Bound by Love: The God Who Keeps Covenant
In this message on Joshua 24, Peter Tepper explores the biblical meaning of covenant and why it is fundamentally different from the way we naturally approach relationships with God. Using Joshua’s call to Israel to “choose this day whom you will serve,” he argues that covenant is neither a business deal nor a negotiated bargain, but a sacred promise rooted in God’s initiative and faithfulness.
Through personal stories, biblical examples, and practical applications, Peter shows how people often treat faith as a transaction: obeying God in exchange for blessings or bargaining for favorable outcomes. Yet Scripture presents a different reality. Before Israel is called to respond, God reminds them of everything He has already done: “I took,” “I gave,” “I brought,” and “I sent.” Covenant begins with God’s grace, not human performance.
The sermon reaches its climax in the gospel itself. While every other false god demands “your life for mine,” the God revealed in Jesus Christ declares, “My life for yours.” In Christ, God binds Himself to humanity, takes responsibility for our covenant-breaking, and establishes a new covenant through His sacrificial death and resurrection.
Listeners are invited to examine whether they have reduced faith to a transaction, to abandon bargaining with God, and to rest in the unshakable promise of the One who has already bound Himself to them in love.
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