Participants: Geoff Youlden
Series Code: FGW
Program Code: FGW000009
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00:27 Well our subject tonight is entitled The Two Covenants.
00:32 A very, very important subject because like everything else 00:37 the devil has perverted this wonderful truth. 00:41 And we have noticed as we have gone through 00:44 and we are going to continue to notice as we study the Bible 00:46 for every truth the devil has a counterfeit 00:51 and he has a trap. 00:53 And tonight in our study we're going to have a look 00:56 very carefully at this subject because it's very important. 00:59 And you're going to see how many Christians, unfortunately 01:02 today, have got the wrong story. 01:05 All right, come over to the book of Ephesians. 01:07 At the back of the Bible the book of Ephesians 01:10 the second chapter and verse 11. 01:14 Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 11 01:17 where Paul writes here: 01:47 Now you couldn't imagine a more hopeless position than that. 01:50 A person who was estranged from the covenants 01:54 has no hope and without Christ. 01:58 That's the most hopeless of all situations. 02:02 You know I meet people who say: "I don't want anything 02:05 to do with the Jews, I'm a Gentile... " 02:07 Well actually the word Gentile simply means heathen. 02:12 And the covenants were made with the Jews... 02:16 whether it's the old covenant or the new covenant. 02:20 And if you don't want to have anything to do with the Jews, 02:24 then you are without hope because the covenants 02:27 were given to the Jews... 02:30 both old and the new. 02:34 And so as we study this it's a very, very important subject. 02:39 Well you say: "What are the covenants? " 02:41 Let me illustrate it like this: 02:43 let's say I'm in business, 02:46 and my business gets into a very bad way and I'm really 02:50 going down the tube. 02:52 And you come along to me and you tell me about 02:56 a wonderful property... that if I was to be able to buy this 02:59 property then that would set me right... 03:02 I'd be right in my business. 03:04 Trouble is I haven't got any money to buy it. 03:08 But you say to me: "Look, if you go bankrupt, 03:13 then what I'll do is I'll give you the property. " 03:18 Well now, that's not likely to happen in real life, is it? 03:21 Not too likely at all. 03:23 But that's exactly what Christ has done for us 03:26 because His grace is given to us when we are bankrupt. 03:33 And it's very likely that as we study this subject tonight 03:38 it's going to help us to understand the grace of Christ 03:41 in a much broader understanding and in a wonderful way. 03:45 But as we said, the devil has perverted this truth 03:49 like he's perverted every other truth. 03:51 Well, let's have a look at the subject of the two covenants. 03:54 Come back to the book of Exodus at the beginning of the Bible. 03:57 Genesis and then Exodus the 19th chapter. 04:00 Exodus chapter 19 and we'll notice verse 3. 04:09 Exodus chapter 19 and verse 3: 04:23 So you'll notice it's addressed to the children of Israel. 04:25 Verse 4: 05:11 So you'll notice that the people responded very positively 05:16 and very eagerly, isn't that right? 05:17 They said: "All that the Lord has said we will do 05:22 and we are going to be obedient. " 05:26 You see, a covenant is simply an agreement... 05:31 an agreement between two people. 05:33 We enter into covenants ourselves. 05:36 You may enter into a covenant with a builder. 05:39 You pay him so much and he's going to build you a house 05:43 to those specifications. That's an agreement. 05:47 We have lots of agreements. Webster in his dictionary says: 05:50 "a covenant is an agreement entered into by two or more 05:54 parties. " So here we have two parties in this covenant. 05:59 We have God on the one hand and we have the people. 06:04 So that's the basis of a covenant. 06:08 And we have a covenant here in Australia between 06:11 the government and ourselves. 06:13 The government agrees to protect us and to care for us 06:16 and provide us with certain facilities - basic facilities - 06:20 and we agree to live in harmony with the laws of the land. 06:27 And that's how a covenant is entered into 06:30 in a day-by-day relationship. 06:32 Now this old covenant was not God's covenant. 06:38 Let me read that to you. 06:39 Come back to Deuteronomy chapter 4. 06:41 Now this may sound just a little bit complicated 06:44 for a moment, but it's not. 06:45 Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 13. 06:51 Deuteronomy 4 and verse 13. Now this is what it says: 07:05 Now I meet many Christians who think that the old covenant 07:09 was the Ten Commandments. 07:12 Now that's not what Deuteronomy is saying 07:15 nor does the Bible teach that anywhere. 07:17 The old covenant was not the Ten Commandments. 07:23 The covenant involves an agreement... 07:25 agreement between God and the people. 07:29 And the Ten Commandments were the basis 07:32 of that agreement between God and the people. 07:36 And the old covenant was an agreement that the people 07:40 entered into voluntarily. 07:42 God didn't make them agree to that. 07:45 They entered into that relationship in a positive 07:50 but in a free-will way. 07:53 In fact, if you have a look at verse 13 07:56 notice again what God says about the Ten Commandments. 07:59 It says: 08:09 Now the people had a choice as to whether they entered into 08:13 the old covenant, but there was no choice 08:18 as far as the Ten Commandments were concerned 08:20 because God commanded the Ten Commandments. 08:23 God has never made that a matter of whether the whims and fancies 08:28 of individuals wanted to obey the commandments 08:31 or to keep the commandments. 08:33 Never! God commanded the Ten Commandments. 08:36 There was no compromise on that. 08:38 But as far as the old covenant was concerned - 08:41 that is, the agreement to keep those Ten Commandments - 08:45 that was voluntary. 08:47 God never forced the people to enter into any relationship 08:53 with Him. That was purely voluntary. 08:55 So we must not confuse the covenant 09:00 with the Ten Commandments. 09:01 The Ten Commandments were the basis of the covenant. 09:04 Get the idea? 09:05 That was what God said. He said: "You obey My commandments 09:08 and then My part will be that I will bless you 09:12 and make you a wonderful people. " 09:15 That's the basis of the covenant. 09:19 And the people said: "Well, we go along with that Lord. 09:21 All that You've said we will do 09:23 and we are going to be obedient. " 09:26 And the trouble with the old covenant was the fact that 09:32 the old covenant... the people never asked God to help them 09:36 to keep it. " That was the tragedy with the old covenant. 09:41 You see, the people had just come out of Egypt. 09:43 They were self-willed. 09:45 They had learned to forget about God for the last 400 years. 09:49 And when God said: "Well look, I want you to keep 09:52 My commandments" they said "Lord, you just tell us 09:54 what You want us to do. We'll do it, no trouble at all. " 10:01 And that was the problem. 10:02 They never asked God to help them 10:04 because they didn't think they needed God's help. 10:06 They were quite sufficient in and of themselves. 10:11 Just come back to Exodus chapter 23 10:15 and we'll notice something else here that's very interesting. 10:17 Exodus chapter 23 and verse 20 10:20 about this old covenant. 10:22 Exodus 23 and we'll pick up verse 20 10:27 where God says: 10:58 So God clearly points out 11:02 that there was no forgiveness in the old covenant. 11:08 That's what we just read, isn't it? 11:10 God says: "You make sure you obey 11:13 because if you disobey He'll not pardon your transgressions. " 11:20 So God expected them to have perfect obedience. 11:24 That's always been the plan of God: 11:27 to obey God perfectly. 11:32 Because a perfect God could never be expected to have 11:36 any standard less than that. 11:38 And that was certainly the standard back here. 11:41 But there is no Savior in the old covenant. 11:44 There's no salvation in the old covenant 11:47 because the people never asked God for salvation. 11:50 They thought they were self- sufficient... they could do it 11:53 in their own strength. "You just tell us, Lord, 11:55 what You want us to do and we'll be very happy to do it. " 12:02 In fact, if you come to chapter 24 now 12:06 of Exodus and verse 3 12:10 it tells you why it's impossible for people to keep 12:13 the old covenant. Chapter 24 verse 3: 13:13 However, 13:15 that old covenant was broken very, very soon after. 13:19 Because you remember the story of the golden calf? 13:23 Hardly had Moses turned his back on the people 13:28 and they were down worshiping naked a golden calf. 13:34 Well you say: "Why did God give the old covenant 13:37 if He knew that it was impossible 13:40 for the people to keep it? " Well let me illustrate. 13:43 Here's mother walking along the road and she has a big parcel 13:47 in her hand. And she's walking along 13:49 and suddenly her little son of five years of age 13:54 says: "Mommy, I want to carry the parcel. " 14:00 Mother explains to him: "Sonny, it's too heavy for you. 14:04 You could never lift this. " 14:06 And he puts on a bit of a performance because 14:09 he wants to carry it. And mother explains again: 14:12 "No, Sonny, it's too heavy for you. " 14:15 But he's still not satisfied and more performance. 14:18 What's the best way for mother to demonstrate that he can't 14:21 carry it? "All right, " she said... 14:24 She gives it to him. 14:26 He can't even get it off the... the path. 14:30 And that's why God gave the old covenant to the people: 14:35 because they were so self-willed, 14:38 they were so determined that they could do everything 14:41 that the Lord wanted them to do, 14:43 that they never asked God for any help. 14:46 They never asked God... expected any forgiveness 14:49 because they didn't think they would fail anyway. 14:52 Just like that little boy. And until God could demonstrate 14:56 to them that they couldn't do it 14:59 then they recognized their need of God. 15:04 But at this particular stage - just coming out of Egypt - 15:07 they were so stiff necked and self-willed 15:10 that nothing - even God Himself - couldn't help them 15:14 to realize their inadequacies. 15:16 That's why in the old covenant it always starts off by 15:19 saying: "If, if, if, if... " 15:22 That's what God continues to say to the people 15:25 because He knew very well that they wouldn't be able to do it. 15:28 The same as mother knew that that little tot couldn't 15:31 carry that heavy parcel. 15:33 But he never learned until mother gave him the opportunity 15:37 to try. Then he became very convinced 15:40 that what she was saying was correct. 15:42 And that's the way the Lord worked with the children 15:45 of Israel. 15:46 Now you remember the background to the giving of the 15:49 old covenant. Just have a look at chapter 24 again and verse 7. 15:52 Chapter 24 and verse 7. 15:56 Unfortunately, the people never realized their complete 16:00 lack of spiritual understanding and their lack of 16:05 a relationship with God. 16:06 Notice chapter 24 and verse 7: 16:23 You see, that's why the old covenant was always linked 16:27 with the sacrificial system. 16:29 Because God was trying to teach those people 16:33 through the sacrificial system that their sufficiency 16:36 wasn't in themselves but it was in the Savior to come. 16:40 Get the thought? 16:41 And all through the Old Testament God was continually 16:45 teaching them through this enactment... day after day 16:49 after day that they needed a Savior. 16:52 They WERE NOT sufficient in and of themselves. 16:56 But it was very hard for God to let them see the poverty 17:00 of their relationship 17:03 and their lack of spiritual understanding. 17:07 And that was the reason for the giving of the old covenant. 17:11 But it doesn't mean because the people failed up 17:16 in their relationship to God 17:18 that that meant the Ten Command- ments were done away with. 17:22 There wasn't anything wrong with the Ten Commandments. 17:24 That wasn't the problem. 17:27 The problem was with the people. Get the thought? 17:30 And we must never ever forget that. 17:32 Nowhere does the Bible ever suggest that the problem 17:35 is with the Ten Commandments. 17:38 Let me illustrate. 17:40 Let's say that I decide to buy a house, and you sell me 17:43 your house. And I NEED a house. 17:48 And well the price is fairly steep 17:52 and the payments that we set out pretty high, but 17:56 I need the house. So I decide that I'm going to 17:59 put the hefty deposit down 18:02 and I have to make these weekly payments. 18:05 So I start off. 18:07 But it's not long unfortunately before I get hopelessly behind 18:12 with my payments. 18:17 And you come to me. 18:19 And so you decide because I'm so far now behind 18:23 with my payments, you decide that the way to fix this up 18:27 is to burn the house down. 18:30 Would that solve the problem? 18:32 Getting rid of the house. Is the house the problem? 18:34 No! Nothing wrong with the house. 18:37 That's not the problem. 18:39 The problem is my inability to repay it. 18:43 Isn't that right? 18:45 That's the problem. 18:47 So you come along and we work out and we say 18:51 "Well look, instead of paying $500 a week 18:55 in repayments we'll make it $250 a week. " 19:01 So we re-negotiate the repayments. 19:08 And friends, that's exactly what God has done 19:12 with the new covenant. 19:14 There is nothing wrong with the Ten Commandments. 19:17 That's not the problem. 19:18 The problem is with us and God had to re-negotiate. 19:24 In fact, let me read it to you. Come over to the book of Hebrews 19:27 in the New Testament... the back of the Bible. 19:30 Hebrews chapter 8 19:33 and we'll read how God re-negotiated 19:37 His relationship with the people. Hebrews chapter 8 19:41 and verse 7. 19:45 Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 7. 19:59 Now many people only read that verse 20:02 and they think: "There you are... the covenant 20:05 was at fault. " Let's just read the next verse. 20:08 Where does God say the problem was? Verse 8: 20:10 "Because finding fault with... " Whom? 20:14 "with them. " It was... That's where the problem was. 20:18 It was with the people! 20:20 To say burning the house down doesn't solve the problem. 20:26 We have to re-negotiate how I repay the money, 20:30 isn't that right? And we work out a system 20:33 whereby I can repay if the payments that I'm making 20:37 are beyond me. And that's exactly what happened here 20:41 because it says in verse 8: 21:04 Once again, see? The problem is with the people. 21:20 So you see the problem was not with the Ten Commandments. 21:24 The problem is not with the house. 21:27 The problem is with ME and how I am repaying the debt. 21:33 Now when it comes to the new covenant and the old covenant 21:37 the problem was with the people. 21:39 That had to be changed. 21:42 But you'll notice that in both covenants - whether 21:46 it's old or new - the basis is exactly the same. 21:50 That is: obedience to God's Ten Commandments. 21:53 That never changed. 21:55 But what DID change is the people's relationship 22:00 to obedience and to keeping those commandments. 22:04 God changed that. 22:05 Because remember... in the old covenant the people didn't sense 22:09 any need? They thought that they could do everything 22:11 that God wanted them to do. 22:12 "Lord, you just tell me what You want me to do 22:15 and I'll do it. " 22:17 That self-willed and that self-confident attitude 22:23 which is so prevalent with humanity even today. 22:27 We saw it in the apostle Peter. 22:29 He was confident that he would never deny God... Christ. 22:33 But his self-confidence tripped him up. 22:36 Now as we read on here in verse 8 22:40 of Hebrews chapter 8 again, 22:42 well... maybe we'll read down here in verse 10. 22:46 Just pick up Hebrews 8 and verse 10. It says: 23:11 Did you notice the pronoun that's mentioned there 3 times: 23:15 I. Who was going to do the work 23:19 in the new covenant? 23:20 God or the people? 23:23 God. God says: "I will write My laws in your heart. " 23:29 "I will put obedience in your heart. " Tell me this: 23:33 if God puts His laws in my heart 23:36 and God writes the spirit of obedience into my heart, 23:40 tell me... is it going to be very hard to be obedient? 23:44 Do you think it would be? 23:46 Do you? 23:48 No! Not if God puts that spirit of obedience in my heart. 23:53 Because as we've noticed so far 23:55 by nature we don't have that spirit, do we? 23:58 We have the spirit of rebellion. 24:00 But in the new covenant God wants to put His laws 24:05 in our hearts. Not just on tables of stone... 24:09 now He wants to write them in our hearts 24:11 so that I want to do what God wants me to do. 24:14 That's why as far as being a Christian is concerned 24:17 it's such an exciting experience. 24:20 Because God doesn't expect me to do all that He asks me to do 24:24 in my strength. That's the trouble with the old covenant. 24:28 And that's why the story has been recorded in such detail: 24:31 to show that no man, no woman, 24:33 ever, ever, ever could be saved 24:36 in the attitude of the old covenant. 24:38 Because nobody can keep the commandments, 24:40 nobody can do anything that God wants them to do, 24:43 without having Christ write His laws in our hearts. 24:50 And in the old covenant, the people never sensed that. 24:54 They never felt that there was any need of Christ. 24:58 We can do it. 25:01 And that attitude unfortunately is still the attitude 25:05 today of many people. 25:08 "Look, I don't need to go to church. 25:09 Don't talk to me about these things. I live a good life. 25:12 I pay 20 cents or 100 cents on the dollar. 25:15 I am as good as anyone else. " 25:18 That's exactly the same attitude. 25:24 And it's interesting as we look at Hebrews chapter 8 25:27 if you remember as we read those verses, 25:29 who did God make the new covenant with? 25:32 Was it with the Gentiles or was it with Israel? 25:35 It was with Israel! 25:38 Yes, the house of Judah. Says that very clearly 25:42 there in Hebrews chapter 8. 25:45 So you see, unless we understand the relationship 25:50 that God has with Israel, we've got to become 25:52 true Israelites. 25:55 And they're the only people that God has ever dealt with 25:58 whether it's the Old or New Testament. 26:02 Because a person who accepts Jesus becomes 26:05 the true Israel in the New Testament. 26:10 God wants to write His laws in our hearts. 26:14 And as I said, I meet many Christians who want to have 26:16 nothing to do with anything Jewish. 26:18 Well friends, you are outside the covenants 26:20 if that's the case. 26:21 You're without Christ, without hope. 26:23 You couldn't imagine a more hopeless situation. 26:27 Look, just come back to Jeremiah the 31st chapter 26:30 in the Old Testament. 26:31 Jeremiah 31, and we'll notice that actually Hebrews 26:35 Paul is quoting from Jeremiah. 26:38 Jeremiah 31 and verse 31. 26:42 Jeremiah 31 verse 31: 26:54 Notice? "With the house of Israel... " 27:29 Can you see where Paul is quoting from? 27:34 From Jeremiah. 27:37 In fact, the only way a person has ever been saved 27:42 whether it's Old Testament or New Testament 27:46 is under the new covenant. 27:48 Nobody has ever been saved under the old covenant. 27:54 Because the new covenant was taught in the Old Testament 27:58 as well as re-emphasized again in the New Testament. 28:04 We've just read it there in the book of Jeremiah. 28:07 You can see on the screen there 28:11 the chart which helps you to see 28:15 that the new covenant is really what the Bible calls 28:20 the everlasting covenant. 28:22 That covenant was made with Adam and Eve 28:25 back in the beginning. It was made with Noah 28:27 when God put the rainbow in the sky. 28:32 That is known as the everlasting covenant 28:35 or the new covenant 28:38 whereas the old covenant applied from Mt. Sinai 28:44 until Jesus died on the cross. 28:46 That still was in. 28:48 But nobody's ever been saved under the old covenant. 28:51 Now you say: "Well why's it called the old and the new? 28:54 Doesn't the new suggest that it supersedes the old? " 28:58 Well I must admit that sometimes people draw that conclusion. 29:03 But that is not the correct conclusion because 29:06 it is called the old covenant because that was ratified 29:11 first by blood. 29:14 Get the thought? 29:15 Because it was the blood of bulls and goats 29:18 which ratified or sealed the old covenant... 29:22 and that was done first. 29:24 Whereas the new or everlasting covenant wasn't sealed 29:27 until when? Jesus died on the cross. 29:31 That's why it's called the new covenant. 29:34 But we must understand that every person that's ever been 29:37 saved has always and only ever been saved 29:41 under the new, everlasting covenant. 29:43 In the Old Testament it pointed forward to Jesus. 29:46 In the New Testament it points back to Jesus. 29:52 But it's the basis of everyone's salvation. 29:56 The new and the old covenants were made to the same people. 30:01 It had the same object: 30:03 obedience to God's Ten Commandments. 30:05 And it rested on the promises of God 30:08 whereas the old covenant rested on the promises of the people. 30:13 The old covenant was ratified by the blood of animals. 30:18 The new covenant was ratified or sealed by the blood of Jesus. 30:24 And so you can see very clearly the distinction between 30:27 those two great covenants. 30:30 And I want to emphasize and thank God today 30:33 for the fact that we are saved because Jesus writes His law 30:38 in our hearts. 30:40 And all of those people that were saved in the Old Testament 30:43 who had a wonderful relationship with Jesus - 30:45 and thank God many of them did - 30:47 they were saved under the new covenant. 30:51 Nobody has ever been saved under the old covenant. 30:53 It's impossible! 30:55 You can't do it in your own strength 30:57 no matter how good you are. 31:00 The only way we can do it is when God writes His law 31:03 and His will in my heart. 31:07 And then it becomes a joy and a privilege 31:10 to do what God wants us to do. 31:14 Now people try and tell us 31:17 that Sunday is to be kept today. 31:22 But you know, Sunday is not in the new covenant. 31:28 Now that will come as a surprise perhaps to some viewers. 31:33 If Sunday keeping was in the new covenant, 31:37 it had to be in before Jesus died. 31:43 Let me illustrate. I'll show it to you from the Bible. 31:45 Come over the Matthew chapter 26. 31:47 And the Bible uses an illustration that we're all 31:50 very, very familiar with 31:52 because all of us know about wills. 31:55 Matthew 26 and verse 26. 31:58 And we'll read here what Jesus said to the disciples, 32:04 and they were representatives of the Christian church. 32:07 Matthew 26 and verse 26: 32:38 So here Jesus was instituting and about to seal 32:43 the new covenant. 32:45 Because the word covenant simply means testament or will 32:50 or covenant. 32:53 And that's why Jesus had to bring in the Lord's Supper... 32:57 the communion service had to be brought in before 33:02 He died. Because after a person dies 33:07 can you change a person's will? 33:10 Can you? 33:12 You try and see what happens. 33:14 Serious, isn't it? 33:16 You can never alter a will 33:18 after the person who wrote the will - the testator - 33:23 after that person dies. 33:27 Now listen. I want you to follow me very carefully 33:29 on these points because this a point which is so 33:33 wonderfully simple and clear. 33:38 If Sunday was going to be in the new covenant, 33:42 when did it have to be kept? 33:46 Before Jesus died or after Jesus died? 33:49 Before! 33:51 Because everything that was going to be part of 33:54 the new covenant had to be in 33:57 as part of His will and testament - 34:00 as part of the covenant - 34:01 before it was sealed. Because once the death 34:05 of the testator takes place you cannot alter a will. 34:09 That's why Jesus brought baptism in. 34:12 That's why He brought the Lord's Supper. 34:14 All the teachings that Jesus wanted us to follow in the 34:17 New Testament were all brought in before Jesus died. 34:26 Let me read you Hebrews chapter 9 34:29 because Paul now explains in more detail about this matter 34:33 of a will. Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 16 and 17. 34:40 Hebrews 9:16-17. 34:57 Is that true for us today? 35:02 In real life is that true? 35:06 Yes it is! Everybody understands that. 35:17 You could have the richest parents 35:21 and they may want to leave you a million dollars. 35:26 But that million dollars if it's written into their will 35:29 does not become yours until when? 35:32 Until they die. 35:35 We all understand that, and that's exactly what Hebrews 35:38 is saying. Before there is a will or a testament 35:41 or a covenant there has to be the death of the testator. 35:46 All right. Paul again explains this in more detail 35:50 back in Galatians. 35:51 Just come back to Galatians chapter 3 and verse 15. 35:55 Galatians 3 and verse 15 36:01 where Paul writes: 36:18 No one can add anything to a covenant, a will, or a testament 36:23 after the person has died. 36:27 Many people would like to be able to do that, wouldn't they? 36:31 Many wills that are disputed in the courts. 36:34 But once the person dies and that's been written 36:39 it cannot be changed. 36:42 In the Bible Paul is using this human illustration 36:45 that we can all understand. Now listen: 36:49 when did Sunday come in? 36:53 Well you know, the earliest that I have ever heard 36:57 a person want to suggest that Sunday came 37:01 was resurrection Sunday, isn't that right? 37:05 I don't think I've ever heard anybody suggest that 37:09 before Jesus died on the cross 37:11 Sunday was kept by anybody. 37:13 Is that true? Have you ever heard anyone? 37:16 I've never heard anybody. 37:18 I don't think there is anybody who would ever suggest 37:21 such a thing. The earliest that they say that Sunday 37:25 came in is resurrection Sunday. 37:30 Now listen: Jesus' will or testament 37:36 or His covenant was sealed when? 37:42 When He died on the cross. 37:47 After Jesus died on the cross can you add anything 37:51 or subtract anything from His will, testament, or covenant? 37:56 Absolutely not! 37:59 So can you see that Sunday is just three days too late? 38:06 It can never be part of the new covenant. 38:10 Because if Sunday was going to be part of the new covenant 38:13 it had to be in before Jesus died. 38:18 Like He brought in the communion service. Even before He died 38:21 He brought the communion service which illustrated 38:24 His death on the cross, isn't that right? 38:28 But that was brought in before: Thursday night, remember? 38:32 Before He died. 38:33 Baptism that symbolizes the death and the resurrection 38:37 of Jesus was brought in before Jesus died. 38:40 And if Sunday's going to be part of the new covenant 38:43 it also has to be brought in before Jesus died. 38:46 But it wasn't. And nobody 38:50 I've ever heard of would suggest that it was. 38:53 In other words, Sunday is just three days too late. 38:59 That's why Jesus made the statement 39:01 "Till heaven and earth pass away one jot or one tittle 39:09 will not pass from the law 39:12 while heaven is above and earth beneath. " 39:14 And remember when were discussing that jot and tittle 39:17 it's like the dotting of an i and the crossing of a t. 39:20 The smallest mark on the page will not be removed 39:25 while heaven is above and earth beneath. 39:30 Sabbath keeping was binding before Jesus died. 39:36 It was part of the new covenant. 39:39 It's part of the everlasting covenant, 39:42 and that's why the Sabbath is still binding for us today. 39:46 It's part of the new covenant. 39:48 Sunday can never be part of the new covenant. 39:50 Never has been and never will be. 39:55 Perhaps a simple illustration. 39:58 I'm lecturing here in this wonderful place 40:02 and a man comes to me after the meeting one day 40:05 and he says: "Geoff, look, 40:07 I understand that you do a bit of building. " 40:11 He said: "What about if you build a house for me? " 40:16 Wow. And He said: "Look, you build it and I'll pay you 40:18 for it. " Well I'm rather delighted about that because 40:23 I could get the money for my next campaign that I'm running, 40:26 you see? For advertising and so forth. 40:28 So I say: "Well that appeals to me. Tell me more. " 40:33 "Well, " he says, "you know I... these are the 40:37 specifications that I want. And the first specification 40:40 described the length of the house and the breadth of the 40:43 house. The height of the house; the cladding, the type of roof 40:47 and the guttering. And I noticed on the 5th or 6th specification 40:53 it says it was to be painted with cream paint 40:55 with chocolate facings. 40:56 It was to have a basement 4 metres by 4 metres underneath. 41:00 It was to have a shower and a bathroom and a fireplace. 41:03 And the specifications mentioned the type of bricks. 41:07 And... it was all there. 41:12 And so I... he says: "Look, I'll give you $250,000 for it 41:18 if you'll build that house for me. " 41:21 Well I look over it and I think "Oh well, there's a bit of 41:23 profit in that. " And so after the campaign, the meetings 41:27 finish I can't get started quickly enough. 41:31 So he takes me round to the block 41:34 and then he shows me the block it's to be built on. 41:37 Wow. As I said I'm so excited I can't get started 41:40 quickly enough. And I get one or two helpers to help me a bit 41:43 and we start off. 41:45 And we dig down, and it's suddenly as we are starting 41:50 to put the foundations in suddenly we run into rock. 41:55 Bother! Didn't plan on that. 41:58 And I realize that we'll have to get the jackhammer. 42:02 And the more we dig the bigger the rock is. 42:07 Huh... bother! 42:11 Well I think to myself: "Well that rock will make a pretty 42:12 good foundation for just a nice flat pad. " 42:17 So I forget about the basement that had to go underneath 42:21 and I just put the pad down and we start building. 42:25 Well it's not long before I've got to get the plumber 42:27 to come round. So I get the plumber to come round. 42:31 And he looks over the specifications and so forth. 42:35 He said: "Hey Goeff, there's a bit of a problem here. " 42:38 I say: "What's the problem? " 42:40 He said: "The specifications say that the pipes have to go 42:45 underneath the basement but there is no basement. " 42:49 "Oh, " I said... "bother the jolly basement. " 42:52 "Look, " I say to him, "plumber, you do what I tell you. 42:55 Just put the plumbing... put the shower in the living room. " 43:01 "Well, " he said, "that's not the place for the shower. " 43:05 "Well, " I said, "you can watch the television while you have 43:08 a shower. " It's a rather unique house. 43:12 Well he said: "All right, well you're paying me so I'll 43:17 do what you tell me to do. " And then I get the brickie along. 43:22 And the brickie looks over the specifications and the plans. 43:24 He said: "Geoff, there's a problem here. " 43:27 He said: "The specifications show that the chimney 43:32 is supposed to go in the living room 43:33 but there's a shower there. " 43:36 "Ah, " I said, "no problem... 43:37 put the chimney in the bathroom. " 43:43 I can see you'll be getting me to build your house. 43:45 Um, and so we go on and on and finally I then go down 43:50 and everything's looking fine and it's coming up together. 43:53 The house looks fine. 43:54 And then I've got to go down to the hardware store to get 43:58 the paint. And when I get down there 44:01 and I say: "Look, I need some cream paint. " 44:04 And the hardware man tells me: "Look, " he says, "unfortunately 44:07 cream paint has just skyrocketed through the roof 44:10 and we haven't got very much 44:12 and there's a real scarcity of it. " But he said: "Look, 44:16 I'll give you a special on yellow paint. 44:18 We've had this in the shop for years and we want to 44:21 get rid of it. We'll give it to you at half price. " 44:24 Well... that appeals to me - my Jewish nature. 44:27 Half price... OK! 44:29 So I get... I buy all this yellow paint. 44:32 And we get started and we paint the house. 44:34 And finally the thing is finished. 44:36 Chocolate facings and so forth; everything's fine. 44:39 And I go around to the owner and I say: "Now listen, 44:44 I'm finished. " "Oh, " he said, "you're finished 44:47 in good time. " "No problem with us, " I said. 44:50 "When you give me a job it's done. " 44:52 "Well, " he said... And I said: "I'm looking forward to 44:55 that check now. " 44:56 "Well, " he said, "let me come out and have a look at it. " 44:58 So he drives round in his car 45:02 and when he comes round the corner and he sees this yellow 45:05 paint... "Hey, " he said, "I asked for cream paint. " 45:09 I said: "Look... " I told him the story 45:12 of how we got this paint cheaply. 45:14 He said: "It looks like it's got yellow jaundice. " 45:18 Wow! That was only the beginning of his problems. 45:21 Then we went inside the house. 45:23 You can just imagine what he said when I tried to explain 45:26 that he could watch the tele- vision while he had a shower. 45:28 But that didn't appeal to him. And when he saw the chimney 45:30 in the bathroom that just about was the last straw. 45:35 And he said: "Geoff, I should have realized that you're a 45:38 hopeless builder. You're not a bad speaker but ahhh. 45:41 Dear oh dear. I should have realized. I should have never 45:43 have given you the job. 45:45 But look, I'll tell you what I'll do. " 45:46 He said: "Not only am I a farmer 45:48 but I'm also a master builder myself. " 45:53 And he said: "I'll tell you what I'm going to do: 45:55 we're going to knock this thing down 45:57 and we're going to start again. " 45:58 And he said: "I'm going to work with you. 46:01 And as you cut the timber I'll be there 46:05 to make sure it's cut correctly. 46:07 I'll be there to guide you when the brickie comes 46:10 and the plumber comes and all of these tradesmen come. 46:13 I'll be there to guide it through. " 46:15 And he said: "When the house is finished 46:18 I'll give you the check. " 46:20 Friends, that's exactly the way it is in the new covenant. 46:25 We try to do it all on our own 46:27 and we get a house like I was describing before... 46:30 hopeless. 46:32 Because none of us can do what God wants us to do 46:35 in our own way. We run into problems all the time. 46:37 But then Jesus - the great master builder - comes along 46:43 and He says: "Listen, I'll do it. 46:45 I'll work with you. 46:47 I'll supply the expertise. 46:49 I'll supply the tools. 46:51 I'll supply everything that you need 46:54 and I'll work with you and at the end 46:58 I'll give you the gift. " 47:02 You know, friend, if I had argued 47:05 like many people argue today to that man, 47:09 "Look, those specifications... they've been a problem 47:11 from the day one when I was building the house. " 47:14 Tell me: is there anything wrong with the specifications? 47:18 No. Nothing wrong with the specifications. 47:23 The problem was with the way I went about it. 47:27 The problem was with me. 47:29 And I have people argue... Just as, you know, I say to him 47:33 "Well paint is paint. What does it matter? 47:35 Yellow paint... cream paint. Paint is paint. 47:38 What does it matter? " 47:39 You know, like people argue: "What does it matter? 47:41 A day's a day. What does it matter which day you keep? " 47:44 Well I want to tell you, friend, as far as the builder is 47:47 concerned and the owner of that house 47:49 when they specify cream paint that's exactly what they want, 47:51 isn't that right? 47:53 And when God specifies He wants us to keep the seventh day 47:56 that doesn't mean the first day. 47:58 Doesn't mean the day that we choose. 48:00 It's the day that He chooses. 48:03 He's the master builder. 48:05 He's the One that tells us what is right and what is wrong. 48:08 Our job is to be willing to be obedient 48:11 and to do what God has asked us to do. 48:14 And that's the whole basis of the new covenant. 48:16 And getting rid of the Ten Commandments, friends, 48:18 is not going to help us. 48:20 Now I can't believe that people want to get rid of the 48:22 Ten Commandments. Tell me: if you're having a problem 48:26 with honesty, getting rid of the Ten Commandments... 48:31 is that going to make you an honest person? 48:34 Will it? 48:36 If we do away with the Ten Commandments here, 48:39 is that going to make everybody live a good life? 48:42 Of course not. 48:44 That's not the problem. The problem is not with the 48:46 Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are 48:49 the most perfect demonstration 48:50 of what is right and what is wrong. 48:52 The problem is with the individual. 48:54 That's what has to be changed... the person's attitude. 48:58 And that's exactly what Jesus promises to do in the 49:01 new covenant. Just come over to Psalm in the middle of the 49:03 Bible, would you? Psalm chapter 40. 49:07 Let me read you this wonderful statement. 49:09 Psalm chapter 40 and verses 7 and 8. 49:29 And when Christ comes into our hearts 49:33 He brings us the power to be able to do what He wants us 49:37 to do. That's why, as I said, it's an exciting experience 49:41 to be a Christian. Because God has a standard that's higher 49:46 than the highest human thought. 49:47 It's way way up here beyond which I could ever meet. 49:52 But when Christ comes along and works along side me 49:55 and changes my heart and gives me a desire to be obedient 49:59 and to do what He wants me to do 50:00 then it becomes a delight and a pleasure 50:03 to do what God wants us to do. 50:06 And that's why the Psalmist could write: 50:14 Come over to Revelation chapter 14, 50:17 the last book in the Bible, now in verse 12. 50:19 The climax to the great three messages that we've been 50:22 studying about. Revelation chapter 14 and verse 12. 50:36 You see, God points out His people in these last days 50:39 as those who keep the commandments. 50:42 You know, everywhere I go I meet people who try to say 50:46 to me: "Nobody can keep the commandments. " 50:48 You know, friend, that's a half truth. 50:53 And usually people get the wrong half 50:55 when they have a half truth. 50:57 It is true that nobody can keep the Ten Commandments 51:02 in their own strength. 51:04 But I want to tell you the Bible teaches me that 51:07 everybody that has Jesus in their hearts 51:10 can live a life of obedience. 51:12 That's why Paul could say: "I can do most things 51:16 through Christ who strengthens me. " 51:17 "ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me. " 51:20 And God points out His people in the last days 51:23 as those who are faithful to Jesus 51:26 and faithful to His commandments. 51:29 Because when Christ comes into our heart 51:31 and we have the faith of Jesus 51:33 don't tell me that we can't keep the commandments. 51:36 Of course we can! 51:38 And then it becomes a delight and a pleasure. 51:43 "I delight to do Thy will oh my God. 51:46 Yes, Your law is written within my heart. " 51:53 That's what Christ does when He comes into our hearts. 51:56 And I want you just to think for a moment tonight 52:00 of what Jesus did when He left the gloryland and came down 52:03 here to die for us. 52:05 People spat upon him. 52:08 People ridiculed Him and finally hung Him there 52:12 on that cruel cross. 52:14 And He died there for you and for me. 52:17 Because looking down here to this very place 52:21 to this very year, Christ saw that there would be 52:26 human beings like you and like me 52:28 who want to be faithful to Jesus 52:30 and who want to hang on to Jesus and who want to have 52:34 Christ in their hearts. 52:35 And that's why He gripped those nails and hung on and died 52:40 when he prayed "It is finished. " 52:42 Because He knew that there would be faithful men and women. 52:46 And in these last days God is calling us 52:49 to be faithful. Faithful to His commandments 52:53 and faithful to Jesus. 52:55 Just come over to Hebrews chapter 10. 52:57 Hebrews the 10th chapter 53:01 and we'll notice again just quickly verse 26. 53:05 Hebrews 10 and verse 26: 53:47 If people spurn the blood of the covenant, 53:51 they reject Christ. And when we reject the commandments 53:55 we are rejecting Jesus. 53:57 Because the commandments are the embodiment of Jesus' life. 54:02 They summarize all that God wants us to do. 54:07 Nobody is saved by keeping the commandments. 54:10 God forbid! That's not what ever we have said here 54:13 because the Bible never teaches that. 54:17 We can never be saved by keeping the commandments. 54:19 But we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 54:23 And when that power comes into my life 54:25 it leads me to want to do what God wants me to do 54:29 and it gives me the power, furthermore, 54:32 to be able to do it. 54:34 Let's come back to Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 10. 54:40 Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 10: 55:03 Revelation says: "Blessed are they that do His commandments 55:08 that they may have the right to the Tree of Life 55:11 and may enter in through the gates into the city. " 55:15 Sunday was never part of the new covenant 55:19 and Sunday will die eternally. 55:22 And God is in deadly earnest about this matter. 55:25 Let me remind you: God is in deadly earnest 55:29 about this because Sunday is an imposter. 55:34 Sunday has been brought in by an apostate power 55:38 which power claims it as the sign of her power 55:46 whereas the Sabbath is given to us a sign of our relationship 55:50 with God. It's like the flag. 55:55 If we were to take the Australian flag and treat it 55:58 as a light thing, every true- blooded Australian would rise up 56:03 in holy horror. Why? 56:06 Not because it's a bit of blue and red and white cloth. 56:11 No. It's not the cloth that's important. 56:14 It's what that stands for that's important, isn't that right? 56:17 Many millions died over the years 56:23 for that flag. 56:25 And it represents something. 56:26 It represents all the good things that we as Australians 56:30 believe in. 56:32 And that's exactly why God is very upset 56:35 when people disregard His day: it's His flag. 56:39 And when the devil has brought an apostate day in - 56:43 a day that is against the commandments - 56:46 and people want to claim that they're followers of Christ 56:49 when they want to observe that day which is not found anywhere 56:54 in the Bible, no wonder God feels upset about it. 56:57 And in these last days God is calling for men to be faithful 57:01 to Jesus and faithful to His commandments. 57:04 Like the martyrs of old who stood for truth. 57:08 You know, I've often thought when I get home to heaven 57:10 and I meet some of those millions of martyrs 57:12 that died for Christ, I want to be able to say 57:17 that I stood for something when I was down on that earth. 57:19 Because otherwise I'll feel very embarrassed along side 57:23 those great men and women who have given up everything 57:26 to stand for truth. You know, it's so easy for us today 57:29 to serve God. It's almost an embarrassment as we think about 57:32 those in the past. May God give us strength 57:34 and help and power to live as God wants us to live 57:39 even though it may include difficulties 57:42 and problems along the way, but God will be with us. 57:46 Let's just bow our heads together in prayer. 57:48 Our wonderful Father in heaven, I just want to 57:50 thank you again. I want to thank you for Your grace 57:53 and Your power. Help us, Lord, to understand 57:56 this great truth in these last days. 57:58 Not a fight over days but a fight over allegiance. 58:01 We want to be in our allegiance with Jesus. 58:04 To this end bless us now 58:05 and as we further study continue to guide us. 58:08 I pray for Christ's sake, Amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17