Covenant Keeping in the Incarnation-Advent 16 (2015)

God keeps His promises.

That is one of the most reassuring things one can ever contemplate.   In a world in which politicians will say anything to get elected and then their promises get forgotten as convenient political amnesia sets in; our friends, our neighbors, our bosses, or our co-workers will tell us anything and then break their promises to us and leave us cynical with nothing but disappointed hopes; and a world in which deep and powerful vows of marriage are simply forgotten in the fleeting passions of a mere moment…God still keeps His promises. All of them. All the time.

The Incarnation is proof of the lengths to which God will go to see that His precious promises, His covenant, will always be kept.

Hebrews 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance– now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

The Bible is filled with God’s promises that He keeps because He’s faithful even when we are not. There is the covenant (promise) not to destroy the earth again with a flood because of human sin…so God sent His Son to die in our place.

The covenant (promise) to bless Abraham with offspring—ones who would be counted righteous because of faith—and God sent His Son so that our faith would have God Himself as the very One in whom we trust.

Thought for the day: The Incarnation—the Son of God as the Christ Child in a manger—was always pointing forward to His crucifixion on Good Friday and the empty tomb of Easter morning. It was a keeping of the Covenant by our faithful Father!

Questions for pondering:

1. Have you ever had someone break a promise to you? How did that make you feel?
2. Unconditional love by definition has no conditions. In the covenants, God didn’t say, “If you agree not to sin anymore then I won’t flood the earth” or about the offspring of Abraham “If you can prove your ancestry back to Abraham by genealogical record, then you’re in the club.” What does God say? Read Jeremiah 31:31-34 for insight.
3. What did Jesus say?  Luke 22:14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
4. Read John 12:27 “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.” How does this demonstrate God keeping His promises?

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Incarnation (2015 Advent Devotional Series) began November 29th.  By way of reminder, if you haven’t signed up yet, you can receive these devotional studies in your email throughout Advent 2015 by entering your email address on the SeminaryGal.com home page in the space provided in the sidebar.  Or “Like” the SeminaryGal Facebook page to access them there.  If you like these devotionals, I’d really appreciate your letting others know so I can continue to spread the Good News far and wide.  Blessings to you, in Christ always, Barbara <><