Under Authority

The Main Idea: God’s merciful Covenant with his people comes in real world gifts called “the blessing.”

*The Big Question: What is COVENANT BLESSING all about?

*The Central Point: COVENANT BLESSING is all about:

1.) GENERATIONAL GIFTS (vv. 1-7) – (Application: God’s Plan in Christ is to RECLAIM and RESTORE a people for himself, therefore CHILDREN are included in it.)

2.) CEREMONIAL ASSURANCES (vv. 8-19) – (Application: God’s Plan in Christ FACTORS in our weakness and gives us signs and seals of his COVENANT MERCY.)

3.) PREDICTIVE GUARANTEES (vv. 20-22) – (Application: God’s Plan in Christ is just that: A PLAN; so his work is far greater than we could ever imagine.)

The Main Idea: God’s merciful Covenant with his people comes in real world gifts called “the blessing.”

*The Big Question: What do God’s Covenant people get for trusting his Covenant mercy?

*The Central Point: God’s Covenant people get COVENANT BLESSING:

1.) THE PROMISE OF COVENANT BLESSING (vv. 1-12) – (Application: When the Greater One comes in in the Person and Work of Jesus, you can be sure the Covenant Blessings are through HIM.)

2.) THE FULFILLMENT OF COVENANT BLESSING (vv. 13-26) – (Application: Since the Greater One has come, you now give out the GREATER BLESSING to the nations.)

3.) THE HOPE OF COVENANT BLESSING (vv. 27-31) – (Application: Since the Greater One has come and has been raised from the dead, you can know for sure that the BLESSING IS AN INDESTRUCTBLE LIFE.)

The Main Idea: God’s Covenant with his people is merciful which causes them to trust in his faithfulness.

*The Big Question: What does FAITH in God’s Covenant MERCY look like?

*The Central Point: FAITH in God’s Covenant MERCY is a JOURNEY to:

1.) CONFIDENCE (vv. 1-27) – (Application: God’s FAITHFULNESS in Christ should cause us to TRUST him with our future.)

2.) JOY (vv. 28-30) – (Application: God’s FAITHFULNESS in Christ should settle us in the promise of a JOYOUS future.)

3.) PROTECTION (vv. 31-34) – (Application: God’s FAITHFULNESS in Christ should lead us to the BOLDNESS of a PROTECTED future.)

The Main Idea: God’s Covenant with his people is emblematic of his mercy poured out through Christ.

*The Big Question: What does God want us to do with his MERCY?

*The Central Point: God wants us to give ourselves to three MOVEMENTS:

1.) COME NEAR (vv. 1-8) – (Application: We should be STUNNED enough to have to be COMMANDED to move in closeness to God in Christ.)

2.) COME TO (vv. 9-24) – (Application: We should be so SURPRISED that we CAN and OUGHT TO move in closeness to God in Christ.)

3.) CARRY ON (vv. 25-28) – (Application: We should be willing to SURRENDER our lives to Christ’s ABUNDANCE when we have NOTHING and NO ABILITY to pay.)

The Main Idea: God’s Covenant with his people forces them to come to terms with their sin so that they’ll experience his heart full of mercy.

*The Big Question: What does God do to show us just what he is to us?

*The Central Point: God COVENANT DEMANDS FULL-BONDED COMMITMENT; he brings us to it by:

1.) CONSTERNATION (vv. 1-13) – (Application: We are left spiritually destitute, convinced we have nothing to offer him.)

2.) CONFRONTATION (vv. 14-17) – (Application: We are left spiritually destitute before him and embrace our powerlessness to change the situation.)

3.) CONSECRATION (vv. 18-34) – (Application: We are left spiritually destitute and can only offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, not expecting anything in return.)

The Main Idea: God’s Covenant with his people forces them to come to terms with their sin so that they experience his mercy.

*The Big Question: How does God CONVINCE us to TURN to HIM as our SAVIOR?

*The Central Point: God CONVINCES to turn to HIM as SAVIOR by RECKONING to us our need for:

1.) SOFTENED HEARTS (vv. 1-14) – (Application: Demonstrated by a willingness to sacrifice instead of indulge.)

2.) SHOWN HUMILITY (vv. 15-25) – (Application: Demonstrated by a willingness to suffer consequences instead of defensiveness.)

3.) SOWN HAPPINESS (vv. 26-34) – (Application: Demonstrated by entering into the joy of the new relationship instead of longing for the old “joys.”)

The Main Idea: God’s Covenant with his people forces them to come to terms with their sin.

*The Big Question: How does God CONVINCE us we NEED a SAVIOR?

*The Central Point: God CONVINCES us we NEED a SAVIOR by forcing us to RECKON with:

1.) OUR DESPERATE SITUATION (vv. 1-11) – (Application: Repentance demands we “fess up” to the one in charge.)

2.) OUR DISGUSTING SIN (vv. 12-25) – (Application: Repentance demands we wrestle with how evil we really are.)

3.) OUR DISORIENTING NEED (vv. 26-38) – (Application: Repentance demands we honestly present ourselves to the one we’ve offended.)

The Main Idea: God’s Covenant with his people means he equips their Savior to save.

*The Big Question: What does God do to CONVINCE you his Savior CAN save?

*The Central Point: God DEVELOPS his appointed SAVIOR first by:

1.) SETTING THE STAGE FOR HIM TO SAVE (vv. 1-24) – (Application: Salvation in Jesus occurs in the flow of history; therefore, we can TRUST God’s timing.)

2.) SETTING HIM UP TO SAVE (vv. 25-36) – (Application: Salvation in Jesus is found only in Jesus; therefore, we can be certain he’s THE Savior.)

3.) SETTING HIM IN PLACE TO SAVE (vv. 37-57) – (Application: Salvation in Jesus is confirmed by God; therefore we should look NOWHERE ELSE for salvation.)

The Main Idea: God’s Covenant with his people means they BELONG to him.

*The Big Question: Where do you belong as God’s Covenant People?

*The Central Point: As God’s Covenant People, you BELONG:

1.) AT HOME WITH HIM (vv. 1-8) – (Application: Being COMFORTABLE in your own skin no matter where you are!)

2.) AT HOME WITH FAMILY (vv. 9-15) – (Application: Being HONEST to own your own homesickness!)

3.) AT HOME AWAY FROM HOME (vv. 16-23) – (Application: Being TRUSTING when your homesickness lingers a little longer…)

The Main Idea: God’s Covenant with his people means they BELONG to him.

*The Big Question: Where do you belong as God’s Covenant People?

*The Central Point: As God’s Covenant People, you BELONG:

1.) AT HOME WITH HIM (vv. 1-8) – (Application: Being COMFORTABLE in your own skin no matter where you are!)

2.) AT HOME WITH FAMILY (vv. 9-15) – (Application: Being HONEST to own your own homesickness!)

3.) AT HOME AWAY FROM HOME (vv. 16-23) – (Application: Being TRUSTING when your homesickness lingers a little longer…)