“JESUS
INSTITUTES THE NEW COVENANT”
By Bishop
Elijah H. Hankerson III, BA, MA, DD
(Unless otherwise stated, all
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version )[1]
GREETING
Psalm 134:1-2.1 Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord,
which by night stand in the house of the Lord.2 Lift up your hands in the
sanctuary, and bless the Lord.
LESSON SCRIPTURES
Mark 14:17-31.
17 And in the evening he cometh with the
twelve.
18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said,
Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.
19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say
unto him one by one, Is it I? And another said, Is it I?
20 And he answered and said unto them, It is
one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.
21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is
written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! Good
were it for that man if he had never been born.
22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and
blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
23 And he took the cup, and when he had given
thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of
the New Testament, which is shed for many.
25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no
more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the
kingdom of God.
26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went
out into the mount of Olives.
27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be
offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the
shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
28 But after that I am risen, I will go
before you into Galilee.
29 But Peter said unto him, Although all
shall be offended, yet will not I.
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say
unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou
shalt deny me thrice.
31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I
should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they
all.
Hebrews 8:6-12 .
6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent
ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was
established upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been
faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith,
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made
with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of
the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded
them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws
into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God,
and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know
me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
I.
WHAT IS A COVENANT?
A.
Covenant
defined. An agreement.
B. New
Covenant defined. A new agreement.
C. The Old
Covenant was never intended to save. It looked forward to the coming
Redeemer; serving as a shadow of what was to come: the New Covenant.
Romans 8:3-4. 3For what the law was powerless to do because it was
weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order
that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not
live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Colossians
2:17. These are a shadow of the things that
were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Hebrews 10:1. The law is only a
shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves. For
this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after
year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
II. THE
BACKGROUND OF OUR SCRIPTURE TEXTS.
A.
Gospel
According to Mark.
1.
Mark a protégé of Peter. He
was a relative of Barnabas; Paul’s early ministry partner.
2.
A book of action. This
book is concerned with the actions of Christ; who was a Servant used by God.
3.
The blessings of the New Covenant. The actions of Christ in the book include miracles and acts
of mercy. These blessings were to confirm the validity of the New Covenant.
Mark
16:20. Then the disciples
went out and preached everywhere, and the LORD worked with them and confirmed
his word by the signs that accompanied it.
B.
The Epistle to the Hebrews.
1.
Author in
question. Scholars
have not come to an agreement who the author is; however, the content is what
is really important.
2.
A book of encouragement. These
Jewish believers in Jesus were so discouraged by the treatment they were
receiving that they were almost persuaded to turn away from belief in Christ
and go back to Orthodox Judaism. This letter was written to encourage them.
3.
A better Covenant. This
letter was to emphasize the blessings of the New Covenant, which is based on:
better promises, a better sanctuary, a better priesthood and most of all a
better sacrifice for sin.
III. MARK: THE LORD’S SUPPER AND THE
NEW COVENANT.
A.
Lord’s
Supper birthed out of Passover. It was at the Passover celebration that Jesus instituted
what we know of as the Lord’s Supper.
1.
Christians know this New Testament practice by different names.
a.
Lord’s Supper. Because
Jesus was the One Who instituted it and He served as Officiant and Chief
Celebrant.
b.
Last Supper. Because
this was the last time He would dine with His disciples before His death.
c.
Eucharist. Signifying
that Jesus gave thanks over the elements.
d.
Sacrament. Expressing
the sacredness of this most holy ceremony; causing some Christian movements to
believe that there is grace imparted when one partakes. In the Church Of God In
Christ we view it as symbolic.
e.
Holy Communion. Denoting
the fact that there is union and fellowship with God and each other.
2.
In the Church Of God In Christ; we view the Lord’s Supper as sacred but
symbolic. This is
important to remember as we go into the next few points.
B.
Biblical facts regarding Passover.
1.
This was a
Passover from GOD’S WRATH.
Exodus 12:12. "On that same
night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people
and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.
2.
This was judgment against the gods of Egypt. A lamb was considered a sacred animal in ancient Egypt.
Instead of bowing and worshipping the lamb the Israelites killed it, drained
its blood, roasted it and ate it!
Exodus 12:3-10. 3Speak ye unto all the congregation of
Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every
man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4And
if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next
unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man
according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5Your lamb shall be
without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep,
or from the goats: 6And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the
same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it
in the evening. 7And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two
side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
8And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened
bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9Eat not of it raw, nor sodden
at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the
purtenance thereof. 10And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning;
and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
C.
The new is better. Just
as the Egyptians would have been totally shocked about the lamb being killed
and consumed for ceremonial purposes; the Jews were going to be just as
offended when Jesus, in referring to the New Covenant, talked about being killed and consumed.
Luke
5:36-39. 36He told them this parable: "No one
tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will
have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.
37And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will
burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38No,
new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39And no one after drinking old
wine wants the new, for they say, 'The old is better.'"
John
6:51-58. 51I am the living bread that came down
from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh,
which I will give for the life of the world." 52Then the Jews began to
argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to
eat?" 53Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat
the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise
them up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real
drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in
them. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so
the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came
down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this
bread will live forever."
1 Corinthians 10:16. Is not the cup of
thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ?
And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?
D.
The new is offensive. Cannibalism
and drinking blood were considered very repulsive and an abomination to the
Jews. So just as the new deliverance was an abomination to the Egyptians the
New Covenant was an abomination to the Jews. Take note that again we emphasize
the fact that in the Church Of God In Christ we view the Lord’s Supper as
symbolic; because it would be horrific to actually drink blood and eat human
flesh.
Leviticus
17:10-11. 10"'I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner
residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people.
11For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to
make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes
atonement for one's life.
Matthew 26:27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and
gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
John 6:66-67. 66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no
longer followed him. 67"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus
asked the Twelve.
1 Corinthians 1:23. But we preach
Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
IV. HEBREWS: GENTILES PARTAKE IN
JEWISH BLESSINGS.
A.
The Old
Covenant was with the Jews.
Romans 9:4. The people of
Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the
covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.
B.
The New Covenant was also with the Jews.
Jeremiah 31:31-32. 31"The days
are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with
the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32It will not be like the
covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out
of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,"
declares the LORD.
C.
Gentiles are adopted into the blessings of the New Covenant.
Romans 11:17-24. 17If some of the
branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been
grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive
root, 18do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you
do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted
in." 20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you
stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21For if God did not spare the
natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22Consider therefore the
kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to
you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be
cut off. 23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for
God is able to graft them in again. 24After all, if you were cut out of an
olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a
cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches,
be grafted into their own olive tree!
Galatians 3:14. He redeemed us in
order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through
Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
V. SOME INTERESTING
OBSERVATIONS IN THE TEXT.
A. Mark 14:17-21. Judas was so concealed and blended in,
that it made the other disciples even doubt themselves. Obviously Judas was not
obvious at all.
B. Mark 14:22. As Pentecostals we focus on the blood; but apparently the
body is just as important as the blood. We are redeemed by the blood; but in
the body we are united with God and each other. Failing to see the significance
of the body will lead to dire consequences.
1
Corinthians 11:27. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the
LORD in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood
of the LORD.
C. Mark 14:23-24. Why would the text say the blood was shed
for “many” and not all. “Many” is a literal translation of the text. However,
remember that even though Christ died for all; all will not inherit eternal
life. As all will not believe.
Mark 14:24. New American Standard Bible.[2] And He said to them, “This
is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Hebrews
10:10. And by that will,
we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all.
2 Thessalonians 3:2. And pray that we may be delivered from
wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith.
D. Hebrews 8:6-9. Why would God give the people an old
covenant with flaws? It is not so much that the Covenant was flawed; the issue
was that humanity was not able to meet its standard
E. Hebrews 8:10-12. God’s standard remains the same in the New Covenant as in the
Old. However, with the inception of the New, the supernatural power of God (the
Holy Spirit) is within us; we are enabled to meet God’s standard of living.
[1] Public
domain.
[2] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A22-31&version=NASB.
(Accessed, June 1, 2019).
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