“Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant” Heb 7:22

HOW CAN I BE SURE ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL? (1) THERE WAS AN OLD COVENANT (1) IT TELLS US ABOUT (a) a special problem (b) a special place (c) a special person (d) an extra special place (e) a special occasion (2) THEY WERE SURE IT WORKED BECAUSE OF THE COVENANT (a) 2 Parties (b) 2 Possible Outcomes

HOW CAN I BE SURE ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL? (2) (B) THERE IS A NEW COVENANT (1) IT IS UNILATERAL- it depends on God alone (2) IT IS EXPLAINED BY TWO PICTURES (a) A Will (b) A Promise “I will remember their sins no more”

I CAN BE SURE BECAUSE THE NEW COVENANT WORKS (1) BECAUSE IT PROVIDES COMPLETE CLEANSING “I will remember his sins no more” (2) BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A PERMAMENT PARDON “(Christ) has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (3) BECAUSE IT MEETS ALL MY NEEDS (a) IT ADDRESSES THE STATE I’M IN “(Christ) entered once for all into the holy places-- by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption” (b) IT ADDRESSES THE GUILT I FEEL “the blood of Christ-- purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God”

I CAN BE SURE BECAUSE THE NEW COVENANT REVEALS WHAT GOD IS LIKE (1) WHAT DID THAT ALL OLD TESTAMENT STUFF MEAN? they were pointers to what is real “these secondary practices -- point to the realities of heaven-- Christ didn't enter the earthly version of the Holy Place; he entered the Place Itself, and offered himself to God as the sacrifice for our sin” (The Message) (2) HERE’S WHAT IS REAL (a) GOD HAS DONE IT HIMSELF (b) HE IS A GENEROUS GOD- “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (3) DO I HAVE A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?