Hi Faithful Teachers and Volunteers,
Another new year has come, both western and lunar calendars, and I wish you all a great 2020.
As I thought about what to look towards for the new year, a few “new” things that the Bible mentions are great reminders for us as Christians and as teachers of God’s Word.
A. God Made A New Covenant Through Jesus
B. The Lord’s Mercies Are New Every Morning
C. We Are A New Creation & Ambassadors
GOD MADE A NEW COVENANT THROUGH JESUS
Hebrews 9: 13-15 (ESV)
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
(See also Hebrews 8)
Praise God that we no longer follow the old covenant of sacrificing the blood of goats and bulls by a high priest for our sins. Jesus fulfilled the law as our High Priest and our Sacrifice once for all. And He rose again! This is the Gospel message. So, what do we do with this message?
2 Corinthians 3: 5-6 (ESV)
5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
God has made us “sufficient to be ministers” to share the Gospel message of the new covenant. We didn’t earn anything to be sufficient. God made us sufficient when He sent His only Son to die on the cross and we believed. Every week, you teach the kids about the new covenant of Jesus. Praise the Lord for using you all!
THE LORD’S MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY MORNING
Lamentations 3: 22-24 (ESV)
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
What is “Mercy”? Merriam-Webster defines it as “compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power”. We are sinners and God showed His mercy not just when Jesus died on the cross for us, but His mercies are new every morning… every single day. Rejoice in knowing that God saved us and is daily cleansing us.
WE ARE A NEW CREATION & AMBASSADORS
2 Corinthians 5: 17-21 (ESV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The New Covenant brought forth New Mercies every morning so that we can be a New Creation. We are no longer defined by our old sinful selves, but we are a new creation because Jesus’ blood covers us. We are adopted into God’s Kingdom. We are children of the Living God. And God has given us an assignment to be His ambassadors to share this Good News.
Thank you all for your commitment to serve and teach the ACC Kids on Sundays and Fridays. Your love and faith in God shines through and I pray that you experience God more and more as you work with the children.
Teacher Francisco