Preparing Ourselves For God's Covenant Series

Preparing Ourselves for God’s Covenant

Covenants purpose

Covenants acceptance or rejection

Covenants of God require sanctification

DBF, 12/1/02

What a glorious week of giving thanksgiving to God we had last week. In giving thanksgiving I collected lots of photos from years past and went through them, scanning some and just going over the years that God was so good to me and my family even when I did not live my life in a manner that was pleasing to God.

You see for those years, I did go to a church, I did attend the Lord’s Supper, I did go through all of the Holy Sacraments through Marriage, and I even served in the church.

The one thing that was sorely missing in my life, as is in all the lives of people who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, is that I was not daily striving through meditating on God’s word, enjoying Christian fellowship with my brothers and sisters, being continually at “Hopeful” prayer for God’s will in the lives of people around me and my own, and seeking the things that God was opening up around me to become part of HIS great work.

There is a necessity for “sanctification” to accompany “true salvation”. This process is necessarily started upon the true acceptance of Jesus Christ into one’s life.

When I married Gloria, I had no idea of what it was to be married. I was still a person who was fiercely independent and wanted to make up my own mind to do what I wanted to do.

God called us to become a completion. This is something I did not come to realize until after my acceptance of Jesus Christ in 1988.

Just as the ring we use to signify the covenant of marriage is perfect and completely round, so should we strive to be in our walk with God through the blessed work of Jesus Christ.

I had to learn how to be a husband, a father, a friend, and a brother.

Why would it be any different in becoming a good follower of Christ?

It isn’t, we must learn how to be a Christian or more Christ-like on a continuing basis…this is the process called the “Sanctification Process’.

Let’s walk with the nation of Israel as they start to prepare to receive the “Mosaic Covenant” and seek the truths that God would call us too.

Covenants purpose

Exodus 19:1-6 (KJV)

In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. [2] For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. [3] And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; [4] Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. [5] Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: [6] And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai…Several people feel the significance of this date to be in line with one of three different views.

The third month—This was called Sivan, and corresponds to May.

The same day—The three opinions concerning the meaning of this place are:

1.The same day means the same day of the third month with that, meaning the 15th, on

which the Israelites had left Egypt.

2.The same day signifies here a day of the same number with the month to which it

is applied, meaning, the third day of the third month.

3.By the same day, the first day of the month is intended. The Jews celebrate the

feast of pentecost fifty days after the passover: from the departure out of Egypt to

the coming to Sinai were forty-five days; for they came out the fifteenth day of the

first month, from which day to the first of the third month forty-five days are

numbered. On the 2d day of this third month Moses went up into the mountain,

when three days were given to the people to purify themselves; this gives the

fourth day of the third month, or the forty-ninth from the departure out of Egypt.