The Covenant

Today we will go back to the book of Psalms after our brief excursion. May God bless our study today!

Read Psalm 14

St. Paul uses this psalm to argue for the total depravity of our human nature. Lutherans like to call this Original Sin. It is sin inherited from Adam, and is present at our very origin, or beginning. Yes we are sinful from birth, even from conception.

So in Romans 3 Paul quotes this psalm (which is nearly identical to Psalm 53) to argue that we are all sinful and unclean and in need of a Savior. We have all fallen short of the glory of God.

But Paul doesn't leave chapter 3 of Romans by condemning us to Hell. No, we are justified freely by the grace of God through our Savior Jesus Christ. Now we have a righteousness, apart from the works of the law, given to us by our perfect Savior.

So we can use Psalm 14 as a confession of sin. Then we can rejoice in the forgiveness our Savior has given us. Thanks be to God!

Read Genesis 15

Today we see the Lord renew his promise to Abram and make a covenant with him. Abram begins to be concerned about how God will keep his promises. He still has no heir. A servant is set to inherit everything. Though Abram worries, God renews his promise. First God had said that Abram would be a "great nation." Then he said that his offspring would be as numerous as the dust of the earth. Now he uses another illustration to describe what this great nation would look like: the stars. His descendants would be as numerous as the stars.

And it would not be his servant who would produce this great population. No, it would be his own son (Literally: what would come from his own loins). There would be no doubt that Abram in his old age would father a child. God has promised.

Then we see this curious ratification of the covenant God made with Abram. Why the smoking pot and the flaming torch seemed to be walking on their own between the pieces of meat I have no idea. But maybe what we can take from this is that it was fitting that the extraordinary promise would be demonstrated by an extraordinary sign. Not that the elements themselves were extraordinary - they were a common pot, torch, goat, dove, and ram. But God used the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary.
God does the same for us. Jesus' own Body and Blood do extraordinary things for us. But they come to us in, with, and under ordinary elements: bread and wine. Jesus has established the New Covenant in his blood for us, for our forgiveness, life, and salvation. Through ordinary elements (bread and wine) God accomplishes extraordinary actions!

Maybe we begin to wonder about the validity of that promise too. Maybe we wonder if our sins are really forgiven, if Jesus really has paid for it all, if Christ really comes to us in his Body and Blood. Maybe we kneel at the altar hoping the service will conclude soon and we can get on with the busyness or excitement of the day. Maybe we eat and drink and say "Thank You Lord" without truly reflecting on our sin that caused his body and blood to be sacrificed for us, or without appreciating the true depth of the love and forgiveness offered to us.

I'm sure you have experienced those failures because I know I have. But here is the Good News: Jesus forgives us for that too. Oh, what a wretch I am, but what a loving and gracious God I have! And now (can you believe this?) God uses me, ordinary, common me, to do extraordinary works in his kingdom. He does the same through you. Thanks be to God who not only has forgiven us, but is now pleased to use us! Amen.

Ask Yoursef:

How does my sinful nature try to lure me away from God?

What doubts does my sinful nature instill in me? What specific promises of God do I struggle to believe?

Do I picture all of my sins taken off my burdened soul and placed on my Savior dying on the cross? (Picture it now - and see your sins removed!)

Pray:

Pray from your heart today, asking for faith like Abram to believe all God's promises. Ask that he use common, ordinary you to do extraordinary things in the strength of his Spirit. Pray that God will be with you to strengthen you today as you seek to live for him.

Study with me tomorrow,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!