INTERACTIVE TEACHING/LEARNING GUIDE
Week 8
Session Title: “Trusting in the New Covenant”
Focal Passage: (Hebrews 8:1-2, 6-10; 9:22-28)
Central Teaching/Learning Aim: To help the learner discover the differences between the old and new covenant and commit to living a victorious life provided by Christ.
I. Hook
A. Share the following information:
In a recent survey conducted by the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University the following was discovered.
98% of American’s believe in God.
But they have different views of God.
Authoritarian God 31.4%
Benevolent God 23.0%
Critical God 16.0%
Distant God 24.4%
Atheist 5.2%
The survey discovered that one’s view of God shaped how a person believes on certain issues. For example:
Issue / Authoritarian / Benevolent / Critical / DistantGay marriage is always wrong / 80.6 / 65.8 / 54.8 / 30.7
Research on embryonic cells / 38.5 / 22.7 / 13.2 / 3.8
War / 16.4 / 18.4 / 23.1 / 20.2
Ask – How do you view God? Allow time for responses.
Read (Hebrews 8:1-2; 9:23-28). Ask members to listen for evidence of what type of God we have in Jesus.
State – Today we are going to discuss how Jesus provides a better new covenant and how we should live under this new covenant.
B. Optional Method – Display and ask the following question:
What is a covenant?
Definition – “A covenant is a solemn agreement. A covenant is not a contract, contracts can be broken. The new covenant of salvation through Christ cannot be broken.”
Old covenant: Everything coming from me, nothing from God.
New covenant: Nothing coming from me, everything from God.
Raymond Steadman, Authentic Christianity
Next share the different covenants of Scripture:
Edenic Covenant (Gen. 1:26-28) The creative covenant
Adamic Covenant (Gen. 3:14-19) The covenant conditioning fallen man’s
life on the earth
Noahic Covenant (Gen. 8:20-9:6) The covenant of human government
Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3) Through Him would be made a great nation
Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 20:1-31:18) The legal covenant given to Israel
Palestinian Covenant (Deut. 30:1-10) The covenant regulating Israel’s tenure of
the land of Canaan
Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:14-17) The kingdom covenant
Eternal Covenant (Heb. 13:20) The redemptive covenant before time
began
New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-33;
Matt. 26:28; Mk. 14:24; Lk. 22:20;
Heb. 8:8-12) The covenant of unconditional blessing based upon the finished redemption of Christ
The New Ungler’s Bible Handbook
Read today’s passage and ask members to listen for how Jesus provides a new covenant.
State – Today we are going to discuss how Jesus provides a better new covenant and how we should live under this new covenant.
C. Optional Method – Movie Clip – Liar, Liar
Start: 38:30
Stop: 40:00
Synopsis: Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) is a lawyer who will lie about anything, until his son’s birthday wish magically forces Fletcher to tell only the truth. Fletcher tells his son that he cannot tell a lie–but he can’t do his job if he’s completely honest. His son doesn’t understand how the truth can be wrong, and Fletcher explains why everyone has to lie and why it’s okay.
Ask – Does this sound familiar in our society? Is a person’s word worth much today?
Display the definition of a covenant. (See Hook B)
The new covenant that Jesus provides is one that can never be broken.
Read today’s passage and ask members to listen for how Jesus provides a new covenant.
State – Today we are going to discuss how Jesus provides a better new covenant and how we should live under this new covenant.
II. Book
A. Utilize the discussion guide to examine the Scripture passages.
III. Look
A. Place members into groups and have them discuss the group discussion questions.
IV. Took
A. Ask - What does everyone in this room have in common?
Everyone here is going to die. You have heard it said, “There are only 2 things that are inevitable, death and taxes.” It seems that American’s are obsessed with death or the after life. A quick glance of prime-time TV proves this. (4 CSI programs, Medium, The Ghost Whisperer, Bones, etc., etc.)
There is an old story about three friends one afternoon who were vaguely contemplating the inevitability of their own deaths. They posed the following question to themselves: "When you are in your casket and friends and family are mourning upon you, what would you like to hear them say about you?"
The first guy said, "I would like to hear them say that I was a great doctor of my time, and a great family man."
The second guy said, "I would like to hear that I was a wonderful husband and school teacher who made a huge difference in our children of tomorrow."
The last guy replied, "I would like to hear them say: 'LOOK!!! HE'S MOVING!!!'"
The Hebrews' author in today's epistle lesson accepts the reality of death -- not only for each of us but for Jesus Christ as well. He acknowledges simply and succinctly that "it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment" (verse 27). Because God chose to incarnate the deity in humanity, even Jesus had to experience death along with all men and women. By willingly participating in that great commonality, in the death that awaits all human beings, Jesus experienced the totality of human frailty and fallenness.
Let’s live this week as people who can share in the victory over death and sin provided by Christ.
B. Optional Method – Ask:
Do you believe in prosperity theology? Does God want you to be rich?
A recent cover story in Time magazine said that more than 60% of U.S. Christian’s believe that God wants people to be prosperous.
State – Today’s passage does prove that God wants His children to live prosperous lives. Not in accumulating material possessions but in living victoriously because of what Christ has accomplished for His children. Are you living a victorious life? Accept Christ’s sacrifice and nothing this world throws at you will affect your quality of life.
DISCUSSION GUIDE
(Teacher’s Copy)
1. According to (Heb. 8:1) where is Jesus our High Priest?
[He is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens.]
2. What is the significance of Christ being seated?
[In the Old Testament tabernacle there were no chairs because the work of the priest was never completed. Each sacrifice just reminded them of their need for forgiveness. Jesus completed the work by sacrificing Himself once and for all.]
3. What is the significance of Christ being enthroned?
[It was a promise from the Father to the Son, see (Psalm 110:1). Only a priest after the order of Melchizedek could sit on a throne because he was both a king and a priest.]
4. List the things that are listed as better in (v. 2-6)?
a. Jesus has a better ministry
b. Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant
c. His covenant has been enacted on better promises
5. How would you reconcile the statement in (v. 8) where it is stated that the new covenant will be with the House of Israel and Judah, yet Christian’s today enjoy this new covenant?
[Because the church today is made up of regenerated Jews and Gentiles who are one in Christ. When Jesus returns the blessings of the new covenant will be applied to the Israelites.]
6. When it comes to God finding fault with His people how is the new covenant different from the old covenant? (v. 9)
[When the Israelites turned their backs on the law and broke the covenant God found fault with them and sent them into captivity. When God’s children sin today He forgives them under the new covenant of grace.]
7. The law under the old covenant was external given on tablets, how did that change with the new covenant? (v. 10)
[Internal transformation occurs through God’ grace. Through the Holy Spirit we can change.]
8. (Hebrews 9:22) speaks of Jesus ultimate sacrifice for you, have you accepted the forgiveness provided for you?
9. The writer of Hebrews summarized the obvious difference between the old and new covenants in (vs. 25-28), make a list of these differences.
Old Covenant / New CovenantRepeated sacrifices / One sacrifice
The blood of others / Christ’s own blood
Covering sin / Putting sin away
For Israel only / For everyone
Left the holy of holies / Entered heaven and remains there
Came out to bless the people / Will come to take His people to heaven
10. Living in the new covenant is a walk of faith, how is your faith? Are you living for the temporary or the eternal?
DISCUSSION GUIDE
(Student Copy)
1. According to (Heb. 8:1) where is Jesus our High Priest?
2. What is the significance of Christ being seated?
3. What is the significance of Christ being enthroned?
4. List the things that are listed as better in (v. 2-6)?
a.
b.
c.
5. How would you reconcile the statement in (v. 8) where it is stated that the new covenant will be with the House of Israel and Judah, yet Christian’s today enjoy this new covenant?
6. When it comes to God finding fault with His people who is the new covenant different from the old covenant? (v. 9)
7. The law under the old covenant was external given on tablets, how did that change with the new covenant? (v. 10)
8. (Hebrews 9:22) speaks of Jesus ultimate sacrifice for you, have you accepted the forgiveness provided for you?
9. The writer of Hebrews summarized the obvious difference between the old and new covenants in (vs. 25-28), make a list of these differences.
Old Covenant / New Covenant10. Living in the new covenant is a walk of faith, how is your faith? Are you living for the temporary or the eternal?
©CS
9
Group Discussion
Group 1
Living in the new covenant is a walk of faith. What causes you to doubt your faith?
How does today’s passage give you confidence for faithful living?
How do we sometimes put more time, effort and focus on temporary things instead of eternal?
Why do we many times live in the past and not claim the forgiveness that Jesus provides?
Spend time in prayer acknowledging the great sacrifice of the new covenant and accepting the forgiveness provided.
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Group 2
Living in the new covenant is a walk of faith. What causes you to doubt your faith?
How does today’s passage give you confidence for faithful living?
How do we sometimes put more time, effort and focus on temporary things instead of eternal?
Why do we many times live in the past and not claim the forgiveness that Jesus provides?
Spend time in prayer acknowledging the great sacrifice of the new covenant and accepting the forgiveness provided.
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Group 3
Living in the new covenant is a walk of faith. What causes you to doubt your faith?
How does today’s passage give you confidence for faithful living?
How do we sometimes put more time, effort and focus on temporary things instead of eternal?
Why do we many times live in the past and not claim the forgiveness that Jesus provides?
Spend time in prayer acknowledging the great sacrifice of the new covenant and accepting the forgiveness provided.
------
Group 4
Living in the new covenant is a walk of faith. What causes you to doubt your faith?
How does today’s passage give you confidence for faithful living?
How do we sometimes put more time, effort and focus on temporary things instead of eternal?
Why do we many times live in the past and not claim the forgiveness that Jesus provides?
Spend time in prayer acknowledging the great sacrifice of the new covenant and accepting the forgiveness provided.
Acknowleding the Ultimate Sacrifice
Hebrews 10:1-4. 8-18
Monday – Read (Hebrews 10:1-2)
· Here our author continues his contrast between the old covenant under the law and the new covenant under grace.
· In what ways is the old covenant under Moses a mere shadow of the reality found in the new covenant under Christ?
· Why was the law unable to perfect those who related to God through its regulations?
· Verse 2 is a hypothetical question intended to reveal the inability of the law to provide purity for those who practiced it. What is the author’s intended and assumed answer to the question within this context?
Tuesday – Read (Hebrews 10:3-4)
· If the sacrifices under the old covenant could not provide purity for those who practiced them, then what was their intended purpose?
· What serves to remind us of our sin?
Wednesday – Read (Hebrews 10:5-9; Psalm 40:6-8)
· Verses 5-7 are a quotation from Psalm 40:6-8.
· What is their significance in this context?
· How does the author apply those verses to the ministry of Jesus?
Thursday – Read (Hebrews 10:11-14; Hebrews 4:16)
· Again our author continues his contrast between the ministry of the priests under the old covenant and the ministry of our priest under the new covenant.
· The priests under the old covenant “stands day after day serving and offering” while our priest under the new covenant “sat down at the right hand of God and is now waiting”.