1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,400 Now, if you will, turn it to me in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 31. 2 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:18,280 And I'm going to be reading two sections from chapter 31 verses 1 through 6 and 31 through 3 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:20,720 34. 4 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,880 In the book of Jeremiah there have been changes. 5 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:30,920 And of course one of the big changes is God's people are going to be exiled for their sins. 6 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:36,160 They're going to go from Israel to Babylon. 7 00:00:36,160 --> 00:00:39,120 But this morning I want to look at another change. 8 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,040 And it's not the change of locations. 9 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:50,200 It's the change that can take place within the soul of a person. 10 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:57,800 This morning we're going to look at what is known as the New Covenant in which God says, 11 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:04,240 I'm going to change my people. 12 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:11,840 And one of the great comforts we have is that God can change you. 13 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,480 Let's give attention to God's word. 14 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:25,600 At that time declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel. 15 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,600 And they will be my people. 16 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,960 This is what the Lord says. 17 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:35,880 The people who survived the sword will find favor in the wilderness. 18 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,800 I will come to give rest to Israel. 19 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:47,080 The Lord appeared to us in the past saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love. 20 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:51,400 I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. 21 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,120 I will build you up again. 22 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,520 And you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. 23 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:05,880 Again you will take up your timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful. 24 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:12,080 Then you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria and the farmers will plant them 25 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,880 and enjoy their fruit. 26 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:20,840 There will be a day when a watchman will cry out on the hills of Ephraim, come let us 27 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:25,600 go to Zion to the Lord our God. 28 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:35,720 And then down from verse 31 through 34, let's continue reading what God is doing. 29 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:40,920 The days are coming declares the Lord when I will make a new covenant with the people 30 00:02:40,920 --> 00:02:45,720 of Israel and with the people of Judah. 31 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:51,560 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand 32 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:57,560 to lead them out of Egypt because they broke my covenant though I was a husband to them, 33 00:02:57,560 --> 00:02:59,920 declares the Lord. 34 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:04,400 This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel. 35 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:11,920 After that time declares the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds and write it on 36 00:03:11,920 --> 00:03:13,640 their hearts. 37 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:18,320 I will be their God and they will be my people. 38 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:25,720 No longer will they teach their neighbor or say to one another, know the Lord because 39 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:32,080 they will all know me from the least of them to the greatest declares the Lord for I will 40 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:39,120 forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more. 41 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:43,680 Let's pray. 42 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:50,240 Our Heavenly Father help us to approach scripture today with not only inquiring hearts but grateful 43 00:03:50,240 --> 00:04:02,060 hearts because you have entered into a relationship with us in which you will change us. 44 00:04:02,060 --> 00:04:09,720 And while we may not like change, this change is ultimately for the good. 45 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:17,280 Holy Spirit bless this reading and work with your people. 46 00:04:17,280 --> 00:04:20,760 I make this prayer in His name, amen. 47 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:30,360 Now what comes to your mind when I say you need to be in a relationship with Christ? 48 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:35,400 Some of you may say, well that means I'm a disciple. 49 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,440 True you are a disciple. 50 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:42,400 Some of you may say, well it means that I'm a follower. 51 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,400 True you are a follower. 52 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:52,240 Others may say it means that I'm a believer and you are a believer. 53 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:59,080 You cannot be justified unless you do believe in Jesus Christ. 54 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:06,080 But in the Bible there is another way of defining that relationship we have with God and it's 55 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,680 called a covenant. 56 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:16,080 You and I are in a covenant with God and it's been there throughout the Old Testament. 57 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,760 It's been there in the New Testament. 58 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:25,760 And the way you've got to think about covenant, it's like a marriage bond. 59 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:32,760 Vows are taken, promises are made. 60 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:36,440 Obligations are there. 61 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:40,120 Well it's the same when it comes to our relationship with God. 62 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:41,560 Promises are made by God. 63 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,240 We have made promises to Him. 64 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,120 It is also like the way our families run. 65 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:51,920 Everybody has their obligations within the family. 66 00:05:51,920 --> 00:06:01,200 And the deepest relationship we have with God comes because of that covenant relationship. 67 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:06,600 You read a dictionary and you look up the word covenant. 68 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:08,920 It's a promise to somebody. 69 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:15,440 It's a bond and in the Bible it's a bond in blood which ultimately looks forward to Jesus 70 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,040 Christ. 71 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:23,360 In essence though if we're looking for a biblical definition of what a covenant is, here it is. 72 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:32,280 I will be your God and you will be my people. 73 00:06:32,280 --> 00:06:34,800 That in essence is what a covenant is. 74 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:39,960 Our God is the only God we have and we are His people. 75 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:44,120 We are bonded together to God. 76 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:50,720 And this morning I want to look at that relationship that you have with God. 77 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:55,760 Ultimately a relationship that changes us and makes us into something new. 78 00:06:55,760 --> 00:07:00,440 But it is a relationship. 79 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:05,200 And many people when it comes to church they think the only thing that we offer is just 80 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,640 a set of beliefs. 81 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,520 Those beliefs are important but there's more to it than that. 82 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:16,520 It is that relationship aspect that we have with the Lord. 83 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:25,960 And here what we're going to see is that God further reveals His covenant relationship 84 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:35,480 with us beyond that of what He promised to Moses and the people of Israel. 85 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:47,560 That covenant is still in effect with Moses but God has changed us in a very unique way. 86 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:54,000 And that covenant shows us the very heart of God. 87 00:07:54,000 --> 00:08:00,400 And when you think of the heart of God this morning, God's motivation for entering into 88 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:08,680 a relationship with you is His love. 89 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:10,440 That's right. 90 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:15,080 His love for you. 91 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,440 That's what drives that relationship. 92 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:22,240 That's why there was a relationship with God's people at Sinai. 93 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,080 That's why Jesus came into this world. 94 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,440 It's because of God's great love. 95 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:33,040 Now I'm going to tell you this morning, there's barriers to that. 96 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,560 There were barriers for Israel. 97 00:08:35,560 --> 00:08:42,600 I want you to think for a moment what Israel was experiencing when Jeremiah tells them 98 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:46,680 these words that I read to you earlier today. 99 00:08:46,680 --> 00:08:48,240 Look at what they were experiencing. 100 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:55,320 Oh God, you've made all these promises to us but now we're going to go into exile. 101 00:08:55,320 --> 00:09:01,360 I guess those promises don't mean anything to you God. 102 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,320 You said we were your treasured possessions. 103 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:09,920 Why are we being treated like garbage? 104 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:14,120 It seems God you've thrown us away. 105 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:22,160 Lord, what about all those promises that you have made throughout the Old Testament and 106 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:23,160 the prophets? 107 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:25,480 Now what are we doing? 108 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:26,480 We're in exile. 109 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:28,480 We are in Babylon. 110 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:35,520 We're in tears because we want to go home and you don't seem to be doing anything at 111 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:36,520 all. 112 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:37,720 We are hopeless. 113 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:42,200 We are deserted. 114 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:45,640 We're a wreck, God. 115 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,600 That was Israel. 116 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:50,120 What about you? 117 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,600 What about you? 118 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:59,200 Sometimes as Presbyterians we do stress the logical, reasonable aspects of our faith and 119 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:03,120 there is a place for that. 120 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:08,480 But sometimes we become so caught up in that and people will say, well, this is how Presbyterians 121 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:14,240 do things and what they're really saying is we have no passion for God nor are we interested 122 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:18,800 in God's passion for us and it's simply not true. 123 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,080 It is not biblical. 124 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:27,720 And if you are not struggling with that, you may be struggling with the fact that you are 125 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:34,320 no longer in the Garden of Eden and we live in a world full of sin, full of disappointment, 126 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:37,720 full of disgrace. 127 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:46,880 It may occur because you have faced accidents that have harmed you and your body. 128 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:53,760 Any Christian who have had a severe accident and they're in a wheelchair for life, there 129 00:10:53,760 --> 00:11:03,080 is the problem of age which leaves us weak and none of us can escape it because it is 130 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,680 the decay of our body and we have become limited. 131 00:11:06,680 --> 00:11:11,960 We started out in youth, thought we could do anything we wanted to do but then age comes 132 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:16,360 in and takes away our power. 133 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:23,200 And then of course there is rejection which probably everyone in this room has faced in 134 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:27,360 one form or another. 135 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:29,720 We are not getting picked. 136 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:33,360 We are not getting chosen. 137 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:42,880 We have failed plans as well because perhaps we didn't have enough information and so how 138 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:45,480 does that leave us? 139 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:47,560 God you don't care. 140 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:50,200 God you're not for us. 141 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:56,600 We feel like we are meet at the grocery store that has been rejected because we don't live 142 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:03,040 up to the grocery store standards and we're going to get thrown out. 143 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,520 Ever felt that way? 144 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:13,720 Everything that's what your life is like, plenty of people do and it's a struggle. 145 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:21,560 But I want you to look at what God says in Jeremiah, one of those prophets where there's 146 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:30,000 all the gloom and doom and the judgment and promises of disaster. 147 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,680 Look at what he's saying in these first six verses. 148 00:12:34,680 --> 00:12:37,160 There's going to be a remnant. 149 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:42,280 There's going to be a people who will survive. 150 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:51,640 And even though they're in the wilderness of their lives, they're going to find favor 151 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:58,440 from God and he's going to give them rest. 152 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:00,920 He's going to bring them back to the land one day. 153 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,400 That's for sure. 154 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:07,240 But he's also going to give them rest for his soul. 155 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,520 Why? 156 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:13,320 Look at verse three. 157 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:17,760 I want you to think of the passion of our God here, which is something we don't often 158 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:19,640 think of. 159 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:29,680 I have loved you with an everlasting love. 160 00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:40,240 I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. 161 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:48,840 I will build you up again and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. 162 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:55,400 And if you go and you study the biblical words here that are used for love, you read the 163 00:13:55,400 --> 00:14:00,320 scholarly articles, they'll all sell you. 164 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:07,320 It is God's passionate love for his people that is everlasting. 165 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:15,440 It is no wonder that when Israel violates the basic covenant agreement, it is considered 166 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:21,760 adultery because one of the pictures we have in our human life of that covenantal love 167 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,640 is the relationship between a man and a wife. 168 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:32,040 We may think of the tenderness that should be there in marriage. 169 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:38,800 That's what it is saying that God has for his people. 170 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:45,640 And it all harkens back to the very beginnings of Israel's history. 171 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:51,960 And I want you to see what God said to his people in the book of Deuteronomy in chapter 172 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:54,160 7, verses 7 through 9. 173 00:14:54,160 --> 00:15:01,280 The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous 174 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:03,160 than other people. 175 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,640 You were the fewest of all people. 176 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:13,920 But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath. 177 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:19,400 He swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you 178 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:27,920 from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. 179 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,120 He's drawing you by his love. 180 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,400 And God has always loved his people. 181 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:42,840 God has always had affection for his chosen lot. 182 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:44,680 And look at what it says again in verse 3. 183 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:56,480 How does he draw his people with that unfailing kindness towards them? 184 00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:02,760 This is what we think relationships should be like on earth because that is what our 185 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:08,680 relationship with God is truly like. 186 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:15,280 And one of the most passionate Bible verses in the Old Testament is, it's from my Posea 187 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,720 chapter 11. 188 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:22,560 Listen to what God says about fallen Israel. 189 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:30,560 I led them with cords of humankindness, with ties of love. 190 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:35,160 How can I give you up? 191 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:41,240 That's why you are in a relationship with God because from eternity past, God set his 192 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:42,240 affection. 193 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:47,840 Yes, I mean affection on you. 194 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:51,760 So how do you see your relationship with God? 195 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,240 How do you feel about your relationship with God? 196 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:58,840 How do you think about your relationship with God? 197 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:03,240 How do you act upon it? 198 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:07,920 Is it one of that love? 199 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:09,420 Let me ask you this. 200 00:17:09,420 --> 00:17:14,680 Do you think God is passionate about you or you're just one of the number? 201 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:20,120 It says here that God is passionate towards his people. 202 00:17:20,120 --> 00:17:25,640 And yet some of you have a problem with this idea that God would love you that much. 203 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:32,960 You may think it is undignified because it's not scholarly enough or presbyterian enough. 204 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:39,120 You may think to yourself, you are not worthy because over and over again in your life, 205 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:44,640 you've been told that by people. 206 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:48,680 Or you may have done something that really is terrible. 207 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:52,960 But look at Israel, look at all they did. 208 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,480 They did terrible things. 209 00:17:55,480 --> 00:18:06,040 But if you look at verse 34, God says this, they'll all know me for I would forgive their 210 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:12,600 wickedness and remember their sins no more. 211 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:16,960 Your relationship with God is one of great, great love. 212 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:21,520 And I dare say that in this world we can hardly imagine it. 213 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:26,560 But let me go on a little further and explain this love to you. 214 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:30,920 How much did God love you? 215 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,640 He will change you. 216 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:36,600 He's going to change you. 217 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:43,680 God's love is so great that he's not going to let you go on falling away from him. 218 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:47,160 Let me tell you why this is important. 219 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,080 Look at the history of Israel. 220 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:55,920 Lots of people have had a problem of responding to that love. 221 00:18:55,920 --> 00:19:00,000 Adam and Eve, I want you to think about that whole situation in the garden where Adam and 222 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:01,440 Eve had everything. 223 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,120 They walked with God, they talked with God. 224 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:06,520 God gave him a whole garden. 225 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:07,960 And he only gave him one commandment. 226 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:11,560 Now you get to Moses, you got 10. 227 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:12,560 Okay? 228 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:14,960 What'd they do? 229 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:17,280 They broke the one commandment. 230 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:21,080 And why? 231 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,320 Really what Satan's saying, God's really mean. 232 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,520 He's restricted you. 233 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:27,680 And so they fall. 234 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,760 One commandment where they had everything. 235 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:37,440 And then we go on in the Bible and God shows his mighty work to Israel, bringing them out 236 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:42,840 of Egypt, drowning Pharaoh's army and destroying them. 237 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:47,560 And what do they do right after they get up? 238 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:49,960 Complain, complain, complain. 239 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:51,320 God's not for us. 240 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,920 We're going to die in the desert. 241 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:56,440 And God gives them man and quail. 242 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:01,040 We go on where he gives them the 10 commandments. 243 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,080 And what's the next thing they do? 244 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,160 They create a golden calf and an ideal. 245 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:13,240 Because they didn't believe nor trust in the love of God. 246 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:17,800 And in the background of Jeremiah 31, what has happened to God's people? 247 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:19,520 He's told them what the law is. 248 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:21,040 He's told them what is required. 249 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:25,840 He said here to be different than the rest of the world. 250 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:29,240 And Israel acts just like the rest of the world. 251 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,360 Despite the prophets, despite his word, despite it all. 252 00:20:33,360 --> 00:20:37,120 And so what God is going to do here is going to say, I'm going to kill you. 253 00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:39,560 I'm going to change you all. 254 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,920 You won't follow my good commandments. 255 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:46,120 I'm going to have to do something different. 256 00:20:46,120 --> 00:20:51,520 I'm going to add more power into my relationship with you. 257 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:55,880 I'm going to enter into a new covenant with you. 258 00:20:55,880 --> 00:21:00,720 Now don't think here he's getting rid of the Mosaic covenant. 259 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:02,600 He's not. 260 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:08,640 But he is going to make some changes, and here's the big change. 261 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:14,280 Those Mosaic commandments were written on tablets of stone. 262 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:22,800 But in the new covenant, where are those commandments now written? 263 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,920 Where in your heart? 264 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:34,280 I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. 265 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:38,320 God is going to change you. 266 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:47,160 It will be internalized so that you really want to follow God and his ways. 267 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:59,280 If you go to 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 3, this is what the Holy Spirit does. 268 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:03,280 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the results of our ministry written not with 269 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:08,920 ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of 270 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,000 the human heart. 271 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:16,760 God loved you enough that he changed your heart so that you will now have a desire to 272 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:20,760 know God. 273 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:33,640 Same God who was the potter, who molded Israel is now in the business of remolding your heart. 274 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:39,320 So much so that your sins are forgiven. 275 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:46,680 The truth of the matter is that God changes you because he loves you so much. 276 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:52,560 And it's not a passionless love, it is not an intellectual love, it is a desire to enter 277 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,520 into your life by the Holy Spirit to change you. 278 00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:02,040 Let me ask you, do you believe in Jesus this morning? 279 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:03,040 Trusting in Jesus? 280 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:08,160 Do you have a desire to follow Christ? 281 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:11,800 You know what that means? 282 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:15,520 God has worked. 283 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:24,160 God has shown his passionate love for you so much so that he wants you to follow him. 284 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:26,560 And we think of the miracles in the Bible. 285 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:31,160 Let me tell you what one of the greatest miracles is, is when that Holy Spirit gets hold of you, 286 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,240 changes you so that you want to be with Jesus. 287 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,520 And that is your greatest desire. 288 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:42,120 Now in my house, I have t-shirts. 289 00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:45,800 And I'm the type of person who wears one t-shirt a week, the same shirt. 290 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:50,120 Yes, I take my weekly bath to everyone, okay? 291 00:23:50,120 --> 00:23:54,560 I have a t-shirt that goes back, I think, to 1978. 292 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:59,320 It has holes in it. 293 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:02,280 It is barely hanging together. 294 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:07,200 And my dear wife has said, why don't you throw it away? 295 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:14,040 And I say to myself, no, no, I love that t-shirt. 296 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:15,040 Amen. 297 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:20,760 Now, let me tell you, that t-shirt is never going to be thrown away. 298 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:25,280 I mean, it's not going to go anywhere until probably I'm in the grave or something. 299 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:26,960 Then I guess you might get rid of it. 300 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,440 But I'll take, here's what God's love is like. 301 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:31,160 It's like that t-shirt. 302 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:35,960 In fact, He has preserved us and He does something even better. 303 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,880 He rejuvenates that t-shirt in a way that I can't. 304 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:43,520 He makes it beautiful again, where the reds are really red and the colors aren't faded 305 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:46,680 anymore and there are no more holes in it. 306 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:57,880 That's what God's love is like to change, to protect, to preserve you. 307 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:01,000 That's the relationship you have. 308 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:05,240 And you know what that tells us how weird to respond? 309 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:07,880 It's with love. 310 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,240 Yes, it's obedience too. 311 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:16,280 But all of our obedience is based off of love of God and love of neighbor. 312 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:23,840 The real change, though, that has to flow from us has to come from our hearts. 313 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,680 The heart that truly loves God. 314 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:28,960 That's the response that He wants. 315 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,400 After all, it's a relationship. 316 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:34,960 A relationship. 317 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:41,200 That's what God wants from you, a heart that loves Him. 318 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,160 And you know what should motivate us? 319 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:48,320 It's because this covenant ultimately refers to Jesus Christ. 320 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:53,880 He talks about the forgiveness of sin and we all know that that's because of Jesus' 321 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:54,880 death on the cross. 322 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:58,080 And what does 1 John say? 323 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:00,960 This is love. 324 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:08,360 Not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for 325 00:26:08,360 --> 00:26:10,920 our sin. 326 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:15,360 He took away our guilt and our sin and He changed our hearts. 327 00:26:15,360 --> 00:26:21,440 And the response should be love. 328 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:27,040 Well this past week was Valentine's Day. 329 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:33,920 And Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that always catches me off guard. 330 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:43,240 So on Valentine's Day morning, Jen brings me a Valentine's present. 331 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:48,080 And it was a cup and it's got two dogs on it because we're big dog fans and she's like 332 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:50,640 us, you know, the two puppy dogs and everything. 333 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:51,640 Okay, great. 334 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:52,640 Love it. 335 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:53,640 I did. 336 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:54,640 I loved it. 337 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:59,560 I felt sort of sheepish because guess what I got in her? 338 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:00,720 Nothing so far. 339 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:05,840 So basically I need to go to the store real quick and yes, I got it at the present. 340 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:06,840 But think about it. 341 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:07,840 Why did I do that? 342 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:11,360 Because I love my wife. 343 00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:14,200 I want to please her. 344 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:15,200 That's why. 345 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:17,720 Yeah, I'm a little dim-witted at times. 346 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:18,720 Yes, I forget. 347 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,640 I don't pay attention to the calendar. 348 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:28,080 But you know, that type of response for what someone has done for us, well, that's what 349 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:32,000 God wants from us. 350 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:38,880 And think about what we say and listen to every communion service when we think of Jesus. 351 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:43,960 This cup is the new covenant in my blood. 352 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,640 Just pour it out for you. 353 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:48,640 Pour it out. 354 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,600 It means he died for you. 355 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,880 So what does God want? 356 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,000 A relationship. 357 00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:04,800 A relationship that is marked by his love for you and you are changed so much so that 358 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:07,240 you love him. 359 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:11,160 And isn't that what we all want? 360 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,920 Let's pray. 361 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:21,080 Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blood of Jesus Christ, the blood that flows 362 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,200 from love. 363 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,400 Be with us now. 364 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:33,040 Increase our love and faith for you, Jesus, because we're in the new covenant. 365 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:39,760 And we have your law written not on tablets of stone, but on our human hearts. 366 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:52,280 Amen.