The question I am asking is generally directed towards people who believe in Jesus Christ as I guess it is the believers in Jesus who will read this blog.
This blog is entitled 'A Life of Purpose' and I think that believing in Jesus and seeking purpose for one's life tend to go hand in hand. Jesus people and a desire for purpose tend to be connected. That is not to say that if you are reading this and you are not Jesus person that you don't desire to have purpose for your life but for you I'm sorry to say that without Jesus life has very little purpose. Oh yes there are many things that we can pursue to seek purpose in life, career, wealth, fame...I was talking with a teacher only yesterday and she was sharing the observation that children no longer want to be firemen, policemen, teachers etc. etc. etc. When asked many children are more likely to reply that they want to be famous. They are bombarded with the media images of fame and they see the trappings and the trimmings that 'fame' produces and they want it. This is sad if only because seeking fame is going to see a lot of young people frustrated, dissatisfied and hurt. There is nothing wrong with pursuing a career, seeking to improve our situation financially or even to be famous but without Jesus life is empty and without purpose. You don't agree? If you don't agree well then we are going to have to agree to disagree. Without Jesus my life was life without purpose because He is the core, the everything that brings purpose to my life, He is the way, He is the truth, He is the life...that is my testimony.
Anyway the question.
Whether you are a Jesus person or not it is a good if not challenging question...this is it...do you feel like there is something missing? Do you feel a sense of frustration that says to you "Is this all? Am I missing something?" Do you feel a sense of let-down? C'mon be challenged look at your life...is this all there is? Don't you think there has to be something more? Even if you are seeking purpose do you feel that it eluding you?
If you feel that way and you are not a believer in Jesus then this is your opportunity. Jesus is a gift and if I offered you a gift it would only become what it is intended to be if you take it. So take Him. Simply say that you are sorry that you have aligned with the sin of man, independence from God, and that you now accept that Jesus is the only way to God, the only truth and the life that you desire. Confess Him to be Lord and believe in your heart that He is alive and you are saved. At the moment of declaration Jesus will indwell you fully and begin the work of transformation that will begin within you and work its way out as you embrace His grace and love for you.
If you are a believer and you feel as if something is missing then this is the best news that you are ever going to hear. It is likely that you do not realise it but you are under covenant to God. Now covenants are a big deal in the Bible and there are many examples of them.
But before we get to that it may be important for you to know there are a number of 'elements' that are common to all covenants. Those elements are:
- A covenant is a binding obligation. The Hebrew word for covenant is 'berith' which literally means ' to bind or to fetter'.
- When a group of people prepare to enter into a covenant with another party they selected a man from among themselves to represent them. The representative had to be from the same blood and family and those he represented and he gathered those he represented into himself and made the covenant as and for them. He was the guarantor that the terms and promise would be kept. An example is David who went out to Goliath as representative and when he defeated the enemy and hacked off his head the watching Israelites who had spent the last six weeks in their tents rejoiced as they were victorious in and through their representative, David.
- Do not confuse a covenant with a contract. A contract is about the exchange of property, a covenant is about the exchange of people. Contracts can be changed and even cancelled. Not so with a covenant…covenants are only broken by death.
- A covenant is made with an oath which is a solemn affirmation binding oneself to the fulfilment of the words before God. Once made with an oath a covenant is non-negotiable and cannot be altered.
- Every covenant contains the promise and the blessings and they are irrevocable. A covenant existed between David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 20: 14, 15) and Mephibosheth was blessed because of the covenant (2 Samuel 9: 7).
- The making of a covenant always involves the shedding of blood. An animal was slain and its carcass split down the middle and the parties making the covenant walked between the pieces symbolising vividly that they were entering through death and journeying into new life. They also shed their own blood as a symbol of the binding agreement.
- The wounds received by the blood shedding were the seal of the covenant; marks to show that a covenant was made.
- The parties to the covenant were described as friends.
- There was a covenant meal.
- The place of the covenant was a memorial of the two having come together.
- The covenant establishes a new relationship which was unbreakable and binding.
Those are the elements of the
covenant as seen in the covenants of the Old Testament. But as believers in Jesus we are people of the New Testament, more aptly called the New Covenant. You know we often hear the phrase,
said often rather glibly, "It’s not about me it’s about Him." What does it
really mean?
The fact is that we are parties to
the New Covenant in and through our representative Jesus Christ; not bound in us but bound in God who in unconditional love has
called us to participate in the most intimate relationship and unbreakable bond
known among humans or capable of being expressed.
He has called us to a covenant
relationship with Himself, to come into His circle of friendship, bound
together in an intimate union of love.This is the gospel. Not just a message that merely demands we accept Jesus to save us from eternal hell-fire but a call to enter into a covenant with the God of glory, unbreakable, unalterable, that only dies with the death of one who cannot die.
It consists of…
- The oath of God
- The shedding of the blood of God
- And sealed with the Holy Spirit of God sent to make this covenant a reality in the lives of those who surrender their lives to Jesus Christ.
Now we need to consider the terms of the New Covenant and these are best represented by comparing the Old Covenant with the New. Old Covenant? This is the covenant given by God with Moses as the representative with terms detailed in Exodus chapter twenty. Most will know the terms of the Old as the Ten Commandments. I am not going to write them out completely but just point out the pertinent phrases; which are:
Verse 3 - 'You shall...'
Verse 4 - 'You shall not...'
Verse 5 - 'You shall not...'
Verse 7 - 'You shall not...'
Verse 8 - 'Remember...'
Verse 10 - 'You shall not...'
Verse 12 - 'Honour your...'
Verse 13 - 'You shall not...'
Verse 14 - 'You shall not...'
Verse 15 - 'You shall not...'
Verse 16 - 'You shall not...'
Verse 17 - 'You shall not...'
Now the terms of the New Covenant which are first recorded prophetically and then quoted in the book of 'better things', Hebrews chapter eight, verses ten to twelve. This is what God says and these are the terms of the New Covenant...
"FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,' FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE."See the vivid difference? The old was about what we did, the new is totally about what God will do. The under-pinning transforming clause that establishes everything that precedes it is the final term. This is the vital term and if you receive it now it will totally transform you.
God is merciful and He remembers your sins no more!
Why? How is this possible?
Because Jesus shed His blood and He went in to the holiest place, into the very presence of God and His sacrificial blood was accepted as a once only forever offereing for sin, and having been accepted He sat down at the right hand of His Father.
Meditate upon this and I pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth of it to you.
I will finish this post with this...I know a well meaning man who regularly encourages us to confess our sins and get right with God. Think of this...the blood of bulls and goats was only required to be sprinkled on and before the mercy seat once a year...the blood of Jesus must be of less value than the animal blood if we are weekly required to sprinkle it again by confessing our sins to be right with God. Why do we continually crucify the Son of God when He finished the work once, for all, forever.
"...it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins...but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God." Hebrews 10: 4, 12God bless you today with the revelation of Himself.
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