John 17:4-5 and Eph 1:3-4
In his sermon, Pastor Paul Becker starts a new series about the covenants of God, which are important for understanding the Bible. He explains that covenants are key to God's relationship with people, with God making and keeping promises. The series will cover five covenants: the Adamic, Noahic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New Covenant. However, there’s one more covenant that is very important—the Covenant of Redemption.
The Covenant of Redemption is different from the others because it’s an agreement between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This agreement was made before time began, when nothing else existed. Even though you won’t find the term "Covenant of Redemption" in the Bible, you can see hints of it in verses like Ephesians 1:3-14. This passage shows how the three persons of God decided to save humanity from sin and death.
Here’s what it says about each person of the Trinity:
1. God the Father’s Plan (Eph 1:4-5): Paul writes that God chose us before the world was created to be holy and blameless. He planned to adopt us as His children through Jesus Christ. This means that God had a plan to save you from sin even before you were born. You might feel like you chose Jesus, but really, God the Father chose you first.
2. God the Son’s Willing Obedience (Eph 1:7) In Jesus, we find redemption through His sacrifice. This scripture shows that Jesus agreed to follow His Father's plan to save us from sin. Pastor Paul compares this to lifesaving stations along the coast in the late 1800s and early 1900s, where rescuers would row to save people in danger at sea. Like that, God the Father saw our need and sent Jesus as our rescuer from sin and death.
3. God the Holy Spirit’s Role (Eph 1:13-14): The Holy Spirit becomes our guarantee that we are part of God's family when we believe in the message of salvation. Just like a seal proves that a document is official, the Holy Spirit acts as a seal that promises our inheritance as God’s children. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would guide us into the truth. The Holy Spirit is crucial for changing our hearts and helping us follow Jesus.
In conclusion, the Covenant of Redemption shows how deep and wide God's love is for you. You don’t have to prove yourself to God by doing good things. You can't make yourself right with God on your own anyways! Instead, God has planned and worked to save you from sin and help you to live for Him. This covenant encourages you to:
Worship God with others who believe.
Live a life that is pleasing to Him.
Trust in God's grace, which is always there for you.
God loved you even before you existed, loves you now, and will always love you. This is a wonderful mystery that we might not fully understand, but we can trust and believe it. Live as if it's true!
It's a great day to live the Gospel!
God willing, we hope to see you on Sundays!
Comments