Participants

[0:00] A Pastor's Reflections, Participants, Genesis 31, 45-46. And Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones.

[0:12] And they took stones and made an heap, and they did eat there upon the heap. 1 Corinthians 12, 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

[0:33] 2 Peter 1, 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

[0:49] When Laban wanted to make a covenant with Jacob, Jacob knew enough about Laban to not allow things to be left in Laban's hands. Jacob took the initiative by ensuring that this covenant would be in accord with the covenants of his God and not Laban's.

[1:06] It was Jacob's pillar that was set up, not Laban's. And it was Jacob's God they swore by, not Laban's. Jacob, the man of the covenant, stepped in to ensure that not only was this covenant binding, but also a blessing.

[1:22] Jacob invited all of his brethren to partake of the feast and the sacrifice that went along with the covenant. However, for each man who would desire to be a part, he would need also to bring his own stone.

[1:38] No, not the pillar of covenant like Jacob set up, but a stone of participation that showed that each individual was willing to own the covenant for himself.

[1:48] Only after that was he then allowed to enter into the blessing of the covenant and partake of the feast. Every covenant requires two things, an originator and a participant.

[2:04] Without either of these two things, a covenant is not a covenant. For us, our originator is God. 1 John 4, 19.

[2:16] We love him, God, because he first loved us. Romans 5, 8. But God commendeth his love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

[2:28] How gracious and wonderful is the love of God that God would take upon himself not only the origination of the covenant, but the satisfaction of it as well.

[2:38] Just like Jacob, Jesus, our man of the covenant, took it upon himself to ensure that the terms of the eternal covenant were set in stone.

[2:51] Acts 4, 10-11. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole.

[3:07] This is the stone. For you and I, Christ has established himself as the rock of the covenant, offered himself as the sacrifice of the covenant, and has now become the blessing in the covenant.

[3:24] However, just like Jacob's covenant in Genesis 31, those who would participate in the covenant and blessing of our man of the covenant, Jesus, must also be willing to come and be made a part of that covenant.

[3:41] 1 Peter 2, 5. You also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

[3:54] Today, God has originated a covenant that we can partake of, an eternal covenant that contains a sacrifice and a blessing. Our part?

[4:07] As living stones to offer ourselves by faith a living sacrifice unto God. An eternal sacrifice? Like the originator? No, but a sacrifice of a heart of faith, a life of service, and a voice of praise.

[4:24] Hebrews 13, 15. By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

[4:36] Jesus, thank you for taking upon yourself all of the terms of the eternal covenant. Thank you for the sacrifice of your body that allows me to be a participant of that blessing.

[4:49] Today, I bring the living stone of my life and offer it up to you in a sacrifice of faith and praise. Amen.