Note: Select one of the audio-only options if you need to download, rather than stream, the chapel.
A Changed Life - Genesis 17 — 10/8/2025 10:00 AM
Our chapel speaker today is Matt Read, Senior Pastor of Jersey Church in New Albany, Ohio. Pastor Read looks at the account of Abraham in Genesis 17, and teaches that entering into covenant with God requires a step of faith and walking in obedience to Him.
Notes
In Genesis 17, God gives Abraham a covenant promise. God tells Abraham that this is a permanent covenant, and that many amazing blessings are in store. He then invites Abraham to walk with Him as He brings these blessings to fruition.
The Covenant of Circumcision
God tells Abraham to walk with Him through circumcision. This is a permanent mark and a step of faith, demonstrating belief that God will do what He said He would do. Abraham responds with immediate obedience. That very day, he circumcises himself and everyone in his household.
The New Covenant
Today, we have a new covenant — not a covenant of circumcision, but a covenant through the blood of Christ. Just like the old one, we step into the new covenant by taking a step of faith. In doing that, we find Christ’s redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. We have everlasting life that will mark us for eternity.
What Matters is a New Creation
We walk in this covenant by remembering three things. The first is from Galatians 6:15, which explains that what matters is not circumcision or uncircumcision, but becoming a new creation. The important thing is not what happens to the outside of your body, but what happens to the inside. If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you are not your old self but a new person. This is a permanent marker of who you are in the new covenant.
What Matters is Faith Working through Love
The second thing to remember is from Galatians 5:6, which says that what matters is faith expressing itself through love. As a new creation, we will still mess up, but God’s new life in Christ is not so weak that we could get rid of it. Even when we struggle, we will never lose our new life. We are called to confess our sins and keep pressing forward, progressively being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
What Matters is Keeping God’s Commands
The third thing to remember is from 1 Corinthians 7:19, which says that what matters is keeping God’s commands. If you have received new life, your actions should reflect that. You will not be perfect, since we fight a daily battle against sin. However, you should be walking in a way that pleases God —not just because you feel like you have to, but because you love Him. Your works should reflect the care you have for your relationship with God.
Walk with Jesus
We have the new covenant of Jesus, and He has called us to take steps of faith and obedience to Him. As we do this, we will find that just like Abraham, we are walking with Christ in the light that He gives.