A New Covenant Understanding the New Covenant of Jesus Christ

The New Covenant Jesus told his disciples, that a New Covenant was being established. This covenant is unlike any that have come before. “Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt” The Word “Testament” literally means “Covenant”. As such, the entire New Testament is really a story of the New Covenant! We’ll see, the New Covenant is deeply rooted in the message and reality of the Kingdom of God. What is a Covenant? What are some of the Covenants of the Old Testament? Remember that Covenants are our way back to God, they tell us how to be like God; thus, how to be truly happy!

The Sinai Covenant The Agreement: God Promises to be with the People and to Lead them to the Promised Land. The Israelites must obey the 10 Commandments and all the Laws of God. “The Law” – all the things a Jew needed to do in order to be apart of the Sinai Covenant The Sign of the Covenant is the Sabbath Day. The Ten Commandments = some of the Laws of the Covenant. Those laws which the Israelites must follow to remain in the covenant. Question: How is the agreement between God and the Israelites related? (Hint, remember what we said about God’s holiness!)

A Holy People Read Exodus 19:6 Because of the Covenant, the people of Israel are supposed to be a Holy People. What is Holiness? Holiness means to be like God; to separate oneself from evil. The entire nation was meant to be holy; called a “Nation of Priests!” The people were, right then are there, consecrated/dedicated to God. The Israelites are God’s special people. They are God’s Chosen! The Israelites are a people who were chosen by God to show the world how to be Holy. Question: How is the agreement between God and the Israelites related? (Hint, remember what we said about God’s holiness!)

Commandments Continued… The Ten Commandments are those things which lead us to Live a holy life so that we can be with God. The Ten Commandments: the commandments teach us how to relate to God and others. Break it down! 1. I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods 2. You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain 3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day 4. Honor your father and your mother 5. You shall not kill 6. You shall not commit adultery 7. You shall not steal 8. You shall not bear false witness 9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife 10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods Us and God Us and Others

The Commandments and our Conscience Examination of our own conscience: The Ten Commandments are often used to examine our conscience. This means that we judge the good things and bad things we do in our lives by holding them up to the 10 Commandments. For example: after riding term first commandment “You shall have no other gods but me” I might think to myself “Do I put other things before God?” Take some time to think about what kinds of behavior each commandment (whether good or bad) touches upon. What kind of sins belong to each commandment? Which good behaviors belong with that commandment?

Jesus and “the Law” Jews continue to participate in the Sinai Covenant and follow “the Law”. He preached in the Synagogues, read from the Torah (the books of the Law), and practiced many of the things any other Jew would. As such, we as Christians recognize that the 10 Commandments are important parts of living a Christian life. But, Jesus often challenged these Laws.

The New Covenant The New Covenant: It’s important to recognize that Jesus doesn’t just reuse the Old Covenant, but adds to it! Jesus comes and gives us a new way to live and a new holiness to achieve! The New Covenant: Agreement: follow Jesus and you can be in the Kingdom of God A NEW LAW for us! Sign: the Eucharist!

The Law and Sign: Just like the Old Covenant, the New Covenant has a Law and a Sign! The Law: The GREAT Commandment Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul; love your neighbor as yourself. This commandment sums up all the Laws of the Old Covenant! How? The Sign: The Last Supper and Eucharist Read Mt 26:26-30 What does this passage reveal about the Sign of the New Covenant? The Eucharist is a sign of the New Covenant. It helps us remember what Jesus did for us!

Christians and Law of the New Covenant Christians still hold to the laws of the Old Covenant (mostly) Always remember, we are a holy people of God too! Just because we follow Jesus doesn’t mean that we don’t have to pay attention to the Old Testament! So, how do we live out the Commandments today as Christians? Jesus taught us how, through the Beatitudes.! The Beatitudes are a list of things that literally make a person “Blessed” (Beatitude = blessed)

The Beatitudes: BLESSED ARE….. the poor in spirit (those who rely on God): for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:3)kingdom of heaven...those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)5:4...the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)5:5...those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be satisfied. (5:6)5:6...the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)mercifulmercy5:7...the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)5:8...the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)5:9...those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10)5:10 Discussion: how do the Beatitudes help Christians live out the 10 Commandments? With the help of page 100 in your textbook, make a list of how each Beatitudes helps us live out the 10 Commandments. How do the Beatitudes change the way we examine our conscience?