What Are You Bringing To The Table?
Associate Pastor Ryan Crawford brought us our Sunday morning message: “What are you bringing to the table?”
We stood for opening prayer and the reading of God’s word taken from Leviticus 2:12-13. As for the oblation of the first-fruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.
There are many types of covenants in the Bible: the Adam, Abraham, New, Blood (which is the most common) and Salt (which we see in those passages).
Covenant means “coming together,” “an alliance or joining,” and “a bond.” Mostly, it seems that two people would meet each other and sign or signify their vows to each other, which had bilateral meaning. Both parties were obligated to keep their part of the deal. We see this in a marriage between man and wife or when a person applies for a loan at the bank.
We have a great covenant with God that is unilateral. He initiated it, determined the element and confirmed His covenant with humanity. We are the recipients, not contributors. We are not expected to offer element to the bond. We are called to accept it as offered, keep it as demanded and receive the results that God, by oath, has assured will not be withheld.
“So, let’s talk about these two covenants,” Pastor Ryan said.
The first is the Blood Covenant. Exodus 24:8 states, “And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.”
Zechariah 9:11 tells us, “As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.”
Hebrews 10:29 says, “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”
“Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sins,” Pastor Ryan stated. “What can wash away my sins? As the song reminds us, ‘Nothing but the blood of Jesus.’ Neither by the blood of a goat or calf, but by his own blood he entered at once into the holy place, having obtained redemption for us. Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?”
1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His son, cleanseth us from all sin.
Brother Ryan explained the core blood taken from babies’ umbilical cords for future transplanting. “Nothing,” he said, “can compare other than the blood that flows from Calvary.”
The Blood Covenant teaches us the redeeming process of Jesus Christ.
In the Salt Covenant, according to some who have studied it, the two parties would come to a meeting place and eat for fellowship. In order to create this bond, one person would bring the bread (grain or meat) and the other would bring the salt. We know that the Bible says that He is the bread of life. It also says we are the salt of the earth. In the salt covenant, Jesus preached that He is the way of life (Bread) and Christianity is the salt.
“What are you bringing to the table?” Pastor Ryan asked. “What are you going to do with Jesus? The Salt Covenant teaches us the responsibility of the process.”
Mark 9:49-50 - For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt has lost his saltiness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
Brother Ryan concluded by saying, “God never saved anyone through his blood to sit in a pew. But every person that God saves, he saves with a purpose for you to do. Salt makes a difference in the world. Season: What we say ought to be seasoned with salt. Preserve: the salt doesn’t preserve but rather the saltiness (Christ). Salt hurts in wounds. It is the convicting power of the Cross.
Evangelist Sam Jones had tent revivals in Nashville, Tenn. A man in this town, “Tom,” made it his goal to disrupt the service. Evangelist Jones, hearing of this, went to Tom’s house and asked him if he could stay at his home during the revival. Not wanting his family to think badly of him, Tom allowed him to stay. He did not come to the revival until the third night. Evangelist Jones noticed that Tom was a changed person. Tom got saved that night. Tom assured Evangelist Jones that he would make sure he never had to preach in a tent again. And that, folks, is how the Ryman Auditorium was built.