"Renewing Our Covenant with God" Sermon

The Covenant Prayer

John Wesley 1775

Pastor: Let us pray together.

People: My righteous God, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, see me now as I fall down before You.  Forgive my unfaithfulness when I have not done Your will. You promise mercy if I turn to You with my whole heart.

Pastor: God requires that you rid yourself of every idol in your life.

People: From the bottom of my heart, I here and now renounce every idol in my life, covenanting with You that I will not commit any known sin. By turning against Your will I have turned my love toward the world. In Your power I will watch for any temptation that will lead me away from You. 

Pastor: Through Jesus Christ, God offers to be your God again, if you allow Him to be.

People: Before all heaven and earth, I here and now acknowledge You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as my Lord and my God. I covenant to give all of myself, body and soul, to be Your servant and to serve You in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life. 

Pastor: Jesus Christ is the only way and means to God. God has given us Jesus as the way and means to salvation.

People: Jesus, I here and now accept You as the only new and living Way. I join myself in covenant with You.  I come to You hungry, sinful, miserable, blind and naked, unworthy even to wash the feet of Your servants. With all my power, I accept You as my Lord and Head. I renounce my own unworthiness, and covenant that You are the Lord, my righteousness.  I renounce my own wisdom and take You for my only guide. I renounce my own will and take You for my only guide. I renounce my own will and take Your will as my law.    

Pastor: Christ has told you that you must suffer with Him.

People: Jesus, I here and now make this covenant with You and accept whatever comes in life. Through Your grace I promise that neither life nor death will separate me from You.

Pastor: God has given holy laws as the rule of your life.

People: I here and now willingly take on Your yoke and burden. All Your laws are holy, just, and good. I accept them as the rule for my words, thoughts, and actions, promising I will strive to order my whole life around Your direction. I will not allow myself to neglect anything I know to be my duty.  

Pastor: The Almighty God searches and knows you, even the thoughts of your heart.

People: O God, You know that we have made this covenant today in sincerity, without deceit or reluctance. If You find anything false in us, guide us and help us to set it right. And now, glory be to You, God the Father. Glory be to You, God the Son. You have loved me and washed me from my sins in Your own blood. From this day forward, I shall look upon You as my Savior and Redeemer. Glory be to You, O God the Holy Spirit. By Your almighty power, You have turned my heart from sin to God.  From this day forward I shall look upon You as my Comforter and Guide. O mighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You have now become my Covenant Friend. And I, through Your infinite grace, have become Your covenant servant. You are mine and I am Yours. So be it. May this covenant that I have made here on earth be ratified in heaven. Amen.

RENEWING OUR COVENANT WITH GOD

Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

EPIPHANY SUNDAY

Matthew 2:1-12: The wise men were monotheists who made a covenant with God to follow Him regardless in order to be led to the Messiah they were aware of who would be coming. Scripture study guide for renewing our covenant with God.

1.      A covenant of the heart: “I turn to you with my whole heart.” “You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

2.      A covenant to turn away from sin: “By Your power I will watch for any temptation that will lead me away from you. “…each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”  James 1:14-15

3.      A covenant to give all of who we are to Him: “I covenant to give all of myself, body and soul, to be Your servant…”  “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.’” Luke 10:27

4.     A covenant to seek His will in place of our will: “I renounce my own will and take You for my only guide.” “…your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  Matthew 6:10

5.      A covenant to embrace all of life through Him: “…accept whatever comes in life.”  “For a am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

6.     A covenant with God’s Word: “All Your laws are holy, just, and good. I accept them as the rule for my words, thoughts, and actions,…”  “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105

7.      A covenant that creates and is sustained by a relationship: “You have now become my Covenant Friend, and I, through your infinite grace, have become your covenant servant.” “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends.” John 15:13-14

Holy Communion: A Covenant Sign and Sacrament

A covenant that is based on blood: “You have loved me and washed me from my sins in Your own blood.” “Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the (new) covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Matthew 26:27-28

To consider …

With which of these aspects of your covenant relationship with the Lord do you struggle the most?  Make it the focus of your prayer conversation with Him this week.