Here are my notes for this morning's sermon at All Saints' Birchington.
Trinity 5 = Pentecost 6
O.T.: Exodus 24:3-11 THE COVENANT
1. THE COVENANT OBLIGATIONS
A Covenant is a Contract or Treaty between two parties: people, nations,
and/or God. If it is between humans, God is called upon as a witness. If God
is a party, the people are called upon as witnesses. Under a Covenant, one
party agrees to perform certain acts provided the other party agrees to
observe certain obligations. These are laid down in writing, and solemnly
accepted by both parties at a public ceremony. The Covenant also lays down
penalty clauses if its terms are not rigidly adhered to. Here are the
Obligations:
a. To Read the Book of the Covenant. (viz. Ex 20:22-23:33)
The Ten Commandments (20:1-17) engraved in stone lay down the Apodeictic or
Base Law; the following verses (20:22-23:33) written on parchment lay down
the Applied or Case Law : legal precedents and Torts for the guidance of
judges. The whole of Scripture is our Book of the Covenant.
b. To Heed the Blood of the Covenant.
A Covenant is a life-and-death agreement; hence the solemn bloodshed to ratify
it. No Covenant was dedicated without blood (Hebrews 9:18). In Hebrew a
Covenant is said to be "cut", not "made". Abraham in Genesis 15 took a heifer,
a goat, and a lamb, and cut them into halves. God then passed between the
pieces in the guise of a "smoking lamp", to guarantee that He, for His part,
would most surely keep and perform His Word. God guaranteed to preserve
Abraham alive, provided he remained faithful. The Blood is a warning of what
will happen to us if we fail to keep our part. "The LORD do so to me and more
also..." (Ruth 1:17; 1 Samuel 3:17; 1 Kings 2:23 etc).
2. THE COVENANT OBLATIONS
We do not always remain faithful; in fact "all have sinned and come short of
the Glory of God" (Romans 3:23). So we all deserve to perish, but for the
Covenant provision of a Substitute Victim. "Without shedding of blood is no
remission" (Hebrews 9:22). Christ cut a New Covenant in His own Blood when He
made Himself a "full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and
satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world" (BCP, 1662).
a. There were Burnt Offerings for Sinfulness.
Animals for Burnt Offerings were wholly burnt after the ritual shedding of
their blood. As God said at the Passover "when I see the blood, I will pass
over you" (Exodus 12:13). The corpse was dedicated to destruction to satisfy
the Law's demands; it is a Sin offering. Compare 2 Corinthians 5:21.
b. There were Peace Offerings for Saintliness.
Animals for Peace Offerings were also ritually slaughtered, but without
confession of sin. The meat was then roasted and eaten in a sacred meal,
expressing table-fellowship and communion with God the divine Host (Revelation
3:20). This Holy Communion with God is only possible on the basis of a prior
blood-sacrifice for sin - in our case, of Christ's at Calvary. Now we partake
of His Body broken for us; and His Blood shed for us. "Take, eat; this is My
Body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.... Drink this, all
of you; this is My blood of the New Covenant which was shed for you and for
many for the forgiveness of sins" (ASB 1980).
3. OUR COVENANT OPERATIONS
a. We have a Holy Baptism.
Moses took half of the blood and sprinkled it upon the altar (showing that a
death had been died); the other half he symbolically sprinkled towards the
congregation (showing that it was died for them), thus reconciling them to God
-- "washed in the Blood of the Lamb". As Christ's literal Blood can no longer
be shed, still less that of animals (the Jewish Temple is gone), the Water of
Baptism is our sacrament of reconciliation by the death of Christ (Romans
6:3).
b. We have a Holy Communion.
Moses and a representative group of priests and elders went up the mountain,
saw God in His glory, ate cereal offerings of bread, and drank drink offerings
of wine, in His presence, without penalty for their sin. So, thanks to Christ,
we are able in this Communion Service to have our Holy Communion -- eating
Bread and drinking Wine in God's presence: a preview of what it will be like
in heaven. Hallelujah!
_________________________________________________________________________
In Christ,
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
