Thursday June 28, 2012

Invite a Christian friend to coffee and discuss with them the implications of the new covenant allowing the law to be written on our hearts.

 

Read Jeremiah 31:31-34;  Ezekiel 37:24-26

 

That the New Covenant made with God’s people through the death and resurrection of Jesus is a continuation of the older covenant is amply clear from the Words of the prophets. Jeremiah looked forward to a day when that new covenant would allow the words of the law (the Old covenant) to be written on people’s hearts. The covenant would not be external but rather, internal. Ezekiel looked forward to a covenant of peace in which the anger of God would be dealt with and God Himself, would dwell among the people forever. As such, it is clear that all the older covenants are fulfilled in and consummated in Christ Jesus. This new covenant is no new novelty but is a continuation and fulfilment of God’s plan from the very start of creation. The word ‘new’ as we use it can be misleading because it might imply that the new has replaced the old with no continuity. Never was such meaning intended within the “new” covenant.

 

The prophets beyond Jeremiah continued to look forward to the New Covenant. Even the return to Jerusalem from Exile could not fully match up to the expectations of the new covenant that were predicted. It was not until Jesus of Nazareth sat at His last meal and took the cup to speak these words, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20) that the new covenant was finally inaugurated. It would be fully realised in few days after Jesus had died on the cross and risen to eternal life.

 

What Abraham looked forward to and waited for patiently had finally been inaugurated through the death and resurrection of Messiah Jesus.

 

Prayer:

Pray for the children’s ministries in your church. Pray that God would deepen the faith of the children and provide great role models for them in their teachers and helpers. Pray that the

¥ teachers/helpers would be faithful to the Word, committed in preparation and loving in their delivery of the lessons.

¥ Pray that the youth ministry of your church would continue to grow and motivate the youth to strive for holiness. Pray that each and every single youth in your congregation would seek to be like Jesus rather than like the world. Pray for each youth by name.