2023/08/25 - Hebrews 8: Mediator of a Better Covenant
Jerry Starling
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Reading: Hebrews 8 – Mediator of a Better Covenant
Verse for Today:
Jesus has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has better promises. (Hebrews 8:6)
Daily Devo
We Have a High Priest in Heaven
Our high priest is “seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” He is a minister in “the true tabernacle that the Lord made and not man.” If He were on earth, He could not be a priest at all, since He is not from the tribe of Levi, “since there are priests who offer gifts according to the Law.”
Every high priest is chosen to offer sacrifices. “It is necessary for this priest to have something to offer.” His offering was Himself. He gave Himself to be crucified and to be raised from the dead on the third day.
The Levitical priests offer worship in a sanctuary that is a shadow of the heavenly one. When Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was warned, “See that you make everything by the pattern you were shown to you on the mountain.”
A Better Covenant with Better Promises
“Jesus has now gained a more excellent ministry and to that degree He is the mediator of a better covenant built on better promises.” If the first covenant was without fault, there would have been no need for a second one.
God finds fault with them for they did not keep the first covenant. He says, “The days are surely coming, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel, not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors, on the day I took the by the hand to lead them out of Egypt. They did not continue in my covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people in faithfulness and in righteousness” (Zechariah 8:8b; Jeremiah 31:34). “They shall not teach one another or say, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest.” All your children shall be taught by God (Isaiah 54:13).
A New Covenant
“In speaking of a ‘new covenant,’ He has made the first one obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old will soon disappear.”
This new covenant is built on better promises, promises that go into the heavenly realms. This new covenant is the one that includes Gentiles as believers in God. "This is what God planned for the climax of all times: to bring all things together in Christ, the things in Heaven along with the things on Earth” (Ephesians 1:10, CEB).
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Pray for Your Self:
Father, I pray that Jesus will indeed bring many sons to Glory, and into His kingdom. I His name I pray, AMEN!
My Prayer for You (and for me)
Father, I offer this prayer for all who read these words. I pray that each of us will bring our gratitude to You and to Your Son for the New Covenant that we remember weekly in the New Covenant in His blood. This is my prayer, in His name, AMEN!
Updates for Central
Our Next Potluck Fellowship will be this Sunday. Bring a dish to share, invite your family, friends, and neighbors, and come find good fellowship, food, and love.
SonQuest is September 1-3. If you are going, get ready for three days of fun mixed with some great Bible teaching. Come back fired up for Jesus!
The Wednesday morning Ladies’ Class will resume at 10:00 am on September 6. All ladies are invited to participate.
Our Eastern European Mission “Million Dollar Sunday” contribution will be on September 24. Our entire contribution that day will go to EEM to provide Bibles for the former Soviet bloc nations. Last year, EEM distributed almost two million Bibles, up 24% from 2021. They hope for more this year.
PRAYER NEEDS
Nancy Gray has been diagnosed as having Covid. Please pray for her as she recovers.
Joan Berry, Joanna Turner’s Mother, needs our prayers.
Belinda Pate is at home and doing much better.
Carol Grandey, Brenda Schmidt’s sister, is home and ready to enter rehab. Keep her in your prayers.
esse Matthews, Sr. Ruth said on Saturday he is in rehab. Their daughter is also still recuperating from a broken ankle. She needs prayers as does the whole family.
Kristi Holder was well enough to be at mid-week study on the 16th. It set her back a little, but Jerry says she improves daily – bit by bit.
Joy Bland found she has a broken bone in her foot that requires a boot to help it heal. She will have it for about six weeks, with an MRI (hopefully) coming soon. She recently told me she really needs our prayers to help her through.
Gale Harnish is home, but not well. Keep her in your prayers.
Susan Allen’s sister Debi is not well at all. Please remember her in your prayers.
Please let us know when you have events to publicize, are in the hospital, or are sick and need prayers. If you request prayer for someone, let us know when to take them off the prayer list. You can contact me by text or phone at 407-453-5392.