EVERYTHING. is a BIG word!

EVERYTHING

EVERYTHING is a BIG word!

People of the New Covenant meaningful connection with! God and others! God s Covenant Changes Everything

EVERYTHING Disposition Destiny Dimensions Discipleship Dynamic

People of the New Covenant Covenant is how! we relate to God.!! Not by contract! by Covenant!

People of the New Covenant If Covenant is how! we relate to God...!! do you think it ought to! affect the way we relate to people?!

When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan committed himself to David, and loved him as much as he loved himself. 2 Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him return to his father s house. 3 Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as much as himself. 4 Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt. 1 Samuel 18:1-4

David asked, Is there anyone remaining from Saul s family I can show kindness to because of Jonathan? 2 There was a servant of Saul s family named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? I am your servant, he replied. 3 So the king asked, Is there anyone left of Saul s family that I can show the kindness of God to? Ziba said to the king, There is still Jonathan s son who is lame in both feet. 4 The king asked him, Where is he? Ziba answered the king,

You ll find him in Lo-debar at the house of Machir son of Ammiel. 5 So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar. 6 Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, bowed down to the ground and paid homage. David said, Mephibosheth! I am your servant, he replied. 7 Don t be afraid, David said to him, since I intend to show you kindness because of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all your grandfather Saul s fields, and you will always eat meals at my table.

8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me? 9 Then the king summoned Saul s attendant Ziba and said to him, I have given to your master s grandson all that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You, your sons, and your servants are to work the ground for him, and you are to bring in the crops so your master s grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master s grandson, is always to eat at my table. Now Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.

11 Ziba said to the king, Your servant will do all my lord the king commands. So Mephibosheth ate at David s table just like one of the king s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All those living in Ziba s house were Mephibosheth s servants. 13 However, Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem because he always ate at the king s table. He was lame in both feet. 2 Samuel 9:1-13

People of the New Covenant A covenant changes relationship I Samuel 18:3; 20:23; 23:17 Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as much as himself... As for the matter you and I have spoken about, the LORD will be a witness between you and me forever... You, yourself will be king over Israel and I ll be your second in command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.

! Jonathan was one of the sons! of the first king of Israel,! a brave warrior...! David was an unknown shepherd boy! who killed Goliath and led Israel to! great victory!

David and Jonathan were beyond friends;! they were brothers of the heart.!

Jonathan once again swore to David in his love for him, for he loved him as he loved himself. I Samuel 20:17!! The Lord will be a witness between you and me forever. I Samuel 20:23!

My father will never lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel and I will be your second-incommand. My father knows it is true.! " " " " " " " " " " " " I Samuel 23:17! Jonathan, the son who would be king, laid down his rights to his friend a covenant heart and adopted a servant heart.

! People of the New Covenant Love one another! as I have loved you.! John 13:34! In Christ there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.! Galatians 3:28!

People of the New Covenant God doesn t change one area of our life at a 7me; when we enter the Covenant Jesus made on our behalf we find that we are changed. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new crea5on. II Corinthians 5:17 We have to grow up into that change.

People of the New Covenant A covenant changes reality II Samuel 9:1,7-8,11 David asked, Is there anyone remaining from Saul s family I can show kindness to because of Jonathan?... Don t be afraid, David said to him, since I intend to show you kindness because of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all your grandfather Saul s fields and you will always eat meals at my table.... Mephibosheth bowed down and said, What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me? So Mephibosheth ate at David s table just like one of the king s sons.

Jonathan was brutally killed by the Philistines in a battle at Gilboa.!! His father, King Saul, was beheaded and their bodies were hung on the city wall.!! David grieved.!! And Jonathan left behind a son...! Mephibosheth!

Mephibosheth was a sad,! broken man.!! Orphaned at age 5, never really knowing his dad.!! Crippled for life, living in fear in exile.!! Believing a lie!

A lie can ruin your life!! Believing a lie WILL ruin your life!! Mephibosheth believed King David! was his worst enemy.!! Actually he was his best friend.!

David s life changed when he thought, Because of Jonathan, I want to show the kindness of God to someone in the family of Saul. II Samuel 9:1!! Mephibosheth was miserable because of the! lie he believed:! What is your servant that you take interest in a dead dog like me? II Samuel 9:8!

! REALITY changes when the horrible lie: I am a dead man.! Is put away for the beautiful truth:! You will always eat at my table!

Mephibosheth had spent his life in a desert exile, fearing for his life and hating the man who threatened him.!

Is this really happening?!

People of the New Covenant REALITY changed when David honored his covenant with Jonathan:! "*the exile was brought home! "*the fearful was made secure! "*the cripple was made strong! "*the one without family got a new " "family!

People of the New Covenant God s covenant changes everything for his people Hebrews 8:6 But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been legally enacted on better promises.

Covenant and the community of Spirit it produces grows from living in covenant and community rather than teaching to! covenant and community.!

Living in Covenant activates Incarnational Ministry It is what Jesus did when He came to live with us at Bethlehem.!! It is how God saved us.! God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself!

People of the New Covenant When David chose to live in covenant, he took the crippled man and put him in a place of honor. The outsider became one of the King s sons.!

Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant He did not do this with humanity, He did it FOR humanity

! God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.! II Corinthians 5:19!

! In Christ, God shows us that He is saying, Yes, I love you and have come to rescue you and restore you to My purposes of love.! Jesus has a YES face.!

Picture used from www.usnews.com

God s covenant changes everything for HIS people. Entering into His Covenant! responding to His YES face! changes everything!