John 15: The Sacrifices in God's Covenants

Introduction

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser." Starting from John 15:1-5, Reverend J. M. Bragatto, minister of Covenant Church London, a Reformed and Presbyterian church, preaches that evening on "the sacrifices in the covenants of God." The day before, the church had celebrated a baptism, and this evening service ends with the Lord's Supper.

The starting point is simple: the Bible tells one story, the story of redemption. Man rebelled against God in the garden of Eden, condemnation fell on humanity, and God unfolded his plan of salvation in Jesus Christ. "The whole Bible speaks of one person. It speaks of Jesus."

To understand this story, the preacher invites us to read the Bible "in a covenantal way": to see how God works through his covenants to save his people, and to notice that at every stage a sacrifice points to the cross. He ends by returning to John 15: whoever belongs to the covenant is a branch called to abide in the vine and bear fruit.

Outline of the Message

1. The Bible Is One Book Telling One Story

Between Malachi and the Gospel of Matthew, a page announces "New Testament." The pastor warns: "That page was not written by the apostles." It was added later to help readers find their way.
The newer books of the Bible constantly quote the Old Testament, because their authors did not see themselves as bringing something new. "The Bible is not two books glued together."
When Noah and his family enter the ark, we enter it spiritually with them. When God's people leave Egypt, "we left Egypt too."
Paul writes to the Galatians that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, so that those who have faith are sons of Abraham (Galatians 3:6-7). The same God saves and blesses the same people, the church, under the old administration as under the new.
Most of the listeners are not of Jewish descent. They are believers of Gentile origin, grafted into the covenant people.

2. What Is a Covenant?

The pastor admits that the word long puzzled him: he heard preachers talk about the covenant and the "blood of the covenant" as if it were a foreign language.
A covenant is a relationship between God and man, a solemn bond between a superior and an inferior. It includes blessings, responsibilities, and curses or consequences when they are not fulfilled.
He counts seven covenants in the Bible. "If you step back, you will find only two. If you zoom in, you will see seven."
To explain, he uses the image of a carrot cake: it takes carrots and other ingredients (and, in the Brazilian version, plenty of chocolate and condensed milk). A covenant also has its ingredients.

3. The Ingredients of Every Covenant

Promises. In each of the seven covenants, God promises something.
Commandments and responsibilities. In the covenant of creation (Genesis 1 to 3), God blesses the man and the woman, gives them all the trees, then forbids them to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Warnings. "In the day that you eat of it you will surely die" (Genesis 2:17).
Signs and seals. In creation, the tree of life. Today, the Lord's Supper and baptism: a sacrament is "a visible sign of an invisible grace." The bread and the wine point to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, and by faith we share spiritually in his flesh and blood. Baptism points to the blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin, the Holy Spirit who comes from above, and the Word that purifies.
Sacrifices, present in every covenant after the fall. There were none before sin.

4. Sacrifices That Point to the Cross, from Adam to David

The covenant of restoration. After the fall, Adam and Eve cover themselves with leaves, and God does not accept it. He clothes them with garments of skin (Genesis 3:21): animals were sacrificed to cover them. "From the very beginning of the fall, God shows that redemption is in Jesus." Abel, next, offers God the best of his flock (Genesis 4:4).
The covenant of preservation. On leaving the ark, Noah begins by offering a sacrifice (Genesis 8:20). God gives a sign in the sky, the rainbow, and promises never again to destroy the earth in this way.
The covenant of circumcision. With Abraham and his descendants, circumcision involves a cutting and blood, as well as cleanness. It foretold that the Son of God would be "cut off from the land of the living" to cleanse us. Sacrifices appear in Genesis 15:9-18 and 22:7-14. Baptism has replaced circumcision and no longer involves blood, "because the blood has already been shed."
The covenant of the law. The night before leaving Egypt, each household must slaughter a lamb and mark its doorposts with its blood (Exodus 12). In the wilderness, the sacrifices are instituted, all of them pointing to that of Jesus.
The covenant of the kingdom. David and Solomon also offer sacrifices before God (2 Samuel 6:17-18, 24:18-25 and 1 Kings 8:62-64).

5. The New Covenant: The Perfect Sacrifice of Jesus

The perfect and sufficient sacrifice of Jesus fulfills all those that pointed to it. "It is this blood that allows us to enter his presence. It is this blood that cleanses us from all sin."
Jesus instituted the Supper: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in memory of me" (1 Corinthians 11:25). Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Baptism is given only once: it is the sign of entry into the covenant and into the visible church. The Lord's Supper is the sign and seal of a relationship that continues with Christ.
This is why we examine ourselves before coming to the table (1 Corinthians 11:28). Those welcomed there are those who understand what the Supper is, who have made a profession of faith before the church and who have examined themselves.

6. The Vine and the Branches: Living by the Terms of the Covenant

The new covenant is like a tree: an olive tree in Romans 11, a vine in John 15. Each of us is a branch, and God expects every branch to bear fruit.
The promise is "for you and for your children" (Acts 2:39). A baptized child is not in a neutral zone waiting to understand everything: "He already belongs to the tree." God expects him to grow in the knowledge of the truth and, in due time, to bear the fruit of repentance and faith.
Those who have already confessed their faith are also called to keep bearing the fruit of a new life, by renewing their minds and walking in newness of life.
And election? Predestination is a biblical reality, but God has not given us the list. "Imagine you had the list. You see your name. And the person you don't much like is not on it. How will you treat them?" God asks instead that we love our enemies. "We do not live by election and predestination. We live by the covenant."
The terms of the covenant are in John 15: the branch that bears no fruit is cut off, the one that bears fruit is pruned. "God is going to shape your life so that you bear more fruit."
Does the message of the cross seem foolishness to you? If it is for you the power of God for salvation and it has transformed your life, that is the sign that you have passed from death to life (John 5:24, 1 Corinthians 1:18).

7. The Warning and the Assurance of Hebrews 10

The pastor sees here one of the most difficult passages of Scripture. It becomes clearer once we understand the image of the tree and the branches.
Hebrews 10:28-29 announces a worse punishment for the one who "has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, by which he was sanctified, an unholy thing." Every covenant has its warnings.
"Sanctified" means set apart. In 1 Corinthians 7:14, Paul writes that the children of a home where only one parent believes are holy: they are set apart to serve the Lord. Someone who was a member of the covenant and who abandons the Lord to the point of blaspheming the name of Jesus tramples this blood underfoot.
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). On the last day, God will separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32).
But verses 19 to 23 give assurance: through the blood of Jesus, we have free access to the Most Holy Place, with hearts cleansed from an evil conscience and bodies washed with pure water, "our baptism." "He who promised is faithful."
If you believe that all your sins are forgiven because of the blood and sufferings of Jesus, the righteousness of Christ is credited to you, your debt is paid and you can enter God's presence. He assures you of this through the Word and through the sacraments.
How do we abide in the vine? "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you" (John 15:7). A heart transformed by the word of Christ knows how to pray, and God answers.

Key Takeaways

The Bible is one book telling one story, redemption in Jesus Christ, through the covenants of God.
A covenant is a solemn relationship with God: promises, commandments, warnings, signs and seals, and sacrifices since the fall.
From the animal skins of Eden to the sacrifices of David and Solomon, every sacrifice points to that of Jesus, perfect and sufficient.
Baptism brings us into the covenant, the Lord's Supper seals a relationship that continues. God assures his promises through the Word and through the sacraments.
You do not live by a list of the elect that you cannot know, but by the covenant: abiding in Christ and bearing fruit.

Personal Application

Do you read the Bible as one story that speaks of Jesus, or as two separate books?
What fruit is God growing in you, and in which area do you sense that he is pruning you?
Is the message of the cross foolishness to you, or the power of God that has transformed your life?
How do you prepare yourself, by examining yourself, before coming to the Lord's table?
What would help you this week to let the words of Christ abide in you?

Verses Cited

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a covenant in the Bible?

For J. M. Bragatto, a covenant is a solemn relationship between God and man, between a superior and an inferior. It includes promises, commandments and responsibilities, warnings, signs and seals, and, since the fall, sacrifices that point to the sacrifice of Jesus.

Why are there sacrifices in every covenant after the fall?

From the animal skins given to Adam and Eve to the offerings of David and Solomon, every sacrifice points to the perfect and sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The new covenant is its fulfillment: it is his blood that cleanses from all sin and gives access to God's presence.

How do you abide in the vine according to John 15?

Jesus answers in verse 7: if you abide in me and my words abide in you. The preacher explains that the Word transforms the heart, so that we learn to pray according to God's will. God assures his promises through the Word and through the sacraments, baptism and the Lord's Supper.