The Christmas Covenant[2018]-5

The CHRISTMAS COVENANT-V—Jeremiah 31:31-34

Attention:

No Official Governmental Civility?—(A ‘supposedly’ true story which I haven't researched)

Mark DeMoss, concerned about the increasingly harsh tone of public discourse, launched the Civility Project in January 2009. The Republican businessman & political adviser enlisted Democratic lobbyist & former Clinton aide Lanny Davis to help him. Together the two friends wrote to all 100 United States Senators, all 435 members of the House of Representatives, & all 50 state governors, asking each to sign a pledge promising, "I will be civil in my public discourse & behavior. I will be respectful of others whether or not I agree with them. I will stand against incivility when I see it."

How many of the 585 recipients agreed?

Three members of Congress, & no governors.

Living by the New Covenant repairs a lack of civility(respect for others) even among political representatives!

God informed Jeremiah & Jeremiah the people, of the promise of a new covenant to supplant/fulfill/uphold/empower the ineffective covenant.

God’s people have the promise of an effective covenant.

What is the Christmas Covenant?

Why is the promise of a differing covenant encouraging to God’s people?

5 elements/encouragements concerning the covenant people of God.

*OR beyond the Christmas season--‘The Covenant People Of God Are Encouraged With’...

Heb. 10:12-23 reminds us of the reality & intent of the New Covenant which was initiated in Christ & is maintained in Him—“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, & in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins & their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new & living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, & having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience & our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

We had found earlier that ‘The Christmas Covenant is’ OR--‘The Covenant People Of God Are Encouraged With’...

1. A PROMISED Covenant(:31)

2. A NEW Covenant(:31)

3. A UNITING Covenant(:31)

4. An INVIOLABLE Covenant(:32)

5—The Covenant People Of God Are Encouraged With(The Christmas Covenant is)...

A COLLECTIVE Covenant(:33)

Explanation:(:33)/No question who belongs or does not

:33—“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, & write it on their hearts; & I will be their God, & they shall be My people.”

“I will put My law in their minds,...”

Technically, the word translated “minds”[NKJV] more properly signifies that in the New Covenant, God’s “law” will be located within a person rather than without. It will be centered ‘within’, ‘the midst’, or ‘inward’ parts[KJV].

The New Covenant brings internal permanency(security/certainty) to the ceremonial, civil, & moral law, along with an ability to discern, separate, categorize, & prioritize those laws. It’s permanency will not so importantly be written outwardly. Rather it’s most notable feature is that God & His word will be personally known(:34) grasped & attended to by & thru the spiritually & emotionally dedicated “inward parts”(“heart”)!

Eph. 4:17-24—“This I say, therefore, & testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him & have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, & be renewed in the spirit of your mind, & that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness & holiness.”

Jn. 14:12-21—““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; & greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, & He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you & will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer & the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, & you in Me, & I in you. He who has My commandments & keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, & I will love him & manifest Myself to him.””