The Gifts We Bring | A Sermon from Matthew 2:7-11

Introduction
During Advent this year, we’re focusing on the story of the Wisemen who visited baby Jesus.  The Wisemen traveled a long way to worship Jesus, and when they found Him, they didn’t come empty-handed. They brought gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—to honor Him as their King. Today, we’ll look at their example and think about the gifts we can bring to Jesus. How can we give Him the best of our time, talents, and treasures? And how can we make our lives a gift of worship to Him?

Matthew 2:7-11
⁷ Then Herod called for a private meeting with the Wisemen, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. ⁸ Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

⁹ After this interview the Wisemen went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! ¹¹ They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

True vs. False Worship
Last week, we learned that King Herod was a paranoid and ruthless tyrant, willing to kill anyone to keep his power. When the Wisemen arrived in Jerusalem asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” it sent shockwaves through the city. A new king? That was a dangerous and risky question. Herod had already killed his wife, his own son, and dozens of other people to protect his throne. What terrible actions might this news from strangers in the East bring to Jerusalem?

But Herod, always the cunning and deceitful schemer, hid his true intentions behind a fake smile. He lied to the Wisemen, saying, “I want to go worship him too!” In reality, Herod’s plan was to find Jesus and kill Him, eliminating any threat to his throne.

Herod pretended to want to worship Jesus, but his true motive was to eliminate a threat to his power. Sadly, some people today also fake their worship of Jesus. They may say they worship Him, and they might even think they do, but their actions reveal a different motive. Instead of surrendering to Jesus, they try to use Him—to control, manipulate, or get something they want. That’s not true worship.

False worship is self-centered. It focuses on what we can gain, how we can benefit, or how Jesus fits into our plans. It seeks to control rather than submit.

True worship is God-centered. It’s about honoring Jesus for who He is—our Savior, our King, and our Lord. True worship surrenders everything to Him with humility, love, and devotion.  I often see people treating Jesus as little more than a good luck charm…

So, what about you? Is your worship real? Are you approaching Jesus with a heart that seeks to honor Him, or are you trying to fit Him into your own plans?  What is your true attitude in worship?

The Wisemen’s Gifts
The Wisemen followed the star to Bethlehem, where they found Mary and the baby, Jesus. The Bible says they bowed down, worshipped Him, and opened their treasure chests to present Him with gifts.

The New Living Translation (NLT) uses the phrase “treasure chest,” which is an interesting way to describe it. My mom recently told me that one of her most cherished possessions is a wooden chest her dad built. Inside, she keeps precious keepsakes like photos, newspaper clippings, baby shoes, and other mementos. These items aren’t worth much money, but they are treasures to her. In that sense, her chest really is a treasure chest.

The Wisemen also brought treasure chests, but theirs held the most valuable things they had—gifts they wanted to give to the newborn King.  They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When we worship, we’re called to give Christ our very best. So, what’s in your treasure chest that you want to offer to Jesus? Is it your time, your talents, or your resources? What will you give to honor the King?

Gold
The Wisemen brought gold as a gift for Jesus because it symbolized royalty and honor. Gold was and is a precious and rare metal, often associated with kings and their wealth. By offering gold, the Wisemen were declaring that Jesus was no ordinary child—He was the King of the Jews, the long-awaited Messiah.  Indeed, He was Lord of all.  Remember, the Wisemen were not from Israel.  They had no obligation to give tribute to a king of Israel.  Their visit and gifts signified they recognized Jesus as Lord of all the earth.  He was the King of kings!

But gold wasn’t just a symbol of Jesus’ kingship; it was also a practical gift. It could have provided Mary and Joseph with the resources they needed to flee to Egypt when Herod sought to kill Jesus. This shows us that God’s provision is not only symbolic but also practical, meeting needs in real and tangible ways.

The gift of gold reminds us to honor Jesus as our King. Just as the Wisemen gave their best to Jesus, we are called to offer Him our very best—our time, talents, and treasures—as an act of worship and recognition of His rule in our lives.

Frankincense
The Wisemen brought frankincense as a gift for Jesus, a choice rich with spiritual meaning. Frankincense was a valuable resin often used in temple worship as part of the incense burned before God. It symbolized prayer, worship, and the divine presence of God.

By offering frankincense, the Wisemen were acknowledging Jesus not just as a King, but as divine. This gift pointed to His role as the Great High Priest, the one who would bridge the gap between God and humanity. It reminds us that Jesus is worthy of our worship, for He is God in the flesh, come to dwell among us.

The gift of frankincense challenges us to reflect on our worship. Are we offering our lives as a fragrant offering to Him? Just as the Wisemen bowed before Jesus with their gifts, we are invited to bow before Him in awe and worship, honoring Him as our Savior and Lord.

Myrrh
The Wisemen brought myrrh as a gift for Jesus, and it carried deep symbolism. Myrrh was a valuable resin used in perfumes, anointing oils, and burial preparations. By offering myrrh, the Wisemen pointed to Jesus’ future mission as the Savior who would suffer and die for the sins of the world.

Myrrh’s connection to burial foreshadowed the sacrifice Jesus would make on the cross. Even as a child, this gift recognized His ultimate purpose: to save humanity through His death and resurrection. It reminds us that Jesus was born not just to live among us but to give His life for us.

The gift of myrrh challenges us to consider how we honor Jesus’ sacrifice. Are we willing to give Him our whole lives in response to the love and grace He has shown us? Just as the Wisemen offered myrrh, we are called to offer ourselves completely to the One who gave everything for us.

What Can You Bring the King?
The Wisemen brought their best gifts to Jesus—gold for a King, frankincense for the Divine, and myrrh for the Savior who would sacrifice Himself for the world. Their offerings weren’t just valuable treasures; they were acts of worship, symbols of their devotion and recognition of who Jesus is.

So, what about us? What gifts are we bringing to Jesus? True worship isn’t about fancy presents or extravagant gestures. It’s about offering Jesus the best of who we are—our time, our talents, our resources, and most importantly, our hearts. Every day, in the way we live, speak, and serve, we have the chance to offer gifts to Jesus that honor Him as our King, Savior, and Lord.

As we prepare for Christmas, I challenge you to reflect on what you are giving to Jesus. Are you holding back, or are you giving Him your best? Think about how you can offer your time in prayer and worship, your talents to serve others, and your resources to build His Kingdom.

The Wisemen traveled far and gave generously to worship Jesus.  What will you bring to Him today?

Song - “The Little Drummer Boy”
Come they told me, parrrumpapumpum, 
a new born King to see, parrrumpapumpum.
Our finest gifts we bring, parrrumpapumpum,
to lay before the King, parrrumpapumpum, rumpapumpum, rumpapumpum.
So to honor Him, parrrumpapumpum, when we come.
Little Baby, parrrumpapumpum,
I am a poor boy too, parrrumpapumpum,
I have no gift to bring, parrrumpapumpum,
that’s fit to give a King, parrrumpapumpum, rumpapumpum, rumpapumpum.
Shall I play for you, parrrumpapumpum, on my drum.
Mary nodded yes, parrrumpapumpum. 

The ox and lamb kept time, parrrumpapumpum.
I played my drum for him, parrrumpapumpum.
I played my best for him, parrrumpapumpum, rumpapumpum, rumpapumpum.
Then he smiled at me, parrrumpapum pum—me and my drum.

Seeking the King | A Sermon on Matthew 2:1-6

Introduction
Last Sunday, I challenged you to come to the church once a week during Advent and spend some time praying in the newly renovated prayer room.  Have you been doing it?  This is a great challenge to help us draw closer to Christ during Advent.

There are four Sundays in Advent–the four Sundays just prior to Christmas.  Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation for Christmas.  But Advent is a dual purpose season, because it recognizes that just as Jesus came and was born as an infant in a manger, He will come again as a king in the clouds on the day of judgment.  So, we are preparing for Christmas, but we are also preparing for the second coming of Christ.

Perhaps this adds a little incentive to your preparations this Christmas.  Yes, there are presents to buy, decorations to put out, and all kinds of things to prepare for in this busy holiday season.  However, the most important thing we need to be ready for is when Jesus returns.  And I can assure you, Jesus will come for you in your lifetime.  Either he will come in the clouds to bring His Kingdom to all the earth on the last day, or He will come for you personally when you take your last breath.  Either way, you will meet Him face to face.  Will you be ready?

For Advent this year, the Lord led me to study the story of the Wisemen who came from the east.

Matthew 2:1-6
¹ Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ² “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

³ King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. ⁴ He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

⁶ ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
    are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
    who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

“Where is the newborn king?”
In ancient times, it was common to keep track of the years by relating them to the reigns of different kings.  That’s why Matthew starts out this chapter by saying Jesus was born during the reign of King Herod.  Matthew wrote these words decades after King Herod was dead and gone, but everyone could remember his ruthless reign.

King Herod was known for being ruthless and paranoid, willing to do anything to keep his throne. He even executed members of his own family, including his wife and her two sons, as well as his own son. When Herod felt his authority was challenged, he acted without mercy. He had Israel’s high priest assassinated and ordered the execution of 46 members of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. Herod ruled with an iron fist and made it clear that no one could stand in his way.

It was during King Herod’s ruthless reign that the Wisemen showed up in Jerusalem seeking a new King: “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

They were talking about Jesus, who is a special kind of King.  Jesus is the kind of King heralded in the Heavens; a brand-new star was added to the sky as a sign of His birth!  And His coming is so profound, Magi traveled thousands of miles from Persia to worship Him!  Jesus is the kind of King Herod could never be.  No matter how merciless and violent Herod was, no one would voluntarily travel from a thousand miles away to adore him.

Who or what is the “king” in your life right now? Are there things like success, fear, or the need for control that you’re holding onto so tightly that they influence your decisions, just like Herod clung to his throne? This Advent season, God might be challenging you to take a closer look at your life and think about the things you’re allowing to rule your heart. Are they drawing you closer to Him, or are they keeping you from fully trusting His plan?

“King Herod was deeply disturbed…”
Verse 3 says, “King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.” Knowing how paranoid Herod was and how far he would go to hold onto power, imagine how upset he must have been when strangers arrived asking about a “new” king. The people in Jerusalem, who were already used to tiptoeing around Herod’s temper, were likely terrified. They must have been panicking, wondering how this shocking news would shake up their lives and what Herod might do in response.

When Jesus comes into your life, it may shake some things up. It changes your values. It changes the way you think, the way you act, and the way you see the world. Suddenly, the things that once seemed so important—like power, wealth, or popularity—don’t hold the same value anymore. Instead, you begin to align your heart with God’s priorities: love, mercy, humility, and faithfulness. But this transformation isn’t always easy. It can create an inner conflict as your old ways of thinking and living clash with the new life Christ is calling you to.

This change can also cause tension with family and friends and a worldly community around you who don’t share your faith or who still follow the "old rulers" of this world, like selfish ambition or materialism. They may not understand your new priorities or why you no longer chase the same goals. Just as Jesus' arrival disturbed King Herod and the people of Jerusalem, your decision to follow Jesus might disturb the people around you. But don’t let that discourage you. God’s ways are always better, and as you walk with Him, you’ll find peace, purpose, and the strength to endure. Transformation is never easy, but the joy of living in Christ’s light is worth every challenge.

“And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.”

This prophecy from Micah was written about 700 years before Jesus was born. At the time, the powerful leaders in Jerusalem didn’t know or expect the Messiah would come from a small town like Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a humble, unimportant village—certainly not the kind of place where anyone would think a king would be born. But God chose it as the birthplace of the greatest ruler in history, showing us that He doesn’t use worldly standards like wealth, power, or status to measure greatness. Instead, God works through the small, the humble, and the overlooked to do extraordinary things.  Do you ever feel small or humble or overwhelemed?

You might feel small, unimportant, or unworthy, but God has a purpose for your life. Just as He chose Bethlehem to bring forth the Savior, He can use your unique story, your gifts, and even your struggles to accomplish His plans. The ruler born in Bethlehem wasn’t just a king—He was also a shepherd, leading and caring for His people with love. Will you trust Him to lead you and allow Him to work through your life in ways greater than you can imagine?

Closing
As we reflect on the story of the Wise Men and their journey to seek the newborn King, we are reminded that following Jesus often requires us to let go of the things that rule our lives. The Wise Men left the comfort of their homes, traveled great distances, and endured hardships, all to worship the true King. Their journey challenges us to ask: are we willing to set aside our own ambitions, our fears, or our distractions to seek Jesus fully?

Jesus came to offer us something far greater than the world’s fleeting treasures. But this journey often shakes us, transforms us, and challenges our relationships and priorities. Yet, the rewards are eternal—peace, purpose, and an eternal relationship with the King who lovingly shepherds His people. Will you seek Him today and let Him be the ruler of your heart and life?

I invite you to take a moment of silence to reflect on what you need to surrender to Jesus today. Take 60 seconds to ask Him to reveal anything holding you back from fully following Him.  Then, we will close with a responsive reading.

A Prayer of Surrender
Leader: Lord, we come before You, recognizing that You are the true King of our lives.
People: We surrender to You, Lord. Be the ruler of our hearts.

Leader: Forgive us for the times we have held onto fear, control, or selfish ambition.
People: We release these things to You, trusting in Your perfect plan.

Leader: Help us to let go of the things that keep us from fully following You.
People: Teach us to seek You with our whole hearts.

Leader: When the journey is hard and the path is unclear, give us the courage to follow You.
People: Strengthen our faith and lead us in Your ways.

Leader: You are our Shepherd, guiding us with love and care.
People: We trust You to lead us, even when it’s hard to see the way.

Leader: Today, we surrender our lives to You. Shape us into who You’ve called us to be.
People: We are Yours, Lord. Use us for Your glory.

Leader: Let our lives reflect Your light, drawing others to know and worship You.
People: We surrender to You, Lord, our King and Shepherd. Amen.

 

Following the Stars | A Sermon from Matthew 1:18-2:2

Introduction
I almost lost my phone this morning.  It was still dark when I left the house.  But I needed to hook up my trailers so I could bring a manger I built for the Christmas display to the church for the Advent season.  I set my phone on the edge of my truck and used the flashlight pointing down on my trailer hitch so I could see to hook everything up.  Then I got in the car and drove away without retrieving my phone!  I was at least two miles down the road before I realized my phone was missing!  So, I turned around and headed back toward home, praying I would find my phone.  Luckily, the flashlight was still turned on and I was able to clearly see my phone lying in the road with the flashlight facing the night sky like a beacon.

God gave that illustration this morning as an example for the Advent season.  Advent and Christmas are full of signs and symbols that point us to Christ like a beacon in the night.  The question is, are we ready to see the symbols and hear God’s voice leading us to Christ in the season?  I hope this message will prepare us to be more in tune to God’s Holy Spirit this Christmas season.

Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-2
¹⁸ This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

²⁰ As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

²³ “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. 
¹ Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ² “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

From a Star to a Manger
Following God’s guidance can feel like connecting the dots in a constellation of stars.  I've never been that good at identifying constellation--you know one is supposed to look like a crab and another like a bear.  The only one I really know is the Big Dipper; and that's good because it helps you find the North Star so you always know which way is north.  

For Joseph, the angel’s dream message was as clear as a bright star shining in the night sky.  It told him what God wanted him to do.  But for us, the signs are often harder to see. It takes prayer to help us listen to God’s voice, reading the Bible to understand His plan, and worship to bring the pieces together.  God’s guidance becomes clearer when we spend time with Him and trust that He is leading us closer to His purpose.

The Wise Men are a big part of the Christmas story. They are known for following a star to find Jesus. But how did they know the star was pointing to the Christ King? And what kind of King would they find? Maybe they are called “Wise” because they understood how to follow signs—signs that are not always as obvious as Joseph’s dream.

The Wise Men saw a star rise and knew it meant the birth of a great King.  But the star didn’t lead to a palace—it led to a manger.  Who would expect a King to be born in a feeding trough for animals?  It was not what anyone imagined. What about you?  What are you expecting when you look for help or direction from God?  Are you open to seeing His signs, even if they lead somewhere unexpected?

From a Manger to a Cross
Following God’s plan doesn’t mean life will suddenly become easy or free of challenges.  In fact, following Jesus can sometimes lead us to face new difficulties we didn’t expect—just as the path from the manger ultimately led to the cross.  Jesus came into the world as a humble baby, but His journey was marked by rejection, suffering, and sacrifice. Yet, it was all part of God’s perfect plan to bring salvation to the world.  When we choose to follow God’s plan for our lives, it may bring its own share of struggles, even pain. But we can trust that His plan is always for our good in the long run, even when it’s hard to see in the moment.  The cross was not the end of the story, and neither are the challenges we face.  When we trust and follow Christ, we walk in the assurance that, ultimately, His plan leads us to a far better future.  And sometimes the suffering we must endure, is a refining fire that purifies us and makes us all God wants us to be.

From a Cross to and Empty Tomb
The cross was not the end of Jesus’ story.  The Word tells us that three days after He was crucified, He rose from the grave, leaving the tomb empty.  This is the cornerstone of our faith, the bold claim that changes everything.  While it can be hard to believe, we have the testimony of witnesses—those who saw the risen Christ and whose lives were transformed by the truth.  We may also personally know people who testify that faith in Jesus had changes their life.

Even so, it takes faith to accept.  The resurrection is a mystery and a miracle, but it is also the foundation of our hope.  And the empty tomb is a bright shining star that symbolized the hope we have in Christ.

For those who believe, Jesus promises eternal life. This hope sustains us as we follow His way, even when the path is hard or leads to suffering. The cross reminds us of the cost of discipleship, but the empty tomb assures us of the victory.  Just as Jesus rose to new life, so too will we, if we trust in Him.
This is the hope that gives us strength to endure, courage to persevere, and joy in knowing that the story God is writing for us doesn’t end in death—it ends in life.

Advent Challenge
As we enter this Advent season, I want to invite you to make a commitment—a commitment to spend intentional time seeking God.  Just as the Wise Men followed the star to Jesus, we need to follow the signs God gives us to draw closer to Him. It can be hard to see those signs in the busyness and distractions of life, but prayer helps us tune our hearts to His voice.

That’s why I’m challenging every one of you to stop by the church at least once a week during Advent—between now and Christmas—and spend some time in prayer in our newly renovated Prayer Room.  It’s open to you any day and at any time. (Call the church and we can give you a code that gives you access to the church through the kitchen door.)
Whether it’s early in the morning, during your lunch break, or late at night, I encourage you to come.  Use this time to pray, reflect, and listen for God’s direction in your life—even if just for a few minutes.

Following God’s plan isn’t always easy.  Sometimes, the path feels unclear, and we need to connect the dots. But when we spend time with Him—when we pray, study His Word, and worship—we begin to see His purpose more clearly.  So, come to the Prayer Room.  Bring your questions, your hopes, and even your struggles.  Let this Advent season be a time when you seek Him intentionally,
knowing that God is leading you toward His good and perfect plan.

The New Covenant | A Sermon on John 3:16 & Matthew 26:26-30

A biblical covenant is a sacred promise made between God and His people.  It includes commitments, blessings, and signs, showing God’s plan and how people can be part of it.  We have examines four of the five main covenants in the Bible.  Today, I want to talk about the final covenant between God and people—the culmination of God’s whole rescue plan—the New Covenant made between God and humanity through His Son, Jesus Christ.

John 3:16
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The New Covenant
This is such a powerful verse.  It sums up the Gospel in just a few short, simple words.  “For God so loved the world…”  Even though Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s one and only rule and ate the forbidden fruit, causing death and destruction and the corruption of God’s whole  perfect creation, God didn’t stop loving the world.  Even though you and I disobey God, make stupid decisions, hurt ourselves and others, distort His perfect plan for our world, and disrespect God’s holy name, God doesn’t give up on us.  He has worked for thousands of years to rescue us.

It was not easy.  First, God worked through thousands of years of human history to bring about the ultimate rescue of humanity from our brokenness.  Noah, Abraham, Moses, David…  And then from the royal line of David, a new King came—Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”
Jesus is God’s “one and only son”.  The Greek word is monogenes.  It is sometimes translated as “only begotten”, but what it means really is "one of a kind”.  Adam was also—in a sense—God’s son.  We are all sons and daughters of God because we came from God.  He is our Father; we are God’s children.  But Jesus is special.  Jesus is “one of a kind.”  Why?

One reason is Jesus shares the same divine essence as the Father.  Jesus was not created, like Adam was created from the dust of the ground.  Jesus is one with the Father—part of the Trinity.  But there’s another more practical way Jesus is “one of a kind”, God’s only begotten Son.  Jesus never sinned.  Jesus did all the things right that we humans did wrong.

The Second Adam
Adam and Eve were tempted to eat the forbidden fruit by Satan in the Garden of Eden.  They chose to trust Satan rather than God, leading to the fall of humanity.  Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness as He fasted for 40 days.  Jesus was faithful to God.  In a sense, Jesus was a do over for Adam and Eve.  He was tempted by Satan and overcame on their behalf (and ours too).

The True Manna
In the Old Testament, the Israelites wandered through the desert for 40 years because they were afraid and didn’t believe God could help them defeat the “giants” who lived in Canaan.  God fed them manna while they wandered in the desert.  In the New Testament, Jesus showed how God can defeat any problem—even sin and death.  Jesus fed the multitudes with on 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.  Jesus is the True Manna from Heaven.  Jesus is the “Bread of Life.”  He said in John 6:51 – “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

The Perfect King
In the Old Testament, the best king they had was David.  He was a man after God’s own heart, and yet he was a sinful man whose greatest sin was to sleep with another man’s wife, Bathsheba. Then David murdered her husband to try and cover up his sin.  Yet, Jesus is the King of kings who never sinned—who came to serve and not be served, who even stooped down to wash His disciples’ dirty feet saying, “The greatest among you must be the servant of all.”  Philippians 2:6-7 says, “being in very nature God, [He] did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.”

The Lamb of God
In the Old Testament, Abraham was spared the pain of sacrificing his only son, Isaac, on Mount Moriah when God provided a ram to take Isaac’s place.  In the New Testament, God’s only Son, Jesus, was willingly sacrificed on the same mountain as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the earth.

In these and countless other ways, Jesus came as the “do over” for humanity.  He righted all our wrongs and showed He is indeed the unique,  sinless, only begotten Son of the Living God.  And God made a new covenant with all people through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The New Covenant
The New Covenant was foretold in the Old Testament by the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 31, verses 31-33, when he said, “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.  This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord.

³³ “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

The prophet Ezekiel also spoke of the new covenant in chapter 36, when he said in verses 26-27, “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.  And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
The glorious blessing that comes through the New Covenant with Jesus is eternal life.  It is the reason we can shout hallelujah in the face of suffering and sickness and even death!  Because, we believe that this life is not all there is.  There is more.  Paul said in Romans 8:18, “What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”

We who believe in Jesus Christ rise to eternal life just like Christ did, and we will live forever with God in the New heaven and Earth—a restored Garden of Eden, a New Jerusalem, where there will be no more sickness, or suffering, or sin, or death.  So we can face the troubles of this life, unafraid, because we have a hope for a new and perfect eternal life.  The closer we walk with Christ, the more real that new life we hope for becomes, until we are hardly concerned at all about the sufferings we face in this world.  For we know, it will all soon melt away, replace by eternal glory.

“…that whoever believes in him…”
The key word here is “whoever believes in him.”  Faith is the key.  But what is faith?  What does it mean to believe?  I have to tell you:  it is more than just agreeing in your mind that Jesus exists or that His words are true.  Believing in Jesus means trusting Him wholeheartedly as Lord and Savior.  It means knowing that His life, death, and resurrection give us eternal life.  This kind of faith changes how we live.  It inspires us follow His teachings, love others the way He loves us, and show His kindness and truth in all we do.  It motivates us to pray fervently to be made holy, to become more and more like Jesus in everything we do.  Jesus was the perfect Son of God.  To believe in Jesus is to give our lives to Him and let Him heal us and make us new so we glorify God the way Jesus glorifies God.

So, you’ve got to do more than simply agree, saying “Yes I believe.”  You’ve got live in agreement.  You’ve got to let God give you a new heart and a right spirit, where you care about the world and it’s people like God cares about them, and where you want to follow God’s decrees and be careful to obey His regulations.

The Sign of the New Covenant
When we make a covenant with people, we always give a sign.  When a husband and wife enter the covenant of marriage, they give each other rings.
Rings are the sign of the marriage covenant.
God has also given us a sign of the New Covenant, sealed by Jesus’ blood.  We find the sign of the New Covenant in Matthew 26:26-28.

Matthew 26:26-28
²⁶ As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”

²⁷ And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, ²⁸ for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.

As we reflect on the New Covenant, sealed by the sacrifice of Jesus, we are reminded of the sign He gave us to remember His love and commitment—Holy Communion.  This meal is not just a ritual; it’s a sacred act of faith.  Today, if you are ready to actively be part of God’s New Covenant—trusting in Jesus as your Savior, surrendering to Him as your Lord, and committing to live as His redeemed follower—I invite you to come to the Lord’s Table.  Let us approach with gratitude, with faith, and with willingness to let His grace transform our lives.

Holy Communion…