Jesus, stand amongst Your people with power and authority. Dispel the powers of darkness that attempt to disrupt the light You would shed on the lives of your servants, and save us from every work of the enemy. This we ask through our Saviour Jesus, who by His death and Resurrection, overcame death and hell. Alleluia! AMEN
Use these for group work, or to assist your personal reflection.
- What can we learn from this passage about our relationship with God through Jesus, and which verses help us most with this?
- Do people who go to church truly believe that what they receive from God is entirely free? If not, why not?
- How can this passage of scripture best help God’s people today? Which part of this would make a good text from which to preach?
Topis covered by this text
- The free love and grace of God
- God’s everlasting covenant with His people through the Servant (the Messiah)
- The universal availability of the Covenant
Personal comments by author:
As previously (see yesterday’s study), the blurring of lines between the Old and the New Testament may well be viewed as improper by some. However, when people read a text, they do not read it to find the author’s intent or perspective; largely, they allow the text to speak from a time in the past to the present; that is the very nature of literature, and God’s Word. The Bible cannot be dealt with merely as an entity that must be understood in its own time and context; it is a living thing. It is unique and complete in itself, speaking to people as they read it, though all of those who read will discover more when they read it with an understanding of its original context.
Ideas for exploring discipleship
- Read through Psalm 89 and try to follow through the patterns of thought about the covenant that I have identified above. Write down your own understanding of what the ‘covenant’ is, and how it relates to your own faith.
- Pray for those who find it hard to accept the free offer of God’s grace. Pray for specific people known to you, and pray that God will move them in their hearts to ‘turn’ to Him and receive His messages of love.
Please refer to the general advice on the page ‘discipleship challenges’
The notes below are offered to help you think about the challenges of God’s Word. Read the notes and suggestions below, but don’t try to follow through any more than one thing at any one time!