Luke 5:12-16, The Poor and the Prideful

The Poor and the Prideful, Luke 5:12-26

You can listen to this sermon here.

Matt 5:3  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I. vs 12-14: Introduction - Spiritually poor leper

Jesus was in a town in Galilee. He had been teaching large crowds and had publicly called 3 men to be His disciples. While in one of these small towns, an outcast from society - a man with a serious skin disease all over him. Leprosy was the term used to describe numerous skin conditions, including leprosy. But all were treated as contagious and kept out of the covenant community. He saw Jesus, recognized Him, fell on his face and begged Jesus to make him clean. IF He - Jesus - was willing. This man was a Jew and cared not that Jesus didn't fit the Jewish expectations of their Messiah. He was poor in spirit and wanted the cleansing that only comes from the true Messiah. Yes - and Jesus, who learned obedience as a man, was vulnerable. But He came for such as this one. And for you and for me. Oh, praise Him!

This outcast begged Jesus to cleanse him, if He would. Jesus reached out and touched the man - he probably hadn't been touched by another human in years. Note how different from every common expectation He was. Not aloof, prideful, condescending, self-promoting. He listened to this man treated as a sub-human, probably looking him right in the eye, touched him - conferring humanity upon this beggar! And Jesus tells him the most marvelous thing: I'm willing; be made clean!

Now what does a person who has won a million dollars do? Most people go tell everyone they know. This Jewish leper was lifted up from the debris where his kind were forced to live, treated like a human, and cleansed! He was told to "go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses prescribed for your cleansing as a testimony to them." This leper was a Jew. But He did not care whether Jesus met the Jewish expectations for a political savior; he wanted to have life! “IF you are willing …” This leper KNEW salvation and cleansing was of the Lord, if He wills!, and not of man. Mark’s account, chapter 1:39-45, reveals that this man went from Jesus talking freely to everyone about what Jesus had done for him (page 1895).

Such was the fame that was swelling up around this man who heals!

II. vs 15-16: Not of this world

Contrary to what many people in our day think, large crowds of people are not necessarily a good thing. As many as 40,000 flock to see and hear Joel Osteen each week; never hearing the gospel, but they're told their destiny is to be healthy and wealthy in this age. Jesus was not teaching that message. His kingdom is not of this world; the world will hate you as it hated Him; ALL who follow Christ WILL suffer. And people from everywhere thronged to get a glimpse of this man, to hear a word from Him; to be cleansed. From this point forward, His whereabouts were fairly well known. People were looking for Him. How many accounts are there in the New Testament that tell us of the large crowds that followed Jesus; and how many of them end with a rebuke for wrong motives?

In our passage, He removes Himself from the crowds, as He often did; seeking a place to commune with His Father. The approval of the crowds was not what He sought; the approval of His Father was the goal. The Christian gets encouragement from other saints, but we dare not seek applause or disciples for ourselves. Every one of us should seek the approval of the One Who is self-approving. The Lord Jesus has always been in close communion with the Father. But since taking on flesh, since adding our nature to His, He also had human needs during His first advent. He grew and learned and ate and grew tired. His food was to do the Father's will (see John 4:28-34). Prayer is communion with God. The human nature of Jesus desired the close communion He had always had in the spirit. It is the Father's will that we spend time in prayer with Him. Not so much asking for things (which is not necessarily bad), but merely seeking closeness with him, admitting our need and His sufficiency. This type of prayer builds up the souls of the saints. This is the example our Lord gave us.

III. vs 17-20: Spiritually poor people, not those looking for bread to fill their bellies

Verse 17 describes "one of those days." The Lord Jesus had been going from town to town preaching the kingdom of God, healing people, filling some bellies. Once again, leaders from the Jewish community were gathered - along with scores of people from the villages in the region - from Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. A LOT of people, from some distance. A crowd, wanting to hear, waiting to see who would be healed.

Luke includes a very curious statement, And the Lord's power to heal was in Him. Here is revealed one aspect of His earthly ministry that He spoke clearly of in John 5:30 (page 2032). This shows us the closeness amongst the persons in the Trinity - no rogue members, all in total agreement.  As the Messiah was one prophesied to bring healing to Israel, so Jesus came to heal physical Israel physically as a revelation of the spiritual healing He was bringing to spiritual or true Israel.

Many a sermon has been preached on the determination and faith of these friends. That ain't the main point. The main point of this passage is that Jesus has come as promised, to deliver the poor in spirit to freedom. These men who brought their friend to Jesus were not after food; they desired their friend to be healed. This was a genuine hunger for the goodness of God, for Jesus saw that they had faith in Him! All the other people were sitting, waiting for Jesus to perform. These 4 “took the kingdom by force” in making a hole in the roof and lowering their friend to where Jesus was. We know this faith was not merely in Jesus as physical healer because Jesus’ response to them was directed at the man’s soul – seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your SINS ARE FORGIVEN.” In the scene of the 10 lepers, Jesus first heals the body of all of them and then heals the soul of the one who returned to give thanks. Here, He first heals the soul of this man – your sins are forgiven. The lesson in this passage is all about putting spiritual things first.

We know from the biblical accounts of other miracles – the feeding of the 5,000 for example – that people followed after Jesus for food! John 6:26 - Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” As we read a few minutes back, Jesus’ food consisted of more than physical bread – to do the will of the Father. In John 6:27 He taught that we should not work for food that perishes but for food that endures to eternal life – which the Son of Man will give!

Now we are good Baptists and enjoy our fellowship meals – one of which we will enjoy in a short while. Paul wrote that all food is good if received with thanks to God, for every good thing comes to us from Father of lights. The ancient preacher, in Ecclesiastes 8:15 observed that one of the primary joys in life was to eat and drink and be glad; he posited this against the tendency we have to worry about evil men who prosper.  Eating is not our focal point, but we should be content with what we have been given. Those who followed Jesus because their bellies had been filled are identified in Phil 3:18 & 19 (page 2289) as enemies of the cross. Let us be foremost focused on seeking food that endures to eternal life, which Christ Himself gives us as we fellowship with Him and one another, through prayer, and quiet godly lives.

There is another group of people watching and listening to Jesus. The religious leaders.

IV. vs 21: Prideful people clinging to fleeting power

Note the short, sharp report Luke provides about their response. No concern about what has been taught, no concern with the paralyzed man. Their concern was as it had been – with their religious rules being kept so their position would be protected. In Matthew 12 Jesus healed a man’s withered hand on the Sabbath. Verse 14 tells us the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might destroy Him. In Luke 11, Jesus was teaching the religious leaders about their hypocrisy, pronouncing a series of “woes” upon them; summing up in verse 52 “Woe to you experts in the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge! You didn’t go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were going in.” And rather than examining themselves to see if these things were true, the chapter ends with this - When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose Him fiercely and to cross-examine Him about many things; they were lying in wait for Him to trap Him in something He said.

Note the contrast between the two groups present in our passage. One group of people who were routinely put in their place by the other group – religious leaders. The poor people were described as little children by Jesus in Matt 23 as He rebuked the Pharisees, calling them a brood of vipers. Verses 37-38 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem! She who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, yet you were not willing!  See, your house is left to you desolate." Note that the poor people of Israel were those He desired to gather tenderly, yet the leaders of Israel - called Jerusalem, as was the custom (calling civic leaders by the name of their territory) - were unyielding and unwilling, so precious to them was their political power within national Israel. In Acts 5, when Peter has been released from jail and he and John are preaching the gospel, the Sanhedrin and Pharisees were enraged and wanted to kill them (Acts 5:33).

Details will differ, but there are still and always will be (until the Lord returns) these two groups of people: the spiritually poor who want the Lord for Himself and the prideful who want themselves as lord.

V. vs 22-24: The Lord reveals Himself

Next up we see how Jesus responds to these prideful folk who accused Him of blaspheme. These men had not spoken, but had begun to think Jesus was blaspheming because no one can forgive sins but God! Jesus perceived their thoughts - a sign that He is God - and then asked them that pointed question. He was telling them, Talk is cheap, ain't it? Anyone can SAY "your sins are forgiven" but something greater than Solomon is here, telling the man to "get up and walk." And then He sets things straight, telling the brood of vipers: So you will know that I have authority on earth to forgive sins. He doesn't finish the sentence, but turns to the forgiven, paralyzed man and says, "I tell you: Get up, pick up your mat, and go home." You would think all would see this as good news. It WAS good news to the poor; it was not seen as good news by the prideful. But one thing was clear: Jesus, the Son of Man, has the ability to heal AND He has the authority to forgive sins. He is God.

VI. vs 25-26: Spiritually poor people rejoice at the goodness of God

No doubt in anyone's mind Who was before them. Sins forgiven, paralysis healed, muscles restored. Not slowly, over a matter of days and weeks. The One Who created all things, by Whom all things are held together, God in the flesh forgave the man's sins, restored the man's body, and told him to pack up and go. The man immediately got up, packed up his mat, and went home glorifying God. Just like the one leper. The sign of a person who truly desire the ultimate healing of being reconciled to Holy God is that he is thankful to God, rejoicing at having found mercy in time of need.

And note this - all the poor folk were astounded! They had heard the prophecies for generations. The Messiah would come and He would heal them! They had seen and heard of the healing miracles - but TODAY this man forgave sins and healed the man! He put the prideful religious leaders in their place by declaring Himself to be God in saying and doing what he did.

They were filled with awe! Think about this. We call all sorts of things "awesome." One definition of awesome is extremely impressive; inspiring great admiration. Is there anything more awesome - more extremely impressive, worthy of great admiration - than the Lord Jesus? What is more awesome than forgiveness of sins and the ultimate restoration of our bodies that will take place when He returns? Let us spur one another to once again be amazed at the grace given us to bring us into reconciliation with holy God. The last thing we should desire is to be complacent at the thought. These people in Galilee had been oppressed by their religious and political leaders for a long time. They rejoiced at what Christ had done in their midst and they were in AWE. We should be. As He said to the leaders of the Jews in His parable of the talents, “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes!” (Mark 12:11) It is awesome to see or hear of a sinner being reconciled to God - it is the Lord's doing and it is MARVELOUS in our eyes!

Application:

What does all this mean? I hope you've picked up here and there a few things we ought to grasp. First always first and most important: do you know the Lord? Do you trust in Him for the healing of your soul? Are you willing to bring a paralyzed friend to the knowledge of who He is? Are we desperate enough and sure enough that He is the Lord that we would do something like tear a hole in a roof? How about driving 20 miles to meet someone for coffee and prayer, or give them a ride to church?

Are our lives marked by the applause of man or are we content to be found faithful to the One Who called us? Seeking the applause of men, the approval of the world, is antithetical to being pleasing to God.

There are only two groups of people – masses of spiritually poor people, oppressed by religious tyranny and the religious leaders who were puffed up and intent on preserving their power. Those who come to the gospel eagerly and those who try to suppress the gospel. Those who proclaim the gospel and those who proclaim a false one.

How do you and I respond when we hear the gospel? How do our friends and family and neighbors respond? There are only two groups of people on this planet – the poor in spirit and the prideful. The poor in spirit will receive the gospel with joy while the prideful will hate those who preach it.

Christ Jesus is God in the flesh, come to live a life we could not, pay a debt we could not, to reconcile woeful sinners to Himself by the blood of His cross. Is this good news to you? If it is, you are blessed to be spiritually poor. Is this not good news; doesn't have to be BAD news, merely other than GOOD news; is this good news to you? Let a man examine himself to see if he be in the faith. Jesus came to save sinners and He actually does just that. And that is really good news to those who are poor in spirit.

Colossians 2:16 -23 Not Disqualified But Nourished

Colossians 2:16 -23 Not Disqualified But Nourished

Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the Messiah. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm and inflated without cause by his unspiritual mind. He doesn’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, develops with growth from God.  If you died with the Messiah to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? All these ⌊regulations⌋ refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are commands and doctrines of men. Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.

Therefore - Paul is reaching back to what was previous in his letter. Why is he doing this? See what immediately follows this word: don’t let anyone judge you - then he lists several things we'll look at shortly. Don't let anyone falsely judge you, he means - on what, though? Think back on the essentials truths Paul had taught them: they have hope laid up in heaven, they share in the inheritance of light, they've been rescued from darkness and translated in His kingdom; they have redemption and forgiveness, reconciled to God. And that's just from chapter 1! The benefits we reviewed in chapter 2 are as plentiful.

This warning about not letting anyone judge them is the same warning Paul sounded in earlier - he teaches them the truth of their identity in Christ so no one would delude them with plausible arguments, so no one would captivate them with empty deceit according to human tradition or the spirit of the age.

The apostle is warning the saints to be on guard of anyone who tries to convince them they do not possess the fullness of Christ; that we do not have His great and precious promises that Paul has meticulously spelled out in these first 2 chapters of this letter. Having identified the categories of arguments that would be used to pull the saints aside from God’s gospel, Paul then spells out some of the details.

Don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food or drink. Paul expounds on this in Romans 14:1-4 Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues. One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him. Who are you to criticize another’s household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand. For the Lord is able to make him stand. And again in 1 Corinthians 10:25-32 Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, for the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it. If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged by another person’s conscience? If I partake with thanks, why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for?

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. Give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God.

All the dietary laws of the Mosaic community were established to mark out national Israel and keep her separate; they were brought into the church by some Christian Jews who used those laws as a wedge to coerce Gentile saints to follow them. These Jewish Christians took offense at the Gentiles’ nonchalant attitude toward “unclean” or “unholy” food. For some, food was a wedge that divided the people of God. Paul charged Gentiles not to use their liberty in this matter if it would cause a Jewish brother to stumble. But he was clear (1 Tim 4) that everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. So eat or don’t eat, according to your conscience. Do not abuse your position to provoke a brother or sister.

Who knew food could be such a big deal? Paul says in 1 Tim 4:1 & 2 that demanding abstinence from certain foods is demonic doctrine. How kind of our God that He addresses these issues in His Word! We would be foolish to neglect it.

But then Paul completes the thought – don’t let anyone judge you in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. This pattern of days refers to all the holy days of the Jews, moving from yearly festivals to monthly feasts to the weekly Sabbath, and comes from repeated descriptions of the Mosaic ritual, found in 1 Chronicles 23:30-31; 2 Chronicles 2:4, 8:12-13, 31:3; Nehemiah 10:33; Isaiah 1:13-14; Ezekiel 45:17; and Hosea 2:11.

This is another indication that the Mosaic code, of which the Decalogue is part, does not apply to Christians as a law, but as a type or shadow of the Christ to come. And this is Paul’s next statement – all these things just mentioned, food and religious days, are a shadow of what was to come. This is the same message we find in Hebrews 8, where we read that the Mosaic religion was a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. Unless one finds clear example or teaching in the Bible that brings anyone not part of national Israel's covenant people under the Jewish Sabbath law we are left with the clear teaching that there is no requirement.

Paul sums up this whole issue like this: One person considers one day to be above another day. Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind. Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and came to life for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living. But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God. (Romans 14:5-10) Those who wish to observe Jewish days should be free to do so but should not try to coerce other to join them. These things are shadows; the substance is Christ! It is our union with Him that makes us belong to one another; we should not exert energy on dividing over shadows.

In verse 18 we see one of the strongest indications that Colossi was influenced by an early form of Gnosticism. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind. Once again, Paul warns the saints to be on guard against false teaching - this time specifically visions (Charismatics of all stripes go on about visions, rather than study the revealed written Word), asceticism (a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals - as with papist monasteries), and angel worship (every recorded occasion of angel worship in Scripture is rebuffed by the angel OR encouraged by the fallen angels being worshiped). Each of these practices (among countless others) are opposed to holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. Let this sink in - seeking spiritual growth and fulfillment in anything other the person of Christ Jesus is contrary to, opposed to the spiritual growth and fulfillment that God intends for us. In opposition holding fast to the Head (Who is Christ), being nourished and knit together in intimate detail, with growth that comes to God - false teachers of all stripes would have us seek a pale imitation from any source other than Christ.

The answer to every temptation is found in Christ. In Him is every yes and amen, every promise fulfilled. Apart from Him, we have nothing.

But knowing how hard-headed we are, Paul repeats his argument - from a slightly different angle. He asks a question, prompting the reader to assess his standing. Colossians 2:20-22 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? The substance is the same - being united with Christ means we have no need of human precepts and teachings as regards our spiritual growth. He speaks of being alive to Christ and dead to the world, as far as its system of values. It is contrary to our identification in Christ to be concerned with spirits of the world and their dogma.

This phrase - do not handle, do not taste, do not touch - is written to be increasing in emphasis; handle not, taste not,  do not even touch. One commentary observes: Thus, in every case, the contact described exerts a modifying influence, and a more permanent contact or effect of contact is often implied than is expressed by touch. "The idea of a voluntary or conscious effort is often involved." We see this in a few other passages:

Genesis 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it...

Isaiah 52:11 Depart you, depart you, go you out from there, touch no unclean thing; go you out of the middle of her; be you clean...

2 Corinthians 6:17 Why come out from among them, and be you separate, said the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

1 Timothy 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats...

The exhortation in our passage is the apostle's third such, admonishing us to not allow food rules or cultural taboos to replace true spiritual wisdom. They may appear to be wise, helping one to be approved of men; but they are established on things that perish - which is why I see it relating to food - and human precepts and teachings. Which are the same things he warned us about in verse 8 of this chapter, regarding philosophy. All they can produce, Paul says, is the appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body. This is another escalating buildup of related terms. And Paul slams the door on these by saying such things are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

The bottom line from this passage is simple: No matter what seems like it may provide spiritual growth, nothing apart from true fellowship with Jesus, growing in grace and knowledge of Him, following His teaching and close fellowship with the saints can do that. This letter, and the entire Bible, is all about Jesus. He is enough.

The New Covenant – Security in Christ.

You can listen to this sermon here.

Even a casual read of the Bible reveals the presence of covenants. One of our old Baptist brothers, C. H. Spurgeon, had this to say about the importance of understanding the covenants of Scripture:

The doctrine of the covenant lies at the root of all true theology. ... I am persuaded that most of the mistakes which men make concerning the doctrines of Scripture are based upon fundamental errors with regard to the covenants of law and grace.

We see several covenants in the Bible, with Noah, Abraham, Moses, David. There are two that are heavily contrasted in Scripture, the ones mentioned by Spurgeon, which Scripture calls the Old and New Covenants. And there is another covenant, which I nickname the covenant of death. Adam was told he would die if he ate from the tree in the middle of the garden. He ate. He died spiritually that day and Gen 3:17 tells us the earth, the entire planet, was cursed on his account. And the Spirit spoke through Paul to tell us how this affects us: For as by a man came death … in Adam all die … (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). Whether Jew or Gentile, with Moses or without, all men share in death because all sinned in Adam and in themselves. We need a rescuer!

In addition to covenants, another basic aspect of the Bible is often lost on us, hampering our proper understanding of Scripture. This element is the Jewish nature of the Bible. During the time of Christ and the apostles, the biblical world basically revolved around national Israel and their corporate blindness towards and ignorance of the oracles of God that had been entrusted to them. While a few Hebrews in each generation were believers, the nation at large was unbelieving. Not only did they not get the message of their Messiah, they had an even more difficult time comprehending He would bring the kingdom to Gentiles! So much of what we will see in Scripture is the New Covenant contrasted with the Old - that umbrella which incorporated the covenant of circumcision, and the Mosaic and Davidic covenants. This was to make the case of the New Covenant clear for the Jews.

But it has caused confusion for us Gentiles as well. For many Christians have been led to believe that everyone, Jew and Gentile, is in the Old Covenant until and unless God brings them into the New. But the Old Covenant was ever and only given to national Israel. And when the New Covenant came, the Old became like a worn-out garment, and was being rolled up to be disposed of. By the time Jerusalem fell in AD 70, the last remnant of the Old Covenant was finished; no longer in effect. Since then, and until the end of the age, all people are spiritually dead in Adam until and unless they are made alive in Christ (Romans 5). Paul teaches us in Romans 2 that Gentiles are without the Law of Moses but are a law unto themselves (what I term God's universal law), convicted and excused by their consciences as they try to reconcile their sin with their innate, unsaving knowledge of God.

The New Covenant stands as the answer to everything that is wrong, it is God’s final Word on making all things right. The glory of being in Christ Jesus is revealed in this covenant, which binds Christ and His church together, providing redemption and eternal salvation for sinners. The sign of the New Covenant is circumcision not made with human hands followed by water baptism (Colossians 2:11-12). The Lord's Supper is another sign within this covenant, reminding us of its Author and His return (1 Corinthians 11:25). Jesus is a better prophet than Moses and is more faithful than the first Adam.

The book of Hebrews is a sermon preaching the essentials of the faith to Christian Jews, as there were rumors that some were considering a return to what they were comfortable with. In chapters 7-9 the New Covenant is contrasted with the Old Covenant, so they would see it more accurately. Chapter 9:1 even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. What follows is a description of the tabernacle of the Hebrew religion, featuring lampstands, a table and bread, the Most Holy Place with the ark of the Mosaic covenant containing the tablets of testimony, the golden vial of manna, and Aaron's staff. Levitical priests ever making sacrifices that would cover sin for a time but never able to take away sin. All of these forms of worship are summed up in verse 9 as symbolic for that age and “imposed until the time of reformation” (verse 10). There will be no re-institution of those types and symbols as the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus was sufficient, satisfying God the Father and finishing the redemptive work announced in Genesis 3:15; bringing that time of reformation.

when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:11-12 & 15)

The differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant are further clarified:

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:23-28)

The Old Covenant conferred earthly blessings in the promised land; the New Covenant confers heavenly blessings and eternal life. My friend, Jeff Johnson, tells us, “the law written on stone can never change the heart of stone.”

In writing to a mixed crowd of Jews and Gentiles in the church, Paul also contrasted Old and New. Romans 8:1-2: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. What is this “law of sin and death”? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:3 & 5-11: And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. The Old Covenant, the Law of Moses, specifically, is the law of sin and death mentioned in Romans 8, signified by the tablets of stone which sit in the ark of that Covenant, lost in time according to God’s will (Jeremiah 3:15 & 16). It has been ended, rolled up as a worn out garment (Hebrews 8:13).

There can be no greater contrast than what our Creator has provided through His apostle to the Gentiles. Consistently, the Old Covenant is described as stone, slavery, death, condemnation, and being worn out; for it, in all of its individual covenants, requires perfect obedience that no mortal man can deliver and yields salvation to no man. This covenant is contrasted with the New Covenant, described as flesh, liberty, life, righteousness, and eternal; delivered to the saints of God by the perfect life and sacrificial death of Jesus, yielding His righteousness to all His chosen people. In Gal 4, the Old Covenant is described as slavery, contrasted with the New Covenant which is described as freedom. We may wonder why any believing Jews would consider returning to the shadows of the Old Covenant - but we ought to wonder more why modern evangelicals would want us to be burdened by that yoke which no man can bear. This was the judgment of the apostles in Acts 15, when the Judaizing Christians, who demanded Gentiles be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses, were brought to the first church council to settle this hash. Peter addresses these men, reminding them of how those outside Israel were saved by grace - with no distinction in this regard between Jew and Gentile. Then he asked, Acts 15:10 Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? In contrast, we hear from Christ that His yoke is easy and John tells us His commands are not burdensome. Rather than the Law of Moses, we live under - as Paul mentioned Sunday - the royal law, the law of liberty, the perfect law, the law of the Spirit, the law of Christ! No condemnation of the Law of Moses, no condemnation of God's universal law. Peace with God, by the blood of Christ - which He shed to cut the New Covenant.

There can be no greater hope, no greater joy, no greater peace, no greater salvation than what Christ Jesus provides for the redeemed in the New Covenant. We are complete in Christ, fulfilled in Him (Colossians 2:10). We have no other argument, we need no other plea, it is enough that Jesus died, and that he died for me and for thee! How can we not praise His name!

The Old Covenant was summed up on stone tablets and kept in the Ark of the Covenant as a reminder of all that God had communicated to Israel through Moses; the New Covenant law is written on the soul of each member; each will know the Lord, having been regenerated and indwelt by God's Spirit. The Old Covenant was broken by the ongoing disobedience of Israel; the New Covenant cannot be broken because God the Son mediates it (Hebrews 9:15) and keeps us (John 10:27-30). The sins of Israel were brought up to them time and time again, with petitions from many prophets for them to repent; yet they did not because they could not; and God divorced her (Jeremiah 3:8). The sins of New Jerusalem, the redeemed saints within the New Covenant, are forgiven in Christ and God promises to remember them no more (Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:12)! Contrary to popular conventional wisdom, God does not forget our sins. He chose to not remember them. To forget something is symptomatic of flawed recall, something one cannot rightly attribute to God. The proper view of this is to take it as written, in the context of seeing God for Who He is: perfect and without flaws; able to not remember something. You and I can try to forget something, but such memories often return to our minds. God is not like this. When He chooses to not remember something, He does not allow that thing to come to His mind. He is perfect.

With the New Covenant comes the fulfillment of the types and shadows. The universal body of Christ, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is the true Israel of God (Romans 2:28-29; 9:6; Galatians 6:16; 1 Peter 1:1; 2:9-10). James, writing to Christians, calls them the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad (James. 1:1). Paul taught that all who believe in Christ are the true sons of Abraham (Romans 4:11-17; Galatians 3:7); that the middle wall of partition has been removed by Christ; and that the believing Jews and Gentiles are one body (Ephesians 2:14ff.). The universal church (all the called-out ones) of Christ is one spiritual building (Ephesians 2:20-22), one bride (Ephesians 5:22 & 32; Revelation 21:9ff.), and the New Jerusalem (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 3:12; 21:1 & 2; 21:9-11).

The veil that covers the eyes of the unregenerate was typified by the temple veil that kept the world out of the Holy place where God met with His Levitical priests. The rending of the temple veil by God symbolizes the lifting of the veil on those who have died to self and been resurrected to new life in Christ; no longer separated from Holy God, no longer part of the world. When the antitype comes, the types must go – just as John recognized that Christ must increase and he would decrease.

The newness of the New Covenant cannot be overstated, as there are so many Christians who think it is not really new or interesting. But God is unchanging and He gave some Old Testament saints illumination on this topic. Jeremiah 31:31-34 ⌊This one will⌋ not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt— “I will put My teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. they will all know Me, “For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”

John Reisinger shows in two short passages the similarities and the differences between the Old and New Covenants. The Old is conditional and is a type foretelling the New, which is unconditional (as far as mankind’s participation in each).

Exodus 19:5-6	1 Peter 2:9
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be	But you are [because Christ kept the covenant for us]
(1) my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me	(1) a chosen race, … a people for his own possession
(2) a kingdom of priests, and a	(2) a royal [kingly] priesthood,
(3) holy nation.	(3) a holy nation

The nature of the New Covenant reflects the promise made to Abraham: in it are and will be people from every nation. In Christ there is no Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free; these ethical and temporal distinctives have no more role in determining one’s status in the New Covenant than does the blood or the will of the flesh or the will of man (John 1:13).

The New Covenant is new; it’s not the Old Covenant with a “new administration” as some claim. The New Covenant shines with the glory of the finished work of Christ; it does not promise the future work of the Messiah yet to come. The New Covenant brings the fullness of Christ to every child of God; with the surety of our Lord as the guarantee that He will not forsake us. The New Covenant is where new creatures in Christ have been brought into fellowship with the Father. Without the New Covenant, we would still be under the condemnation of law and Adam’s sin as well as our own, waiting without hope. But praise God for His faithfulness! Christ has come and fulfilled ALL that the Law and the prophets demanded. And by His blood He has cut the New Covenant, bringing all the lost sheep into the fold of God.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. (John 10:14-18)

The New Covenant provides God Himself as our shepherd, caring for us, tending to us, keeping us unto that great Day of Judgment where He will serve as our advocate. The New Covenant gives us the fullness of Christ Jesus, in Whom we have every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3)! We can trust Him for He is faithful to Himself. We trust our souls to the only wise God, the judge and the justifier, Who is truly God and truly sovereign over time and space.

It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.​ When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. ​Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish. Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. (Jeremiah 10:12-16)

If you are in Christ, He is sufficient and all glorious! Behold your God:

Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. Who is He, this King of glory? The LORD of Hosts, He is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:8 & 10)

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. (Revelation 21:5-6a)

This is the Lord we proclaim, the only One Who can do poor helpless sinners any good. If you do not know this King of glory, cry out to Him for mercy while you yet have breath. All things are ready – come and be reconciled to Christ Jesus. He really does save poor sinners.