The sermon by Jeffrey Johnson delves deeply into the Abrahamic Covenant, its implications, and its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Johnson argues that the Abrahamic Covenant is essentially an administration of the Covenant of Works, which required obedience to God's law for the fulfillment of its promises. The covenant was not just about physical circumcision but demanded a circumcised heart, symbolizing full obedience to God's law. The physical descendants of Abraham, the Jews, failed to meet these conditions, breaking the covenant and thereby not inheriting the promises.
Johnson emphasizes that the true fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant comes through Jesus Christ, the "one seed" of Abraham who perfectly obeyed God's law. Christ, therefore, inherits all the promises of the covenant, and through faith in Him, both Jews and Gentiles can become heirs to these promises. This faith unites believers with Christ, making them joint heirs with Him.
The sermon also tackles the misconception that being a physical descendant of Abraham or adhering to the law and circumcision guarantees one's status as God's chosen people. Johnson uses various New Testament passages to show that true children of Abraham are those who have faith, irrespective of their ethnic background.
Johnson concludes by stating that the Abrahamic Covenant is essentially the gospel message. It promises not just a temporal land but an eternal inheritance in a new heaven and a new earth. The covenant is fulfilled not by human works but by God's grace through faith in Christ, ensuring that all glory goes to God.
