Rev Phillip Sung
There are two overriding theme or DNA of the bible. The covenant has to do with relationship with God. Our being or who we are. We are a covenant people with a relationship with God.
The other aspect is the kingdom. The kingdom of God has to do with responsibility. We are the representative of God. Christ's ambassadors. We need the being and the doing. This is the two strength of the Christian when we read the bible.
1. Covenant with God.
Genesis 15:18
On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates –
God made a covenant with Abraham. In the Old Testament is the old covenant. God told Abraham he will bless him with a nation of many people. The New Testament is the new covenant. The new covenant of grace and blessings.
Genesis 15:1
God’s Covenant With Abram
1 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
God said He will bless Abraham. He will also bless his descendants and the people. Abraham after many years was still childless but God said as many as the stars in heaven that will be the number of his many descendants. God reckon him as righteous as he lived by faith. Without which it is impossible to please God. He was the father of faith.
There are two types of covenant then. Between equals and non equals. Like marriage. It's a covenant of equals. It's not a contract. It is a covenant of trust. Total commitment for their total life. In the marriage vow it is made by two equals even though old thinking think man is more superior. Just look at the marriage vow. Everything is shared. One flesh. Shared bank account. What is mine is yours and what is yours in mine.
There is also the unequal covenant. Like when the land is conquered and the king make a covenant to his subject. This is called the suzerain covenant. This is unequal. Just like God's covenant with us. He is the creator of the universe and owns everything and now He makes a covenant with us. How great is that?
Genesis 15:9-10
So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”
10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half.
This was God's covenant with us and it has to do with blood. Just like Jesus paying the price for us on the cross. Blood was shed and we have a relationship with God. And with the blood sacrifice we can come to God. We now have access to God. We have all His blessings under this new covenant with God.
If I were to partner a badminton player, I will probably pick Lee Chong Wei as partner. The world's No. 1 badminton player. Even though I may not play well, I stand a chance when I partner Lee Chong Wei. If we want to overcome the devil, we will want to partner with God.
2. Covenant Lifestyle.
Genesis 17:1-2
The Covenant of Circumcision
1 When Abram was ninety- nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
God expect us to be blameless. There is a lifestyle change. Abraham and Sarah were given new names as the children of God and they have to walk differently. God's children have to reflect God's identity. It's the image of the Father. We can't put behavior before identity. As children of God we have to reflect God. A radical change from darkness to light.
We have to have that scar of circumcision. It is a sign that we fulfill a covenant. It is a constant reminder of our covenant with God. It's a painful experience that reminds us of this covenant.
God is not only for us, with us, one of us but also in us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The ark of the covenant is a wonderful picture of God in us. We are a new creation. We have this covenant lifestyle because God is in us. 24/7. In our home especially. We can be a Christian is church, school or work but in the home it is hardest to be a Christian. We are our true self at home. God change and transform us to have a godly lifestyle.
Genesis 22:1-2
Abraham Tested
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
This was a very important test in his life. The final test. To take his only son and sacrifice to God. I wonder how many of us can pass this test? Covenant works both ways. Now God wants his most precious in return. God says everything that's mine is yours and now everything that's ours is His.
Abraham's obedience was immediate. Delayed obedience is disobedience. The next morning. Not delayed obedience. The teenager son asked Abraham where was the sacrifice and Abraham said God will provide. Isaac was a picture of Jesus. How can an old man tie up his teenage son? It was a picture of obedience unto death.
Abraham passed the test with flying colours. What a wonderful example. Jesus wants us to be His disciples. Be followers of Christ. But some of us are Christians by name only and is not willing to follow after Jesus. Jesus said to deny yourself, take up the cross and follow after Him daily. Bottom line is commitment. To be obedient like the son of Abraham. Total obedience.
It's been over 40 years I have made a covenant with God and there are no regrets. We can trust God regardless of circumstances. In our problems we can only OGK. Only God Knows. Like Paul asking God to take away the thorn is his flesh but God says my grace is sufficient for you.
Leave your old identity behind and live your new identity with God. He is the centre of it all. It is knowing Jesus and obeying Jesus and everything else will fall into place. I think it's a good deal amen? Amen.
2. Covenant Lifestyle.
Genesis 17:1-2
The Covenant of Circumcision
1 When Abram was ninety- nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
God expect us to be blameless. There is a lifestyle change. Abraham and Sarah were given new names as the children of God and they have to walk differently. God's children have to reflect God's identity. It's the image of the Father. We can't put behavior before identity. As children of God we have to reflect God. A radical change from darkness to light.
We have to have that scar of circumcision. It is a sign that we fulfill a covenant. It is a constant reminder of our covenant with God. It's a painful experience that reminds us of this covenant.
God is not only for us, with us, one of us but also in us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The ark of the covenant is a wonderful picture of God in us. We are a new creation. We have this covenant lifestyle because God is in us. 24/7. In our home especially. We can be a Christian is church, school or work but in the home it is hardest to be a Christian. We are our true self at home. God change and transform us to have a godly lifestyle.
Genesis 22:1-2
Abraham Tested
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
This was a very important test in his life. The final test. To take his only son and sacrifice to God. I wonder how many of us can pass this test? Covenant works both ways. Now God wants his most precious in return. God says everything that's mine is yours and now everything that's ours is His.
Abraham's obedience was immediate. Delayed obedience is disobedience. The next morning. Not delayed obedience. The teenager son asked Abraham where was the sacrifice and Abraham said God will provide. Isaac was a picture of Jesus. How can an old man tie up his teenage son? It was a picture of obedience unto death.
Abraham passed the test with flying colours. What a wonderful example. Jesus wants us to be His disciples. Be followers of Christ. But some of us are Christians by name only and is not willing to follow after Jesus. Jesus said to deny yourself, take up the cross and follow after Him daily. Bottom line is commitment. To be obedient like the son of Abraham. Total obedience.
It's been over 40 years I have made a covenant with God and there are no regrets. We can trust God regardless of circumstances. In our problems we can only OGK. Only God Knows. Like Paul asking God to take away the thorn is his flesh but God says my grace is sufficient for you.
Leave your old identity behind and live your new identity with God. He is the centre of it all. It is knowing Jesus and obeying Jesus and everything else will fall into place. I think it's a good deal amen? Amen.
 |
| Rev Phillip praying for those that responded to the altar call. |
No comments:
Post a Comment