Alright, so tonight. We're going to be in chapter 7 of the confession of faith paragraphs 5 & 6 I believe this is on page 923 if you're using the hymnal But otherwise, it's just chapter 7 paragraphs 5 & 6 And so this would be Normally or what's generally considered a? uh, the more we'll say Presbyterian distinctive of covenant theology and of this section of the confession. But you know, I actually checked a lot of this against the 1689 London Baptist confession of faith. And while they end their chapter on the covenant at like paragraph three, conceptually speaking, all of the stuff we're going to talk about tonight is actually in the Baptist confession as well. So, While they may disagree with some of the conclusions that we draw from this, this should be something that any reformed Christian should be able to agree on. The gist of what we're talking about is actually handled more in their chapter eight, but it's all there that speaks of Christ being mediated in the Old Testament. So with that polemical or perhaps anti-polemical point out of the way, we're gonna do four things tonight. We got a lot of ground to cover. in these two very important paragraphs. We're gonna do these four things. First, we're going to summarize the Confessions teaching in paragraphs five and six. We're gonna briefly summarize what it is, and then, as has been our practice, I will demonstrate the main idea of those two paragraphs from a chapter of Scripture, specifically Acts chapter seven. So we're gonna demonstrate the big picture principle in Acts chapter seven. Then we're gonna highlight some smaller points that are made within these paragraphs. using proof text there in the confession. I'll explain those when we get there. And then the last thing we're going to do is explain why does all of this matter? Why is it so important that we get covenant theology right? And hopefully that's an obvious, those are some obvious answers for you all, but if they're not, we'll get there. So first of all, let's just summarize in brief what's being said. And we'll start just by reading these two paragraphs of the confession. Would somebody, I need two volunteers, one for paragraph five, Ms. Duncan, and then one for paragraph six, Mr. Johnson. And I reserve the right, as is my practice and custom, to stop you occasionally in the middle of reading. I think it's 923 in the back of the hemline. What's 923? Thank you. For these paragraphs. For these paragraphs. The chapter starts with 923. OK. All right. Banter notwithstanding, go ahead, Ms. Duncan. No, this is actually a point in my notes. I'm just really glad it was Francis, because we've had this going for a couple of years. What covenant are they talking about when they say this covenant? Which one? No cheating! Yeah, it's the covenant of grace. They mean the covenant of grace. Yeah. All right. So yeah, they're referring to the covenant of grace. Uh, that's what covenant they're talking about. There are two archetypal covenants in scripture. There is the covenant of grace, uh, which we started talking about last week and there's the covenant of works and you might think of them this way to distinguish them. The covenant of the covenant of works is do this and live the covenant of graces. Christ has done this. so that you might live. So that's just a way to distinguish them. But what this is going to go on to unpack is how to deal with the rest of covenants. And the question is, where do they fall? Because while those are the two archetypal, the two big picture covenants, there's also God's covenant with Noah, God's covenant with Abraham, God's covenant with Moses, God's covenant with David. There's the new covenant. And the question is, Where do those smaller covenants fit between those two big ones? And I'll let Ms. Duncan resume her reading now, and we'll see where the confession lands. Go ahead. Was directly administered in the time of the law and in the time of the gospel. Under the law, it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the Paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all for signifying Christ to come, which were for that time sufficient and efficacious through the operation of the Spirit to instruct and build up the elect in faith and the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sin and eternal salvation. And it is called the Old Testament. All right, so before we get to Mr. Johnson with the next paragraph, The argument of the Confession, and we'll demonstrate this from Scripture shortly, is that the Old Testament, and we talked about this last week, the Old Testament is not analogous to the Covenant of Works. The Old Testament, or the Old Covenant, contains several administrations, or dispensations is the Confession's language, of the Covenant of Grace. So they're saying, that circumcision was part of the administration of this covenant of grace. They're saying the Paschal lamb, which is a reference to the Passover meal is, was an administration of this covenant of grace and other types and ordinances, which would include things like the temple, the Davidic King, all of these things, they're lumping all of that and saying, this was one, Or these were various ways that the one covenant of grace was administered in time past. So when they say under the law, what they mean is the old Testament time period, as in contrast to the new Testament under the gospel. All right. And so they're also saying that these things, were sufficient, they were enough, and they were efficacious by the power of the Holy Spirit to not only instruct people about what the Messiah to come would be like, but also to build up and nourish their faith in Him. So that's the argument that the Confession is making here. Questions on that? Is that clear? Do we understand what I'm saying? I'm saying that these These Old Testament covenants and these Old Testament signs and ordinances and seals function very similarly, though they're not the same thing as what we have today in the ministry of the new covenant administration of the covenant of grace. Mr. Johnson, go. When you're ready. Again, I just want to make very plain that the Confession is saying Christ was the substance of everything that was in the Old Covenant. It was all about Him. Though it was hidden, it was mysterious at the time, that was the foundational thing that was going on. This is a very simple way to put it. It's something you guys all know well. It's something that my kids are learning when I read children's story Bibles to them. The whole Bible is about Jesus. Christ is the substance of everything going on in the Old Testament. Keep going. The ordinance in which this covenant is dispensed are the preaching of the word and the administration of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper, which, though fewer in number and administered with more simplicity and less outer glory, yet in them it is held forth in more fullness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles, and is called the New Testament. There are not, therefore, two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same under various dispensations. All right. So again, what, what they're saying there is that it's not, it's the same thing that's being administered and communicated, but it is new because it's more potent. It's more powerful. Anything we'd like to share gentlemen? Okay. It's more powerful. It's more spiritually efficacious is what they're saying. It's also more plain and more simple. That making the substance of it being more clearly communicated. Now, some people who would reject, especially Presbyterian and Reformed convictions on covenant theology, would say that what we do when we say things like this is we flatten it out. We make the new covenant as if it's exactly the same as the old. We want to deny that charge. We assert that there is fundamental continuity between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant because they both minister the grace of Christ received by faith alone, but we don't fail to recognize there are things that are discontinuous about it. Things that are different. Robert Shaw sums up the confessions teaching this way. The New Testament dispensation of the covenant of grace, that is what we live under, is in many respects superior to that which preceded the coming of Christ in the flesh. So he's saying the new covenant is communicating Christ just like the old, but in a superior way. The present dispensation exceeds the past in the superior clearness of its manifestations. It's more obvious what's going on. It's not hidden. It's not veiled. And it's substantial ratification by the death of Christ. In other words, it's a lot more powerful to look back on something that has historically happened than it is to look forward to something that I believe, if I interpret things correctly, will happen. Does that make sense? We're looking back on a sure fact of history. and in its more abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is what Dr. Phillips preached pretty much the whole sermon on last Sunday night about the outpouring of the Spirit being more powerful in this age. In the introduction of a more spiritual form of worship and in all its extension to all nations. So all these ways are ways that the new covenant is superior, it's distinct, it's different from the old, because it goes out to all people, it's not focused on one particular nation, it's more powerfully affected by the Spirit, it's more clear, all of these things, but it is still the same substance that's being administered. Does that make sense? Questions on that? Are we following that? Okay. So the big point that the confession's making between these two paragraphs is there's one covenant of grace, administered under multiple administrations. Pretty simple idea. Now let's demonstrate that from scripture. And this is where we'll spend most of our time. So if you've got your copy of God's word, go ahead and flip over to Acts chapter six, Acts chapter six, We'll spend most of our time in chapter 7, but we're gonna look at chapter 6 beginning in verse 8 to get some context Would somebody please read chapter 6 verses 8? To 11 and then somebody else take the rest of chapter 6 so 6 8 to 11 mr. Gamble and then somebody else 12 to 15 Miss Duncan all right mr. Gamble go for it Great wonders and signs among the people Then some of those who belonged to the Synagogues of the Freedmen, as it was called, and of the Ukrainians, and of the Alexandrians, and of the Sicily, and Asia, rose up and disputed it with Sethon. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. All right, so Stephen's out there preaching, and there are others that are Jews that are standing up and laying a charge against him. We've heard this man speaking blasphemy against Moses and against God. All right, where's my next reader? Miss Duncan? And they stirred. And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council. And they set up false witnesses who said, this man never ceases to speak words against this holy place in the law. For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us. And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. So Stephen is out there preaching the gospel and he's got two charges laid up against him at his trial. One, he's preaching against Moses, which is to say against the old Testament word of God. And two, he said, Jesus is going to destroy the temple. So he's, he's, he's inciting. Now they would say he's inciting violence against the temple, right? Those are the two charges laid against him. He's contradicting Moses, and he's saying that the temple is going to be destroyed. And the high priest in chapter seven asks Stephen, how do you plead? And the high priest said, are these things so? What do you say to these accusations, Stephen? And he's going to give a very long speech that we're going to work through. But the essence of what he's saying is, I plead not guilty. I'm not saying anything contrary to Moses, and I'm not saying anything against the temple. In his commentary on this passage, John Stott laments, many students of Stephen's speech have criticized it as rambling, dull, and even incoherent, which you would not think a Bible commentator would want to say about a passage of scripture. But the truth is, unless you understand one covenant of grace with multiple administrations, This speech is exactly that. The speech doesn't make any sense if you deny that there is one consistent covenant of grace with multiple administrations. So we'll work through this in its entirety, but of course, briefly, and we'll go through in sections as we go. So I'll, I'll read the first part. Stephen said, this is chapter seven, verse two, brothers and fathers hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran and said to him, go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you. Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. And God spoke to this effect, that his offspring would be soldiers in a land belonging to others who would enslave them and afflict them 400 years." What's he talking about? Yeah, he's prophesying the being sent into Egypt straight out of Genesis 15. But I will judge the nation that they serve, said God, and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place. And he gave him, that's Abraham, the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on his eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of the 12 patriarchs. This is the beginning of Stephen's defense against the onslaught that preaching Jesus is contrary to the Old Testament. That's very key to keep that He starts with Abraham, and he says, God came to Abraham and made certain promises, and he sealed those promises by way of a covenant. That's the beginning of the defense. Now, what is the response of Israel, of God's people, to this covenant? How do they act? Well, beginning in verse nine, and the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt, but God was with him. In other words, people of Israel respond to this covenant grace with sin. And yet God remains gracious and faithful. And yet God was with him and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. And on the second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob's father and all his kindred, 75 persons in all. And Jacob went down into Egypt and he died. And he and our fathers, and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in a tomb so that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Harmon and Shechem. So we see Israel responds to the covenant with sin, and yet God remains gracious and gives them at least a portion of the land, even in the midst of this famine and Egypt. Now, if somebody else will read 17 to 22, we'll see God raise up a new mediator, a new administrator of this covenant. 17 to 22, Miss Berenger. But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt. till another king arose which knew not Joseph. The same dealt subtly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children to the end that they might not live. In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months. And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. All right. So now we're hundreds of years later, and God has raised up Moses. How do the people respond to Moses? When he was 40 years old, he came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. Seeing one of them being wrong, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. And on the following day, He appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other? But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside and said, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? They reject Moses. Moses runs off in the wilderness. You all know the story. He encounters the burning bush, goes back into Egypt, rescues Israel out of Egypt. and then delivers them on the march to the promised land. And yet again in verse 35, this Moses whom they rejected saying, who made you and a ruler and a judge over this, this man, God sent as both ruler and redeemer. So they rejected him, but God sends him again as the Redeemer. This man led them out performing wonders, signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea. We know the Passover, we know the crossing of the Red Sea. That's what he's talking about. We know the plagues and in the wilderness for 40 years, this Moses who said to the Israelites, God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him about Sinai and with our fathers, he received living oracles to give to us. What are the living oracles that Moses received? The Ten Commandments? It's specifically those, yes. And also the Torah in general. He received the word of God. What's verse 39 say? How did they respond? They refused to obey him, but thrust him aside. In their hearts, they turned toward Egypt. Thank you. Again, a new administration is raised up. They refuse it. They reject it. And we can keep going here. There's stuff with David, but I think y'all get the point. The pattern is three times over in this chapter. In Stephen's speech saying, I'm not speaking against Moses. I'm not speaking against the temple. He's going through all this old covenant history. Why? It's very clear when you get down to verse 51. He's laying the groundwork so that he can say this. You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you." In other words, Stephen's point is, I am not guilty of speaking against Moses or David or anybody else. I am speaking the same message they did, and you, First century Jewish people who crucified the Lord Jesus are doing the exact same thing your fathers did when they rejected the previous administrations of God's covenant blessings and promises. You always reject the Holy Spirit, is what he said. And as your fathers did, you're doing the same thing they did right now. That kind of sentence, that kind of defense, only makes sense if the thing that they're rejecting in the preaching of Jesus is the same thing that the people who rejected Moses rejected, and so on and so forth. Does that make sense? That's the argument. Stephen says that in rejecting Christ, they're doing the exact same thing that their fathers did. And we'll just look at one other passage to demonstrate this. Flip over to Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians chapter two. And can I get a reader for verses 11 to 13. Ephesians 2, 11 to 13. Mr. Leathers? Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called to uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, 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. Thank you. So to be as a Gentile, apart from Christ, is also to be apart from the covenants of promise. What in the world is he talking about? He's talking about the Old Testament. He's talking about those who were not considered the people of Israel, those who were not considered the people of God. When they were apart from those covenants, they were apart from Christ. But now, in Christ, you have been brought near. Near to what? the very covenants of promise of which he was speaking. And I mean, there's a bunch of other places we could go, but I think you guys get the point. We'll skip over the additional points of continuity because that's just fun baptism stuff for me. And we'll get to what's actually profitable for you guys. Why does all of this matter? Why does it matter that we get this right? What's the big deal about covenant theology? Well, let's return to a quote that we started this whole section with from Dr. Ligon Duncan. Covenant theology is the Bible's way of explaining and deepening our understanding of four things. One, the atonement. Two, assurance. Three, the sacraments. And four, the continuity of redemptive history. Those are four very important things. The atonement, covenant theology shows us that the whole of God's acts throughout all of redemptive history, from the fall of man up until today, we're all either looking forward to or explaining one particular act. It's the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And covenant theology helps us appreciate two aspects of the atonement. First of all, that it was personal. that it was for you. That is one of the most beautiful things about Reformed theology, that by virtue of God's covenant, the rights secured for you by the death, burial, and resurrection and ascension of Christ are so that you may have a personal relationship with God. The covenant promises, I will be your God, and you will be my people. All of redemptive history is personally part of your story, centered on the atoning work of Christ. Because of what Christ has done in the atonement, you can have the same personal relationship with God that David did, the man after God's own heart. You can speak with God face to face as it were, as Moses did, without veil, without anything separating, Because of the atonement accomplished by Christ, you can be like Abraham, a friend of God. The atonement is personal because of God's covenant promises made to you personally. And it also means that the atonement, while it's personally for me, it's also corporate. We could say Christ died for his sheep. Now is sheep singular or plural? Yes, Christ died both for you individually and also when we appreciate covenant theology properly, we recognize it's also for a corporate body. He died for the Israel of God, which Paul, that's how Paul refers to the church in Galatians chapter six. And what you tend to find is people who ascribe to covenant theology have a healthier view of the church. have a healthier view of their family and all these other covenant institutions that God has placed us in. We appreciate these things more because we recognize it's, it is personal, but it's not only personal, it's also corporate. So that's, those are some ways that the covenant theology helps deepen our understanding and appreciation of the atonement. Next covenant theology deepens our understanding and appreciation of assurance. I just had a conversation the other day with a good friend of mine who's a Roman Catholic. And he called me, and I was delighted that he called me for this, because he's feeling very guilty about his sin. He doesn't know what to do about that. Because in Roman Catholic theology, my right standing with God is conditioned upon my personal level of holiness. And my friend is rightly understanding that he's not that holy. But covenant theology provides assurance because God has promised that all that is necessary for your right standing before him was accomplished by the Lord Jesus. And he cannot fail. And Jesus said in John 6 37, all whom the father gives to me will come to me. That's a covenant community being purchased. And he who comes to me I will in no wise cast out. They'll never fall away. It deepens our understanding of our assurance. It gives us confidence before God because God made promises and God doesn't lie. The sacraments. Covenant theology deepens our appreciation for the sacraments. Now I did skip over some baptism jabs, but since Francis is back, I'll throw this one. No, this one actually is, I think, important. has nothing to do with children. But if baptism is a sign of my faithfulness to God and my commitment to him, if it's an outward demonstration of an internal reality, then there's always going to be room for second guessing and questioning it. If it's based on my faithfulness, there's not a lot of security there because I know that I feel God all the time. And this is why a lot of our non-reformed friends get baptized many, many, many times over, because they believe it's about them. But in covenant theology, we recognize that baptism's actually a sign of God's promise to me. Now, whatever you wanna do with the status of covenant children in Acts chapter two, you cannot deny that Acts 2, 38, Peter says, repent and be baptized, why? For the promise. It's to you and to your children, to all whom the Lord our God shall call. If it's a sign of God's commitment to me, then there is assurance there. There is confidence there. There is something to look to. And also, covenant theology helps us to see that the church has an ownership over the one being baptized. They're being brought into our community. They are part of the family of God. And that's why we always take vows as well as a church at the administration of that sacrament. The Lord's Supper also takes on deeper significance in a covenant theological framework. It is a memorial of Christ's death. It's very plainly said in so doing you show forth the Lord's death until he comes. It is that, but it is also a means by which Christ nourishes and strengthens our faith. because we understand that this is not just a memorial, but it's actually a sign and seal of His grace. And finally, covenant theology deepens our appreciation for the continuity of Scripture. It deepens our appreciation for the continuity of Scripture. And this is something that is very important for me, for you guys to get. This is why we're doing what we're doing for the last year in Sunday school, is to, I want you all to be lifelong students of God's word. Because I don't know where you're gonna go to college, some of you I do. I don't know where you're gonna go after college. I don't know where you're gonna wind up in church. I don't know any of that. But I know that you will have access to the scriptures And insofar as you can be a lifelong student of God's word and understand it better, he will still minister his grace to you. And so covenant theology helps us understand how the scriptures fit together. You will, you will be a better Bible reader because of covenant theology, because it helps us to remember that the new covenant, the new Testament is not, is not a reboot of the old covenant. Nor is it a standalone sequel, but it's the climactic third act of one overarching story. And when we understand the level of continuity, like I said, we will read our Bible better. You'll profit from reading scripture whether or not you embrace covenant theology, whether or not you fully understand it. That's true. But you'll understand it and appreciate it and profit more. the better you understand the covenant. The illustration I often use for these kinds of things is, you know, think of your favorite, I don't know, think of your favorite movie. Has anyone seen A Few Good Men? It's an excellent movie. There's a very famous courtroom scene in the end that four of you know what I'm talking about, and that's okay. And that scene by itself is a phenomenal scene, and you'll understand something of what's going on in that scene. But if you watch the whole movie, you'll understand all the nuances and depth that's going on a lot better. Or maybe something will hit a little stronger. Endgame? Anyone? Marvel Cinematic Universe? Okay. I am Iron Man, and he snaps, and there's this huge battle scene, and it's really awesome. That's cool to watch if you haven't seen the other 19 movies. But it's a lot more impactful, and it's a lot more powerful if you've been following the story for the whole time. In the same way, you will profit and benefit from reading scripture in isolation by itself without fully considering the context, but you will profit more from it the more you understand the overarching story, and that's what covenant theology does for you. I've got time for questions if anyone has any. Yeah. Well, I shared with him, uh, that very thing that if you understand the teaching of scripture, that all that's necessary for you to be in right standing for God is accomplished by Jesus. And it's not about your current level of sanctification. you can actually have that peace and have that rest. And he listened and he understood and he said, that is very beautiful and very powerful, but he's been so indoctrinated contrary to that, that he wasn't willing to embrace it. But we hope and we pray that those little conversations kind of wedge a kernel of truth in the back of his mind somewhere that'll come forward someday, but in the immediate, no strong response. Thank you for asking that. Any other questions, comments, concerns, objections? All right, I was hoping to argue, okay. Let's pray. God in heaven, we thank you for your covenant of grace. We thank you that because of the work of Christ that we can look on all the stories of scripture and not only learn interesting facts of history and learn interesting details and things that foreshadow Christ, but that we can also in a real sense say that we're looking on family history. that all those who share the faith of Abraham are his offspring, and that we can look on this as our own family history, and that in looking on it, when we see the failures of otherwise great men of the faith like David and Moses and even Abraham, that we need not be discouraged because your promises are not based on our performance, but are based on what Christ has done for us. And just as you did not cast them out, so also, Father, we know that you will not cast us out who truly believe. I ask, Lord, that you would strengthen the faith of my dear young friends, even now. In Christ's name we pray, amen.