THE CHURCH AS A COVENANT COMMUNITY
Deuteronomy 5:1-21; 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, 12-18

        Our understanding of the Church determines the shape of our Christian lives and the vision and passion of the ministries we offer to God. The people of God have always known that the Church began with God. When God called His people, He called them into a covenant community (Deuteronomy 5:2-5).

I. The covenant community is based on history (Deuteronomy 5:6).

    A. The Old Testament covenant community of Israel was based on the Exodus, God’s gracious act of liberation from slavery.
    B. The New Testament covenant community of the Church is based on the gracious acts of the atoning death of Jesus and His resurrection.
    C. The covenant community of the Church of the Nazarene is based on God’s gracious acts in history a century ago when He raised us up to proclaim Scriptural holiness around the world.
    D. That is why we celebrate the Centennial.

II. The covenant community lives with obligations (Deuteronomy 5:7-21 and Deuteronomy 5—26).
    A. The Ten Commandments and the Old Testament law were the expectations God had for the Old Testament covenant community.
    B. The Great Commandment, Great Commission, and the call to Christlikeness are the expectations for life in the new covenant community.
    C. The Covenant of Christian Character and Covenant of Christian Conduct are the expectations for the covenant community of the Church of the Nazarene.

III. The covenant community has consequences (Deuteronomy 5:16 and Deuteronomy 27—28).
    A. The Old Testament had consequences for obeying and failing to obey the covenant obligations.
    B. The New Testament covenant community of the Church also has consequences for obeying and failing to obey the expectations Christ has for the Church.
    C. Continued success or ceasing to exist will be the consequences for the Church of the Nazarene for fulfilling or failing to fulfill God’s expectations.


    May we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit’s transformation work so that we may be faithful and obedient to God’s call to be a holy, covenant community.