Archive for November 23rd, 2008

November 23, 2008

Jesus Christ, The Mediator of the Covenant

1.     1.    Hebrews 12:24 calls Jesus the mediator (or arranger) of a new what?

2.    2.     In Matthew 26:27-28, what did Jesus say the cup is?

Jesus is called the Mediator of the Covenant.  That means he is the go-between, the middle-man through whom God makes His Covenant with us.  If we want to enter into God’s Covenant, we have to do it through Jesus.  His death and resurrection are central elements in the Covenant, because through them we can be certain that our sins are forgiven when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.  We can also be certain that the Holy Spirit is with us, to give us wisdom, power and guidance in following God’s will for our lives.

3.     3.    According to Genesis 15:18, what did God make with Abram?

The Bible describes this covenant.  It developed in two parts over the centuries.  The first part began thousands of years before Christ was born and is described in the part of the Bible that is called the Old Testament (testament means covenant).  The second part began with the life of Christ and is still in effect today.  It is described in the New Testament.  Both phases of God’s Covenant have a lot in common, but there are some differences.

4.     4.    In the second half of Isaiah 55:3, what does God say He will make with us?

The Covenant also involves being part of the Church, because the church is the Community of the Covenant.  God does not make His covenant with each of us independenlty in isolation from others.  He makes it with us together, and it has a lot to say about the way we behave toward one another.

5.     5.     Have you ever had a covenant with someone? What is the most important covenant you have made besides the one you’ve made with God?

6.     6.     Why do you think God wants to make a covenant with us, instead of just leaving us in uncertainty to wonder and guess what his purposes are?

7.     7.     Give some examples of covenants (contracts or agreements) that people, or groups of people, make with each other in the everyday world around us?

8.     8.     What are some of the things that we can be confident of, when we are in a covenant-relationship with God through Jesus Christ?

Life is full of uncertainty, no one knows what will happen.  With God, life is different.  He makes an agreement with people, and He keeps it.  He tells us what He wants us to do, and what will happen when we obey or disobey Him.  The Biblical word for such an agreement is covenant. 

The meaning of covenant is: a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement; a written agreement or promise usually sealed between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action.

The important thing about this is that it replaces uncertainty with certainty- not in all things, but in the most important things in our lives.

Next week Bible Verse: Romans 14:12 So then each of us will given an account of himself to God.

**What does this Bible verse mean to you? Be prepared to talk about it.