The Cross and the New Covenant! — David Wilkerson

Not with not with this man and his staff what a wonderful staff of people we have here. God bless you gentlemen. Thank you. Please go to Matthew 18 if you will please. Matthew 18 This is One of could be my my final message on covenant.

I don't know unless God opened something else but This summer I'll be finishing the book entitled the new covenant unveiled. My message this morning. The cross and the covenant. The cross and the new covenant first.

Jesus’ Teaching on Conversion and Childlike Faith

11 verses of Matthew 18. Now first reading you'll not see the covenant at all probably some of you may. But when I'm done, I want to show you both the cross and the new covenant in this unusual passage.

And at the same time came the disciples under Jesus saying who's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them and Said verily I say unto you except you be converted and become as little children.

You should not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Who so ever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same as greatest in the kingdom of heaven and Who so shall receive one such child in my name receive with me?

But who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offenses for it must needs be that offenses come but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee. I'm reading you one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off cast them from thee. It is better for thee to enter into life halt remained rather than have two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

If Your eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee. It's better for thee to enter into life with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire. Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones for I said to you that in heaven their angels do Always behold the face of my father which is in heaven the final verse for the Son of Man has come to save That which was lost.

Praise the Lord. Heavenly Father I thank you for the Word of the Living God. I pray you give us hearing ears to hear. Open our ears Holy Spirit open our understanding. Lord don't let anyone in this place allow their minds to wonder from the youngest to the oldest.

Let us hear what the Spirit has to say. Lord give me words that are simple and clear. Let it come through Lord Jesus because I believe that you want us more than anything else to understand the new covenant and What the cross is all about.

I pray father that in in this message that there will be something of simplicity. And reality come through that would be life-changing in Jesus name. Amen. Now the passage of this read to you doesn't mention the cross at all.

But I really believe that Jesus has given us here one of the most profound revelations of the cross and the new covenant. Incredible revelation never seen it before and I hope I can make it Understandable through the power of the Holy Spirit to you this morning.

The Cross Abolishes Works of the Flesh

Now listen closely, please the cross of Jesus Christ Totally annihilates all works of the flesh. Totally annihilates it does away with it completely as there's no merit. There's no contribution to your salvation by anything any human Merit or any willpower any striving of your flesh.

The cross did away with all of that now. That's the foundation of what I'm trying to teach you here this morning. The cross Therefore is a stumbling block or an offense to those who are trained in legalism.

Who are trained in keeping the law all the rules and regulations. The Jews remember in Christ's time. Truly believe they honestly believe they could help earn their eternal salvation by keeping the nine hundred more than nine hundred rules regulations and ordinances That came under the law.

They really believed that that they were earning their salvation, especially when they took on the mark of circumcision and the first church at Jerusalem the Pentecostal Church of Jerusalem after Pentecost came.

There were numbers of Jewish converts many of them that were priests who had been trained under the legalism and the striving of the law in Circumcision and what they were saying. Yes Jesus died he paid for our sins, but it was not a full salvation.

You have to be circumcised To complete your salvation and they literally said that you can't be saved unless you're circumcised and your flesh is cut. Paul Was incensed by the Holy Ghost against such a mixture.

Paul boldly cried out the cross of Christ has Abolished all your rules and regulations. He's done away with it. So this is no value has no meaning. God doesn't see it. God doesn't look about it. He doesn't appreciate it.

You're wasting your time. Presence to five. Paul said having abolished in his flesh. That's his cross. The enmity even the law of commandments contained in all your ordinances. Wherefore brethren if you be dead with Christ from the elements of the world, why is no living in the world?

Are you subjecting yourself to man's ordinances like touch not taste not handle not which are all To perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men and then he capped it off and he made I mean He drove the nail in it.

It's impossible to get away from what he said here. Christ blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that were against us which were contrary to us. He took it all out of the way. He nailed it to his cross.

Anything anything that contributes to your salvation. Anything you think that earns the favor of God other than the blood of Jesus Christ. Paul said that's all finished. Now think how offensive that is to be striving burdened down hapless unhappy Jewish believers Who had been taught except you'd be circumcised after the manner of Moses.

You cannot be saved acts 15 1. You see these priests you see these Jews going about their their weary way trying to struggle with the law. These are believers. They've given their heart to Jesus Christ that there are still burdened down trying to merit something with God.

Trying to invest in their salvation. They're still trying to walk only the prescribed amount of mileage per day on the Keeping certain rules of the Sabbath washing of hands pots pans utensils. Making sure that that they didn't Swish their clothing across a Gentile or touch a Gentile or shake hands with a Gentile dog.

They were still under the law striving making sure that They kept the Sabbath their long prayers their tedious Chanting long hours trying to understand the law sitting under the still sitting under scribes and Pharisees and every night taking inventory of their lives and and figuring out every jot and tittle the law and then their Conscience railing against them because they failed during the day and they couldn't keep the law.

And here they are claiming to be Christians and they were going to the priest to be circumcised even though they were believers. And Many of them were priests and can you imagine the offense to tell these men who who thought that their whole lifetime of?

Religious activities in vain and especially thinking that that mark on their body of circumcision. Enhanced their their standing with God and assured them of eternal salvation and Paul's coming along.

So that's of no value. That's the offense of the cross. That's the offense That Jesus did it all. I have no I have no way to merit other than coming in repentance and faith To the finished work of Jesus.

I have nothing to offer. I've no goodness in me. I don't care how good you think you are. It's all filthy rags in the sight of God according to the scripture. There's some of you good people. I'd like to talk you up the service.

It won't take me 10 minutes to find some bad. Now it seems that there were certain Jews that spread a rumor that Paul also preached circumcision plus Christ. Christ plus circumcision and Boy, did he put a quick stop to that rumor?

Paul said if I am preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Then is the offense of the cross ceased. He said no. Wait a minute. He said I preached Christ. I preached Salvation by faith in Christ alone to repentance as the only way of salvation.

And I know that's an offense to all of you who spent your lifetime Striving and pleading trying to do good to please God and earn your way to heaven. He said that's an offense. But he said that's not what I preach.

I preach that that is all finished I I preach that circumcision has no value or uncircumcision. That is simply faith in Christ. He said if I'm preaching Circumcision then you would be Applauding me. I would be your hero because I removed the offense of the cross.

I Would be part of your crowd. But he said why am I being persecuted by all of you in the circumcision? Why are you turning against me? Why are you fighting me? It's because I will not let go of the offense of the cross of Jesus Christ.

It's not my works. It's my faith. Let it go. Now there are multitudes of believers including many ministers around the world who are not dead to the law they still have certain terms that they've added and In every country and every in almost every city in every section of the United States even the different denominations have their own standards.

About touch not taste not proper makeup proper length of Their dresses and skirts and in every country there's there's an absolutely different standard. Now folks, I believe in high standards. I believe in in moral dress codes and I believe in separation from the world.

But God help us if you ever ever Say to your heart or to anyone else that any of these things add to your salvation and that merit favor with God. God said forbid. God said I forbid that you should even think that I can always tell when a pastor or a Believer is under bondage to works.

Thinking that that is holiness. They're striving so much in the flesh and they don't want to believe that all of their sacrifice over the years all of their struggling to do right and dress right and Make sure that their makeup was on right that there wasn't too much red or their hair was at a certain length.

Then there's every and keeping all these laws and struggling and said more that look, you know. It's hard for a Christian to the fence when the cross comes along and the preacher comes along said no. It's my faith all of those things you do led by the Holy Ghost after you will say by faith.

No one will have to tell you to do it. The Holy Ghost will deal with you about it. But I can always tell when somebody's under the law and under the works because they get angry and they say oh I'll get letters from people when I preach this grace message pastor Wilkerson's become permissive.

He doesn't preach holiness anymore. Now in light of all this let me show you how profound the words of Jesus are now in chapter 18. Very very profound this this chapter begins with the disciples arguing among themselves who is greatest in the kingdom of God.

The Disciples’ Competition and the Old Covenant Mindset

Imagine just coming off the Mount of Transfiguration. The presence of God should have so humiliated them. So brought them down to see what human nature is in light of the pure holiness of God. Here they are now.

Scalding among themselves who's the greatest in the kingdom of God and how do you measure greatness? Among men unless you're measuring it by your works. They are made they're trying to measure their relationship with Christ.

Their nearness to Christ. Their place in God's work in God's kingdom by the works. They've done which one is greatest and folks I don't know what they said. But I know human nature and the Bible is also giving some good hints about the nature of some of these men like impetuous Peter.

You know, don't you that this man was very hot-headed and I if Peter in this conversation I could just imagine no, wait a minute gentlemen. I have just come from the mountain and I'm Jesus that I'm not.

I'm not supposed to speak about. I want you to know though. God talked to me. I heard God speak and by the way gentlemen, who was it that walked on water? If anybody merits if anyone is close to him and here they are talking about how they sacrifice for him.

The things they've done for him what they've given up for him as if that merits anything in his sight. Now folks I want you to get a picture here trying to make the new an old covenant so simple that a child can understand it.

The Bible said there are two covenants and you're sitting here and you're under one of these covenants either one. You may know nothing about the old or new covenant. That's an agreement. God makes it's how you serve God.

It's the attitude of your heart the one attitude the old covenant is this striving making. God promises sin confess sin confess. And it doesn't work and I'll tell you what. God just let you play that game and let he just let the law wear you out.

That's the reason for the law just to show you you can't make it just to show you your heart. And here are these men. There's the picture of the old covenant competition. And we got we got preachers all over America in competition.

Who's got the biggest church the biggest budget and here's a dying world and here are God's servants over here. Come right out of the prayer cloth and still talk about how big their budgets are and how big their churches are and they're competing.

And they're still living under this. I Have got to accomplish something for God. There's a drive a horrible job. There's no rest. I see it all over the United States and around the world striving. There's a there's a big church in Indiana somewhere supposed to have 25 ,000 a sinner friendly church and and.

They're coming from all over the world to get some idea how they can get in on it. Oh my. This is this is what the Lord saw. He had to have been appalled by what he heard and saw. It matters not. The thinking of Peter in those men it matters not if you've had some revelation up on a mountain.

It doesn't matter how good you can preach or how bold you are on the street corner anything else. That is not what counts with God. It's do you have a simple childlike faith in the finished work of the cross of Jesus Christ?

Jesus Builds His Church on Childlike Faith

Every waking moment of Christ ministry here on earth. He I knew I believe was focused on his church and these Apostles are the foundation stones of the church. You'll find that in Revelation. He's building his church upon these men and and and the Lord knows that he can't build on this kind of mixture.

Here are people who loved him. These are servants of his that love Jesus with all of their heart they're willing to die for him. But there are still focused on their works in their relationship to him and the Lord knows that soon he's going to be sitting at the Passover and he's going to hold the cup of the New Covenant before them and The New Covenant a new arrangement is coming.

It's going to do away with all these works it's going to do away with all of this striving and This this is the cup of the New Covenant in the moment He dies the moment the cross finishes at work and and he goes into the grave the New Covenant.

The new agreement is in effect that it's not by works. It's not by the works of men. He calls a little child. Now see he's interested in that little child is Jesus setting before those of the Old Covenant a Concept of what is coming.

He takes a little child that what he's really saying. This is my church to come. Now all through the Bible you hear the Lord referring to New converts and his children as little children you'll find him talking about my little children.

Children of the kingdom children of God children of the bride chamber. Children of the promise. Paul in Galatians refers to them as my little children. This little child that Jesus there is representing every Convert that's going to come from every nation and every tribe.

They're going to come in childlike faith under the New Covenant. And he's putting this little child before them and he said except you become as a little child. You can't he said you've got to repent now.

Let's read this verse 3 4 and 5 very last thing to accept you be converted become as little children. Verse 2 says he called a little child and him and said in the midst mark said he took him in his arms.

The child in his own except you'd be converted converted. These are his disciples. That word in Greek is sudden twist. God said there has got to be a sudden turning a sudden twist in your thinking your theology.

Because I am I am building a church. I'm building it upon you. He's not saying it, but this is what these this according to what we see in Scripture now, this is what he's thinking this represents every single convert black white red yellow.

From now to Jesus comes. This is his church. This little child and he's trying to show the kind of relationship to be developed under the new the new thing the new Covenant the new agreement that God made with his son.

Who's over there for so humble himself as this little child? The same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and I'm telling you it's something to humble yourself. From this thinking that you can do it on your own.

God said there's a pride in that. That's the pride of the flesh and that has to be dealt with unless you humble yourself. And you get rid of that concept in your mind that you can save yourself. Folks it's a humility that's required and that's difficult.

The Jews never did attain it. They never did humble themselves. They stuck to the law. They said Jesus you did this we've lived with this we can do it on our own. They stayed under the new covenant in the process ruined it ruined themselves.

Whosoever shall receive one such child in my name receive with me said I'm going to give you a theology now that you have to Receive you and if you receive it you receive me you understand me, and you'll understand the father.

He that receive with me receive it the father. He said if you want to understand the kind of relationship that I desire under the new covenant I'm going to die on the cross new covenant goes into effect the agreement that I and I alone Will present my blood before the father I?

I will redeem all mankind and whosoever cometh to me. I will not cast out hallelujah. But who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a millstone were hung around His neck that he was drowned in the depths of the sea now folks.

Please follow me. Jesus knew that all these little children Would be coming under the ministry of these men. He first saw the ministry of Paul the Apostle I'm sure but to see his disciples had missed it completely that they were not understanding the Cross that was looming ahead.

You know if Jesus let this go by he would this would have Destroyed the work of the cross the eternal purpose of God. If he allows these men to go on Believing and teaching This competitive thing of how do I become favorable to God?

How do I become greatest in the kingdom? To my works. The cross would have been in vain. It would have been totally in vain because everybody would get so well. I can do it myself. Jesus had to Strike a Blow that would kill this once and for all you must become as little.

Children harm yourself is this a little child now plain and simple folks. I've read books where People trying to explain what Jesus is saying all the childlike Attitudes and it's childlike behavior. I don't see that at all folks.

What he's talking about simply are two simple two things that have to do with the relationship That Jesus wants with us if you're under the New Covenant. Believing that salvation is justification by faith by repentance and faith in it is finished work.

Jesus is saying my church is going to be built on childlike dependency and uncomplicated devotion two things and This is what the Holy Ghost is striving with every one of us about to bring us to this place.

Not some deep doctrinal place. Oh What complicated theologies and doctrines we have invented the Lord foresaw all of this Denominations that are going to say you can be saved by faith, but you must keep Saturday for Sabbath.

Yes, you you can be saved but you've got to venerate Mary his mother, you know. Well, the doctors of law are all stand around debating About where he's to be born. They're debating about how he got his knowledge without going to any one of their schools.

And they're debating and debating and debating. Well, Jesus is walking into the temple and he is throwing over the money changers. And what are the children doing? The Bible makes it very clear the children were crying in the temple singing Hosanna to the Son of David.

Devotion uncomplicated simple Dependence on Jesus. Are you getting it? Are you under the Old Covenant here? What you you you you go into Bible studies trying to figure out now, I believe in Bible study.

We have Bible school here. I believe in good doctrine. I believe in good theology. We need to know what it means to be justified by faith. Sanctified made holy by the Holy Ghost. We need to know the things about the covenant that there are some people study study study and they never get it.

And the reason they don't get it is because they don't have this simple dependence and uncomplicated love for Jesus. That is what he's trying to say. There's a new covenant coming. I'm going to do away with 900 regulations go now all to my cross and all I want out of you is to put your bring yourself into my arms.

Love me and believe that I'll direct you'll give you everything you need. He said I'm gonna be your everything. Glory be to God. Why is it that some people get it? They know more than the theologians.

They can't explain the new covenant. But they're living it because they just been close to Jesus and they don't do anything without checking with Jesus. They don't go anywhere. They don't talk to anybody.

They go to the secret closet. They pray and suddenly they're understanding Jesus and the father they've come into the covenant without any Bible school. Jesus said of any man will do as well. He'll know the doctrine is you just love me and depend on me.

You'll know the doctrine. You may not write a book on it like I'm going to do but some of you probably understand it better than me. Anyhow, there are a lot of preachers and a lot of people in church need to be converted.

I Mean converted from this. I can do it doctrine. They need to be converted from the foolish spirit of competition. Back to the secret closet of prayer back to just trusting the Lord. Verse six to ten read it with me now and.

Legalism Can Offend New Converts

But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me. It were better for him that a millstone were hung it around his neck that he were drowned in the sea. Wherefore if I hand or that foot offend thee cut them off cast them from thee.

I'm not going to go into that but I want you to listen very very close. Now here's something you've got to see and got to us and we're coming into this very misunderstood passages portion of Scripture.

Offenses will come. But wall to that man by whom the offense comes. Now above it listen to me. This is the heart of the gospel right here. Jesus is now expressing his wrath against those who come teaching that the cross Was not totally sufficient.

He's talking about the offense. This is the offense of the cross right now. He's making it so clear. He's not talking now to Jewish leaders. He's talking to the foundation stones of his own church. Now who are these offenders?

Who are these offenders? Is those who bring in the offense of the cross? Those who are offended by the new covenant the truth of Christ alone is full payment for sin. The offenders came along and they said yes believe in Jesus.

Yes, the cross was payment, but it wasn't full payment. You must do this. You must do that to be saved. You keep the Sabbath all of these things. You have to do these things and that these are the offense the Lord says wall to any preacher any teacher any Any witness who goes to a baby convert that's just come to me by simple faith and repentance and you add.

You offend that Person by saying that's not enough. There's more to it. If you really want to be saved, here's what you've got to do. This is what it says in our doctrines of our church. Take this young man young young lady that comes into church and she's got black lipstick.

She's got spiked hair. Now. She's not here this morning. She's come off drugs. She's prostituted, but she's sick of it all and she's tired. She wants Jesus. She's been praying Oh Jesus if you're real show yourself to me.

Someone brings her to Times Square Church and she sits there in shirts and tears rolling down mascara black everything all over her face and She just gets genuinely in love with false genuinely in love with Jesus.

Oh Jesus saved me. She comes next Sunday. She's just a spiked hair. She still has all the black stuff all over her face and she's got dangles down to her shoulders and their hair still spikes to constrain all directions and Here comes one of the offenders.

Here comes an offender and this lady says no, honey. I'm tell you something if you're going to really be saved. You have got to get that muck out of your hair. You've got to get red instead of black lipstick.

And you don't ever come to church again wearing tight pants like you have on right now now folks. That is the work of the Holy Ghost and that if that woman who had just left her alone She'd have been here one night and nobody say anything in the Holy Ghost.

She'd just get her hanky and go like this. It looks so black. It'll look like sin to her. Now if you got black lipstick is wait, I'm not talking about your black lipstick. I Don't care what color lipstick you wear.

I don't have to like it, but I did. Long-haired boy comes into church. Get saved. He's on drugs cries weeps and gives his heart to the Lord and Within a week or two. There's another offender somebody going up there and says Bible says it's a shame for a man to have long hair.

And so they forget the next verse, but if anyone's contentious about this we have no such rule. But you see their salvation says if you're going to serve God you have to look a certain way if you're going to really be Saved this is what it's all about.

There's been legalism all of the United States and around the world. When I first came to New York and I told you once about I went up to the hundredth Street. And there were a number of little Pentecostal churches there and we got drug addicts girls and boys that were on drugs and Prostituting and I would pray with them.

They'd weep on the street, and I'd go up and pastor be in the church I said look you see these kids can I borrow your church for next two hours and pray? I want a prayer meeting with them and he'd look at these girls in their their makeup and and their short shorts and.

And there's scroungy hair and one of them said I would let any of them in here. They'll ruin my kids. Some of those girls were so offended. They walked away and say what kind of religion is this offenders?

Under the law. Here folks come on at Times Square Church. Would you get your eyes off of what people look like?

We someone just told me the other day a.

Dear Methodist couple Got saved and it invited the pastor this Bible Church that they were starting to tend and they had some wine on the table. He looked at the wine got him walked out. It just offended them, and they said well, what would we do.

And he said well? It was that wine on the table, so we didn't know. Why didn't he say something? Seldom in the word has God has God spoken so harshly on any subject anywhere in the scripture. And folks listen to this let the seriousness and The harshness of these words sink into your soul.

They it sunk into my soul, and I'll never forget it. Better for a Milk better than a millstone were hung about his neck, and they were drowned in the depth of the sea. Now nothing stirred God's wrath more than anything that would Pollute his church.

Remember when he drove the money changers out of his house. But that was nothing compared to this indictment you hear it now. It's even stronger. Because he knew if this mixture is allowed to continue.

Then the eternal purpose of God through the cross is absolutely destroyed. And this is what I hear in all this if any one of us any minister or any teacher any of us preacher teach. Any man-made moral code list the legalistic rules or human standards as necessary to salvation?

We face the wrath of God. God said I would Rather a millstone hung around your neck and that you should offend one little baby convert. By your man-made doctrines your man-made Ordinances your man-made rules.

Because you have offended and you have damned an innocent child. Burdening down converts with their denominational standards telling babes in Christ. They're not completely saved until they comply. He said better a millstone hung around that kind of teacher preacher witness.

Cast into the sea. Matthew 18 8. This is one most misunderstood passages and all the scripture. You know look with at verse 8. Would you please wherefore it begins with the word wherefore knew what that that ties it in to the whole?

Cutting Off the Fleshly Reliance on Works

Context wherefore means in light of the past in other words in light of what I've just said. So this neck these next few verses are tied into the context of what he's saying about this mixture of false doctrine of works.

He says if your hand your foot your eye offends you. Now folks the offense is not alcohol drugs. That's not the thing it does talking about. He's not talking about mutilation of a flesh spiritual and physical.

He's trying to get at something it has their heart and it has to come out and has to be cut out of their innermost being. It's this same doctor that we're talking about of works. Added to the finished work of the cross of Jesus Christ this striving trying.

Struggling to do something to invest in your salvation. Remember What Jesus said of many because of the word they are offended because of the word. They are offended his own Continent were offended in him the same word used hard.

I mean the hand look at me. Please the hand the foot the eye. What are we talking about? Flesh. We're talking about flesh. You see the Jew is saying no I can handle it. I'm going to go as I please. You see if if you're offended by anything in your right eye, you can be offended by your left eye just as much.

You offended by your left right foot your left foot can lead you just as much astray. We're not talking about that at all. We're talking about the flesh trying to find merit and favor in the sight of God works.

Folks how many of you have come to place? Where where you have cut off? You have finally cut off by faith any dependence on your own flesh. How many of you come to place where you've said Lord? I can't handle it this hand of mine that's taking a control of everything folks.

If you're still in control, you're under the Old Covenant. You have to say Jesus. I'm not in control anymore. I've messed up everything my hand has been put to. My feet have led me astray Lord I go the wrong I I've been.

I've been giving going in my own Direction, I'm not totally dependent upon you. He's talking about total dependence and the Lord said you're not seeing with. He said your eyes focused on the wrong thing.

He said you've got to cut off that focus. You are not focused on the right thing. You're focused on your own ability your own power. Your eye is you've got to pluck that out. You've got to absolutely rid your body you rid your mind rid your heart of this kind of thinking and folks.

That's what God's been dealing with me about St. David you'll never understand the new coming. You'll never understand the cross. You'll never come in to rest. You'll never be able to face what is coming until you have finally once and for all.

Cut off any hope of pleasing me. Or bringing something to my throne of goodness. There's no plea that you have. And until that is final and you have cast yourself completely at the cross. Then there's no hope He said surgically remove that.

Thinking from your mind now Paul the Apostle picked up on that very quickly. He understood the New Covenant because the Jewish believers and in Jerusalem Paul said we're taking these children of Christ and putting a yoke of bondage on them.

They were insisting that the believers had to be circumcised in order to be saved and That the cross did not fully justify and Paul cried out Christ has become of no effect to you people. Whoever of you are justified by the law you're fallen from grace for we through the Spirit.