Berlin Immanuel Church members gathered for Wednesday service on December 14, continuing in the study of the book of Hebrews. The main passage was in Hebrews 8:5-13, speaking of Christ who is the mediator of a new covenant through which God writes his law on our hearts and minds. The old covenant was good and holy but because of people’s unbelief, it was necessary for the new covenant to be established. This new covenant is given to overcome the weakness of the old – the old was external, practiced through rituals, but the new one is inner, personal and spiritual. Only the new one has the power to keep us one with God, to keep us holy and righteous, continually in God’s presence.
However, we don’t always feel God’s presence and grace as we life our daily lives, we still struggle with our weaknesses and sins. Is then the new covenant insufficient just as the old one to keep us one with God? We realize that the new covenant is not forced and must be taken into our possession completely, just like in Matthew 13, the man who finds a hidden treasure goes and sells all he owns and buys the field to take possession of the treasure. In Matthew 19, the rich man is taught that the true righteousness is in unity with God and one must empty out, sell everything he owns to buy the new better promise. Hebrews 8:6 teaches us that the way to take possession of the better promises is through Christ, who is the mediator of the power of heaven through he Holy Spirit to create in us what the Father wills.