Understanding Covenant, pt2
Leadership in Context with Keith Tucci
Episode 120
COVENANT FOUNDATION #1: COVENANT DEMANDS SACRIFICE
COVENANT FOUNDATION #2: COVENANT IS INTENTIONAL
1 Peter 1:10-13
As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look. Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
This is written to believers who were under persecution. Many scholars believe that Peter is commenting on the death of the Apostle Paul and is encouraging the people to go on. He goes back and refers to the prophets whose shoulders they are standing on—they made careful search and inquiry, and it was revealed to them.
There was a revelation that was required. Revelation is not just information. Jesus said to Peter that it wasn’t flesh and blood that revealed the Kingdom to him, but that it was the Holy Spirit and it was why he was blessed. The prophets made factual inquiries on what was said, but they also had revelation.
To understand not just the structure of covenant, but the life of covenant, there has to be constant revelation. We are not just dealing with the outward things.
God wants us to be Truth-seekers. A true covenant person is someone who is not just walking in facts, but in Truth. Facts are accurate but subject to change. Truth is eternal; it is not subject to change.
COVENANT KEY #1: WE ARE NOT SERVING OURSELVES
“…it was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves…” What revelation did they get? That they were not serving themselves. The sacrifice, the cutting that they were doing in covenant, was not just a contract, but someone at the base of the mountain would benefit from what they sacrificed at the top of the mountain.
Generational continuity will only be an idea if you don’t have a covenantal mentality. To have generational continuity, to really hand things off, impart, give more than a set of principles to the next generation, you have to understand that you have to be covenantal in nature. As you are making the sacrifice, which some may or may not appreciate, you believe that what you are doing is going to benefit another generation. Noah is a great example of this. He was mocked, discouraged, it took him forever, but he believed that it would benefit people in the future.
John 17:19
For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Jesus said in this passage: The things I’m doing, the holy decisions I’m making as a man anointed by the Holy Spirit, are not done because I feel like doing them or I want to do them. I’m sanctifying myself, not for the benefit of Me, but for THEM so that they may be sanctified in Truth.
Jesus, in His earthly ministry, participated in and modeled the revelation that He was not serving Himself.
Hebrews 7 talks about present day tithing. Levi, who was not yet born, had not even been thought of, was generations away, yet he was blessed because of Abraham’s tithe. What a great picture of us when we chose to do the right thing and honor God, that generations will be blessed.
If we are going to walk through the things that life throws at us, we need to walk in the revelation that we are not serving ourselves.
Join us next week as Keith Tucci continues to put leadership truth in the context of the local church. And as always, please like, share, rate/review, and invite others to listen. See you next week!
