Can you believe it?
00:00:02.10\00:00:03.83
Can you build your faith on it?
00:00:05.24\00:00:06.96
The promises of
God's Word are sure.
00:00:08.80\00:00:12.10
They do not fail.
00:00:12.50\00:00:15.28
This book has
stood the test of time.
00:00:17.35\00:00:20.96
Father in Heaven,
00:00:30.00\00:00:31.66
tonight as well
look at this covenant
00:00:32.97\00:00:36.42
that You desire to
make with each of us,
00:00:36.52\00:00:39.61
we pray that You will help
us understand what's involved.
00:00:39.91\00:00:44.46
That we might realize
00:00:46.05\00:00:49.75
what You want to
do for each of us.
00:00:50.06\00:00:52.86
We ask, Lord, that
our faith may not be weak
00:00:53.16\00:00:58.26
but that we might look to You
00:00:58.56\00:01:01.70
and know that
all heaven and earth
00:01:02.00\00:01:06.55
is dependent upon
Your power, Your strength.
00:01:06.85\00:01:10.52
And the very throne of heaven
is staked on the fulfillment
00:01:10.92\00:01:15.85
of Your Word. So we ask tonight
00:01:16.05\00:01:19.54
that You'll bless us as
we study Your Word together.
00:01:19.84\00:01:22.22
For this we pray in
Christ's name, Amen.
00:01:22.53\00:01:26.47
Revelation the 19th chapter
00:01:33.43\00:01:36.81
pictures Jesus coming
back on a white horse.
00:01:36.91\00:01:41.28
And it just simply
says that when He comes back
00:01:41.58\00:01:45.19
He has His name
written certain places.
00:01:45.49\00:01:49.69
This is what it says...
Revelation the 19th chapter
00:01:49.89\00:01:52.77
verse 16:
00:01:52.97\00:01:54.14
So it says He has
written on His thigh
00:02:03.22\00:02:06.43
and on His robe
His name: KING OF KINGS
00:02:06.73\00:02:09.60
AND LORD OF LORDS.
00:02:09.80\00:02:11.09
Why would that be?
00:02:11.39\00:02:13.23
Why would He have His
name written on His thigh?
00:02:13.53\00:02:17.37
Rather a strange
place to write His name.
00:02:17.67\00:02:20.27
Or why would He
write it on His robe?
00:02:20.57\00:02:23.31
Well, you remember a man
in the Bible by the name of
00:02:23.61\00:02:27.91
Jacob?
00:02:28.21\00:02:29.75
You remember
Jacob was coming back
00:02:30.05\00:02:32.56
from his uncle Laban's
house... headed back to Canaan.
00:02:32.76\00:02:36.98
He's got out onto the plains
00:02:37.28\00:02:40.39
of Paddan, and there
he's concerned because
00:02:40.70\00:02:44.71
when he left 20
years ago his father's home
00:02:44.91\00:02:48.23
his brother
Esau had said to him:
00:02:48.43\00:02:51.13
"When dad dies, I'm
going to kill you. "
00:02:51.33\00:02:53.51
And now he's headed
back home and he hears
00:02:54.80\00:02:57.95
that Esau is
coming with 400 soldiers.
00:02:58.16\00:03:03.16
And so he thinks that
his life is in danger.
00:03:03.46\00:03:06.69
And so here he is, out
in the middle of this plain
00:03:07.00\00:03:10.56
and a stranger
comes into the camp
00:03:10.76\00:03:12.86
and he begins to
wrestle with this stranger
00:03:13.06\00:03:15.59
thinking that it's Esau.
00:03:15.79\00:03:17.21
Wrestles with
him all night long.
00:03:17.51\00:03:19.66
As it begins to break
towards dawn, he realizes
00:03:19.96\00:03:24.11
that he's been
wrestling with an angel.
00:03:24.32\00:03:26.59
And it says that he
took hold of this angel
00:03:26.89\00:03:31.91
and said to him:
00:03:32.21\00:03:33.33
"I will not let you
go unless you bless me. "
00:03:33.53\00:03:36.27
Do you remember? Do you
remember what that angel did?
00:03:37.54\00:03:42.46
Says that he touched his thigh.
00:03:42.76\00:03:48.60
And from that day
on Jacob was crippled.
00:03:48.90\00:03:52.03
Touched his thigh.
00:03:52.13\00:03:54.20
Now Jacob is an old, old man.
00:03:54.50\00:03:58.39
He's in Egypt.
00:03:58.69\00:04:00.58
He... he is dying.
00:04:00.88\00:04:02.68
Watch what happens here:
00:04:02.98\00:04:04.55
He said: "If I have
found favor in your sight,
00:04:25.30\00:04:27.40
put your hand
under my thigh... "
00:04:27.70\00:04:31.01
You see, this was a way that
they entered into a covenant.
00:04:38.04\00:04:43.75
That's the way they entered
into an oath with that person
00:04:44.05\00:04:47.58
is they put their
hand under their thigh
00:04:47.88\00:04:51.12
and they entered into a
covenant or took an oath.
00:04:51.32\00:04:54.50
And there's other cases in
scripture where that took place.
00:04:54.80\00:04:57.48
So when Jesus comes back
00:04:57.78\00:04:59.40
and He has His name
written on His thigh
00:04:59.61\00:05:02.20
that is a sign of the
covenant that He has with you.
00:05:02.50\00:05:05.82
That's what that is.
00:05:06.02\00:05:07.11
That's why His name
is written on His thigh.
00:05:07.31\00:05:10.06
Why is it written on His robe?
00:05:10.36\00:05:12.71
Well, listen...
this is what it tells us:
00:05:13.01\00:05:14.80
Now listen carefully...
00:05:31.58\00:05:33.01
You see, part of this covenant
that God wants to make with you
00:05:46.23\00:05:50.49
is that He takes His
robe of righteousness
00:05:50.79\00:05:54.06
and places that robe of
righteousness around you
00:05:54.36\00:05:57.30
and around me.
00:05:57.50\00:05:58.52
That's the reason
when He comes back
00:05:59.02\00:06:01.33
He has His name
written on His robe.
00:06:01.63\00:06:04.05
Because His robe represents
the righteousness of God
00:06:04.25\00:06:07.95
that God covers you with.
00:06:08.25\00:06:10.65
That's what it stands
for; that's what it represents.
00:06:10.95\00:06:13.60
Listen... Hebrews 10 verse 16:
00:06:13.90\00:06:16.71
All right, this is the covenant
He's entering into with you.
00:06:28.12\00:06:30.78
He says: "I'll take My law and
I'll write it on their hearts,
00:06:31.09\00:06:33.60
put it in their minds. " OK.
00:06:33.90\00:06:35.66
You see, He simply takes
that robe of righteousness
00:06:45.35\00:06:48.46
and He covers you and I
with that robe of righteousness.
00:06:48.76\00:06:52.04
So when Jesus comes
back in the clouds of heaven
00:06:52.34\00:06:54.87
and He has His name
written on His thigh
00:06:55.17\00:06:57.45
and upon His robe, that is the
covenant that He's made with you
00:06:57.65\00:07:01.88
and He said: "Listen, I'm
not going to remember your sins
00:07:01.98\00:07:04.74
any more. "
00:07:04.94\00:07:06.16
That's what He's talking about:
00:07:06.46\00:07:08.53
very, very special covenant
00:07:08.83\00:07:11.08
that God wants to
make with you tonight.
00:07:11.28\00:07:13.59
You see, in the English language
00:07:13.89\00:07:16.65
we have quite a few
different words for a covenant.
00:07:16.95\00:07:19.91
Sometimes we refer
to a covenant as a will.
00:07:20.21\00:07:23.44
Sometimes when they make
out a will they refer to it
00:07:25.19\00:07:27.77
as a covenant.
This is an agreement.
00:07:27.97\00:07:31.14
Something that they
made. We use the word
00:07:31.35\00:07:33.61
contract also for a covenant.
00:07:33.82\00:07:37.15
That can refer to a covenant.
00:07:37.45\00:07:39.40
Or we use the word testament.
00:07:39.70\00:07:43.05
That's what you have here...
00:07:43.35\00:07:44.69
Old and New Testament
00:07:44.99\00:07:48.72
means old and new covenant.
00:07:49.03\00:07:52.29
See, that's a word for
covenant is the word testament.
00:07:52.59\00:07:55.22
Or you have the word agreement.
00:07:55.52\00:07:57.91
That's another
word for a covenant:
00:07:58.21\00:08:00.26
an agreement
that's made, a contract.
00:08:00.46\00:08:02.44
Or... you use the
word covenant itself.
00:08:02.74\00:08:05.31
So when we're
talking about a covenant
00:08:05.61\00:08:07.95
and entering into
a covenant with God,
00:08:08.25\00:08:11.23
there's very special things
00:08:11.43\00:08:13.15
that we want to see about that
00:08:13.35\00:08:14.49
covenant. So tonight I
want to give you a definition
00:08:14.69\00:08:17.78
of what a covenant is
so you can understand.
00:08:18.09\00:08:21.83
If you're going to enter
into a covenant with God,
00:08:22.03\00:08:24.77
what are those conditions?
00:08:24.97\00:08:26.37
This is what a
definition of a covenant is:
00:08:26.67\00:08:28.82
That is a covenant.
00:08:37.47\00:08:39.05
When an individual or parties
00:08:39.35\00:08:42.35
bind themselves to each other
00:08:42.65\00:08:46.33
to fulfill certain conditions,
00:08:46.53\00:08:48.62
that is a covenant.
00:08:48.73\00:08:50.31
OK?
00:08:50.61\00:08:51.66
So, let's say tonight
00:08:51.96\00:08:54.80
we're going to
enter into a covenant.
00:08:55.11\00:08:57.88
OK? Let's say that you and I
00:08:59.14\00:09:01.59
are going to
enter into a covenant.
00:09:01.79\00:09:03.64
When, if we
enter into a covenant,
00:09:03.94\00:09:07.18
when is that covenant in force?
00:09:07.48\00:09:10.02
Now let me
illustrate what I'm saying.
00:09:10.32\00:09:13.51
Let's say that you and
I enter into a covenant.
00:09:13.82\00:09:16.28
We put down all the
conditions of the covenant.
00:09:16.59\00:09:19.30
We list it all; we
decide what we want to agree on.
00:09:19.60\00:09:22.50
And we take that to a lawyer
00:09:22.80\00:09:24.72
and we have that
written up in legal language.
00:09:25.02\00:09:27.77
He writes it all up.
We have it notarized.
00:09:27.97\00:09:30.64
OK. Can that
covenant be changed?
00:09:31.75\00:09:35.91
Can that covenant be changed?
00:09:40.45\00:09:42.44
Well, let's say there's
some condition in that covenant
00:09:42.75\00:09:45.57
that both of us don't like.
00:09:45.87\00:09:47.57
We get... we make the
covenant, we get it all settled
00:09:47.87\00:09:51.08
and everything, but it
just doesn't work quite right
00:09:51.28\00:09:53.89
and so both of us don't like it.
00:09:54.19\00:09:55.83
Can we go back to the
lawyer and get that changed?
00:09:55.93\00:09:59.46
Oh yes. We can go
back to the lawyer.
00:09:59.76\00:10:01.58
We can have him
strike out part of it
00:10:01.88\00:10:04.00
and we can initial it.
00:10:04.20\00:10:05.55
OK?
00:10:05.86\00:10:07.42
Let's say that one of us dies.
00:10:08.97\00:10:12.28
Can it be changed?
00:10:12.58\00:10:14.57
All right, now listen carefully:
00:10:15.60\00:10:17.48
So the covenant goes in
force after men are dead.
00:10:37.15\00:10:42.22
So what I'm trying
to tell you tonight...
00:10:42.52\00:10:44.31
don't let anybody ever
tell you any different.
00:10:44.61\00:10:46.92
The covenant... if Jesus Christ
00:10:47.22\00:10:51.16
was going to
change the covenant...
00:10:51.46\00:10:54.81
Follow me,
folks. If Jesus Christ
00:10:55.11\00:10:57.80
was going to
change the covenant,
00:10:58.10\00:10:59.90
He had to do it before He died
00:11:00.20\00:11:02.61
because when He died He
sealed it with His blood.
00:11:02.91\00:11:06.11
Cannot be
changed once Jesus died.
00:11:06.41\00:11:10.45
So no matter what
anybody ever tells you
00:11:10.75\00:11:14.35
the covenant had to be changed
if it was going to be changed
00:11:14.65\00:11:18.38
BEFORE Jesus
died... not AFTER He died.
00:11:18.68\00:11:21.94
The Bible doesn't teach that.
00:11:24.23\00:11:25.91
Neither does
legal terms teach that.
00:11:26.21\00:11:29.31
It teaches that it's in
force after men are dead.
00:11:29.61\00:11:34.06
OK. So God has
a special covenant
00:11:34.36\00:11:39.20
that He wants to enter
into with you and with me.
00:11:39.50\00:11:43.20
Just simply saying that
it was dedicated to blood.
00:11:47.05\00:11:50.72
God has a covenant that
He wants to make with man.
00:11:51.02\00:11:54.48
Let's take a look...
see what that covenant is.
00:11:54.78\00:11:57.36
Now dear friends, I can't
think of anything in God's Word
00:11:57.56\00:12:01.32
that offers
more to you and to me
00:12:03.52\00:12:09.04
than what I'm
about to read to you.
00:12:09.34\00:12:10.94
You look at this
carefully... wonderful promise.
00:12:11.25\00:12:14.26
OK?
00:12:14.56\00:12:15.72
Exodus the 19th chapter verse 5:
00:12:17.06\00:12:19.71
Now God's saying to you -
00:12:26.56\00:12:27.78
and we'll see that this
applies to you tonight -
00:12:27.98\00:12:30.09
God's saying: "If
you'll obey My voice,
00:12:30.39\00:12:33.65
keep My covenant... "
what's going to happen?
00:12:33.85\00:12:36.16
God said: "If you
will obey My voice,
00:12:47.12\00:12:50.16
keep My covenant, you will
be a special people to Me. "
00:12:50.46\00:12:55.03
That's what God is saying.
00:12:55.33\00:12:56.80
He said: "All the earth's Mine;
00:12:57.10\00:12:58.30
You'll be My special people. "
00:12:58.60\00:13:00.50
So God wants to enter into
this covenant with you tonight
00:13:00.80\00:13:03.96
in a very special way.
00:13:04.26\00:13:06.75
Listen to some of
the things that He says.
00:13:07.06\00:13:09.33
So God is saying to you
00:13:29.38\00:13:31.46
"If you'll enter
into a covenant with Me,
00:13:31.76\00:13:34.40
then I will put
My law in your heart.
00:13:34.70\00:13:39.42
I'll write it on your mind.
00:13:39.72\00:13:41.93
You will be My people
00:13:42.23\00:13:44.80
and I will be your God. "
00:13:45.10\00:13:48.70
That's what He promises
to all of you here tonight...
00:13:49.00\00:13:51.03
to each one of us.
00:13:51.13\00:13:52.67
That is the covenant He wants.
00:14:03.46\00:14:05.18
"Walk in all the ways
that I have commanded you
00:14:05.48\00:14:08.94
and it will be... " Come on...
00:14:09.24\00:14:12.49
"It will be well with you. "
00:14:12.79\00:14:16.21
Now folks, this
book has not failed.
00:14:16.51\00:14:20.08
I mean, it has
stood the test of time...
00:14:20.38\00:14:23.19
it hasn't failed.
00:14:23.29\00:14:24.31
So if God says:
"If you'll do this,
00:14:24.51\00:14:27.06
it will be well with you, "
00:14:27.27\00:14:29.93
then is it going
to be well with you?
00:14:30.23\00:14:31.84
You better believe it is.
00:14:32.14\00:14:33.70
God makes that promise.
00:14:34.00\00:14:35.22
He says: "Just do this...
it will be well with you. "
00:14:35.42\00:14:39.00
So God wants to enter into
a covenant with you tonight.
00:14:53.24\00:14:57.25
Now God has made some covenants,
00:14:57.56\00:14:59.92
and some of the
covenants that He has made
00:15:00.23\00:15:03.14
were what we called
everlasting covenants.
00:15:03.25\00:15:06.88
Everlasting covenants mean
that they never end, right?
00:15:07.18\00:15:10.93
Never come to an end.
00:15:11.23\00:15:12.92
They're everlasting covenants.
00:15:13.22\00:15:15.04
One of the everlasting
covenants that God made -
00:15:16.21\00:15:19.45
one you ought to remember -
00:15:19.75\00:15:21.98
was what?
00:15:22.29\00:15:23.88
Do you remember this one?
00:15:26.50\00:15:27.86
OK, let's see
what the covenant is.
00:15:39.38\00:15:43.39
All right, Genesis 9:16:
00:15:43.69\00:15:47.41
God entered into
a covenant with man.
00:16:03.29\00:16:05.02
He said: "Never again
will the entire earth ever be
00:16:05.22\00:16:08.93
flooded with water. "
00:16:09.13\00:16:10.38
That's a covenant that God made.
00:16:10.68\00:16:12.62
Let me ask you something:
00:16:12.82\00:16:13.89
has God broken His covenant?
00:16:14.09\00:16:16.05
Never!
00:16:16.35\00:16:17.71
Every time you walk out
there and you see a rainbow
00:16:18.01\00:16:20.58
that is a sign of God's covenant
00:16:20.88\00:16:23.11
that He is faithful...
that He does not fail.
00:16:23.41\00:16:26.92
And that covenant is
an everlasting covenant.
00:16:27.22\00:16:31.55
Never ends.
00:16:31.85\00:16:33.16
You with me?
00:16:33.46\00:16:34.96
OK. God made an everlasting
covenant with Abraham.
00:16:35.26\00:16:40.16
He's making this
covenant with Abraham...
00:16:50.56\00:16:52.88
that's who He's making it with.
00:16:53.02\00:16:54.29
So He said: "Abraham,
I'm going to enter into an
00:17:00.27\00:17:02.60
everlasting covenant with you. "
00:17:02.80\00:17:04.63
So He said: "Abraham,
00:17:09.39\00:17:10.84
I'm going to be your God.
00:17:11.15\00:17:13.04
You are going to be My people. "
00:17:13.44\00:17:17.72
That's the covenant
He made with Abraham.
00:17:17.92\00:17:20.07
He said: "I'll be your God;
you're going to be My people. "
00:17:20.38\00:17:23.50
That covenant that
God made with Abraham
00:17:23.80\00:17:26.40
is an everlasting covenant.
00:17:26.70\00:17:29.23
Listen to this...
Deuteronomy 7 verse 9:
00:17:29.33\00:17:32.06
Says that God is faithful;
God keeps His covenant...
00:17:40.78\00:17:44.75
So dear friends,
the scripture says
00:17:52.58\00:17:54.87
that God is a
covenant-keeping God.
00:17:55.18\00:17:58.62
Doesn't fail.
00:17:58.92\00:18:00.93
OK... everlasting.
00:18:01.23\00:18:03.64
To a thousand generations.
00:18:03.94\00:18:05.81
All right.
00:18:06.11\00:18:07.84
I Chronicles 16:15: "Remember
His covenant... " how long?
00:18:08.14\00:18:14.09
So He made an
everlasting covenant with them.
00:18:36.71\00:18:40.10
Now that being the case,
00:18:40.40\00:18:42.05
that God said: "Abraham,
I'm going to make a covenant
00:18:42.35\00:18:45.12
with you and with your
descendants. It will be
00:18:45.32\00:18:48.21
forever. " Then the
question that you and I
00:18:48.31\00:18:51.18
have to ask ourselves tonight is
00:18:51.38\00:18:53.83
does that covenant
include the Gentile
00:18:56.18\00:19:00.26
or is it just for the Jew?
00:19:00.57\00:19:03.25
Now folks, you've got to
settle that in your heart
00:19:04.41\00:19:07.62
and in your soul.
00:19:07.72\00:19:08.99
Because if you do not
settle that once and for all
00:19:09.20\00:19:13.15
you will never
understand this book.
00:19:13.45\00:19:15.32
So you've got to settle
it in your heart tonight.
00:19:16.75\00:19:19.95
Does that
covenant that God made...
00:19:20.45\00:19:23.67
does that covenant
include the Gentile
00:19:23.97\00:19:26.60
or was it made just
to the Jewish people?
00:19:26.80\00:19:30.21
And if you don't settle it
00:19:30.61\00:19:33.51
then you will never fully
understand the Word of God.
00:19:33.81\00:19:37.82
OK? So we need to
look at some scripture here
00:19:38.12\00:19:41.24
and ask ourselves very clearly
00:19:41.55\00:19:43.52
does that covenant
include the Gentile?
00:19:43.82\00:19:47.53
All right.
00:19:47.83\00:19:49.67
Moses... right down there
00:19:50.99\00:19:55.42
about ready to
cross the Jordan River...
00:19:55.62\00:19:57.54
Moses is soon going
to go up to Mount Nebo
00:19:57.84\00:20:01.33
where he will die.
00:20:01.53\00:20:02.67
He is repeating the covenant.
00:20:02.97\00:20:05.06
I want you to listen
to what it says here:
00:20:05.37\00:20:07.96
Now here all the children of
Israel are standing out there.
00:20:14.93\00:20:18.50
All they are,
and Moses is saying:
00:20:18.70\00:20:20.63
"This covenant
that God is making
00:20:20.83\00:20:22.49
He's not making
it with you alone. "
00:20:22.80\00:20:25.59
Who else is there?
00:20:25.89\00:20:29.30
What Gentiles?
00:20:30.72\00:20:32.90
Are there Gentiles there?
00:20:34.42\00:20:35.71
Yes there is.
00:20:36.01\00:20:37.55
There's a lot of Egyptians
that left the land of Egypt
00:20:37.85\00:20:40.54
with the children of Israel.
00:20:40.74\00:20:41.91
So he's saying: "I'm not just
making this with you alone. "
00:20:42.21\00:20:45.46
Let's go on:
00:20:45.76\00:20:46.76
He said: "All of you
that are standing out there...
00:20:52.21\00:20:54.93
Jew, Gentile... all of you
that are standing out there.
00:20:55.23\00:20:59.18
I'm making this
covenant with you
00:20:59.48\00:21:01.80
before the Lord our God... "
00:21:02.10\00:21:04.52
Does it include the Gentile?
00:21:11.60\00:21:14.25
Are you sure?
00:21:14.55\00:21:17.02
Well let's look
at another scripture.
00:21:17.32\00:21:18.91
He said: "No, not just with you.
00:21:39.39\00:21:42.15
I am giving you as a
light to the Gentiles... "
00:21:42.35\00:21:45.64
So that covenant does
not include just the Jew...
00:21:51.00\00:21:55.00
it includes the Gentile as well.
00:21:55.30\00:21:58.21
Look at one more:
00:21:58.51\00:22:00.00
All right?
00:22:15.78\00:22:16.87
So it doesn't
include just the Jew.
00:22:27.83\00:22:32.16
And you find when you
move into the New Testament
00:22:32.47\00:22:34.67
it makes it very, very clear
00:22:34.97\00:22:37.64
that it included
more than the Jew.
00:22:37.84\00:22:40.00
Galatians the 3rd
chapter verse 14 says:
00:22:40.30\00:22:42.94
Now, God made an
everlasting covenant with who?
00:22:45.12\00:22:48.69
Abraham.
00:22:48.99\00:22:50.21
So dear friend, tonight
00:22:56.47\00:22:58.45
I hope that you are 100% clear
00:22:58.75\00:23:01.57
that that covenant included you.
00:23:01.87\00:23:04.32
OK?
00:23:04.62\00:23:06.53
Now if that
covenant included you,
00:23:06.84\00:23:09.49
then we need to take
a good close look at it
00:23:09.79\00:23:12.47
and see what's involved in it.
00:23:12.57\00:23:14.63
That we might receive
the promise of the Spirit
00:23:14.93\00:23:18.38
through faith. That He promises.
That's part of the covenant.
00:23:18.58\00:23:22.27
OK. You see, the covenant
00:23:22.57\00:23:26.41
is so important to God
00:23:26.71\00:23:29.65
that He has a special
place that He keeps it.
00:23:29.95\00:23:32.37
Did you know that?
00:23:32.67\00:23:34.10
I mean, it's not just something
that God takes lightly.
00:23:34.40\00:23:38.13
God had a very special
place that He kept the covenant.
00:23:38.44\00:23:42.53
And He made the covenant
there with the Jewish people -
00:23:42.83\00:23:45.31
with Abraham and all of them -
00:23:45.51\00:23:46.66
and the scripture says this:
00:23:46.96\00:23:48.45
So the ark... the ark
was the place where God
00:24:08.66\00:24:12.76
kept the covenant.
00:24:13.06\00:24:14.89
Put it in the ark, and it
was kept in a special place
00:24:15.19\00:24:17.69
there because it
was special to God.
00:24:17.89\00:24:19.79
But you remember,
Nebuchadnezzar came down
00:24:20.09\00:24:24.40
and destroyed the temple.
00:24:24.71\00:24:26.94
And Jeremiah and some devout
men took the ark and hid it.
00:24:27.24\00:24:31.37
Never been found to this day.
00:24:31.67\00:24:33.94
So what about the covenant now?
00:24:34.34\00:24:37.33
Is it just hidden in some cave
00:24:38.41\00:24:40.84
and God knows where it
is but you and I don't?
00:24:41.14\00:24:44.22
No, the scripture
doesn't leave you in any doubt.
00:24:45.68\00:24:48.29
Listen:
00:24:48.59\00:24:49.69
So the ark's there in heaven.
00:25:04.69\00:25:06.66
There's an ark there
in heaven, and in that ark
00:25:06.96\00:25:09.71
is the covenant that
God enters into with you.
00:25:10.01\00:25:13.41
Right there in heaven.
00:25:13.71\00:25:15.43
And there were lightnings,
00:25:15.73\00:25:17.27
and noises, and thunders,
00:25:17.47\00:25:19.47
and great
earthquakes, and great hail.
00:25:19.77\00:25:22.16
So it talks about
the ark up in heaven.
00:25:22.46\00:25:24.81
Now what we want to do now
00:25:25.11\00:25:26.63
is we want to take a
look at what the New Testament
00:25:26.73\00:25:29.40
has to say about the covenant.
00:25:29.60\00:25:32.16
You see, you may
not have realized it
00:25:34.26\00:25:37.64
but many of you
when you go to church
00:25:37.94\00:25:39.98
you do something
that when you do it
00:25:40.28\00:25:43.38
you may not have
understood that you're actually
00:25:43.58\00:25:46.00
entering into a
covenant with God.
00:25:46.20\00:25:48.14
You're actually entering
into this covenant and saying:
00:25:48.45\00:25:50.86
"Lord, listen.
I'll be your people;
00:25:51.06\00:25:53.74
You be my God. "
00:25:53.94\00:25:55.01
You know what you do when
you do something at church?
00:25:55.31\00:25:59.41
Every time you
celebrate the Lord's Supper
00:25:59.71\00:26:03.09
that's what you're
doing is you're entering into
00:26:03.39\00:26:06.32
a covenant with God.
00:26:06.52\00:26:07.84
So when you
celebrate the Lord's Supper
00:26:27.63\00:26:29.83
you're actually entering
into a covenant with the Lord.
00:26:30.03\00:26:34.60
That's what you're doing.
00:26:34.81\00:26:35.83
You may not understand the
ramifications of the covenant.
00:26:36.13\00:26:41.13
And I hope tonight that you
will understand what's involved
00:26:41.43\00:26:45.56
in the covenant and what
God wants you to understand.
00:26:45.76\00:26:49.09
Galatians...
Galatians the 3rd chapter
00:26:49.39\00:26:54.01
verse 29... it says:
00:26:54.31\00:26:56.31
You understand that statement
00:26:58.27\00:26:59.83
"if you are Christ's? "
00:27:00.03\00:27:01.10
That means if you
belong to the Lord.
00:27:01.21\00:27:03.02
That means if you've given
your heart to Jesus Christ.
00:27:03.32\00:27:05.86
If you've accepted Him.
That's what that's saying.
00:27:06.16\00:27:08.39
Hmmm.
00:27:17.89\00:27:19.57
So if you accept Jesus Christ,
00:27:19.87\00:27:22.22
you are what?
00:27:22.52\00:27:24.82
"Abraham's seed. "
00:27:25.13\00:27:28.46
Are you beginning
to get the picture?
00:27:28.76\00:27:30.16
God made the
covenant with Abraham.
00:27:30.46\00:27:33.54
He made an everlasting covenant.
00:27:33.84\00:27:35.61
And when you accept Jesus Christ
00:27:35.71\00:27:37.69
you become part
of Abraham's seed
00:27:37.89\00:27:42.19
and therefore you
become part of the covenant
00:27:42.49\00:27:45.56
that God made with Abraham.
00:27:45.76\00:27:47.49
OK? That's what happens.
00:27:47.79\00:27:50.17
That's what takes place.
00:27:50.47\00:27:51.67
You become an
heir to the promise
00:27:51.97\00:27:55.41
because you are
an heir of Abraham.
00:27:55.71\00:28:00.04
Can't do anything
about that, can we?
00:28:08.97\00:28:11.63
That's the way we're born...
00:28:11.94\00:28:13.60
born a Gentile in the flesh.
00:28:13.91\00:28:15.91
So that's... that's nothing that
you and I can do anything about.
00:28:16.21\00:28:19.00
But watch what
God promises you here:
00:28:19.30\00:28:21.92
When you were a
Gentile in the flesh
00:28:25.57\00:28:27.41
God says you, at that time...
00:28:27.71\00:28:30.09
were without Christ.
00:28:30.40\00:28:31.77
If there's any
of you here tonight
00:28:32.07\00:28:33.72
who do not know Jesus
Christ as your personal Savior,
00:28:34.03\00:28:37.29
then you are without Christ.
00:28:37.59\00:28:39.75
OK? You are a
Gentile in the flesh.
00:28:40.05\00:28:43.78
That's what the scripture says.
00:28:44.08\00:28:45.17
All right.
00:28:45.47\00:28:46.55
You're not connected to Israel.
00:28:50.69\00:28:53.35
You're an alien.
00:28:53.55\00:28:54.58
You're separated from Israel
00:28:54.68\00:28:55.95
because you don't
know Jesus Christ.
00:28:56.15\00:28:58.22
But oh, when you
accept Jesus Christ,
00:29:06.26\00:29:10.09
ah, you become... you
become a seed of Abraham.
00:29:10.39\00:29:15.86
You become an
heir to the promise.
00:29:16.16\00:29:18.41
You become part of the
covenant that God made.
00:29:18.72\00:29:21.95
That's what you become.
00:29:22.25\00:29:23.55
All right. So that promise
was given to you, dear friend,
00:29:23.85\00:29:27.67
just as much as it
was given to the Jew.
00:29:27.97\00:29:30.92
Now the question I've
got to ask you tonight:
00:29:31.22\00:29:32.87
why do we need a new covenant?
00:29:34.50\00:29:37.40
Was there something
wrong with the old covenant?
00:29:39.15\00:29:41.94
And if there was nothing
wrong with the old covenant,
00:29:44.18\00:29:46.51
then why did they
have a new covenant?
00:29:46.61\00:29:48.84
See? Why does the
scripture - New Testament -
00:29:50.39\00:29:53.36
talk about a new covenant?
00:29:53.46\00:29:54.58
Was there something
wrong with the old one?
00:29:54.79\00:29:57.07
And if there's something
wrong with the old one,
00:29:57.37\00:29:59.23
what was wrong with it?
00:29:59.53\00:30:00.76
Well, let's take a look.
00:30:01.06\00:30:02.77
Let's see where the problem is.
00:30:03.07\00:30:05.04
Exodus 24 verse 7...
speaking of Moses it says:
00:30:06.94\00:30:11.44
Moses came down
out of the mountain,
00:30:17.27\00:30:19.47
took the Book of the Covenant,
00:30:19.67\00:30:21.84
and read it to
the people. All right?
00:30:22.04\00:30:24.41
And they said:
00:30:24.72\00:30:26.68
Good response or bad response?
00:30:31.71\00:30:34.25
You don't know, huh?
00:30:36.08\00:30:37.94
Good response or bad response?
00:30:38.24\00:30:41.31
Good response...
00:30:41.61\00:30:43.59
good response.
00:30:43.79\00:30:44.82
Not anything wrong
with that. They said:
00:30:45.12\00:30:46.37
"All that the Lord has said
we will do and be obedient. "
00:30:46.67\00:30:50.40
That was a good response.
00:30:50.70\00:30:52.45
OK? That was not
where the problem was.
00:30:52.75\00:30:56.41
Remember that a covenant...
a covenant is an agreement...
00:30:56.71\00:31:01.46
That's what they did.
00:31:06.85\00:31:08.48
They said: "All
that the Lord has said
00:31:08.78\00:31:11.90
we will do and be obedient. "
00:31:12.20\00:31:15.74
Not anything wrong
with that in any way.
00:31:16.04\00:31:18.95
That was a good... OK.
00:31:19.25\00:31:21.61
Now the question is:
00:31:21.91\00:31:24.03
You understand
what I mean by that?
00:31:29.53\00:31:32.25
Was there something wrong
with what was written down?
00:31:32.55\00:31:36.00
The conditions of it, see?
00:31:37.67\00:31:39.17
These... the things that were
written down in God's covenant -
00:31:39.37\00:31:42.58
was there
something wrong with that?
00:31:42.88\00:31:44.49
Or where was the problem?
00:31:44.79\00:31:46.71
If there was something
wrong, where was the problem?
00:31:46.91\00:31:49.70
Well let's see if we can
find out where the problem was.
00:31:50.00\00:31:52.59
Hebrews 8 verse 7:
00:31:52.90\00:31:55.58
So the Bible says very clearly
00:32:02.35\00:32:04.26
if there wasn't something
wrong with the first one
00:32:04.46\00:32:06.95
then there would have
been no reason for the second.
00:32:07.06\00:32:09.13
So there must be something
wrong with the first one.
00:32:09.43\00:32:12.10
The question you have to settle
00:32:12.40\00:32:13.92
in your heart tonight
00:32:14.13\00:32:15.21
is the problem with the first
00:32:15.42\00:32:17.73
covenant concerning
what was written down?
00:32:17.94\00:32:20.17
The conditions of it.
00:32:20.47\00:32:22.13
Well let's see if the scripture
tells us where the problem is.
00:32:22.43\00:32:25.86
The problem was not
in what was written down,
00:32:32.77\00:32:36.57
the problem was with the people.
00:32:36.87\00:32:38.72
Not anything wrong
with what was written down.
00:32:40.04\00:32:42.84
The problem was with the people.
00:32:43.14\00:32:45.48
They said: "All that the
Lord has said, we will do. "
00:32:45.78\00:32:48.91
This is what they did.
00:32:49.12\00:32:50.75
They did not do what they said,
00:32:56.83\00:32:59.25
and God said: "therefore,
I will not honor them
00:32:59.55\00:33:02.71
because they didn't do
what they said they would do. "
00:33:03.01\00:33:05.59
So the problem was
not in the conditions,
00:33:05.89\00:33:08.20
the problem was with the people.
00:33:08.40\00:33:10.96
What did they do?
00:33:11.26\00:33:12.35
They took the old
covenant and they turned it into
00:33:12.65\00:33:16.81
obedience by works.
00:33:17.11\00:33:20.03
And they said: "If you do
00:33:20.33\00:33:23.89
this, this, this, and this,
00:33:24.19\00:33:26.40
you're going to
get into heaven. "
00:33:26.70\00:33:27.95
And they made it
totally and completely
00:33:28.25\00:33:32.92
a matter of works.
00:33:33.22\00:33:35.31
That's what they believed.
00:33:35.62\00:33:37.61
That's what they thought.
00:33:37.91\00:33:39.85
Are you
acquainted with this woman?
00:33:40.15\00:33:43.33
Her name is Dr. Laura.
00:33:43.63\00:33:46.10
You hear her on the radio.
00:33:46.40\00:33:47.65
Huh? Acquainted with her?
00:33:47.95\00:33:49.63
You understand that she's a Jew?
00:33:49.93\00:33:52.61
OK. She wrote a book
called The Ten Commandments.
00:33:52.91\00:33:57.43
I read the book.
Very good book...
00:33:57.53\00:34:00.48
very excellent book on morals.
00:34:00.68\00:34:02.75
In the book she says this...
and she gives a definition
00:34:03.05\00:34:07.21
of Christianity.
00:34:07.51\00:34:09.96
One of the clearest
definitions I have ever read.
00:34:10.27\00:34:13.33
I want you to
listen to it carefully:
00:34:13.63\00:34:15.21
That's beautiful, folks.
That's exactly what Jesus does
00:34:25.99\00:34:29.71
for you... what He does for me.
00:34:29.91\00:34:31.70
I accept Jesus
Christ and He comes in
00:34:32.10\00:34:36.31
and begins to change my life
00:34:36.51\00:34:39.30
and to change the tendencies
and to change the way I live.
00:34:39.60\00:34:42.42
Listen:
00:34:42.72\00:34:43.75
So you and I...
by faith we reach out
00:34:55.14\00:34:59.07
and we accept Jesus Christ.
00:34:59.27\00:35:00.99
And as we accept Him, we
turn our life over to Him
00:35:01.19\00:35:03.70
and He comes in and He begins
to do His work in our life
00:35:03.90\00:35:07.19
and change us.
00:35:07.39\00:35:08.65
That's what the
Christian believes.
00:35:08.95\00:35:10.81
This is what she believes.
00:35:11.11\00:35:13.89
That is salvation by works.
00:35:23.25\00:35:27.24
Great, great difference
than what Jesus taught.
00:35:27.54\00:35:32.94
He taught that
salvation was by grace.
00:35:33.24\00:35:35.61
Salvation was by looking to Him.
00:35:35.91\00:35:38.36
Salvation did not
come in one's ability.
00:35:38.67\00:35:42.61
OK... that's what
the Jewish people did:
00:35:42.91\00:35:46.07
they took that covenant and
they turned that into a covenant
00:35:46.27\00:35:49.55
of works. Now, the
scripture simply tells us this:
00:35:49.75\00:35:54.12
"Jesus Christ has obtained
a more excellent ministry... "
00:36:01.20\00:36:04.87
Hmmm. Established
on better promises?
00:36:17.69\00:36:21.27
Let me ask you:
00:36:21.57\00:36:23.69
are your promises
better than the Jewish people?
00:36:23.99\00:36:27.52
Uh, you got more
backbone than the Jewish people?
00:36:29.07\00:36:32.88
You... you got more willpower
than the Jewish people?
00:36:33.18\00:36:37.03
Huh? Are your promises
better than the Jewish people?
00:36:37.33\00:36:40.95
Well if your promises aren't any
better than the Jewish people,
00:36:41.25\00:36:45.72
then how can He make
it on better promises?
00:36:46.02\00:36:48.37
Well you see,
the first covenant -
00:36:52.16\00:36:55.33
the old covenant - was simply
between God and the people.
00:36:55.63\00:37:00.38
Moses came down and
read it, and they said:
00:37:00.68\00:37:02.48
"All that the Lord has said
we will do and be obedient. "
00:37:02.68\00:37:05.37
But they weren't.
00:37:05.67\00:37:07.41
The new covenant is not
between God and the people.
00:37:07.71\00:37:11.90
The new covenant is
between God and Jesus Christ.
00:37:12.20\00:37:14.90
That's why it's on
much, much better promises...
00:37:15.20\00:37:20.66
because it is
between God and Jesus.
00:37:20.96\00:37:24.71
That's what
makes it much better.
00:37:25.01\00:37:27.11
And so when you and
I come to Jesus Christ
00:37:27.41\00:37:29.71
and we accept
him, ah, dear friend,
00:37:30.01\00:37:33.38
THEN He begins to do
His work in our hearts.
00:37:33.68\00:37:37.24
Watch... because it says
here in Hebrews 9 verse 15:
00:37:37.54\00:37:41.93
OK, what is He saying?
00:37:50.59\00:37:52.28
He's saying: "Listen, this
new covenant, I have sealed it
00:37:52.48\00:37:55.90
with My death. "
00:37:56.10\00:37:58.42
You see, it required blood.
00:37:58.73\00:38:01.56
And so He
died... paid the price.
00:38:01.87\00:38:04.58
He sealed that
covenant forever by His death.
00:38:04.88\00:38:07.90
So He said: "Listen, I'm
going to give you this promise
00:38:20.18\00:38:22.79
because I died. "
00:38:22.99\00:38:24.10
Jesus Christ said: "I'm
making this covenant with you
00:38:32.09\00:38:34.93
and I'm going to come down
and I'm going to pay the price
00:38:35.23\00:38:37.97
for each one of
you here tonight. "
00:38:38.17\00:38:39.76
And that He did for
every last one of you here.
00:38:40.07\00:38:43.42
But that wasn't enough!
00:38:43.83\00:38:46.27
That wasn't enough, friends.
00:38:46.57\00:38:48.69
If all that was
necessary to save you
00:38:48.99\00:38:52.51
was for Jesus to die,
00:38:52.81\00:38:55.48
He could have died as a baby
00:38:57.09\00:38:59.29
and gone back to heaven.
00:38:59.59\00:39:01.43
He wouldn't have had to
stick around for thirty years.
00:39:01.73\00:39:05.72
Why? Because the covenant
required something else.
00:39:06.02\00:39:11.73
God says: "Hang on. "
00:39:24.87\00:39:26.38
He is our High Priest.
00:39:34.27\00:39:35.77
He can sympathize
with our weaknesses
00:39:35.97\00:39:38.31
because He came here
and He lived on this earth
00:39:38.61\00:39:41.44
just like you and I.
00:39:41.74\00:39:43.57
OK? Lived here.
00:39:43.87\00:39:46.03
Came down here and He
lived an absolute perfect life
00:39:55.25\00:39:59.15
because the covenant says:
"If you obey Me and follow Me. "
00:39:59.35\00:40:04.20
And Jesus said: "I'll
live a perfect life for you. "
00:40:04.40\00:40:08.84
So He died and He lived a
perfect life for you and me.
00:40:09.14\00:40:14.35
Therefore He says to you:
00:40:14.65\00:40:15.86
"Because I did that for you,
let us therefore come boldly
00:40:16.06\00:40:20.09
to the throne of grace... "
00:40:20.29\00:40:21.97
Now, I want you to understand
some of the conditions
00:40:30.03\00:40:35.43
of the covenant here.
00:40:35.63\00:40:36.79
What I'm sharing with
you right now, dear friend,
00:40:37.09\00:40:39.70
as far as I'm
concerned is the most important
00:40:39.90\00:40:42.58
part of the whole covenant.
00:40:42.79\00:40:45.19
You have to listen
carefully or you'll miss it.
00:40:45.39\00:40:47.84
Many times if you're
reading if you don't read slowly
00:40:48.14\00:40:51.20
and you don't read carefully,
you miss some of the great
00:40:51.40\00:40:54.29
great promises of God's Word.
00:40:54.49\00:40:56.38
So listen carefully...
Hebrews 13 verse 20:
00:40:56.68\00:40:59.95
So it's talking about
the everlasting covenant.
00:41:12.93\00:41:15.07
Now folks, if you don't
watch carefully you miss it.
00:41:22.85\00:41:25.99
It says: "Make you complete. "
00:41:26.29\00:41:29.63
Who makes you complete?
00:41:29.93\00:41:31.24
Jesus Christ.
00:41:31.54\00:41:33.18
You see we miss that many times.
00:41:33.48\00:41:35.06
We think that's OUR job is
to make ourselves complete.
00:41:35.26\00:41:38.89
No! That's God's job.
00:41:39.20\00:41:41.24
Your responsibility and mine
is to turn your life over to Hlm
00:41:41.54\00:41:45.18
and let Him do
His work in your life.
00:41:45.38\00:41:47.58
And HE will make you
complete to do His will.
00:41:47.88\00:41:51.47
He promises that!
00:41:51.68\00:41:52.68
And I don't care who you are...
00:41:52.98\00:41:54.33
I don't care what you've done,
00:41:54.63\00:41:56.00
I don't care what
your situation is,
00:41:56.30\00:41:58.09
if you get up every
morning and you commit your life
00:41:58.29\00:42:01.50
to Jesus Christ, He WILL
do His work in your life.
00:42:01.70\00:42:05.25
Change it... make
it different for you.
00:42:05.55\00:42:08.35
This is what He's
going to do... listen:
00:42:10.19\00:42:11.93
He'll work in your
life and He'll change it...
00:42:16.84\00:42:18.89
He'll make it different.
00:42:19.09\00:42:20.14
That is the promise.
00:42:25.42\00:42:26.76
And dear friends, when you enter
into that kind of relationship
00:42:27.06\00:42:30.59
with Jesus
Christ, you no longer have
00:42:30.79\00:42:33.68
obedience by works.
00:42:33.98\00:42:37.81
You no longer have that,
00:42:38.11\00:42:40.08
you have something
completely different.
00:42:40.38\00:42:42.24
Who does the putting?
00:42:55.36\00:42:58.08
Jesus Christ!
00:42:58.38\00:42:59.86
He said: "I'll put
My law in your mind.
00:43:00.07\00:43:02.04
I'll write it on your heart. "
00:43:02.35\00:43:03.98
That, dear friend,
is obedience by faith.
00:43:07.87\00:43:11.86
See? Totally and
completely different
00:43:12.16\00:43:15.27
than obedience by works.
00:43:15.47\00:43:17.36
It's when I turn my
life over and by faith
00:43:17.66\00:43:20.50
I cling to the Lord Jesus Christ
00:43:20.70\00:43:22.45
He does His work in my life
00:43:22.75\00:43:24.30
and that changes it
and makes it different.
00:43:24.50\00:43:27.05
That is a joyous occasion.
00:43:27.35\00:43:29.90
That's a joyous work
because the Lord is doing it
00:43:30.10\00:43:33.01
and He changes my life.
00:43:33.21\00:43:34.62
This idea that we have
of struggling and fighting
00:43:35.02\00:43:38.46
all the time is
why so many people
00:43:38.66\00:43:41.50
go around with long faces.
00:43:41.70\00:43:43.65
Because their Christian
00:43:43.95\00:43:45.13
experience is not happy.
00:43:45.23\00:43:46.91
See? Because they never have
00:43:47.21\00:43:48.50
found the joy
there is in Jesus Christ.
00:43:48.71\00:43:50.78
Now God has a covenant.
00:43:51.08\00:43:55.47
That covenant... He
has a sign of the covenant.
00:43:55.97\00:44:00.55
Always has a
sign of the covenant.
00:44:00.85\00:44:03.05
He made an everlasting
covenant with you and me.
00:44:03.35\00:44:06.44
That was the rainbow.
00:44:06.74\00:44:09.41
So when you see the rainbow
00:44:09.71\00:44:10.96
you know the earth's
never going to be flooded.
00:44:11.16\00:44:13.54
In order for
that sign to be right,
00:44:13.64\00:44:16.74
it has to fulfill
certain requirements.
00:44:16.94\00:44:19.41
One, in order for
that sign to be right,
00:44:19.72\00:44:21.92
it has to be universal.
00:44:22.22\00:44:23.75
If - you know - if you only saw
rainbows in the United States
00:44:24.05\00:44:27.87
that wouldn't be
very good, would it?
00:44:28.07\00:44:29.50
I mean it's got to be universal;
it's got to be everywhere.
00:44:29.80\00:44:32.31
Secondly, not only does
it have to be universal,
00:44:32.62\00:44:34.42
it has to be tangible. It
has to be something you can see,
00:44:34.63\00:44:36.70
feel, taste. You've got to
be able to know that it's there.
00:44:36.90\00:44:39.93
It's got to be tangible.
00:44:40.24\00:44:41.30
Thirdly, it has
to be well defined.
00:44:41.60\00:44:43.95
And the rainbow is
very well defined, right?
00:44:44.15\00:44:46.74
Don't have any trouble.
When you see it you know it.
00:44:47.04\00:44:48.97
Four, it has to
be incorruptible.
00:44:49.27\00:44:52.25
You can't corrupt it.
00:44:52.56\00:44:54.02
No way, I don't care how
long you look for the end of the
00:44:54.32\00:44:57.09
rainbow, you can't corrupt
it. You can't steal the gold.
00:44:57.29\00:45:00.56
OK. And it has to be personal.
00:45:00.86\00:45:02.94
OK. Those are things
that have to be in a sign
00:45:03.24\00:45:08.25
of a covenant. Now God
has an everlasting covenant -
00:45:08.45\00:45:12.45
right? - that He
made with Abraham.
00:45:12.75\00:45:15.22
OK. Do you know
what the sign is?
00:45:15.52\00:45:19.22
God made a sign... gave a sign.
Just the same as the rainbow,
00:45:21.28\00:45:24.72
He gave a sign of
that everlasting covenant.
00:45:25.02\00:45:27.29
Let's see if we can
find out what it is.
00:45:27.59\00:45:29.36
Listen, I'm going to
read you several texts.
00:45:44.02\00:45:45.79
Watch, it makes it crystal clear
00:45:45.99\00:45:47.53
that the Sabbath is the
sign of God's covenant with you.
00:45:47.73\00:45:51.23
That's what it is.
00:45:51.54\00:45:52.72
So He said: "This is a
sign that I have given them
00:46:06.41\00:46:08.55
of My covenant. "
00:46:08.75\00:46:09.78
So He says: "I
have given the Sabbath.
00:46:20.99\00:46:23.37
That is a sign of My covenant. "
00:46:23.67\00:46:26.47
OK, if the Sabbath is God's sign
00:46:42.04\00:46:47.60
of the covenant that
He made with Abraham,
00:46:47.90\00:46:50.14
then does it fulfill
all the requirements?
00:46:50.44\00:46:54.07
Got to ask ourselves that.
00:46:54.37\00:46:56.47
"It is a sign between Me and the
children of Israel forever. "
00:46:56.57\00:47:00.41
So, the question I have is:
00:47:08.30\00:47:10.35
Well, let's see if it does.
00:47:14.98\00:47:16.92
Well, to begin
with, is it universal?
00:47:17.22\00:47:20.62
Sure. Any place
you go in the world.
00:47:20.92\00:47:23.87
It's universal.
00:47:24.18\00:47:25.55
All right.
Secondly, is it tangible?
00:47:25.86\00:47:29.37
Huh? Absolutely!
It's a piece of time.
00:47:29.67\00:47:33.01
It is tangible.
00:47:33.31\00:47:34.59
OK. Very much a piece of time.
00:47:34.89\00:47:37.11
Thirdly, is it well defined?
00:47:37.41\00:47:40.93
Hmmm?
00:47:41.23\00:47:43.53
Oh, very well defined indeed.
00:47:43.83\00:47:45.92
For you remember...
God made it very clear
00:47:46.22\00:47:49.46
that the Sabbath began at sunset
00:47:49.67\00:47:53.58
and goes to sunset. He
defined it... absolutely.
00:47:55.02\00:48:00.50
So no question...
it is well defined.
00:48:00.80\00:48:03.71
Take a look at it.
00:48:04.01\00:48:05.29
So when we take a look at
it we found that the Sabbath
00:48:05.59\00:48:08.62
is 1... it's universal.
00:48:08.83\00:48:11.05
It's tangible.
00:48:11.35\00:48:13.47
It's well defined.
00:48:13.77\00:48:16.61
OK, let's go on.
00:48:16.65\00:48:18.77
Is it incorruptible?
00:48:19.08\00:48:20.55
Absolutely. You may not keep
it but you can't corrupt it.
00:48:21.88\00:48:24.45
Incorruptible.
00:48:24.95\00:48:27.72
And 5... is it personal?
00:48:28.03\00:48:30.92
So it fits all the
criteria of a sign...
00:48:31.22\00:48:34.70
the Sabbath does.
00:48:34.90\00:48:36.24
All right. So, my
question is then...
00:48:36.54\00:48:39.29
is simply this one which you've
got to settle in your heart.
00:48:39.59\00:48:42.05
The question that
you have to settle is:
00:48:42.35\00:48:45.11
Now you understand
what you're saying.
00:48:50.36\00:48:52.67
See, you've already told me
00:48:52.97\00:48:54.72
that that covenant
included the Gentile.
00:48:54.93\00:48:57.84
And if the covenant
included the Gentile
00:48:58.14\00:49:00.74
and the Sabbath is a
sign of the covenant,
00:49:00.94\00:49:04.69
then does it
include the Gentile?
00:49:04.89\00:49:07.17
Absolutely. But let's
look at some scripture
00:49:07.47\00:49:09.51
and see if the Bible
says that it's for the Gentile
00:49:09.81\00:49:12.03
as well as for the Jew.
00:49:12.23\00:49:13.43
Listen carefully, friends.
00:49:39.38\00:49:40.99
Therefore, does it
include the Gentile? Yes!
00:49:53.72\00:49:57.43
Did it include the
Gentile in the New Testament?
00:49:57.67\00:50:00.78
Was it involved there?
Listen very carefully...
00:50:01.08\00:50:03.58
Paul is preaching. As
he preaches, Paul says
00:50:03.88\00:50:08.22
Now listen carefully:
00:50:23.73\00:50:25.05
They heard about it
and they said: "Praise God!
00:50:33.93\00:50:36.30
We're included! "
00:50:36.60\00:50:38.11
See? "We're included. "
00:50:38.42\00:50:40.99
Paul and his companions...
they've made their way
00:50:46.14\00:50:49.62
over to Macedonia.
00:50:49.92\00:50:51.91
That's Europe.
00:50:52.01\00:50:53.43
There at that time in history
00:50:53.74\00:50:55.76
the Jewish people had
not settled much into Europe.
00:50:55.96\00:50:58.59
They've made their way
up to the city of Philippi.
00:50:58.79\00:51:01.84
They're there for a number
of days. The Sabbath comes.
00:51:02.07\00:51:05.00
Let's see what happens
here in Acts the 16th chapter
00:51:05.25\00:51:08.35
verse 12:
00:51:08.45\00:51:09.51
OK. No Jewish synagogue here.
00:51:18.88\00:51:21.03
They heard about these
women that were meeting
00:51:33.21\00:51:35.14
out by the river. They went
out and worshiped with them.
00:51:35.34\00:51:37.57
This is where
Lydia was converted.
00:51:37.87\00:51:39.95
So definitely the Gentiles
are keeping the Sabbath.
00:51:40.25\00:51:43.87
Listen... Acts 17 verse 2:
00:51:44.17\00:51:47.96
Who's he reasoning with?
00:51:56.40\00:51:57.92
Not just Jews; it
included more than that.
00:52:05.59\00:52:09.31
In the marketplace daily
00:52:09.51\00:52:11.78
with those who
happened to be there.
00:52:11.98\00:52:13.68
So dear friend, yes
00:52:13.98\00:52:16.38
the Sabbath was
involved not just with the Jew
00:52:16.68\00:52:20.20
but with the Gentile as well.
00:52:20.51\00:52:22.51
So put it down.
00:52:29.22\00:52:31.67
God has never changed it.
00:52:31.98\00:52:34.79
It will never be changed.
00:52:35.10\00:52:37.20
If Jesus was going to change it,
00:52:37.50\00:52:39.47
He had to do it before He died.
00:52:39.67\00:52:41.29
And you'll find
that He said very clearly
00:52:42.64\00:52:44.50
that He was Lord of the Sabbath.
00:52:44.81\00:52:46.64
It even tells you that the
Sabbath will be kept in heaven.
00:52:47.95\00:52:50.51
Listen:
00:52:51.01\00:52:52.58
Hmmm?
00:53:19.22\00:53:20.50
Because it is a sign
00:53:20.80\00:53:24.73
of an everlasting
perpetual covenant.
00:53:25.03\00:53:29.67
Do you know what
language Jesus Christ spoke?
00:54:10.28\00:54:13.88
Do you know?
00:54:15.92\00:54:17.18
Aramaic.
00:54:17.48\00:54:19.17
I'm going to read you
a text from the Aramaic
00:54:19.47\00:54:22.20
translated into English.
00:54:22.50\00:54:24.25
Comes from Hebrews
the 4th chapter verse 9.
00:54:24.56\00:54:27.98
This is what it says:
00:54:28.28\00:54:29.51
That's the way
it reads in Aramaic.
00:54:37.44\00:54:39.30
"It is the duty
of the people of God
00:54:39.60\00:54:41.78
to keep the Sabbath. "
00:54:42.08\00:54:43.30
Now, Jesus wants to
enter into a covenant with you.
00:54:43.60\00:54:47.78
A covenant is
about a relationship.
00:54:48.08\00:54:51.22
Jesus had a very close
relationship with His Father.
00:54:51.52\00:54:54.63
And you remember as He
prayed there in the Garden
00:54:54.93\00:54:58.10
of Gethsemane He said:
00:54:58.20\00:54:59.47
Now folks, He's
talking to His Father
00:55:09.30\00:55:12.38
and He's talking to His
Father in very familiar terms.
00:55:12.68\00:55:16.03
That's the reason the
scripture translates that
00:55:16.33\00:55:18.51
word "Abba"...
because we do not have a word
00:55:18.72\00:55:21.88
in English that
expresses the intimacy
00:55:22.08\00:55:26.16
that that word "Abba" does.
00:55:26.46\00:55:27.97
The closest word
we have in English
00:55:28.27\00:55:30.57
for that word "Abba" is Daddy.
00:55:30.87\00:55:33.73
That's the closest word we have.
00:55:34.04\00:55:35.65
So He's appealing
to His Father here
00:55:35.96\00:55:38.17
in very intimate
terms: "Abba Father. "
00:55:38.47\00:55:41.62
OK. It means a very,
very close relationship.
00:55:41.92\00:55:47.91
That's what it means.
That's what it stands for.
00:55:48.11\00:55:50.04
A covenant... it says that
when God enters into a covenant
00:55:50.34\00:55:54.75
that's a sign of a relationship
between you and God.
00:55:54.95\00:55:58.22
And it says that He comes in
and He writes it in your heart
00:55:58.52\00:56:01.38
and puts it
where? In your mind. OK.
00:56:01.58\00:56:05.31
The scripture says that
He's going to write His name
00:56:05.61\00:56:08.70
in your mind...
on your forehead.
00:56:09.00\00:56:11.06
That He's going to
put His law in your mind.
00:56:11.36\00:56:13.94
You know how He does that?
00:56:14.24\00:56:16.37
Huh? Do you know
how He does that?
00:56:16.67\00:56:19.91
This is how He does it, friends:
00:56:20.21\00:56:22.95
That's what's there.
00:56:27.85\00:56:30.06
See, it has His name
right in the very heart of it.
00:56:30.37\00:56:33.82
And so that
Sabbath represents...
00:56:34.12\00:56:36.20
He said: "Listen,
that's My covenant with you.
00:56:36.40\00:56:38.56
That's the sign
of this relationship
00:56:38.76\00:56:40.90
that I have with you. "
00:56:40.93\00:56:42.72
God wants to enter into a
covenant with you tonight.
00:57:00.41\00:57:03.22
He wants to write His law...
00:57:03.52\00:57:05.82
put it in your heart
and write it on your mind.
00:57:06.13\00:57:09.17
Abba, Father,
00:57:14.09\00:57:19.26
let me be
00:57:19.56\00:57:24.10
Yours...
00:57:24.40\00:57:26.31
and Yours alone.
00:57:26.61\00:57:32.57
May my life
00:57:34.34\00:57:38.76
forever be
00:57:39.06\00:57:44.69
evermore
00:57:44.99\00:57:50.18
Your own.
00:57:50.48\00:57:56.10
Let us bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
00:57:57.00\00:57:59.71
Heavenly Father, tonight
00:58:00.01\00:58:01.13
we thank you for
what Jesus Christ has done
00:58:01.43\00:58:04.36
for each of us
here this evening.
00:58:04.56\00:58:06.20
For this we pray
in Your name, Amen.
00:58:06.50\00:58:09.67
To obtain a copy of this
program or for more information,
00:58:13.28\00:58:16.41
please write to:
00:58:16.61\00:58:17.80