"covenant" Tagged Sermons

The ‘No’ of God and the ‘Yes’ of God

In chapter 7 of 2 Samuel, David wants to build a house for God but, after the prophet Nathan’s initial excitement, God says “no” to David’s plans. What do we do when God says “no”? Note that God does say “yes” to building David’s house, which is a “yes” David didn’t expect. (2 Samuel 7) Sermon Outline The LORD said to David through Nathan the prophet: “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be…

Healing for the Earth: The Flood, Part 2

This message will pick up with the second half of the flood story all the way through God’s covenant with Noah marked by the rainbow. Some attention here to the Noahic Covenant and Christological connections with it. (Genesis 8:1-9:17; 1 Peter 3:19-22) Sermon Outline “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.” (Genesis 8:1) “He remembers His…

New Promise

Jesus’ high priesthood supersedes any other high priesthood, making His new promises greater than any other covenant before. Hebrews 7:26-8:13 SERMON OUTLINE “But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6) Who Is Jesus? (Hebrews 7:26-28) Jesus is the High Priest who meets our needs (7:26a) He is holy, blameless, and…

Abraham Tested: The Request, The Response, The Result

God provides the promise-child, Isaac in Genesis 22:1-19. Then, he asks Abraham to sacrifice that promise-child. This is one of the most important and powerful passages in the entire Bible. God is faithful to His promises more than we understand and God is faithful in sacrifice more than we can imagine. What does this mean to us and how should we read this passage Christologically (Hebrews 11:17-19)? (Genesis 22:1-19) Sermon Outline ’Do not lay a hand on the boy,’ he…

Tangible Signs

Here we encounter a third and more specific outline of both God’s covenant promises and the demands laid upon Abram. The reality of the promise will be physically signified in the arrival of the much-anticipated child (‘seed’) of promise. The acceptance of the covenant is tangibly signified through the human activity of circumcision. In the midst of this, God gives new names to this couple: Abraham and Sarah. Woah. What’s up with this? What is God doing here and what…

The Commitment of God

In Genesis 15:1-21, God makes a promise to Abram in Genesis 12 that leads into a deeper covenant agreement in Genesis 15. This message will explore the themes of covenant, what its significance is for us, and how we can also lean on the promises of God. There must be some attention given to Genesis 15:6 – “So Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” What does it look like to have an enduring faith…

The Neighbor

(Exodus 20:16-17; Mark 12:31) SERMON OUTLINE “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16-17) Lying and our Neighbor (Exodus 20:16; Ephesians 4:15) What is ‘false testimony’? (Exodus 20:16) The triangle of truth assessment: what we take in, what we think, what we speak out What lying does to us and our neighbor The remedy: “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) Envy and our Neighbor (Exodus 20:17; 1…

Murder, Adultery & Theft

(Exodus 20:13-15; Matthew 5:21-30) SERMON OUTLINE “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:13-15) From Murder to Valuing Life (Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-26) What is murder? (Exodus 20:13) The anger of the heart (Matthew 5:21-26) From Adultery to Valuing Love (Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-30) What is adultery? (Exodus 20:14) The desires of the heart (Matthew 5:27-30) From Theft to Valuing Others (Exodus 20:15; Matthew 6:19-21) What is theft? (Exodus 20:15) The treasure of…

Your Mother and Father

(Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-4) SERMON OUTLINE “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” (Exodus 20:12) “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’ Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the…

Set Apart

(Exodus 20:7-11) SERMON OUTLINE “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God… Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” (Exodus 20:7,8) Set Apart in Our Words (Exodus 20:7) The Name and God’s identity (Exodus 20:2) Useless words that demean God (Exodus 20:7) Distorted words that distort God (Exodus 20:7) What demeaning or distorting God’s identity does to us Set Apart in Our Time (Exodus 20:8-11) A day to stop, cease and rest (Exodus 20:8) Setting a…

The One and Only

(Exodus 20:1-6) SERMON OUTLINE “’Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” (Exodus 19:5-6) “I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.” (Leviticus 26:12) The Covenant between God and…