Thursday 12 June 2025
"A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you." (v. 26)
Background
Continuing the theme of Pentecost, here we see God’s promise to transform those who would follow God.
God enacted covenants with God's people (for example with Abraham, Moses and David), but the greatest of these was offered by Jesus. Within our sacrament of Communion, we remember the words of Jesus at the Last Supper. Jesus said: "This is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins."
The promise of God through the work of Christ was to gather, cleanse and transform all who would seek God for themselves. This relationship with God was offered to all and no longer belonged to a particular group or individual. We are all offered a new heart and a new spirit that comes from God’s own heart and God's own Spirit. No longer are our sins covered over, as was the case in Old Testament times, but are cleansed by God through Jesus. Our literal ‘change of heart’, or repentance, puts us on a new path of relationship with God.
Down the years, I have heard many testimonies of the transforming power of God’s love and grace. I have seen how the new covenant has enabled people to leave behind their old life and walk a completely new path. I've heard of people caught up in illegal acts who are now prominent preachers; people who were living with addictions becoming transformed into effective evangelists. I have also seen people living more ordinary lives simply grow in wisdom so that others can hear, in their ‘own language’, the good news.
The grace of God and the new covenant of relationship is the message of the Church for the current age. We are all called to take this message beyond our Sunday mornings. We are called to pray for the situations across the world. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus bringing help to those in need in our localities. The transforming power of the Holy Spirit empowers us to share God’s love, as we receive from God this new heart and new spirit.
To Ponder:
- What might our own testimony be and how do we share that with others?
Prayer
We pray that we might recognise all that God has done for us so that we might be a blessing to others. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Mark Carrick
Mark is a presbyter in the Derbyshire North-East Circuit and is currently the minister of seven churches in the Chesterfield area. His passion is for ministry within the community and growing disciples within the Church. Mark has now served five years in the Methodist Church and is preparing to become Superintendent in September.