Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

Heb 8:10-13  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.  For I will forgive their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Introduction – would someone just make it simple?

We’ve been thinking and talking about the New Covenant

This is not a new concept to us:

Mat 26:26-28 “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Exodus 24:8 “And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Moses used the blood of an animal.

Jesus used wine to symbolize his own blood.

Moses spoke of the covenant of the law.
Jesus referred to the new covenant of grace.

Moses spoke of God’s words which provided for the partial covering of sins so God could remain with his people
Jesus promised the actual remission of sins so God could live within his people forever.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

It is this New Covenant which Hebrews 8-10 talks about.

Expanding The Terms of the New Covenant

1.         New understanding of truth and internal motivation –

“I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts”

This is the practical experience of the promise of the NC to give new and inner understanding to the ways and will of God.

2.  Intimacy!

The inner sense of belonging to God in a new way.
“I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me”

3.         Absolute forgiveness for all sins

“For I will forgive their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Rom 8:1-4 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 103:10-14  “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”

Isaiah 43:25  “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”

This is the personal, moment by moment reality experienced by every believer.

So I asked myself the question: What would being close to God look like?

So what I am focusing on is more precisely, “Now that I have been brought into a relationship with God through Christ, how do I practically develop my relationship with him?
Genesis 6:9 “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.”

Genesis 32:30 “So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.””

Exodus 33:11 “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”

Judges 6:22 “Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.””

2 Chronicles 20:7 “Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?”

A drastic change in your understanding of God.
From being a stern judge who is to be feared – to being your loving heavenly Father to whom you can go any time night or day.

No longer a stranger or outsider but a real part of God’s family.

Galatians 4:6-9 “Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Formerly, when you did not know God…But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God”

Christ is our ultimate soul mate!

John 17:20-26 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

It is this new intimacy with God that becomes the solid foundation of fruitfulness!

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

It is this new intimacy with God that becomes the solid foundation of emotional stability in the Christian’s experience!
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAMbEPZfWCY

II.         Barriers to Living Close to God

Is there an underlying sense of loneliness in all our lives?
Some of us desire and even crave relationship.
But others find comfort in being alone.  We have the space in which we live and when asked or necessity pushes us we resist stepping out into relationship with other people, much less God.

1.        Confusion about or misunderstanding about how to become close to God in the first place.

First, we must know this…
Eph 2:11-16 “Remember that at one time you were separated from Christ, alienated from God’s people and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances…so making peace… through the cross, killing the hostility.”

The only way to be brought into a close relationship with God is through Christ.  Our relationship with God is not based on our performance but his.  But having come to personal faith in Christ there are things that we do that hinder our relationship with Him.

2.        Busyness (no margins)
Luke 10:38-42 “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Matthew 13:18-23 “Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.  As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

3.        Independence
Relationally dysfunctional – we don’t know how to live in a close relationship.  We have buddies.  But a close friend? Pride is so much a part of men.  We keep close to the vest as they say.

How’s that working for you?
The Internal Battle – 5:17

Plan A: God’s Way = Living by the Spirit Making a commitment to live by plan A is based on a conviction that God’s way is always right not matter what!

Plan B: My way

The Flesh -

Definition: that part of you and I which was trained to live independent of God before you became a Christian.

Separated from God

Ignorant of His ways

Determined to succeed and survive by your own abilities.

No “Delete” Key

When I was born again God gave me a new nature that desires to please God and live according to His plan.  You brought with you into your new life as a Ctn all the thought patterns and habits and strongholds of the flesh.

Fortunately: God usually does provide an initial deliverance from the stronghold that bound you.

Philippians 3:7-10 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith–  that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death”

The way to stay close to Christ is to live in power of the Holy Spirit

Zechariah 4:6  “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s2wCVcmYOU&NR=1

Mar 1:35  “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”

Storm came up…turned to him.
The overwhelming needs of the people pressed in on them…

4.        Presumptuous Sin
Isa 59:1-2  “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

James 4:7-10  “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. ”

Mat 24:10-13  “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

The way to be close to God is to actively deal with sin in your life.
Every sin I once held dear I count it all as loss
Lead me to the cross where your love poured out

Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself, I belong to you
Lead me to the cross…
Lead me to your heart…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdq9Q8wJdjc&feature=related

5.        Neglect
Growing apart over a period of time with no ill intent.  It is just that staying close in your relationship takes time and effort and attention.  And for some reason or many reasons you simply find that the reality is that you’ve drifted apart.  You aren’t centered!  You aren’t living out of your center but out of

Rev 3:15-20 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.  For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

6.         Personal trauma

John 11:21 “Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Hebrews 12:15 “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;”
Wounded heart…angry heart…bitter heart!