Covenant 4 – Celebrating the New Covenant

The aim of this devotional study is to consider and commemorate the New Covenant in Christ.

Scripture

Luke 22:14-20

14  And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.  15  And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.  16  For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

17  And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.  18  For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”  19  And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  20  And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

 Observation and Reflection

Note: This last Passover meal Jesus celebrated with his disciples the evening crucifixion.  The feast was instituted by God (Exodus 12) after God delivered the Hebrews from Egypt, when the Angel of Death killed the first-born of the Egyptians but “passed over” the Hebrews who smeared the blood of a lamb on their doorposts.

1. Reflect on Jesus emotions and comments before instituting the Lord’s Supper as symbol of the New Covenant. What do you understand in each of these phrases? (v15-16)
   1. “I have earnestly desired”
   2. “to eat … with you”
   3. “before I suffer”
   4. “…until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God” (see also v 18)
2. Jesus and his disciples ate a Passover Lamb with unleavened bread that evening and had wine (among other traditional food and herbs). Can you recall the symbolism in these?
3. What is the symbolic significance of Jesus instituting his New Covenant Sign (“the Lord’s Supper”) in the evening when the Passover meal was celebrated?
4. Reflect in Jesus’s institution of the Lord’s Supper. What does each of these symbolically refer to?  And what does it mean for you? (v19-20)
   1. “he took the bread and… he broke it”
   2. “he gave it to them”
   3. “This cup [what was in it?]”
   4. “Is poured out for you”
5. What do you understand in the phrase “the New Covenant in my blood”? (v20)
   1. What covenant does it replace?
   2. Why does it require blood? [You might want to revisited the previous blog sessions on Covenant to recall]
6. Why has this single meal become a symbolic element in Christian worship world-wide? [hint: consider verse 19]

Application and Prayer

Prepare communion elements for yourself, or if you can do this with your family or a close friend it would be better. [Unleavened bread/ wafers is ideal because of the symbolism: Jesus’ sinless body was broken].  As you partake of the Lord’s Table together, pray through each element:

1. Thank God that He gave Jesus’ body
2. Thank God the His Body was broken on our behalf, so that you can be healed
3. As you eat declare that He is Your Bread of Life
4. Thank God that Jesus Blood was poured of for the forgiveness of your sins, and that you are reconciled to God because of it.
5. As you drink declare that this blood is the fulfillment of covenant requirements on your behalf, and that you identify with the death and resurrection of Christ. The life is in the Blood!

Covenant 3 – The Old and The New

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect on Paul’s comparison between the Old and the New Covenant.

Observations

2 Corinthians 3:6-18

6  [God] has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7  Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8  will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9  For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.

10  Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.  11  For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.  12  Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,  13  not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.

14  But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.  15  Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.  16  But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.  17  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Observations and reflections

Context:  Paul contrasts the New Covenant in Christ to the Old Covenant through Moses.  It is helpful to consider announcements of the two covenants as in these two cases

Exodus 31:18  And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Jeremiah 31:33  But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel… I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God, they my people.

1. Read through 1 Corinthians 3 and make a comparative table

Old Covenant	New Covenant
Letter	?
Kills	?
Ministry of death	?
On stone	?
Temporal glory	?
Ministry of condemnation	?
No glory	?
Shame of fading glory	?

2. What does Paul mean with the phrases “ministry of condemnation” and “ministry of righteousness”?
3. Jeremiah’s prophesy promised “the law within them… [written] on their hearts”? [Jeremiah 31:33] How?
4. What was the basis of the Old Testament? (What was the conditions of the Old Covenant or Pledge?) How was it managed?
5. What is the basis of the New Testament (or the New Covenant) according to this Scripture? How is it managed?
6. What does Paul say about the glory between the Old and New covenants? What does that mean?
7. What is the sign of the New Covenant at work? (v17)

Personal reflection

In which ways can you identify the following in your relationship with God:

A. “condemnation”: a feeling of being in trouble when you are found to behave wrong.

vs “righteousness”: a sense of being tested and approved of, being found acceptable

B. “law on stones”: measuring yourself based on what you are taught in Mosaic Law

vs “law on heart”: testing your motives based on the conviction of the Spirit

C. “ministry of death”: fear of failing God’s standards and threat of hell

vs “ministry of life”: anticipation for Jesus’ return to receive the fullness of our salvation – life with God forever

D. “veiled by Moses”: all you know about God is what he expects through the knowledge of the Law

vs “freedom in the Spirit”: a relational knowledge of God’s heart and will through the Holy Spirit.

Application and prayer

Considering your answers above, pray to God for a revelation of the New Covenant in Christ, assuring God’s satisfaction and our forgiveness and righteousness based on His shed blood.

This worship song will greatly enhance your time of prayer and reflection. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvLxZEU02uI]

Discipleship 6 – life in the New Covenant

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect on Paul’s comparison between the Old and the New Covenant with it’s transforming power.

Observations

2 Corinthians 3:6-18

6  [God] has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7  Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8  will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9  For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.

10  Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.  11  For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.  12  Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,  13  not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.

14  But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.  15  Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.  16  But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.  17  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Observations and reflections

Context:  Paul contrasts the New Covenant in Christ to the Old Covenant through Moses.  It is helpful to consider announcements of the two covenants as in these two cases

Exodus 31:18  And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Jeremiah 31:33  But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel… I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God, they my people.

1. Read through 1 Corinthians 3 and make a comparative table

Old Covenant	New Covenant
Letter	?
Kills	?
Ministry of death	?
On stone	?
Temporal glory	?
Ministry of condemnation	?
No glory	?
Shame of fading glory	?

2. What does Paul mean with the phrases “ministry of condemnation” and “ministry of righteousness”?
3. What do you understand with the phrase “the law within them… [written] on their hearts”? [Jeremiah 31:33]
4. What does Paul say about the glory between the Old and New covenants? And what do you understand about that?
5. According to this Text, how is one transformed into the image of Jesus? What does that mean in practice?

Personal Reflection

1. In which way have your conscience been transformed since your conversion?
2. In which way have your character been transformed since your conversion?
3. What part of your character is in greatest need of transformation?

Meditation and prayer

Read the following portion of the Psalm a few times, “beholding the Lord”, then focus on the one part that most stirs your heart.  Mediate (pray, memoriss, repeat) that one portion, praising the Lord and asking him to transform your character to better resemble him.

Psalms 145:13-20

13  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.

14  The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.

15  The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.

16  You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17  The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.

18  The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

19  He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.

20  The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.