Date: July 14, 2024
God’s Promise of a New Covenant
The Point: God promised a new, eternal life in Christ.
Get Into the Study
After discussing Question #1, ask this follow up question. Can you think of something that was innovative and useful when it was new, but eventually outlived its purpose?
After allowing time for answers, share the following.
Recently NASA awarded Elon Musk and SpaceX a contract valued at $843,000,000 to bring the International Space Station (ISS) out of orbit in 2030 after its operational life ends. The company will develop a “deorbit vehicle” that will ensure a safe and responsible return to earth, ultimately crashing it into the Pacific Ocean.
Originally jointly developed in the late twentieth century by the United States and Russia, the ISS has been instrumental and valuable as a laboratory, observatory, and factory while providing transportation, maintenance, and a low Earth orbit staging base for possible future missions to the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. In 2010, the ISS was given additional roles of serving commercial, diplomatic, and educational purposes.
In recent years, the expense of maintaining the station, the age of the equipment and software, and the uncertainty of participation by other nations, has made the original purpose of the ISS no longer feasible. NASA and other partners have developed new priorities for space exploration. The contributions made by the ISS and the astronauts that staffed it could never be discounted. While its practical life is over, it will always be seen as a valuable foundation for future missions and exploration.
Say: In the past weeks, we have looked at the different covenants that God made with His people. They were given for a purpose, but in today’s study, we will see that God desires to make a different kind of covenant with His people. The importance of the old covenants could never be discounted, but they were for a time. This new covenant is different in that it is grounded in the promised Messiah and is a covenant for eternity.
Call attention to The Point and continue with the study.
- https://www.axios.com/2024/06/27/nasa-spacex-international-space-station-deorbit-vehicle
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station#History
Study the Bible [Option from the Adult Leader Guide]
In advance, play a song like “Remembrance.” The group can either sing along or bow their heads in reflection. Invite members to respond with what the song and its reminder of Christ’s sacrifice means to them personally. Have a season of prayer thanking God for the new covenant relationship we have with Him through Christ’s sacrifice.
Live It Out
As you begin to discuss the application ideas in the Live It Out section, share the following.
You have probably never heard of Rogelio Lopez, but he has become a celebrity in his native country of Argentina and is known as “Argentina’s happiest bus driver.” Rogelio joined the Buenos Aires municipal bus service in 1990 and since then, the job has become his calling. The 56-year-old, whose daily route takes him through some of the meaner streets of Buenos Aires, is dedicated to sharing kindness and positivity with all his passengers. He declares that he is on a lifelong goodwill mission.
“When I sit down here, I don’t exist anymore,” says Lopez. “Only people exist. It is my duty to treat each person who gets on my bus with dignity and kindness. For this reason, when they get on, I welcome them warmly, which is good for everybody.”
Lopez has been known to announce stops in song, and has a large following on social media, where fans can see videos and photos of his bus route and the people he impacts on his travels.
Say: We don’t know if Rogelio Lopez is a follower of Christ, but his outlook on life and his “calling” is one that understands that our time and actions should make the world around us a better place. His attitude and energy are contagious.
Because of the eternal covenant we have with Christ, we should be just as committed to sharing the love of Christ with those around us. Not only does it make our world a better place, but it is important for eternity. Is your love for Christ evident to those around you? Is your faith “contagious?”
Lynn Riley is retired from the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, where he served as a team member in the areas of evangelism and church health. He and his wife Cheryl live in Smyrna, TN, and are active members of Rolling Hills Community Church in Nolensville, TN. They are spending their retirement years serving their church and spoiling grandkids.
Additional Questions
Icebreaker
- Do you prefer used or new items and why?
- What items do you buy used and which do you buy new and why?
- When have you purchased something that turned out to be a flop?
- What fashion or trend would you like to see make a comeback?
- When was the last time you were really excited by something new?
Jeremiah 31:31-32
- Why was there a need for a new covenant?
- Why is it significant that God will make this new covenant with Israel and Judah?
- What thoughts come to mind when thinking of God in the role of a “husband” in the life of his people?
- Why was a new covenant necessary?
Jeremiah 31:33-34
- What can we discern about God’s character and desires from this new covenant?
- Describe a life lived under this new covenant.
- Which description of this new covenant means this most to you at this point in your life and why?
- How does God’s new covenant relate to how we will live in relationship to Him?
- In what ways does God’s forgiveness motivate people to be fully committed to Him?
- What does it mean for God to write His law on people’s hearts?
- How does the new covenant change our relationship with God?
- What specific promises did God make in these verses?
Luke 22:14-20
- What secures this covenant from God’s side and our side?
- How is what we have in Jesus far superior to the old covenant?
- How would you summarize what Jesus taught His disciples about the new covenant during the Passover meal?
- How has your life changed since you entered a new covenant with Christ as compared to your life before knowing Christ?
- How does the Lord’s Supper help us remember Jesus?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
What’s New That Has Rocked Your World?
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
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