Covenant Series Notes - 22 Nov, 6 & 13 Dec 2015

It is helpful to use these notes in conjunction with the podcasts for the applicable days:

​Hebrews 8:1-13

Covenant - 284 times Bible - agreement between two parties.

NB Bible is written by people in their time and context and understanding. That affects how we read it.

-Greek =dee-ath-ay'-kay - a set-agreement having complete terms determined by the initiating party, which also are fully affirmed by the one entering the agreement; a last will and testament
- Hebrew = Bereet- to cut: Bet,Resh,Tau - Tent/House; head; cross - the highest authority of this house is the cross
- Law of First Mention = Gen 6:18 - God made it & Noah had to accept it

3 Key Observations:
* Covenant is the basis of our relationship with God
* God has done it all, we just have to accept it
* The 'new' covenant isn't all that 'new'

Hebrews 8:6
But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

Better covenant, better promises...

First better promise: 'Child of God'
Not just a believer in God, follower/disciple of Jesus or a Christian - a son or a daughter of God, a brother or sister of Jesus, a prince or princess!

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
John 1:12-13 NIV

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:26-29 NIV

What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba , Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Galatians 4:1-7 NIV

'Adoption to sonship' - in Greek legal term regarding full legal standing of an adopted male in Roman culture.

No sonship, no inheritance!

Keys to Sonship:
1) Stop being Orphans
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:18 NIV
Heart of stone, heart of flesh. Ezek 11,36
*fear of intimacy
*fear of rejection
*lack of trust
*can't receive correction, Heb 12:7-8
*independent

Isaac vs Ishmael
Our parents are our example of what the Father is like.
Story of 'Loving Father' = Luke 15

2) Know the Father's love
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1 John 3:1 NIV

3) Give his love to others
1 Jn 4 The Message