#2...9 Covenant Steps Of Friendship Series

THERE IS A COVENANT AGREEMENT... 9 COVENANT STEPS...

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

We give BIG MO of Alabama a special thanks for the fodder for this lesson.

This is part two of a two part series... This could be taught alone...

Message:

Ephes. 2:11 But don’t take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God’s ways

[12] had no idea of any of this, didn’t know the first thing about the way God works, hadn’t the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God’s covenants and promises in Israel, hadn’t a clue about what God was doing in the world at large.

[13] Now because of Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.

TEXT FOR PART TWO:

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

[15] Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

[16] This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

[17] And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

[18] Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

[19] Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

[20] By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

[21] And having an high priest over the house of God;

[22] Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

I. WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED IN PART ONE... THIS IS THE FOUNDATION

ON WHICH THIS LESSON IS FORMED...

A. The Covenant of Nature or the Covenant of Works...

B. The Covenant of Mizpah... or the Covenant of the Lord...

C. The Covenant of the Ten Commandments...

D. The Covenant of the RAINBOW...

E. The Covenant of Salt...

F. The Covenant of Marriage

G. THE COVENANT OF GRACE...

I. COVENANT... review from part 1...

A. COVENANT:

A binding contract, compact or agreement between two or more parties.

The first Old Testament Covenant was established between God and Adam.

Then with Abraham in Genesis 15.

B. The Old Testament word for contract or covenant is BERITH.

BERITH comes from a root word: "TO CUT."

This cutting is in reference to CUTTING THE SACRIFICIAL ANIMAL IN TWO PARTS.

Then after the CUTTING OR DIVIDING THE TWO PARTS THE TWO PARTIES WOULD

PASS BETWEEN THE TWO PARTS... THUS ESTABLISHING A COVENANT...

C. The New Testament Greek word for COVENANT is DIATHEKE.

II. LET US ADDRESS THE COVENANT OF FRIENDS...

FOR THIS LESSON WE SHALL GO TO 1 SAMUEL AND STUDY TWO BRAVE

WARRIORS... DAVID AND JONATHAN...

A. David was the son of JESSIE, who was the son of OBED, who was the son of BOAZ AND RUTH THE MOABITESS... RUTH is known as a FRIEND...

B. SAUL WAS THE FIRST KING OF ISRAEL, HE FAILED THE LORD MISERABLY...

SAUL HAD A SPECIAL SON NAMED JONATHAN...

C. Jonathan and David became special friends... THEY CAME IN A COVENANT

AGREEMENT TOGETHER... This agreement will work even when Jonathan is dead.

1 Samuel 18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

D. These two friends confirmed their friendship several times in a

COVENANT AGREEMENT...

1 Samuel 23:18 And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

[19] Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

E. LET US STUDY THE NINE STEPS OF A FRIENDSHIP COVENANT IN THE BIBLE...

I. THE FIRST PART OF THE COVENANT AGREEMENT WAS THE EXCHANGE OF

COATS...

A. The parties coming into agreement would take off their coats and then exchange them. Each of the agreeing parties would put on the other man’s coat.

B. This coat exchange became a visible token of the coming COVENANT...

2. THE COVENANT PARTIES WOULD THEN EXCHANGE THEIR GIRDLE WHICH

WAS THE BELT ON WHICH THE INDIVIDUALS WEAPONS WERE HANGING...

A. This exchange of weapons demonstrated that the friend would be protected and served by the power of the other person.