Tips for Teaching This Week’s Session of The Gospel Project for Adults

Listen to this week’s leader training podcast with Y Bonesteele, team leader for The Gospel Project for Adults, for a summary and guidance in leading your group.

This week’s additional resources for study and preparation:

• Article: “The Bitter Fruit of Fearing Man” by Marshall Segal
• Sermon: “A New Covenant” by Thomas Schreiner
• Sermon: “The Glory of the New Covenant” by David Guzik

Transcript of Leader Training Podcast:

Hi, this is Y Bonesteele, team leader of the Gospel Project for Adults. Welcome to another Leader Training Podcast. Today we are in Unit 15, Session 3, God’s Covenant Renewed with the core passage of Jeremiah 17:5-8 and 31:31-37. And with the key concept of: A new covenant will establish followers of Jesus.

We have seen in previous lessons, the decline of the northern kingdom of Israel and how they were taken into captivity by the Assyrians. And then we looked at the southern kingdom of Judah, how they had mostly evil kings but a few good kings. And through it all, God sent prophets to warn both kingdoms of coming judgment if they failed to follow the Lord Yahweh, and Him alone. As the southern kingdom continued to decline, Jeremiah was one of the prophets God sent to warn them of coming judgment, but even in the midst of warnings, God also brought messages of hope. We saw this through Micah last week, and we’ll continue to see it through Jeremiah today.

Jeremiah, like Micah, warned the Israelites, that their idolatry would lead to their downfall, their injustices against the poor would lead to judgment, and their dependence on man, on themselves and other nations and leaders, would lead to their ruin. So what does the Lord, through Jeremiah, say about those who trust in mankind? Verse 5 says they are cursed. They make human flesh their strength and they turn from the Lord. They are like juniper bushes in the Arabah, the desert, and wilderness and salt lands: dried up, wasted away, barren, unfruitful, unproductive, empty, and desolate. That’s what happens when you trust in self and in mankind.

But in contrast, those who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in the Lord is blessed. Unlike the bush in the desert, they’re like a tree by the water.  The Gospel Project Commentary on page 135 compares it with Psalm 1:3, where those who obey God and delight in His law is “like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” We also remember that Jesus described Himself as living water. So when the heat comes, being by water, the tree sends its roots down and gets nourishment. It doesn’t fear when heat comes. Its leaves remain green. It does not worry or stop bearing fruit. The contrast is clear. Trusting in mankind, in human powers, or human leadership will end in unfruitfulness and desolation. But trusting in God will give nourishment and strength.

Not that we should never trust people. It’s more of a trust in God first and foremost and trust in the people God’s called us to trust with discernment and wisdom.

So, what does godly trust in others look like compared to a cursed trust in others? Of course we encounter different situations, but first and foremost, when confronted with problems or struggles, we go to God first and ask for wisdom and guidance through the Holy Spirit. We can also ask Him to lead us to godly people who emulate His character (humble, gentle, kind, one of the Word) who can give wisdom as well.  The Israelites in the southern kingdom were going to the leaders of Egypt and other countries for help and protection first instead of going to God and asking His good prophets for guidance. They should have sought out God and prophets who spoke of warning and responded in obedience to God and His Word. In the same way, we need to use discernment and go to God first, and perhaps He will lead us to trustworthy people, people of God, people of humility and love, when encountering a problem. So when the heat comes, pressure, threat, uncertain times, political unrest, we come to the Lord first and put our trust in Him, His Word, and His character.

How can you pursue the Lord now so that when trouble comes, you will be unwavering and strong amid trials? Pursuing the Lord now includes studying and knowing His Word so that we can know God’s heart. It includes communing with other believers and a consistent communing with God. Trusting God in the small things now will help us trust Him more in the future.

From here, the book of Jeremiah continues, warning about a coming enemy who will destroy the temple, referring to the Babylonians, and who would send them into exile. But starting in chapter 30, Jeremiah has a message of hope that God would not abandon His people completely. In chapter 31, then, He talks of a coming day of restoration and rejoicing. Our passage starts in verse 31 where the Lord says, “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” It will be a different type of covenant, not like the one given to Moses, one that was breakable, one that the Israelites broke. Verse 33, “Instead… I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

There’s no way we can doubt God’s love, compassion, and mercy when we read this. After all that His people did in disobedience and wickedness, His desire was for them to come back to Him and to have a people that was set apart, that would have a permanent relationship with Him. God was telling the Israelites, “Hey, your sinfulness and brokenness is too much for you. But it’s not too much for me. One day, I will put my teaching on your hearts, etched there forever. I WILL be your God and you will be my people because of my love for you. All will know me, “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin.” What Jeremiah was prophesying was the work of Jesus on the cross, enabling all who trust in Him to be forgiven and restored in their relationship with God.

How does the state of our heart impact our obedience to the Lord? A tender heart submits and obeys to the Lord in humility and joy. When our hearts are stirred by God’s compassion and gratefulness for His work in our lives and in the world, we remember that He is a good and wise God who wants the best for us. Knowing that in our hearts should cause us to be more obedient to Him, following Him in all ways

Back in Jeremiah, then to make it clear, God reminds the listener of who He is: “the one who gives the sun for light by day, the fixed order of moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea and makes its waves roar—the Lord of Armies is His name.” And He promises that Israel will never cease to be His nation, unless the world crumbles or the universe can be known completely, He will not reject His people.

We’ve got to take a step back and think about this. There is a reason that over and over again in our lessons, we see the Israelites failing to be faithful, failing to obey God, and love Him like He deserves. We probably have gotten tired of hearing it: okay already, they’re bad and wicked and continue to be so. So in light of all that, even our own sense of judgment would say, they deserve God to start all over with a new plan. But God says yes and no to that. He makes the covenant so much better than it ever was. I want you to my people but I know you’re going to mess up. I will send the perfect sacrifice for you and through Him I will establish this new covenant, since you can’t keep your promises, that’s okay. I’m going to continue to hold on to my promises. But only through Jesus, the Savior, the Messiah, the one-and-done sacrifice.

How has God proven to you that He will uphold His covenant with you? Some responses may include examples of His presence, His peace, or His provision. Your group will have varying specific answers.

As the Gospel Connection states: The new covenant was established through Jesus, the Son of God, who was a substitute for the penalty of our sin. He fulfilled the law completely and writes the law on our hearts, and we are adopted as children of God. Through the new covenant, all who believe and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior are saved as a free gift because of God’s grace and mercy.

On to the Group Experience, go through the icebreaker and transition to the Context. Make copies and pass out Pack Item 13: Jeremiah’s Life to give you more insight about Jeremiah himself.

Recap with highlights and questions from your group if any. Recall some important facts by asking, “Speaking of blessed and cursed, how did God contrast two types of trees in Jeremiah 17:5-8?” (One was dry and unproductive, empty and useless, describing those who put their trust in man. The other was a plant by the waters, finding nourishment, staying green and bearing fruit, describing one who trusts in the Lord.) What was God’s promise for Israel in 31:31-34? (That one day He would make a new covenant with His people, and they will know Him and God will no longer reject them.) Upon what did God guarantee His promises in 31:35-37? Upon the fixed order of things and the vastness of the universe that no one can comprehend—ultimately on Himself, His character and works.

Moving onto the Group Activity, follow the instructions to point out the chart and introduce the activity. Have someone read Jeremiah 17:5-8. Call for the group to identify the varying contrasts in this passage (answers are on page 135 of the Leader Guide). Then note the characteristics of one who trusts in the Lord.

Then have someone read Jeremiah 31:31-37. Fill in the blanks showing characteristics of the Old and New Covenant. First, in the top box, the Old Covenant was made with Moses and the people who God rescued out of Egypt. It was breakable because both had to be faithful; and God held up His promises, but the people did not. With the new covenant, Jesus fulfilled this covenant for those who believe, He was our sinless substitute and through Him, God makes our sin white as snow. Secondly, through the old covenant, laws were written on tablets and monuments of stone. Through the new covenant, God will write His laws and teachings on our hearts, through the work of the Holy Spirit after Jesus’s resurrection. Thirdly, through the old covenant, the Lord’s presence was experienced by a few and secluded in the tabernacle. Through the new covenant, the covenant is open to all, “from the least to the greatest,” to anyone who puts their trust in Jesus. Fourthly, through the old covenant, it was impossible for the blood of animals to take away sins, but through the new covenant, through the sacrifice of Jesus, God’s perfect Son, God forgives our iniquity and forgets our sin. And lastly, the old covenant was mediated by Moses, but the new covenant is mediated through the blood of Christ.

Discuss: How do the characteristics of a person who trusts in the Lord (Jer. 17:5-8) relate to the new covenant that God has promised to His people? Those who trust in the Lord enter into the new covenant through Jesus. Something of a sidenote though: sometimes we say we trust in the Lord and in mankind. But like how the people worshiped God and the gods of the nations, God told them only one can be worshiped. Our devotion and trust should be in God alone.

Debrief with: How should we view these Old Testament passages as we live in New Testament times? Today, we see the characteristics of God, that He never changes. He is constantly pursuing us and constantly merciful and compassionate. And He fulfilled His promise through the work of Jesus’s death and resurrection. We get to live in this new covenant.

How can we as believers in Jesus find strength and hope in these verses? If we trust Jesus, we know that God will never abandon us. We know that God’s love is so much bigger than we can ever imagine. Despite the evil of the Israelites at the time, He made a way for them as He does for us. We are never too far gone for God. He pursues us in His love, and we can know all these things are true because of His Word.

Summarize by passing out copies of Pack Item 14: The New Covenant, to compare the various covenants established by God in history.

Tackle the Hands questions in the Head, Heart, Hands section if time is limited: How will you approach your good works and obedience in light of the new covenant Jesus fulfilled for you? Sometimes obedience is hard: we don’t want to love others or forgive others or lift up those who we think are beneath us. Yet we remember that God’s ways are better than ours. So we approach obedience with joy and gratefulness to our good God because of all He has done for us.

Next steps have some simple ideas for your group to remember that God has fulfilled the new covenant.

End with prayer requests and praises and close praying through Psalm 92. The Leader Guide picks verses 1-5, but I kinda prefer verses 12-15: “12 The righteous thrive like a palm tree and grow like a cedar tree in Lebanon. 13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they thrive in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, healthy and green, 15 to declare, “The Lord is just; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”

Hey, thanks for joining me on another leader training podcast. Reach out at [email protected] and hope you have a great group time!