Till Death Do Us Part

The Covenant Community, Mark 14:24-25, I Peter 2:9-10

 

1. Covenant Defined: A binding agreement between two parties.

 

1. Divine Covenant Defined: God’s gracious, relational commitment to bless individuals and communities who have faith in Him and are faithful to Him.

 

1. Examples from the Old Covenant (The Old Testament):

• Noah, Genesis 6 and 9 – Salvation from the flood, rainbow to never destroy the earth again through a flood

• Abraham, Genesis 15 and 17 – Promised son, nation, land, blessing demonstrated in the rite of cutting animals in half and memorialized in the rite of circumcision

• Moses, Exodus 6, 12, 24, 31 and 34, Deuteronomy 7 – Covenant with Abraham remembered, proven in the Passover, affirmed publicly by Israel, memorialized in the sprinkling of blood, established through the giving of the Law, memorialized in the Ark of the Covenant, given with promises of blessing and warnings of cursing

• Joshua, Joshua 23-24 – Covenant affirmed publicly by the nation and memorialized in the standing stone with promises of blessing and warnings of cursing

• David, II Samuel 7 and Psalm 89 – Promised future descendent as the eternal King with an everlasting kingdom

• Jeremiah, Jeremiah 31 – Prophecy of a new covenant established by God with His covenant people

 

1. Examples from the New Covenant (The New Testament):

• Jesus, Mark 14:24-25 – Established in the death of Christ and memorialized in the Lord’s Supper

• Hebrews 13:20 – An everlasting covenant established through the resurrection of Christ

• Simon Peter, I Peter 2:9-10 – A new people established in the church, with the p

  1. The church as covenant community:

  • The covenant between God and the church is established by God on the basis of each individual’s faith in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ whereby God forgives our sins and makes us His own people.

  • We are bound together for the purposes of proclaiming His excellencies to the world.

  • This covenant is memorialized in the fellowship of the saints, our common love, our common submission to the Scripture, our common worship, and in the sharing of the Lord’s Supper and baptism.

  • This covenant includes the promise of future blessings for each individual and the community of believers as a whole.

  Till Death Do Us Part

  The Covenant Community, Mark 14:24-25, I Peter 2:9-10

   

  Scripture Reading and Prayer, I Peter 2:9-10 (slides)

  1. Covenant Defined: A binding agreement between two parties.
  2. Divine Covenant Defined: God’s gracious, relational commitment to bless individuals and communities who have faith in Him and are faithful to Him.
  3. Examples from the Old Covenant (The Old Testament):

  • Noah, Genesis 6 and 9 – Salvation from the flood, rainbow to never destroy the earth again through a flood

  • Read Genesis 6:17-18 (Slide 2)

  • Abraham, Genesis 15 and 17 – Promised son, nation, land, blessing demonstrated in the rite of cutting animals in half and memorialized in the rite of circumcision

  • Read Genesis 15:17-18 (Slide 3)

  • Moses, Exodus 6, 12, 24, 31 and 34, Deuteronomy 7 – Covenant with Abraham remembered, proven in the Passover, affirmed publicly by Israel, memorialized in the sprinkling of blood, established through the giving of the Law, memorialized in the Ark of the Covenant, given with promises of blessing and warnings of cursing

  • Read Exodus 24:7-8 (Slide 4)

  • Joshua, Joshua 23-24 – Covenant affirmed publicly by the nation and memorialized in the standing stone with promises of blessing and warnings of cursing

  • David, II Samuel 7 and Psalm 89 – Promised future descendent as the eternal King with an everlasting kingdom

  • Read Psalm 89:3-4 (Slide 5)

  • Jeremiah, Jeremiah 31 – Prophecy of a new covenant established by God with His covenant people

  • Read Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Slide 6)

  1. Examples from the New Covenant (The New Testament):

  • Jesus, Mark 14:24-25 – Established in the death of Christ and memorialized in the Lord’s Supper

  • Read Mark 14:24-25 (Slide 7)

  • Hebrews 13:20 – An everlasting covenant established through the resurrection of Christ

  • Read Hebrews 13:20 (Slide 8)

  • Simon Peter, I Peter 2:9-10 – A new people established in the church, with the purpose of proclaiming His excellencies, on the basis of the mercy of God

  • Read I Peter 2:9 (Slide 9)

  • The four descriptors of the church and of believers: a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession

  • Why does God set His affections on us

  • “So that” we may proclaim His excellencies

  • What excellencies?

  • “Of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

  • Is this on the basis of our goodness? No

  • Read I Peter 2:10 (Slide 10)

  • God did this by His own choosing, by His own mercy

  1. The church as covenant community:

  • The covenant between God and the church is established by God on the basis of each individual’s faith in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ whereby God forgives our sins and makes us His own people.

  • We are bound together for the purposes of proclaiming His excellencies to the world.

  • This covenant is memorialized in the fellowship of the saints, our common love, our common submission to the Scripture, our common worship, and in the sharing of the Lord’s Supper and baptism.

  • This covenant includes the promise of future blessings for each individual and the community of believers as a whole.

  1. Closing

  • We are the people of God, in covenant relationship with Him through faith in His Son Jesus Christ for the purpose of proclaiming His excellencies – especially His mercy

  We do this as a people, as