Sermon Central
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Deal Or No Deal
Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 17, 2018 (message contributor)
Summary: Unlike the game show, Deal or No Deal, we can see in advance which of the two covenants is the better deal. In fact, God explicitly states that his New Covenant is the best deal. Do not take the deal from the Satanic Banker! Updated March 2018.
So, ... God looked forward in time.
A day when his new covenant would come to fruition. (Slow)
"I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts." (Jeremiah 31:33)
The Hebrew word for "law" is torah, and it means much more ... much more than the 10 Commandments ... the written "law."
Torah is ... "a teaching," and this teaching ... this new law ... is one that God would write in their minds and in their hearts ... on the inner soul of his people.
And this new law, ... this new covenant was latter revealed to be ... the Gospel.
And God states to those under the New Covenant that ... "I will be their God, and they will be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33-34)
This New Covenant ... was no longer only to the house of Israel ... these words are proclaimed in the New Testament ... as well.
Beloved ... The new covenant relationship with God is not based on what people do;
It is based on God ... (Point up) the One in whom they believe.
And Jesus Christ, ... the promised Messiah brought this new covenant relationship ...to fruition ... by his sacrifice:
"I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Jeremiah 31:34 and Hebrews 8:12)
Wickedness forgiven.
Sins no longer remembered.
Iniquity against God pardoned ... for the sake of his Son.
He will separate Our Sins as far as the East is from the West and He will cast them into the depths of the sea. (Psalm 103:12 and Micah 7:19)
Beloved this is the New Covenant ... a covenant of Grace.
No fine print ... on the bottom of the page.
A one-sided deal, ... a unilateral covenant ...signed, ...sealed, ... and secured ... in the holy, precious blood of Jesus.
And that signed covenant is brought to us through faith ... in Christ Jesus.
Deal, or No Deal? (Long Pause)
Perhaps the word "Deal" ... is too casual to describe this great gift of God.
Despite our efforts at overcoming sin and rebellion,
Despite our amateur claims to be self-sufficient without God,
God came forward ... with the divine rescue plan ... of his new covenant.
God not only came forward, ... but he came down to our world ... in the person of Jesus Christ.
He came with righteousness ... that covers our sinful hearts.
He came with the sacrifice ... that atones for not only our sin ... but the sin ... of the whole world. (Pause)
Jeremiah's promise of a New Covenant ...was Fulfilled ... by the Coming of the Messiah.
And at the Last Supper Jesus lifted the cup and said, "This is my blood of the new covenant which was shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:28)
(Slow) Beloved ... The birth, life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus is the Gospel.
In Christ, the prophetic promise of a New Covenant ... became a reality.
A New Covenant based on faith, ... not obedience to a law.
Through this New Covenant ... we are set free from the bondage of sin ... no longer slaves but children of God. (Long Pause)
In a way ... we all are left with two cases ... to choose from.
The Old Covenant ... and the New Covenant.
Just as the Banker tempts the contestant.
