September 11, 2025 | Be God's Family
The Old and New Covenants
Scripture: Galatians 4:21-27(NIV)
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.
24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”
Devotional
When I was about four years old, I was running through our house headed outdoors. The front storm door was opened by my older and faster cousin, and I was several steps behind. The door latched just before I pushed on it, and my right arm went right through the glass. My forearm was splayed open from the wrist to the inside of the elbow.
After being rushed to Ball Memorial Hospital, I was quickly prepped for emergency surgery. Apparently, I didn’t have much confidence in the surgeon, because I looked at him and said, “Hey Manny, I want to do it myself.” My mom told me that story a thousand times over the years.
The story of humanity is one of wanting to do it ourselves. DIY is a fine idea if you’re repairing a leaky faucet. But it gets you nowhere if you’re a four-year-old wanting to do self-surgery, or if you’re a sixty-four-year-old wanting to do self-salvation.
Choosing to try to obey the law of Mt. Sinai over receiving the grace of Mt. Zion is just as silly. Why be enslaved to legalism when you can enjoy the full freedoms as an heir to the King.
Hebrews 12:22-24 puts it like this:
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant…
Jesus brought us a new covenant, one that the covenant of old promised but couldn’t deliver. Jesus is the Savior of the world. Jesus is the Master Surgeon. I think I’ll let Him do the work.
Poem
Not Slave, Am I
Psalm 108
My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
Psalm 108:1-5
Not slave, am I, in Pharoah’s land
Not exile, far from home
Not sinner bound is curses’ throes
Not wanderer, alone
But I am free, born in God’s home
Full free to dance and sing
I’ve crossed the Red Sea without harm
Set free by Zion’s king
My clothes are righteousness alone
No longer rags of slave
I live within God’s temple gates
New covenant God made
Great is Your love, You set me free
From all that would enslave
I will rejoice; I will live midst
The promises You made
