
on their minds
then he adds
their sins
and lawless acts
I will remember
no more
and where these
have been forgiven
sacrifice for sin
is no longer
necessary
we don't have time
to unpack all of this
it's all worthy
of meditation
but he tells us
that with this new
covenant
with this new
arrangement
between us
and God
we have been
made perfect
by the one
sacrifice of Jesus
by what he did
for us
at the cross
we have been
made holy
through the
sacrifice
of the body
of Jesus Christ
once
for all
that's how
God
can just
forgive
and forget
our sins
and remember
them no more
this is the new
covenant
this is the new
arrangement
and it's for all
people
Jew
and Gentile
God changes
our very hearts
and minds
to love what is good
and what is right
he does what is
needed to
qualify us
for relationship
with him
he draws us
close
he reveals
himself
to each
of us
personally
so that we
all know
him
and he forgives
us of our sins
and chooses to
remember them
no more
unlike the old
covenant
this new
covenant
cannot be
broken
it cannot
fail
because it
doesn't depend
on our
faithfulness
but on
Jesus
and what
he has
done
on our
behalf
the old
covenant
was conditional
but the new
covenant
is unconditional
not that the
standards
have changed
but that God
sent his son
to our side
of the
arrangement
to represent
us
to do
what was
needed
from our
side
to secure
it
he is
interceding
for us
he has
made
atonement
for us
he has
offered a
sacrifice
that covers
all of
our sins
and all
that's
required
of us
we hear
in the
scriptures
is to
turn to
the
Lord
to repent
and to
believe
the good
news
and so
this is
what we
remember
this is
what we
celebrate
when we
partake
of the
Lord's
table
we
remember
that
Jesus
at the
cross
offered
himself
his
body
his
blood
as a
sacrifice
for us
to make
this
arrangement
this
relationship
with God
a reality
for us
he did
it to
give us
new
and changed
hearts
and minds
he did
it so
that we
would
know
him
truly
know
him
and have
relationship
with him
and so
we're going
to take
some moments
here to
give thanks
and to
remember
that
I'm going
to invite
the elders
to come
up and
pass out
the elements
and if
you're here
and you've
put your
trust in
Jesus
and are
following
him
then join
with us
eat and
drink
with us
and if
not
just please
let the
elements
pass
by you
we'll
wait till
everyone's
been served
and then
we'll eat
and drink
together