Last Will & Testament

May 1, 2023

Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 30, 2023.

Sermon text: Hebrews 9:15-28



This week, again, reiterates and further establishes how and to what extent Jesus is

better!


v. 15-17 Jesus’ death brings an eternal inheritance (Read verses aloud)

What’s the “therefore” there for?

- Consider Pastor Shu’s sermon from last week… Because the old covenant was

limited in its ability to give us full access to God, and because it was ineffective in

meeting our biggest need, and because we have knowledge of past sins, and because

we have knowledge of our sinful nature, and because of our ongoing contact with

evil in the world, and because of the old covenant’s inability to purify our

conscience…

- THEREFORE Jesus is the mediator of God’s new covenant.

New Covenant:

- Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a

new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”

- Hebrews 8:10-12 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel

after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds and write

them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they

shall teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, “Know the

Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be

merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Last Will & Testament:

- Why would God utilize a “will” to help explain the new covenant? (Reminder of

what to look for when God uses something familiar to us to help us understand

him.)

- First, in the same way that a will does not take effect until the person it refers to has

died, so it is in the moment of Jesus’ death that the NEW COVENANT takes effect.

- Second, it is not negotiable. We don’t get to rework the terms of the New Covenant.

It is final. There is NO OTHER WAY for God’s will to be fulfilled than through the

blood of Jesus. There is NO OTHER WAY for one to be welcomed into forgiveness

than through the blood of Jesus.

o Consider that this letter was written to Jewish Christians. Before we ever ask

what this means to us, we have to simply ask what it means? In its original

context?

o We know from the rest of the letter that there is an inclination in these early

converts to hold onto certain facets and rituals from the Mosaic law. The

author is calling them out of the Old Covenant and into the New Covenant…

out of works-based salvation, and into salvation as a gift through which good

works would naturally flow… Ultimately, he is calling them to lean into God

through Jesus by embracing the good news of the Gospel.


- Third, the will explains the inheritance… and in this case, those who are called may

receive the promised eternal inheritance. It is the only inheritance that is not

fleeting, that is not able to be stolen or destroyed by moth and

rust!

v. 18-26 Jesus’ blood covers everything, ONCE FOR ALL (Read verses aloud)


Old Covenant (v. 18-22) (Under the Law):

- Was inaugurated with blood… Moses received the law from God, and to inaugurate

(establish) the old covenant he declares, “This is the blood of the covenant that God

commanded for you.”

- Then the blood of calves and goats was sprinkled on the book itself, the people, the

tent, the vessels of worship… everything.

- Almost everything is purified with blood

- Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins… indicating that if

there was no end to the sin of man, then there would be no end to the shedding of

blood that was needed for the forgiveness of man’s sins.

New Covenant (v. 23-36) (Freed from the Law):

- Was inaugurated with better blood… Moses purified the earthly copy of heaven.

Jesus purified heaven.

- Why would heaven need to be purified? The answer is found in verse 24. In the

same way that the worshipper would take the priest a goat or calf so that blood may

be used to purify their presence with God in the earthly tabernacle, so Jesus enters

into the more true presence of God, heaven. Why? ON OUR BEHALF! Heaven

needed to be purified from OUR SIN. And the blood of goats and bulls was wildly

insufficient. Sin separates us from God and from one another. Only the blood of

Jesus can bring us into the joy of our Master and our eternal inheritance.

- On this earth is the beginning of a desire for the Lord that is designed to grow

eternally. Go back to the New Covenant details that are inaugurated through the

blood of Jesus…

o The Law is inside of us… in our minds and written on our hearts. This is the

work of the HOLY SPIRIT. Our hearts of stone are replaced with hearts of

flesh that now overflow with love toward God in Christ and compel us

toward him and away from our own wickedness and fleshly desires.

o Through the blood of Jesus, God is merciful toward our iniquities. Mercy is

not receiving what you deserve. We deserve wrath, but Jesus propitiates or

absorbs that for us through His perfect blood, and instead we receive an

eternal inheritance.

o Through the blood of Jesus, God will “remember our sins no more”. The

first covenant failed because of us and our sin. The second covenant does not

fail, because Jesus’ blood brings both forgiveness and transformation. The

perfect blood of Jesus wipes out the remembrance of our sins with God.

v. 27-28 Jesus will come back to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him. (Read verses

aloud)

- He is not coming back to deal with sin.

- Judgment is coming.


Application… How do we eagerly wait?

1.) Draw closer to God

- Do you feel close to God?

- Ex. Books as old friends…

- Consider all that Christ has done and is doing to bring you near to God. He doesn’t

have to feel distant all the time. He invites you into fellowship with Him through the

blood of Jesus.

2.) Promote eagerness (Sabbath, Word of God, Prayer, weekly worship gathering,

supper)

3.) Keep Waiting (don’t give up, don’t bale out, don’t stray)

4.) Cover everything in the blood of Jesus (marriage, parenting, finances,

trials/struggles, decisions, friendships, conversations)


Questions for discussion:

1.) Why did God utilize a "last will & testament" to explain the inauguration of the New Covenant?

2.) What are some ways that the New Covenant is better than the old?

3.) How is Jesus' blood better than the blood of bulls and goats?

4.) Discuss how we can specifically draw closer to God... how we can specifically promote eagerness daily, how we can persevere and keep waiting...

5.) Discuss what it looks like to cover your marriage in the blood of Jesus? Your parenting? finances? trials and struggles? decisions? friendships, and conversations? 

Everything We Need

July 29, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:3-4 We have everything we need for a godly life. Sentence has: 68 words 9 prepositional phrases 5 dependent clauses God called us. “By His divine power” The word here is summon Like Lazarus, come forth. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. By revealing Christ to us. “Through the knowledge of Him” Side note, ambiguity: The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We need to note that this comes to us by grace, but also that we have a part to play here. Effort is not a 4 letter word. You have no excuse for: Pornography- You have everything you need. Substance Abuse- You have everything you need. Pride- You have everything you need Laziness- You have everything you need Anger- You have everything you need. Prayer and Scripture Reading- You have everything you need. Evangelism- You have everything you need. He’ll go on to mention supplementing He has given us what we need for godliness now, and He promises us even greater things to come. We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature 2 Pe 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature Unusual word… The “divine nature” (Theos) appears only here and in Acts where Paul addresses the Areopagus an odd work choice and would have appealed to his pagan readers. Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. Redefining what it means to become like God. Christ shared in our nature that we might share in His. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. In 1:3, it’s through the knowledge of Christ that we are called to Him. Here, we see that a fuller revelation of Christ will conform us even more fully into His likeness. How so? Purity Immortality Restoration to Eden Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, We have everything we need for a godly life. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. Purity Immortality Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable.’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. Discipleship Questions: 2 Peter 1:3 says we’ve been given everything we need for life and godliness… Do you find that verse encouraging, challenging or both? Are there any areas of your walk where you struggle to believe that you already have everything you need for success? Do you ever make excuses to yourself or others for a lack of godliness? If yes, explain. How much work does it take to live as a Christian? What does it mean that we will be “partakers in the divine nature”?

The Genuine Gospel

July 21, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, July 20, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:1-2  Peter is warning us about counterfeit teaching and false teachers The genuine gospel came from Jesus through His apostles —servant (humility and honor) —apostle (called, unique, sent) The genuine gospel is just as precious to us today —received and believed “How does someone become a Christian? One person might say, ‘Because I believe,’ and another, ‘Because God chose me.’ According to Peter, both ways of stating it are correct. On the one hand, we believe. It is a fundamental definition of a Christian that he or she is a ‘believe-er’; that he or she ‘has faith’ But Peter also knows that it is not our feeble faith that holds us close to God. It is God who does all the holding, and that is the reality behind the word received.” —R. C. Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter & Jude The genuine gospel is centered on the person and work of Jesus —God —Savior —Christ —Lord “This fourfold description of Jesus is important because it puts him at the focal point of human history. As God, he guarantees that his words and his works cannot be replaced or revoked; as Christ, he fulfills all the Old Testament promises; as Savior, he died on the cross for our salvation in the past, present and future; and as Lord he claims the right to our individual love and obedience—notice how Peter calls him our Lord.” —R. C. Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter & Jude The genuine gospel transforms us as we grow in knowledge of Jesus —grace and peace multiplied Discipleship Questions: Why is false teaching so dangerous? How does remembering and focusing on the true gospel help us stand against false teaching? In what ways is the gospel just as precious to us as it was to the apostles? How do you relate to Jesus as God, Savior, Christ, and Lord? What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Him?

The God of All Grace

July 16, 2025
Notes from Zach Snow's sermon on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 5:8-14 Why is the lion roaring? Wouldn’t it be a better strategy to be quiet…subtle…sneaky, in an attempt to “devour” Christians? I think that Peter, led by the Holy Spirit, was very intentional with his description here of the devil being a roaring lion. Went into a rabbit hole on a lion's roar…there are some spiritual applications to these: Can reach up to 114 decibels…almost as loud as a jet engine taking off They roar for social reasons (territory, create bonds, locate other members of their pride) as well as for purposes of intimidation. One of the primary purposes of the lion's roar is to strike fear in the heart of their prey. The lion will always start with a psychological advantage Fear, anxiety, depression, anger, hatred - these things can absolutely paralyse you spiritually The lion is not necessarily trying to kill you, but to destroy your faith Prayer: Be sober-minded - Have a clear and self disciplined mind - Titus 2 Exercise self control in thoughts, words, and action this is the 3rd time Peter has said this to us in 1 Peter - 1:13, 4:7 - it’s a call to remain alert and focused Being sober-minded means waging war against the things that are detrimental to the mind: fear, hatred, anxiety, depression, anger I believe these are specific things the enemy uses to derail our mental health and cause us to take our guard down Be watchful - this is the same word that Jesus used in the garden before he was arrested and crucified - this is a call to pray Prayers for others - Eph. 6:18 - Ephesians 6:18 - [18] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Prayers for yourself - James 1:5 - 5 j If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. So here’s the question… Do you believe in prayer? How much do you trust that God can do the things that you are not able to do? Do you trust God with the big stuff AND the small stuff? Discipleship Questions: 1.) In your personal life, what does being sober minded and watchful look like to you? 2.) Who are the people who help you stand firm in your faith the most? 3.) As a CG look at each of the points of the Theology of Suffering and find Scripture to support each one of those statements: God is ALWAYS good God is ALWAYS enough God will ALWAYS love you 4.) Discuss ways that the God of all grace has restored, confirmed, strengthened, and established you.
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