Luke 22: 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
The new covenant in my blood, poured out for you!
Jer 31:31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD.
33 “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, `Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Jer 31:31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD.
Old covenant had its limitations. Limited by human disobedience and sin. Time and again Israelites broke the old covenant.
Although God saved his chosen people, although God took them by the hand – what a wonderful picture of God’s love
Although he rescued them from slavery in Egypt – time and again the Israelites disobeyed God and rebelled against Him. So a new covenant was needed.
2 Corinthians 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
A new covenant not based on the letter of the law, on people obeying 10 commandments, but a new commandment mediated by the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life!
33 “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.
A relationship which is INTERNAL, INDIVIDUAL, PERSONAL
In MINDS – thinking and understanding
IN HEARTS – feeling, emotions, will
I will be their God, and they will be my people
Not just the whole nation in relationship with God – but each individual believer in personal relationship with their God and Father.
34 No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, `Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD.
An individual and personal relationship
Relationship mediated not by other human beings but by the Holy Spirit living inside us.
Priesthood of all believers – each one can come into God’s presence to pray.
Prophethood of all believers – each one can receive messages from God
But how can any human being enjoy these blessings? Knowing God personally. God The Holy Spirit making His home inside each believer? Because there is still the problem of sin which separates disobedient unclean human beings from the Holy and righteous God.
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
For the new covenant to be possible – sin needs to be dealt with.
Hebrews 9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Blood needs to be shed- not the blood of animals or indeed of ordinary human beings – but the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God.
Hebrews 9:13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. The blood poured out so that sins can be forgiven and this wonderful new covenant can come into existence.
1 Corinthians 11: 23 ¶ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
