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Week 1:The road to the cross began the moment sin entered into the world in the Garden, when humanity and all creation were broken.”God finishes what He starts.” – Pastor Adrian
The road to the cross began in the Garden of Eden and that road wound through the Old Testament as a promise – communicated through covenants by God to His people.
Isaiah 43:1NIV
1But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
Jeremiah 31:31-33NIV
31“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.32It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.33“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord.“ I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
I will be their God, and they will be my people.This is the covenant formula expressing God’s relationship with His people.
The amazing thing about the story of God and His people in the Old Testament is that God doesn’t snap His finger and say, “Fine. If you don’t want me, then I don’t want you.” He certainly could have, but instead he kept promising, kept pursuing, kept chasing. He longs to dwell with his people, yesterday and today.
-Jefferson Bethke
Jeremiah 31:34NIV34No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
His faithfulness to the Promise summons our adoration, and His promised return stirs up our faith-filled anticipation.
2 Corinthians 1:20-22NIV20For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Revelation 21:1-5NIV
1Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.4‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”