The New Covenant
1 Cor. 11:22-26
Pastor Jerry Koller

The group was gathered in the upper room to celebrate the Feast of Passover. The Feast of Passover is coupled with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which recalls Israel’s quick escape. Passover is a wonderful shadow of what would soon take place when as the Lamb of God, Jesus would shed His blood and die on a cross on our behalf.

Unleavened bread, in the Passover rite, was referred to as the Bread of Affliction.

Bread symbolized the fleeing of oppression. When it came time to break the bread of affliction, Jesus blessed it with a traditional blessing that is still said today. "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”
• Then Jesus changed not only the symbolism, but the meaning of the bread itself.
• He told His disciples: This is my body. Through Jesus, one will be able to flee from the bondage of sin and receive life everlasting. (See John 6:48; 6:51)

There were actually four cups that were used during the Passover celebration based on Exodus 6:6-7

Notice the four promises as well as the four names of the cups:
• Sanctification: I will bring you out (vs. 6)
• Deliverance: I will free you from being slaves (vs. 6)
• Redemption: I will redeem you (vs. 6)
• Praise: I will take you as My people, and I will be your God (vs. 7)

Which of the four cups was taken when Jesus made this declaration?
• Some feel it was the third cup, the cup of redemption.
• Redeem means to buy back, to ransom or purchase.

Some, on the other hand, feel it was the fourth cup that Jesus took, the Cup of Praise: I will take you as my people, and I will be your God.
• When Jesus comes again, we will be glorified. We will receive an immortal body whereby we will be able to be with Jesus for time everlasting.
• I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.

Those who view this cup as the fourth cup feel Jesus gave the cup to the disciples to drink, but He did not—nor will He until He comes again.

A suzerain is a sovereign or state having some control over another state that is internally autonomous. A vassal is a person or country in a subordinate position to another.

History has revealed that there were some basic components to covenants. There is the preamble, the stipulations, the sanctions, blessings and curses, the invocation, the deposit, and the cutting of the covenant.

There are two kinds of covenants: conditional and unconditional.
• A conditional covenant is one in which both parties have obligations. (i.e. the Mosaic Covenant)
• An unconditional covenant is one in which the weaker, or vassal, party does not have any obligations in the keeping of the covenant. (i.e. the Abrahamic Covenant)

What does all this have to do with what Jesus called the New Covenant? It provides a background or an understanding for what Jesus instituted in a new covenant in His blood.

The New Covenant Jesus instituted was an unconditional covenant. This new covenant was revealed in the Old Testament. (See Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:26-27)

What began at that Passover celebration (what was accomplished later that evening as Jesus shed His blood on the cross) will ultimately be fulfilled when He returns again.

• Carson & Bailey Finch who are celebrating the birth of their first child, Charlotte Jane, who arrived on 3/28.
• Marialice Quinn (former FBC member) has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
• Jeremy Price is recovering from back surgery.
• Bill Foskett Sr. (Bill Foskett's dad) was diagnosed with leiomysarcoma, a rare aggressive cancer in muscle cells. He is determining treatment options.
• From Tracy Marshall: Nolan has been approved for a third year of the SED waiver from the State of Michigan! It's not often that kids are approved for a third year, especially when they are making good progress, like Nolan has been. Even though he has come so far, we still have a lot of work to do, and it would have been very disappointing to lose these services right as Nolan was finally starting to open up to his therapists. God continues to be faithful in our journey, and we are praising him for continuing to provide a way, and thank all of you for your support and prayers.
• James Thomas (friend of Bruce & Vasha Ferguson) has been diagnosed with ascites, a very serious disease often associated with cirrhosis.
• Louann Pranger (Tracy Marshall's mom) continues to recover from a C Diff infection
• Derrick (grandson of Bruce & Vasha Ferguson) is recovering from a stroke.
• Curt Bales has returned home and continues to recover from a broken knee.
• Vasha Ferguson is recovering from parathyroid surgery.
• Miriam Bryant is having difficulty with both of her hands being numb, tingly, and extremely painful. Please pray that her doctor can find something to help alleviate the discomfort.
• Vincent Bryant (Miriam's son) is traveling back and forth to Grand Rapids as he is being evaluated for a kidney transplant. Please pray for safety and that he will be approved for a procedure soon. He's been on the transplant list for several years.
• Beth Bocock continues to recover from ulcerative colitis.
• Cam (18 yar-old son of Tracy Marshall’s co-worker) has mosaic trisomy 3, is having seizures, and a brain tumor was discovered, but they don’t think the two are related so he continues testing.
• Judy Jones (wife of Pastor Grady Jones/friend of Pastor Jerry) is recovering from a successful surgery and doctors believe they removed all of the cancer. She is waiting for biopsy results to decide how to proceed with treatment.
• Lennon McKamey (son of Kyle & Sarah) needs surgery on his shoulder. Please pray that preparing for surgery goes smoothly.
• Check out our monthly prayer card on-line at southhavenfbc.com under “Weekly Bulletins” for a list of those with on-going needs.

First Baptist Church
1635 76th Street
South Haven, MI 49090
269-637-1291
southhavenfbc@gmail.com