This morning, Billy Graham was mentioned in the sermon
Billy Graham was a known evangelical leader who was really very zealous in his proclamation of the gospel. What unbeknownst to many is that he kept a close friendship with also a renowned theologian whose name was John Stott. Together they have this what they called Lousanne Covenant..Lousanne, it means Lousanne, Switzerland because that’s where they did it. Lousanne Covenant is a covenant that they did. It shows their commitment and also together with other evangelical leaders with them, their commitment to proclaim the gospel to the world. So they kind of made that a covenant, called Lousanne Covenant. So you can look at that covenant as an agreement of leaders in their ministerial call. But some think that, that covenant is not just about THAT.. but really, it shows the closeness of the friendship that Billy Graham and John Stott had. We’re gonna look at their covenant, yun talaga yung pinapakita nung covenant na iyon. Yun talagang very close friendship and relationship ni Graham and ni Stott.
Just like the friendship of Abraham and Abimelech in Gen chapter 21.
In this chapter we will see how such friendship has been confirmed in, what we call, A COVENANT OF PEACE.
Turn with me to Genesis chapter 21 verses 22 to 34
At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” And Abraham said, “I will swear.” When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized, Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.
We can see in this story the ascendency of Abraham, yung kanyang pag- angat, right.. where we see here a king, the Abimelech together with his commander Phicol wanted to make a peace treaty with Abraham. Now remember back in Genesis chapter 20 which is what we read in our scripture reading, Abraham tricked Abimelech. He tricked Abimelech into thinking that Sarah wasn’t his wife...
So now, Abimelech wanted to make that peace treaty, saying, sabi ni Abimelech: “Swear to me Abraham. Don’t deal with me falsely like before. But deal kindly with me, and also my household, also my posterity, descendants. And so Abraham, as you’ve seen, as you’ve read in the text, Abraham said, “I swear.” Now, to ensure their friendship, nag-swear si Abraham, so talagang pinakita doon at okay, talagang totoo ang kanilang pagkakaibigan, pero teka lang, sabi ni Abraham…”Wait, wait, wait. Your servants were trying to seize my wealth; I dug that well..that was mine. What’s happening there? Anong nangyari dun?” Sabi ni Abimelech, “Inosente ako, wala akong kinalaman dyan.”
So naniwala naman kaagad si Abraham bilang sila’y magkaibigan. Abraham didn’t create any further conflict because the two of them were, the two of them basically swore to be real “FRIENDS” not dealing falsely against each other.
And to further solidify that friendship, Abraham took sheep, Abraham took oxen, and then he set apart seven ewe lambs to be witnesses na that yung well daw na iyon ay talgang sa kanya. So parang two part itong covenant na ito, yung friendship nila, but also na, nagsasabi na kay Abraham yang well na iyan. Okay, that his well, that was seized by the servants of Abimelech, should be returned to him. So they made that covenant of peace.. walang prublema kay Abimelech, kay Abraham yun, so Abraham owns it. They made such covenant which ensures their friendship, but not only that, it ensures also that the well, which by the way was a source of water, that is owned by Abraham. Malaking bagay yung well na iyon especially sa area na iyon, mainit ang Bersheba, and dun sa area na iyon, if you own such well, you have power. Okay, you can give supply, supplement, water to the surrounding areas. And by the way, that area is still inside Canaan. Now remember, napakalaki ng land of Canaan, marami pa pong inhabitants doon…okay. So, of course, for a covenant to be established, may witnesses si Abraham, at yung mga witnesses nya ay yung mga seven lambs..okay. At nag-swear sila ng oath pareho. Hindi sinasabi sa text kung hinati nyo into, kalahati, yung mga animals na iyon, but as you know, pag gumagawa sila ng mga covenants, ay hinahati nila, although specifically, dito hindi naman sinasabi sa atin. Hindi lang iyon, nagpapatunay pa na may confirmation yung covenant nila, pinangalanan nila yung lugar na Bersheba, which means it is a well of oath, it is a well of seven, that’s what it means..well of a covenant, that’s what it means, okay. So whenever they see that well, ah, okay, Abraham and Abimelech had a covenant with one another. They will not deal falsely with each other and that well is owned by Abraham; no one can seize that if they see that well, okay.
[ What do we see here? ]
So we see here again yung pag- ascend ni Abraham. That even a king would want to be in a covenant with him, would want to be in amity with him, in friendship with him, Abraham has become a powerful force. He was able to defeat the kings before, remember, King Chedorlaomer, ilang kings yun? Marming kings yun and Abraham and his troops were able to defeat those kings. He became a wealthy man, but most importantly, eto yung sinasabi ni Abomelech, that’s why I want to be friends with this guy, I want to be make a covenant of peace with this guy..why? Sabi ni Abimelech, because God is with this man. It is obvious, what happened in the previous years that God is with Abraham. God was with Abraham during the wars against the kings..He was with Abraham when I slept and I dreamt about God, and God told me to to give, to return to Sarah, Oh Abraham; God favours Abraham..right. So I want to be in covenant with this person.
God, many years ago, as you know, met with Abraham, and this is why, we can indeed say that God is with Abraham. Because even before meeting Abimelech, God met Abraham. Abraham met God already. And Abraham made a covenant with, God made a covenant with Abraham, rather and God gave him a promise many years before. That He would bless Abraham, bless him with a son, and bless him with a land. Kaya natin sinasabi that indeed God is with Abraham. And true enough, yun din ang sinasabi ni Abimelech. This is a privilege that Abraham can indeed enjoy the presence of God and because God is with him, the blessings that were promised to him will definitely be experienced by Abraham, hence, the son, and also, the land of Canaan.
Same with us..same with us. If we are in God’s covenant, if we are in the covenant of God, if we have been invited to such covenant relationship with God, we also enjoy His presence and blessings.
That is the message this afternoon, In God’s covenant, we enjoy His presence and blessings.
Sa tipan ng Panginoon, ikasisiya natin ang presensya Niya at ang Kaniyang mga pagpapala.
Now why are we able to enjoy His presence? Because of our perpetual amity, that is my first point. Dahil sa walang hanggang pagkakaibigan. And why are we able to enjoy His blessings? Because of the promise assured…dahil sa katiyakan ng pangako. Let us consider our first point - Perpetual Amity
So King Abimelech wanted to make peace with Abraham. He didn’t want to be against Abraham and this can be rightly called a covenant of peace, sila ay at peace with one another, covenant of peace between two people, which ofcourse expands to their descendants as well. Dapat yung mga descendants nila ay at peace with one another as well. Eto yung ginagawa ni Abimelech at ni Abraham. All of this was because Abimelech saw how God favors Abraham. These things led him to conclude in verse 22 that God is WITH Abraham in all that he does.
Imagine mo sinabi ni Abimelech, Oh God is with this person in everything that he is doing. And what this means is that Abraham was under a greater peace treaty. This is the reason why God is with Abraham because prior Abimelech, God, Abraham has put, God has put Abraham into a better treaty, a better peace treaty. For God to be someone, for God to be with someone in all that someone does, is for God to be at peace with that someone. If God IS WITH Abraham in all that he does. It means that Abraham was not anymore at war with God.
That Abraham was part of a greater and better peace treaty, a better covenant of peace, a covenant that gives peace. Sabi sa Ezekiel chapter 37 verse 26, sabi ng Diyos - I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore.
v27 - My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
God says this will be an everlasting covenant of peace, unlike the covenant of peace that Abraham and Abimelech did in Bersheba, ofcourse it’s not everlasting, mamamatay sila pareho. God who is an everlasting God, sabi sa text natin, gives this covenant of peace to His people and Abraham was part of that people. He’s originally been in this covenant, an eternal covenant of peace. That Abraham is at peace with his God. That’s why God is with Abraham, okay. And I will set them in their land. This does not talk about the land of Canaan. This talks about a heavenly land, a heavenly city. Hebrews chapter 11 tells us Abraham look forward to the heavenly city. He has that hope. This is an everlasting covenant of peace, not like his covenant with Abimelech. A covenant that gives him a land - a heavenly one. A covenant where the people of God is multiplied - that is the church, the believers. A covenant of God where God is WITH His people.. where HIS people becomes His sanctuary, sabi dun sa text.. a dwelling place.. So this talks about a NEW covenant which is established not on the blood of bulls, not on the blood of any animals, kaya to everlasting covenant of peace because this was not established by the blood of sheep, blood of bulls, blood of goats, but by the blood of the Sacrificial Lamb.. Jesus Christ, who lived a sinless life, who died sacrificially on that cross, who rose again from the dead for the sins of men so you and I can be at peace with God. Doon parte si Abraham. Bago pa sya makipag-covenant of peace kay Abimelech, Abraham was already been part of a better covenant of peace which is everlasting. And God has put Abraham in that covenant of peace already. So Abraham, so it’s true! And we can say amen to what Abimelech said that Abraham is with God, that God is with Abraham because Abraham was not anymore at war with his God but he was at peace with his God. This is the covenant that Abraham was a part of. This is the newer, the better covenant. And if you believe in Jesus Christ, the good news is that you are also in this covenant, the good news is that this is unlike Abraham and Abimelech’s covenant that can be broken. Christ’s covenant with His people is unbreakable. This is everlasting. We will forever be at peace with our God. No sins can disqualify us, no sins can remove us from such covenant, no sins can make us at war with God. Why? Because Christ was the Mediator. Sya yung pumagitna. And this wasn’t established by the blood of bulls and goats. Hindi nakasalalay doon yung establishment ng tipan na ‘yon kung hindi sa kamatayan ni Kristo, the God-man. Yun yung pag-asa natin. At kung hindi tayo naniniwala doon, wala tayo dun sa covenant na yon.
Hindi tayo katulad ni Abraham na nandun sa covenant na iyon. So if you’re not, if you haven’t surrendered your life to Christ, repent now of your sins and believe in His person and work, believe Jesus Christ. And if you are in Christ, James chapter 2 verse 2 to 3..James chapter 2 verse 23, rather, it says - Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”— so if you believe God, will be counted to you as righteousness also and see what says here, James 2 23, Abraham was called a friend of God. We will also be able to call God our friend, not enemy, not an enemy anymore. You too, will be a friend of God, you will be in amity with God, and in enmity with Satan. If you are friends with God, satan is your enemy. Dalawa lang yun e. Or if you are friends with satan, then God is against you. So again, repent of your sins. Come to faith in Christ. Be in the eternal covenant of peace, which is established by the blood of Christ and be a friend of God.
So in this new covenant of peace, God’s people are in enmity with Satan and in amity, friendship with God.
If you are in amity with God, if you are at peace with our God, kung ikaw ay friend mo ang Panginoon, it’s just right na tayo ay nasa covenant of peace, it’s just right that we, too, become peacemakers. It’s just right that we become like Abraham, who’s so ready to be at peace with Abimelech. Abimelech says let’s be friends so I am ready to be your friend. Let us be like that as well. Christ, Himself, is our peace who preached peace, sabi sa Ephesians chapter 2, the people who have received the message of peace, the message of reconciliation, must be ambassadors of peace, not just in proclamation, but also in our lives. We must be living peaceably with all if possible, sabi ni Paul sa Romans chapter 12. We must be a people who proclaim peace, and a people who are at peace with everyone. Strive for peace with everyone, sabi ni author ng Hebrews. Kabaligtaran nyan, if you are known by everyone na nag-iimbita ng conflicts. Kung hindi ka kilala as a person na peaceful, I’d say hindi ito characteristic ng isang kristyano. Alam nyo, parang, ang isang building na mayroong bomb threat, tapos may bomba..ofcourse, pag nakita mo yung bomba, syempre, ayaw mo lumapit, kasi anytime, pwede sumabog. Walang lalapit doon sa bomba. If we are a people who always invite conflicts, then we are like that ticking bomb, ganun din tayo. Hindi tayo tinawag na ganun, hindi tayo tinawag na nalolose natin ang ating control. Dapat may self-control tayo, that is a fruit of the Spirit. We should be peacemakers, because we, ourselves, have received peace from God. We are in a covenant of peace, a better one, an everlasting one, hindi mawawala, we will never be at war with God. We will always be at peace with our God, therefore, we too, must be at peace with everyone. And that is my challenge for everyone.
Let us not be Christians who always invite conflicts, rather be at peace with everyone! Using the phrase of Paul, Romans 12: 8, If possible, if possible, live peaceably with all.
Kung nakatanggap, kung natanggap mo ang kapayapaan ng Panginoon, dapat alam mo kung ano ang tunay na peace. At dapat ito’y nakikita sayo. Kung kasama ka ng Tipan ng Kapayapaan ng Panginoon, ikaw ay tinawag na maging ahente ng Kapayapaan. Or are you someone who immediately invite conflicts? That people just want a serious and objective conversation with you, and yet, it feels like they’re already in a spiritual battle, nasa gyera kagad sila. Kahit yung tipong napakasimple lang ng gusto mong sabihin or tanungin, away kaagad. Ganun ba tayo?
You know what’s a good way to evaluate ourselves, kung ganun tayo? When people always ask us, ‘are you, okay ka ba?, Galit ka ba?’ Magandang evaluation yun kung tingin natin lagi tayong tinatanong ng ganun, baka nga! Baka nga lagi tayong galit.
Brethren, im not saying that peace is always possible to attain. I’m not saying that. Of course we’re not discounting the fact that there are legitimate times NOT to be at peace with others, okay. But it’s a general rule that if we are hated, if we are persecuted even, it shouldn’t be because we are annoying people, or any genuine fault found in us. JESUS CHRIST was involved in many conflicts, but not because of some fault, not because of His sin, sin found in Him..He was sinless, and yet Christ pursued peace with everyone. He wasn’t violent. He wasn’t angry about everything. He has self-control. That is Christ. And it should be something that is evident also in our lives.
You’ve heard the story of George Whitefield and the Wesleys many, many times. They were part a of a united group before. Naghiwa- hiwalay sila dahil sa theology. Whitefield was a Calvinist, the two Wesleys were Arminians. And by the way, yung Arminians noon were good Arminians huh. Yung mga Arminians kasi ngayon medyo borderline heretical. Good kind of Arminians ang sinasabi natin, si Charles and John Wesley. They got into debates. In fact merong mga debates na angry debates. Umabot pa sila sa mga ganun. However, despite of their differences, Whitefield calls Charles Wesley his ‘very very dear friend’, he calls John Wesley, the other brother ‘his honored brother in Christ’ We have here Christians who, despite of differences, hindi tayo mauubusan ng differences, ng opinions. Ang tanong, gusto ba nating lumaban lagi? Let’s treat one another with respect, and make peace with one another.
Did your spouse develop a fear of rejection, or a fear of whatever you’re gonna say, because you always invite conflict? I’m not gonna say this..hindi ko na sasabihin ito, mag-aaway lang naman kami heh.
Can a brother or a sister in Christ just, can’t they just simply talk to you objectively? Or do you just hate some people talaga, you‘ve not settled any dispute; you don’t want to settle disputes ‘cause you always invite conflict. Repent now of that sin. And if possible, be at peace. Strive for peace with everyone.
Remember Christ the Peace Himself. Remember the covenant of peace that you are a part of. And let us not be Christians who always invite conflcits, rather let us be at peace with everyone!
So Abraham making peace with the inhabitants of Canaan isn’t the only thing we can see in this passage. Most importantly we see the promise of God slowly being fulfilled. That’s my last point. Promise assured.
So in the beginning of Gen chapter 21, dun sa umpisa nakikita natin yung fulfillment, immediate fulfillment ng promise ng Panginoon kay Abraham. Anong nakita natin? Meron na silang anak. At the end of Genesis 21, we can also see another fulfillment. Remember wasn’t just a, the promise of God. God promised Abraham na magkakaroon sya ng land and they will stay there. Now, nakikita na rin natin, even sa end ng Genesis chapter 2. The well that was owned by Abraham, was a source of water, sabi ko kanina. Bersheba, sobrang init nung lugar na yon, nasa loob yan ng Land of Canaan and having a well there gives Abraham a position of power, a position of control over surrounding areas. His influence was expanding. So we can see how God is fulfilling His promise to Abraham by giving the land of Canaan and putting Abraham in power, paunti-unti, putting him in control. Sa kanya na yung well, pati surrounding areas na yan, Abraham yan. And remember the covenant of peace that he had with Abimelech, “no one can sieze that well, that is mine.” Yun ung power na meron, authority si Abraham sa lugar. We can see the fulfillment of God as He has promised it Abraham. So Abraham made a covenant again with Abimelech to ensure his possession of the well, and eventually the surrounding area. He had assurance that he will get it, because God promised it to him. But see, see there’s another and there is a better covenant that God has. And Abraham is part of that covenant as we’ve said.
And this covenant has better promises. It doesn’t promise a physical land, oh yes God has promised that to Abraham, but there is separate covenant, and that covenant has better promises. It’s not a a promise of a physical land, rather a heavenly city, a heavenly people. It doesn’t promise physical descendants, rather, spiritual descendants. Sabi sa Hebrews chapter 8 verse 6 - But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old..the old covenant promises the land of Canaan, the old covenant promises the descendants of Israel, okay..but this new one, sabi dito, Hebrews 8 6, where Christ is the Mediator, He mediates..His mediation is better sabi in this covenant, since it is enacted on better promises. The old covenant obliges one to sacrifice bulls, sacrifice goats, yet it doesn’t save sinners, the new covenant that God is giving promises absolute justification, forgiveness of sins, promises conformity to Christ. Hence, this is a better covenant.
The new covenant is a better covenant than any other covenants because it has better promises and blessings. It’s even better than God’s promise to Abraham na makukuha nya yung land of Canaan. And we see here in Genesis 21 how it is being fulfilled. Meron pang isa pang promise ang Panginoon kay Abraham, and that is the better covenant than He has that Abraham will be forgiven of his sins and he was indeed forgiven.
This is better than the land of Canaan, and it is fulfilled. It is established of course by the death of Jesus Christ. It’s not like the other covenants that are established by killing animals and cutting them in half. This covenant is established by the death of Christ on that cross.
THAT solidifies the promised blessing to us! Yun yung nagsosolidify kaya tayo ligtas talaga. God has promise, gumawa Sya ng tipan, nag-promise Sya magpapatawad Ako! Ano yung, ano yung, ano yung nag-seal nun, ano yung nag-confirm nung promise na yun..bumaba ang Anak, nabuhay nang walang kasalanan, namatay sa krus, nabuhay muli.That confirmed! That sealed! That ratified the covenant that God has with His people. This is why in the new covenant with Christ, we have greater promises, we have greater assurance. It is our basis of our assurance. Yun yung basehan natin kaya sure tayong ligtas tayo dahil parte tayo ng covenant na ito, papaano ito cinonfirm ng Panginoon, sinealed ng Panginoon, inensured na totoo itong covenant na ito, na mafufulfill ang covenant na ito? Namatay si Kristo. Ano yung promise ng Panginoon dito na tayo’y parte ng covenant na to? Pinromise ba Nya na tayo’y magkakaroon ng lupa? Pinromise ba Nya na tayo’y magkakaroon ng maraming anak? Hindi! Pinromise Nya na tayo’y makakasama Nya sa Kanyang Heavenly city.. tayo ay magiging with spiritual descendants that is a better covenant with better promises and kapatid, kung ikaw ay kay Kristo, kasama ka dun! Kasama ka dun! Kung wala ka kay Kristo, hindi ka kasama dun! Kaya kailangan mong tumalikod sa kasalanan mo, maniwala ka kay Kristo! At kung ikaw ay kay Kristo, meron tayong pag-asa, we have a hope! We have greater assurance because Christ died for us and His promises to His people are greater. No one can achieve such accomplishment none other than Christ. No one achieve forgiveness of sins none other than Christ. That’s a greater promise you have been forgiven of your sins, you have been justified, you are no more condemned in the eyes of God.
That’s our basis why we are assured we are saved.
Alam nyo nung 2003, American soldiers invaded Iraq. It was predicated on the supposed developments of Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction. It was said that the information about him having WMDs, weapons of mass destruction, was not based on assertions, but are facts, conclusions based on solid intelligence, sabi. So they got there, and they were able topple Hussein, and thousands of people died. And yet the number of weapons of mass destruction found - were Zero.
It’s like our assurance. Many Christians profess it, profess that they are sure and yet have no basis. Kapatid, your basis is the covenant that God had..He has better promises. God promises that you are forgiven of your sins. What’s your basis? How do you know that that promise is fulfilled? Christ died on the cross. It is established by the blood of Christ, not of any blood, not of the blood of animals. That is my challenge to you! Let us be assured of our salvation for the new covenant is established by the blood of Christ!
Maging panatag tayo sa ating kaligtasan, do not! Never doubt your salvation! Never doubt! If you think that you’ve sinned, sometimes satan will tempt you, you’re not really a christian. Hindi ka talaga tunay na believer. You failed! Do not believe that lie! Maging panatag tayo sa ating kaligtasan dahil ang Bagong tipan ay tinatag sa pamamagitan ng kamatayan ni Kristo!
Let us not profess that we are indeed sure of our standing before God, though and yet have not, yet have no true basis. May basehan tayo.
Probably we have no true basis, that we think that we are living our best life now because of our, marahil, ang assurance natin ay because of our possessions, assurance natin of a better life, a best life because of our possessions, because of our positions in life.
These things do no give us comfort, these things do not give us assurance that we will live tomorrow. Let us not be like the rich fool in the parable of Luke, who assures his soul..kinausap nya ang kaluluwa nya, that he has ample goods laid up for years and that he can be merry. O, nakapag-ipon ako para sa kabuhayan ko in the future. Ano sabi sa kanya? God called him a fool, tingin mo assured ka?! Tingin mo assured ka na bukas buhay ka pa? He was called a fool by God for thinking that his riches can get him assurance in life.
Brethren, no material thing can give us true assurance in life. No human being can give us true assurance in life. Our basis alone is the fact that God made a covenant FOR US. And He promised that He forgives us of our sins. He promises that we will be His people, and He will be our God And then He seals, He confirms that promise, He ratifies that promise.
We know that that promise is true, that it happens because He gave us His Son to live in our behalf. To die on the cross in our behalf. To rise from the dead on our behalf. That is the basis of our assurance. So let us be assured.
You know, in the story of the Pilgrim’s Progress, there was a character whose name was Ignorance He was very confident that he would enter Celestial City. And then at the door, when he was asked, he was asked for a certificate, he could show nothing. And the very last statement in the Book number 1 of Pilgrims Progress sabi ni John Bunyan, the writer, quote: “and I saw that even at the door of the Celestial City, there was a way to hell”
That’s what many of us nurture. A false confidence, a false assurance. Only Christ can give us such assurance. Beware of such. Know that no matter what happens, no matter what comes to us, God’s covenant with His people is unbreakable. It is everlasting. It doesn’t change. It will not end..
So kapatid, anong assurance mo na pag ikaw ay namatay, that you will be with God? What is your assurance that when you die, you will be with Go? What assurance do you have that your sin can be defeated? What assurance do we all have, that our Christian loved ones, who already passed away will be with us also in eternity? Anong assurance meron tayo, makikita natin silang muli? Anong assurance natin na meron tayo na tayo’y makakasama natin ang Diyos in eternity?
Be assured of our salvation for the new covenant, and this is our assurance because it is established by the blood of Christ.
So Christ, because of what He has done, He has placed enmity between us and Satan, because whoever hates Christ, hates us. Christ also placed amity between us and the Father, for in Christ we are loved by the Father. This is our assurance in the new covenant. It is the better covenant of peace, and as Christians, let us rejoice because we are part of such.
May the Word of God enrich our knowledge of Him, and may it stir us to live in light of these truths.
Let us pray. Great God and gracious Father, we thank you Lord for the assurance that we are indeed in this new covenant of peace. Lord, that we need not to worry about out standing before You. For Lord, You have promised to forgive us of our sins, have been confirmed on that death on the cross by Christ. So Lord, thank you for this everlasting covenant. For the assurance oh Lord, that we will never be away or removed from such relationship. Oh Lord, we commit to You this time especially our administration of the sacrament, oh Lord, we understand the gospel better as we observe it. Again, we thank you in Christ’s name. Amen.
Transcribed by: Janette Bautista