The Old Testament covenant required the sacrifice of animals yearly to cover sins. Can you imagine the “Animal Rights Group” today, if that were still the only way for our sins to be covered? The Old Testament covenant never removed sins, it just covered them. The sense of guilt and the load of sin was always present. The great news is that God has made a new covenant with us. It is a far superior covenant to the old one. The old covenant was initiated by the blood of animals, but the new covenant was initiated with the sinless blood of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.) A covenant is a mutual consent or agreement of two or more persons. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved, and promised that if we would believe in Him and all that He did for us, He would forever stand in our place, and our responsibility to keep the law would be met in Him. The old covenant focused on what man could do, but the new covenant focuses on what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. If you get a chance today, read Romans chapter 5. When we realize the tremendous opportunity God extended to us when He sent Jesus to die for our sins, we will rejoice in the freedom from sin and the joy of God’s presence in our lives daily. We live under a New Covenant. Pastor Don [image: image.png]