BODY:

I. The OLD Covenant DOES NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER US:

A. This is the beginning and the most dramatic change

1. However I believe the positive ramifications of what follows are more important

2. In other words, the growth in understanding of what we have in the New Covenant is most profound and beneficial aspect of what we are learning

3. Our overall focus should not be on what we have lost, but on what we have gained

B. HEB 8:13 and othEr verses make it clear that the OLD COVENANT IS FADING AWAY, IT IS OBSOLETE, IT NO LONGER HAS JURISDICTION OVER US:

1. We are part of a better covenant

2. The two are not concurrent, one succeeds the other

Hebrews 8:6-13

6 But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said:

"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.

9 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 did not remain faithful to my covenant,

and I turned away from them,

declares the Lord.

10 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel

after that time, declares the Lord.

I will put my laws in their minds

and write them on their hearts.

a) No longer need external rules and regulations. God comes and lives in us, and places hIs mind, His law of love rightinside oruheartsandminds

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

11 No longer will a man teach his neighbor,

or a man his brother, saying, `Know the Lord,'

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest.

12 For I will forgive their wickedness

and will remember their sins no more."

b) The Old Covenant did not bring righteousness or unity with God

c) It did not bring forgiveness

d) It did not empower the people to be truly the people of God

e) The New Covenant does all of these things

Heb 8: 13 By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

f) If the old was still in force, if its laws and regulations were still needed to supplement the New covenant it would not be obsolete, but very much alive, and an authority over us.

(1) We would still be under it

HEBREWS 9:9-12

9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings -- external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. (NIV)

C. Christ did what the OC practices could only point to and illustrate the need for:

1. He redeemed us, made us righteous

2. We no longer have to pursue righteousness through works of the law

a) The law showed our falling short of God�s glory, our sinfulness and showed our need for Christ and grace, but it did not bring righteousness

3. God�s people no longer belong to the nation of Israel and are no longer under the authority and rule of the Old Covenant but belong to Christ and are solely under His authority and rule and the conditions of the New Covenant

Romans 7:1-6

1 Do you not know, brothers -- for I am speaking to men who know the law -- that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. 3 So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.

a) When Christ died the people of the old Covenant were released from it

4 So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. (NIV)

4. The Jewish Christians in Rome are being told that they have been �RELEASED from the law� from the Old Covenant

a) They have died in Christ, and have died to what once bound them

b) Born a new in Christ to live a life in Him, and free from the supervision and penalties of the law

5. Freed from having to gain righteousness by works, �to serve in the new way of the Spirit.�

D. Paul warns Christians against trying to find acceptance, righteousness and identity as God�s people through the law

1. That was what many were insisting the Gentile converts do

Romans 10:3-10 (NRSV)

3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

a) No righteousness through OC.

b) Is righteousness through faith that Christ�s death justifies and saves us, not through law keeping

v9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. (NRSV)

2. It is so simple and powerful that some find it hard to accept

a) Many sadly and inaccurately, see God as a god of rules and regulations

b) A God who is not easy to satisfy

c) A God who insists we work very hard at keeping external rules and regulations in order to be good enough to please him

d) Old Movie; Polyanna;

(1) Minister so gloomy, condemning

(2) Polyanna came up with a long list of glad texts in the Bible

(3) Minister came to see that God is not a doom and gloom, get you if you slip up God

E. All God asks of us is faith, belief and acceptance of His love, His grace

1. He knows we cannot get righteous by ourselves

2. So he sent His Son to pay for our sins and lead us in a new life that is pleasing to Him

Galatians 2:15-21

15 "We who are Jews by birth and not `Gentile sinners' 16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (NIV)

3. Insisting that we are obligated to obey the Old Covenant laws, is setting aside the grace of God, and going back to rules and works for righteousness

4. We are now led in a godly life, not by OC law, but through Christ living in us

a) And that way of life and its requirements are laid out in the New Testament

Galatians 5:4-6

4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (NIV)

5. Observation of any part of OC law has no role in making us righteous and non-observation has no part in making us unrighteous

a) What makes us righteous is our faith in Christ and the grace of God

b) What we should be focused on is faith expressing itself through love (v6)

F. PAUL MADE IT CLEAR WE ARE Not under the law

Galatians 5:18

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (NIV)

1. expression �under the law,� means under its jurisdiction, its supervision and authority[1]

G. The law was a temporary measure, to babysit Israel until Christ came to bring us true justification and righteousness

1. It showed that God was Holy and that humans aren�t

2. It showed the need for justification and forgiveness

Galatians 3:23-26

23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, (NIV)

Galatians 3:24 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (KJV)

Galatians 3:24 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. (NRSV)

3. word in vse 24, for put in charge, or schoolmaster is paidagogos

4. Douglas Moo says;

The word denoted a person, usually a servant, who had charge over young children. The ancient �pedagogue� was not a teacher but a babysitter. Galatians 3:24, then, is asserting the Mosaic law functioned among the people of Israel to direct their behaviour until the time of their maturity, when the promised Messiah would be revealed (cf. Gal 4:1-7).

5. Verse 25 makes it clear that now Christ has come we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

a) It is no longer our guide, our authority, our supervisor. Christ and his words are the words of life for us.

H. THE OLD COVENANT DID NOT CONTINUE TO HAVE AUTHORITY IN SOME ASPECTS AND NOT IN OTHERS:

1. It ceased TO HAVE BINDING AUTHORITY WHEN CHRIST DIED:

2. Ceased with Christ�s death and Resurrection

3. It�s temporary role was over

I. CURTAIN TORN, HOLY OF HOLIES THROWN OPEN

Matthew 27:50-51

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. (NIV)

1. Brethren this is the most profound and pivotal event in history

2. At this time the Old Covenant ceased

a) One of the parties had died

3. The curtain being torn showed that the whole Old Covenant system was ended

a) No longer was access to God only through the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies once a year

b) Access to God was now open to all who would come through accepting Jesus Christ�s death as payment for their sins, and thus be made righteous and able to approach God�s throne

4. The whole Old Covenant system was brought to an end

a) It was FULFILLED

b) What it pointed to had now taken place

c) The reality that it was a shadow was here

d) In three days Christ would be resurrected

e) In a month the Holy Spirit would create the new People of God, the Body of Christ

Hebrews 10:19-23

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (NIV)

J. WE HAVE ENTERED IN TO A NEW AND BETTER COVENANT

1. We are not Ancient Israel, we have not entered into the Old Covenant agreement, nor agreed to its terms or been made into a physical nation in a promised land

2. We are Christian, we are members of the body of Christ, we are led by the Holy Spirit, we are under the New Covenant -- not the Old

a) We are made righteous through Christ�s blood, we are born of God, and led by the Holy Spirit in a new way of life.

b) We made our new Covenant agreements through putting our faith in Christ, and ratified our faith and surrender to God through baptism

c) WE continue to ratify our NEW COVENANT CONTRACT EACH TIME WE TAKE THE NEW TESTAMENT PASSOVER, OR LORD�S SUPPER

K. The COUNCIL IN ACTS 15 confirmed that Christians are not required to keep the law of Moses, the OLD Covenant LAW

1. We are not under the OC in whole or in part

2. We rejoice in the knowledge that we have our part in the better and superior covenant

3. The one that brings life rather than the one that brought death

L. This New Covenant way of the spirit is much superior to the Old Covenant way of the letter

2 Corinthians 3:6-11

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.

7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, [Ten Commandments and its associated written laws] came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! (NIV)

1. We are under the supervision of the Spirit that leads to life, no longer under the supervison of the letter of the law, written on stone that brought condemnation and death

[1] see Douglas J. Moo in, The Law, the Gospel, and the Modern Christian, editor, Wayne G. Strickland, 1993, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, p.361-363

A. Certainly learned a lot in the past few MONTHS:

1. A lot of material

a) Major changes

A. Today I�d like to give a SUMMATION OF SOME OF WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED:

1. Cover some of major points

a) Hopefully help tie much of it together

b) Perhaps help you catch up on some you may have missed, or not yet looked at

c) Or confirm what you have come to understand

d) Hopefully answer some questions you may have along the way