[0:00] Glad to be here. Upright. Mostly of sound mind. Thank you for your prayers.
[0:12] ! Lord likes to knock me down Take out your Bibles with me please and turn to the Gospel of Luke chapter 22.
[0:37] We're going to focus on one verse today. Cool, huh? I love doing that. I love focusing on one verse. If we did that more in Luke we'd be in Luke.
[0:52] I may not finish in my lifetime. We have been trying to track through Luke get what's essential out of Luke so that we can go to other places that will benefit the congregation.
[1:07] We come to verse 20 in Luke 22 talking about the covenant and there's so much there. We could actually spend weeks on that but I want to give that focus to that.
[1:24] I was struck as we were singing one of the things I love about gathering with the church is when we sing together to sing to testify by song right?
[1:41] To confess truth as we sing and there's nothing like that doing that here together. I mean online's not the same we always join when we're out of town we always join but there's nothing like being here and singing and I think there's a there's a truly a spiritual element to being present in the congregation and to sing things like Jesus knows all about our struggles when we've been struggling to just sing that out to confess that to remind ourselves a lot of things we sing are they're reminding us we're confessing it we're professing it right and so it's it encourages us and to sing not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy Lord's thy lost demands could my zeal no respite no could my tears forever flow all for sin could not attend thou must save and thou alone what great reminders what great reminders it's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone the glory of God based on the scriptures lines so let's let's go to Matthew
[3:09] Matthew no let's go to Luke we said Luke right sorry I'm still on antibiotics I'm a little fuzzy so forgive me if I change words around and stuff I did that this morning already what did you say so hopefully the Holy Spirit will interpret for me as I groan out this message Luke 22 we're gonna look at as I said verse 20 but I'd like to pick it up at verse 14 if you're able please stand and read from the word of God Jesus at his last supper right he's in the upper room with his with his disciples they're having Passover together and so Luke 22 verse 14 when the hour came he reclined at table and the apostles with him and he said to them I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer for I tell you
[4:14] I will not eat it I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God and he took a cup and when he had given thanks he said take this and divide it among yourselves for I tell you that I that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes and he took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and he gave it to them saying this is my body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me and likewise the cup after they had eaten saying this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood so reads the word let us ask the Lord for instruction
[5:15] Father send your spirit upon us as we attempt to dig in a little bit to Jesus' words here there's so much that he gives us by this picture of the cup and the blood and the covenant so much is happening with that and the apostles will dig that out will unpack that in Paul and the Hebrew writers so but in this moment in these moments Lord in our limited time grant us to understand what we can and show us a little bit more peel back a little bit more about the glory of what Jesus is revealing to us so that when we come each month to communion when we come and we take the bread and the cup there might be another element Lord that you show us today that makes us bless you more for what
[6:19] Jesus is doing with this why he's so eager to eat this meal with them and tell them his plan here so this we ask Father show us open our eyes we pray in Christ's name amen please be seated so some of us are getting older have you made wills yet last will and testament or what's the other form a living trust different things my parents made a will a living trust before they died and they wanted to provide for the four kids my two older brothers and my younger sisters so all their savings and investments they were thinking ahead and my dad even talked to me about his plans and what he was hoping to accomplish he hoped to ensure for us through this will a better advantage for us that the labor that he went through would bless us a little bit well dad died in 2003 and mom lived another 15 years and most of those savings went to mom to take care of mom which we were fully yeah absolutely put mom in the best facility and all that so most of dad's plans were enough to be realized but even as mom died just a few years ago there was still some left and we kind of at that point we weren't expecting anything so what came was a blessing what came was it provided a little security for us a little advantage and we were blessed because our parents planned ahead they weren't just thinking of themselves they were thinking of their kids you know how they could bless them so here in
[8:45] Luke 22 Jesus is revealing to us his last will and testament the father planned ahead for us too he made a will which Jesus revealed the new covenant the new will the new testament right so this is a testament this is what the father planned to give us what did he leave for us what is our inheritance so that's a little bit what we want to unpack today by that word covenant that word testament so last time we looked at verse 19 the bread was his body bread pictures his body Jesus said this bread is my body which is given for you in your place the focus on the bread is that the bread is not that the bread is broken and given like his body his body wasn't broken but his body was given for us it was given in our place so the focus is substitution he's our substitute he took our place he took our sins he bore our sins in his body on the cross so that's the body part and now in verse 20 he brings up the cup the cup is a picture of his blood but then he adds this covenant aspect to it it's a picture of his blood that's poured out for us blood that's poured out is a picture of death so the death of
[10:16] Christ he's saying his blood establishes a new covenant it inaugurates a new will right so my parents their will became effective at their death right not while they're living but while they died so when they died the will comes into effect so Jesus is saying in his death that affects it brings in the will we get we receive from his death so that's the picture so I wanted to spend time just on this one verse because there's so much there there's great significance there's deep meaning there's uplifting words in verse 20 and so I want us to dig in a little bit his blood that establishes the new covenant I want to make two distinctions here first I want to focus on the newness of it what is new about this covenant what makes it new what distinguishes it and then second distinction
[11:21] I want to talk about its promise what does it promise us because it promises an inheritance what we receive so we'll look at that way so the first distinction is about its newness I would write it I would state it this way the new covenant or new testament promises an empowering and transforming experience that the old could never give us the new covenant the new testament promises an empowering and transforming experience that the old did not the old promised death the new promises life so three contrasts I want to look at here and really I'm drawing from Hebrews chapter 8 which I will read in a few minutes but three contrasts between the old covenant and the new covenant when I say old covenant by the way
[12:30] I mean the covenant that God established with the nation Israel in Exodus 19 20 remember when they pass over and then they got out of Egypt they come to Mount Sinaig they come to the mountain they meet God God gives them the covenant right so those ten words on those two tablets are the covenant those are the words of the covenant those are the terms of the relationship okay so that was the old what they're saying is the old covenant the old covenant essentially said you can read it in Exodus 19 that God said if you obey all my words and my commands I will bless you I will profit you I will I will protect you I will secure you health wealth and blessing all over the place if you obey completely if you do not obey my words and my covenant I will curse no protection no security no fruitfulness your enemies will conquer okay that's that covenant that's the old covenant so the new covenant is a better covenant so three contrasts of this the new is a better covenant it has better promises and it has a better purpose and it's a better covenant because it's new the old was conditioned on human obedience right so if you obey those ten words what were the ten commands right so it starts with the three about God right no other gods shall know the gods and then know what you shouldn't make no graven images right third about my name don't take my name in vain so those first three are all about God and the first ones where Israel blew it all the way through the old testament no other gods which led to graven images which led to superficiality in the religion taking God's name in vain the fourth one also related to
[14:48] God about Sabbath right keep my Sabbath and then the other half of the second tablet are the ones related to our brothers and sisters right so don't kill them don't commit adultery don't lie don't steal right don't covet honor your father and mother okay those are the commands that's it keep those and you're good anybody here by the way been able to do that have you murdered anybody okay got on that one stolen given false witness honor your father and mother okay when I was 15 nope nope nope didn't do that 16 17 18 still didn't do that right now if you keep all those right the Jews said they're keeping all of those you get to the company when it kind of cuts into you anyway but as I said Israel failed at the very first one that's where we fail too no other guys we have other guys we can make our business our career our success we can even make good things like our family our guys you know
[16:03] I mean we can it's not about a little statue that we bow down to it's it's something that we create it's it's something we we make our own guys we make our things in our lives our guys that's the thing we live for that's what we serve so anyway so the old covenant was tough under the under the law all everyone fell short and they failed the new covenant would be not written on stone but written on our hearts it would be internal it would be transformational it would be relationship we will know God second contrast the new covenant has better promises the old covenant promised if you obey me there will be physical blessings I'll give you land health security they will all be temporary and earthly that's all the old covenant promised was earthly blessings temporary blessings health wealth and you know if you want if you want to preach a health and wealth gospel you got to go to the old testament and you got to go under the law good luck it's not going to happen but the new promises so the old promises physical temporary earthly the new promises eternal blessings it promises forgiveness peace with
[17:28] God heavenly inheritance on and on hope living hope right right joy even amongst the trials as we taught what a wonderful sharing time today talking about you know even in the hard stuff God God blesses God is good God is faithful we experience that that's we start to experience the kingdom a little bit Luke doesn't talk about Luke doesn't record Jesus talking about forgiveness here he says this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood in Matthew's record when Matthew recorded it in Matthew 26 about the last supper he said Jesus took a cup he gave it to them saying drink of it all of you for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins so so Matthew records Jesus talking about the purpose of the covenant would bring forgiveness which had there was nothing of that in the old testament in the old covenant there's no provision of forgiveness remember that
[18:35] David blew it all over he broke half of the ten remember he in psalm 51 says if there was a sacrifice I'd bring it again there's nothing there's no sacrifice for what I've done the sacrifices were for unintentional right I touched the dead body no I didn't intend to do that I go take I go give an offering for that and I'm cleansing no cleansing in the old testament for rebellion intentional sin I hope you see that that's why that's why David in psalm 51 asked for mercy mercy mercy okay and then a better purpose new is a better covenant has better promises it's a better purpose the old covenant is based on justice you get what you earn you get what you merit you get what you deserve and so Paul says what was the purpose of the law why did God give us a law like that that we could never keep what was the purpose in
[19:45] Romans 3 Paul says the purpose of the law was to reveal our sin if you're honest and you read the law and you're trying to keep the law you recognize you can't you fail you just don't have the ability to keep that law perfectly you have good intentions do okay for a while haven't murdered anybody lately and then remember Jesus raised the bar right you've heard it was said shall not murder but I say don't even hate don't even give them the bird you say what did Jesus say flip them the bird well he talked about rock and I think that was probably what that was right don't commit adultery oh I'm safe I haven't committed adultery but have you looked at a woman to lust than you have so Jesus you know he just he makes it internal right he makes it but anyway the old is based on justice it reveals sin and the wages of sin is death so that's what we deserve the new why is the new so much better than the new is based on mercy it's not what we are not what we deserve our failures are forgiven and forgotten and we gain life let me read from Hebrews 8 what makes the new covenant so much better than the old
[21:13] I mean by a long shot here's what the Hebrew writer says he says but as it is Hebrews 8 6 but as it is Christ has obtained a ministry that is much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better since it is enacted on better promises so better covenant better promises for if the first covenant had been faultless if the first covenant the old covenant was perfect there would have been no occasion to look for a second well what was wrong with the first covenant was there was there something wrong with God's law no God's law his commands are holy righteous and perfect nothing wrong with what God and it was absolutely right for God to demand perfection so what was wrong he goes on he says he finds fault with them when he says now he's going to quote
[22:15] Jeremiah 31 behold the days are coming declares the Lord when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt so remember going up to Sinai that's the old not like that why how did he find fault for they did not continue in my covenant the fault with the covenant was not in God's commands not in his requirements it was in man's ability they didn't do it the old testament is absolute proof of this they didn't keep it I mean even after the first right I mean Moses still up on the mountain they're already partying right that's our nature they did not continue in the covenant and so
[23:22] I showed no concern for them declares the Lord now he says for this is the covenant that I will make here's what the new covenant is with the house of Israel after those days declares the Lord I will put my laws where into their minds and write them on their hearts so it's going to be internal not actual I'm going to make it personal for them it's going to be internalized for them it'll be something they want to do won't be something they have to do it'll be something they want to do I'll put it in their minds and on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall not teach each one his neighbor and each one his brother saying know the Lord you should know the Lord hey you need to know the Lord how good does that do by the way saying you need to know the Lord there's nothing wrong to say that it's good but it doesn't change you why why won't they need to say that anymore why won't they need to teach to know the
[24:29] Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest they shall all know me in other words this new covenant promises a new relationship with God the laws will be internalized so in other words I will want to do them instead of I have to do them I will want to please him I will want to is that not your testimony as you came to Christ when God changed your heart before you hated if you're honest you hated God you hated his command but then he changed you and all of a sudden no I want to I'm not very good at it but I want to I want to I want to please him I want to and the reason for that is now I know him something changes not just knowing about him but now the new covenant promises a changed transformed being to know him
[25:32] I know him we call that the new birth right being born again of the spirit right the spirits born from above as Jesus talked in John 3 and why will that be why is it that we come to know him from the least to the greatest why for I will be merciful toward their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more see here's the radical difference of the new covenant the new testament is forgiveness the old covenant condemned the new covenant forgives I look at I'll be merciful toward their iniquities that's the old testament word for the worst kind of sins that's the twisted right there is sin falling short there is transgression which is rebellion crossing the line and then there's iniquity that's where you know it's all perverted and twisted and
[26:34] I'll be merciful toward that to the worst that they've done wow and I will remember their sins no more I will choose to remember them no more I will remove them and speaking of a new covenant he makes the first one obsolete and what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away so God is replacing the old with the new why is the new better because it has better promises and because it promises something that is internal empowering transforming now we can ask questions well how does the covenant do all that well you got to add other patterns we got to connect some dots so you go to so this new covenant was talked about in Jeremiah 31 Ezekiel 36 talks about how this will happen he says I will I will bring I will put a new spirit in you
[27:34] I'll take out the rock out of your heart the hardness of your heart and I'll make you a soft heart and I'll put my spirit in you and cause you to walk in my ways that's how that's the power of it okay Jeremiah doesn't mention that Ezekiel mentions that right those later days that's the spirits coming and Jesus is talking about this to his disciples on the last night right he's about to be betrayed he's about to be arrested he's about to go through trials and then he will be killed the next day so he's on his final day here and his death will establish this new covenant it will bring it into effect when did the apostles receive power of the spirit about 10 days later at Pentecost right Pentecost when do the regular people we're not apostles when do regular people get the Holy Spirit you accept
[28:36] Christ when you believe when God reveals there's a very mystery thing there it's not like I can make that happen as I've shared with you I've 15 years trying to get God to give me a spirit and that one day he just did but yeah our belief goes with that yeah okay so we're talking about new birth but it's this covenant that Jesus establishes by his death that makes this possible that changes everything an internal change because he redeems us justifies us reconciles us we've been changed and the spirit gives us life so that's the first distinction the new covenant promises an empowering and transforming experience that's what I'm saying that's how I'm summarizing Hebrews 8 there there's an empowering and a transforming because now
[29:42] I know him and it's empowering because it's internal and it's internal by the work of the Holy Spirit so second distinction so now I want to look at so that's the newness but here there's a bunch else bunch else bunch of other things good language skills here this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood so I'm going to talk about the blood part of this how this changes and the basics of a covenant but here's how I would summarize the second distinction the new covenant secures a comprehensive and eternal cleansing the new covenant secures a comprehensive and eternal cleansing whereas the old covenant if you broke it you're condemned the new covenant cleanses cleanses washes comprehensively and eternally so there's some basics to a covenant there are several covenants in the bible right there are some basics and every covenant involves a mediator every covenant is initiated by a death whether it's a sacrificial animal or a person and every covenant guarantees some kind of promise right so what are the covenants of the bible
[31:16] God made a covenant with Noah God made a covenant with Abraham God made a covenant with the nation of Israel right so the covenant with Noah obviously Noah is the mediator right it's through Noah but it was to all mankind right that God would never flood the earth again what was the sign of that covenant the rainbow yeah that's our promise he's keeping his every time after a rain there's the rainbow God's still keeping his promise right so then the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 17 was that he would make Abraham who had no son he would bless him with a multiple not only multiple descendants but multiple nations out of this guy that his wife can't you know whatever and what was the sign of the covenant what did
[32:19] God ask Abraham to do to be part of this covenant circumcision okay and then when God made the covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai Moses was the mediator Moses the one going between God and the people so God promises right if you obey my covenant I'll bless you beyond measure bless beyond measure right Dan yes sir I'm glad we're under the new so what was the sign of that covenant every covenant has a sign right so we got a rainbow we got circumcision Sabbath Sabbath isn't that interesting the Sabbath so a whole covenant about works but the sign of the covenant is rest isn't that interesting fascinating and that's why God said if you break the
[33:21] Sabbath you are done you are done because it's the sign that's the promise because it was pointing beyond itself so now what becomes the sign of the new covenant so Jesus says this cup is the new covenant the cup I was going to bring my cup I found the holy grail by the way I was going to bring it I forgot to bring it you know so he's holding up this just simple little you ever see the what was the movie where they find the Raiders of the Raiders of was it the lost art he has made a poor choice whatever whatever anyway you know oh it's got to be this pretty old this one with jewels all over and oh he's made a poor choice and then they find the carpenter's cup just a little simple right little cup anyway so Jesus says that's the sign of the new cup and when we take the cup that's the deal right there that's the picture of the whole thing the cup that's holding the wine that is a representation of his blood that was poured out and we're taking part of that so my blood so Jesus so the new covenant has a mediator
[34:48] Jesus is that mediator it is done through him it is his blood right and it is Jesus who intercedes between God and us so Jesus deals directly with the Father on our behalf right so it is my blood for you this cup that's poured out for you our translation got it wrong there actually it should read this cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you it's the blood that's poured out not the cup the blood is blood that was poured out but this cup is the new covenant for you it's on our behalf in our place so his blood pays the price for us so just as his body as his body he bore our sins in his body on the cross so the blood now pays the price the blood is the ransom the blood is the price his precious blood that pays for our sins
[35:59] I kind of looked that up I wanted to see how much the blood how powerful was the blood of Christ I found several references seven which is interesting in Acts 20-28 the church of God has been bought with the blood of Christ Romans 3-24 we've been redeemed by the blood of Christ Ephesians 2-13 we've been brought near by the blood of Christ Colossians 1-20 we've been reconciled by the blood of Christ which brings peace with God by the blood of his cross Hebrews 13-12 we're sanctified by the blood of Christ 1 John 1-7 we're cleansed by the blood of Christ Revelation 1-5 we're set free by the blood of Christ my goodness so all they say we're saved by the blood of Christ but what is salvation?
[36:56] salvation is we're bought we belong to him we're redeemed we're brought near we're reconciled we're sanctified we're cleansed and set free by the blood of Christ that's how powerful the blood of Christ what can wash away all my sin?
[37:11] none the blood of Jesus does that sink into our mind?
[37:23] I think that's why it's monthly it's good for us to remember to ponder to think I don't know that we can truly conceive but we can peel back a little bit so a covenant is also initiated by a death my blood it's a new covenant in my blood or by my blood my blood which is poured out for you so he's referring blood that's poured out it could also be translated blood that is shed right?
[38:02] so it means a death it's not just a little bit of blood pouring out it's blood that's poured out to death blood given to death and so it's the death of Christ that inaugurates this will so the new covenant you could also say it's a new testament a new will the will the last will and testament of Jesus is inaugurated by the blood of Christ by his death so when he died on the cross a whole new era started a whole new era started all the old has been finally covered David's sins that he asked to have mercy on are finally covered so David the old testament they're praying forward right?
[38:53] they're praying forward to that sacrifice they're praying for mercy to that sacrifice so he believed just like Abraham before even the law Abraham believed that it was reckoned to him as righteousness right?
[39:06] he was saved by faith by grace today he didn't have all the details of that yet but he believed God he believed God God said you know you're gonna look at the stars see the stars that's your descendants he believed that and he's how old was he?
[39:33] 90? going on 100? his wife's beautiful Sarah in her 80s and 90? he believed how?
[39:47] how did he believe? so last will and testament so we have an old testament right?
[40:00] and we have a new testament we have an old covenant and we have a new covenant we have an old will of God good will of God keep my covenant and we have a new will that promises what the old never could God declared his will what he promised to his children and this will happened this will took effect when his son dies when his son died on the cross it took effect it came into being it became reality not just a promise but a reality for those who believe upon him and then it's a guarantee of a promise so notice the last words are well not the last words in the translation this cup that is poured out for you so again let me try to read that this cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you my blood which is poured out for you there's the promise in the blood my blood is poured out for you right which Matthew 26 had added right
[41:22] Jesus said it's for your forgiveness face your debt promise the new covenant has a promise to it so as we said the other covenants Noah's promise right the promise to Noah was no flooding again the sign was the bow right the promise to Abraham if you're circumcised the promise will be a multiplication of people and nations through you and the promise at Sinai was if you obey I'll bless you if you disobey I'll kill you the cup is the new covenant the cup is the picture of the new because that cup was what they drank the cup had the wine in it and he says that cup the picture of that cup is the new covenant in his blood by the way there's different interpretations by different denominations of what what is the bread is the body does the bread become the body of Christ literally see that's the catholic view the catholic view is that there's transubstantiation you know the trans the change of the substance so the bread literally becomes the body of Christ or even the blood the body the blood of Christ what you're muted
[42:47] I'm off sorry that's right I turned the pulpit on you're okay Bill okay how did that go on I don't know it's muted God didn't want that recorded seriously that's how I take when it doesn't work it's still muted by the way still muted I got it don't worry okay whatever I'll try to stay leashed where was that oh the catholic yeah so they take that literally the bread literally becomes the body so Luther and the Lutherans kind of step away from that not literally but that they believe in it's called consubstantiation I can write that down it's great spiritual stuff transubstantiation consubstantiation these are things I had to know to get ordained means substance with so that Christ comes with when the elements are taken he comes with oh I forgot
[43:54] I was supposed to stay comes with so the presence of Christ comes and blesses us when we take it Presbyterians Calvin and the Presbyterians take it more symbolically right they that we take it there's a there's a spiritual presence of Christ the Baptists you know how the Baptists are we don't want any of that spiritual stuff so Baptists Zwingli those guys they they take it as just representative it's a symbol only I'm kind of in between I'm kind of in between I think it's more than just a symbol I think there's a true blessing that comes when we come in a worthy manner I think there's true blessing Christ comes in presence a little Lutheran in me that's okay we're not denominational here I can move around I like Luther for the most part early days where are we okay back to notes so let's look at
[45:07] Hebrews 9 let's wrap this up here Hebrews 9 why is there need for a new covenant what was wrong with the old we kind of discussed that already but Hebrews 9 here the writer describes this he says by this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way to the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still staying as long as the temple is still there which is symbolic for the present age so the temple was the symbol according to this arrangement the use of the temple the gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper but deal only with food and drink and various washings regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation so the whole temple ministry was all temporary until the time of reformation which is why it was so significant in the last chapter we saw that Jesus said that temple is going to be destroyed and it has never been rebuilt time of reformation but when
[46:11] Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come then through the greater more perfect tent not made with hands that is not of this creation he entered the true holy of holies once for all into the holy places not by the means of the blood of goats and calves but by the means of his own blood thus securing an eternal redemption once for all securing an eternal redemption a buying a payment for your sins that is eternal not just one you have to do it again and again for if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer signify or sanctify for the purification of the flesh in other words they're effective in an external way how much more will the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offer himself without blemish to God purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God power of the blood purify our conscience to wipe away our guilt and shame wow therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance see this is a covenant that promises blessings and an inheritance which is eternal since a death has occurred that redeems them from what what has he bought us from what has he paid for death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant so all the ways that we have broke the old covenant all the ways that we have broken the ten commandments and all the ways as
[48:07] Jesus raised the bar on those ten commandments to be internal issues as well all the transgressions committed under the first covenant for where a will is involved the death of the one who made it must be established for a will takes effect only at death since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive so Jesus' death brings into effect this covenant therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood and the first covenant there was blood the first covenant the lamb the bull all the sacrifices that were done Exodus 19 leading to the covenant so the new covenant what's so great about the new covenant the new covenant secures a comprehensive and eternal cleansing a purifying of our conscience not just something external not just covering up our sin but removing our sin and cleansing and purifying our conscience and the guilt and the shame of our failure and our fallings and the Hebrew writer says it's for those who are called it's for those who are called have you been called has he called you has he called you has he called you is he drawing you answer him for those who are called do you see what price death has done have you received the promises has it changed you has it given you more confidence do you wallow in guilt and shame come back to this cup this cup removes all that recall again what his death has already done he doesn't need to die again for you he's already covered it all another song
[50:25] Calvary covers it all so we're not just forgiven the the cup is not just that we're forgiven but it's it's a cup of the new covenant which means we've been transformed which means we've been empowered which means we experience God for real we know him I know him do you know him not just about him do you know him do you walk with him do you talk with him do you listen to him do you wait upon him you cry out to him in your pain you seek him when you're lost walk with him walk with him in the garden walk with him and talk with him I have an experience with God like that personal experience
[51:29] I'm not talking about something weird I'm talking about something real we're not just forgiven we're transformed we have something new we've been empowered we've been filled with the spirit and we walk with him by trust and our trust is grounded in Christ alone and when we talk about solus Christus when we talk about in Christ alone we're talking about this cross that covered everything his body which takes away our sin he bore!
[52:01] our sin in the cross and then he shed his blood he poured out his blood to pay for all of that to wipe them clean and then by the spirit all his goodness all of his perfection all of his without blemish gets transferred to us we transfer all our bad to him right Luther called this the great exchange we give him all our bad we give him all our sins and transgressions and iniquities and he gives us what?
[52:33] Righteousness that's why we're called saints we're not called saints because we're perfect we're called saints because we've been given that idea because of what he did nothing nothing in my hand I bring to the cross I cling to the cross I cling and he must atone him all so are you missing this?
[53:07] Are you missing this today? If you're missing this today if you don't know him if you don't walk with him if you don't cry out to him if that relationship and that internalized walking with him is not part of something you're experiencing I would cry out to you today I would appeal to you today to turn to Jesus turn to him cry out to him ask him this is the altar call by the way the altar is up there your real help is up there your savior's up there your shepherd's up there turn to him ask him to change you ask him to redeem you ask him to make this real ask him to take away your sins and to make you part of this whole covenant thing so that when he says for you you're part of that ask him to make you part of that christian how are you doing today christian you feeling good you feel inadequate feel inadequate well renew your faith here's the heart of everything renew your faith turn to him trust in his word rely on the holy spirit if you haven't renewed your faith for a while renew your faith now don't wait renew today if he's calling you right now open that door open that door isn't it wonderful how he seeks us we seek him because he first saw us seek to us not my best day let's pray father we thank you for all that
[55:17] Jesus is speaking of here because it goes it goes deep and it goes wide when he says this cup is the new covenant in my blood which has been poured out or which is being poured out for you on your behalf help us to ponder those words to reflect on those words to pray through those words that we might better grasp them that we might better believe them that we might become more convinced of them so that when the devil flings his arrows at us to make us feel shame and guilt because we have fallen and we do fall help us to cling to these words that the promise is not in my works or my clean hands the promise is in Christ's work alone we thank you for the blood we thank you that our savior willingly laid down his life that for the joy set before him he endured the cross and all humiliation we thank you that he would do that for us make that more real for us
[56:33] Lord we pray that it might encourage us to walk through the trials through the hardships through the confusing times to trust what you have said this we ask in Christ's name amen