Jesus: The Covenant Keeper

 “The Covenant Keeper”

Text: 2 Samuel 7:12–16; Psalm 51; Hebrews 8:6–13; Luke 1:68–75

If we’re honest with ourselves, we must admit that we—the human race—have not kept our end of God’s covenants. From Eden to Sinai, and even in the promises given to David, we have failed to live in faithful obedience to the God who created us, sustained us, and loved us. Yet in the face of that failure, God does not abandon His covenant. Instead, He fulfills it Himself.

This morning, I want us to look at David—not as a perfect man, but as a pointer, a type, a foreshadowing of the One who is perfect: Jesus Christ. Through David’s life, we catch a glimpse of God’s redemptive plan, one that would culminate in Jesus, the only One who could—and did—keep the covenant perfectly for us.

Humanity’s Failure to Keep the Covenant

From Adam to Israel to us today, the story of humanity is marked by broken promises, shattered altars, and wandering hearts. God gave us His commands, His presence, His promises—but we chose idols, injustice, and independence.

Even David, called “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), was not exempt. He was an adulterer, a murderer, a man whose family would be torn by dysfunction. And yet, he was still used by God, not because of his perfection, but because of God’s mercy and sovereign grace. David’s Psalms often contain both raw confession and renewed confidence—Psalm 51 being the greatest example of repentance and hope.

Why is this important? Because David, in all his failures and faith, points us forward to a better King.

David as a Foreshadowing of Jesus

David was a shepherd-king. So is Jesus.
David was anointed but often rejected. So was Jesus.
David established a kingdom—but it was Jesus who would establish an eternal one.

God’s covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7 promised that a descendant of David would sit on the throne forever. This was not ultimately about Solomon. It was about Christ.

Jesus is the true “Son of David”—not just biologically, but spiritually and prophetically. Where David failed, Jesus succeeded. David gave in to temptation; Jesus resisted it in the wilderness. David needed mercy; Jesus could offer it. David could not build the eternal temple of God—but Jesus, through His body, became the temple and now builds us into His holy house.

David shows us glimpses of what a true king might look like. Jesus is that King.

Jesus: The Covenant Keeper on Our Behalf

Hebrews 8:6 says that Jesus “has obtained a more excellent ministry, since He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.”

And what are those better promises?

Not that we would keep God's laws by our own effort, but that God's Spirit would write His law on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10).
Not that we would come to God through rituals and sacrifices, but that through Jesus' once-for-all sacrifice, we would be made holy.
Not that we would deserve mercy, but that mercy would be given freely because Jesus took what we deserved.

Jesus kept the covenant perfectly—He fulfilled the law, obeyed the Father, bore our punishment, and rose from the grave. His obedience is now our righteousness. His blood is our cleansing. His resurrection is our hope.

Why Jesus Is Our Only Hope

There is no other way to peace with God. Our best efforts will never meet the demands of holiness. Our hearts are too fractured, our hands too stained. But the gospel is not “try harder.” It is “trust in the One who has done it for you.”

Jesus is not just a helper or teacher—He is our Substitute, our Mediator, our Savior. What He did on our behalf is the only hope we have because it is the only hope we need.

As the hymn says:

“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.”

What About Us?

Friends, let us not despair at the weight of our failure. Let it drive us to the One who never failed. David points us to Jesus—not because he was perfect, but because his life testifies to the need for someone greater.

In Jesus, God did not abandon His covenant with us. He fulfilled it. He sealed it. And now, in Him, we are forgiven, restored, and secure.

So come to Him—not in your strength, but in your need.
Not with your record, but with your repentance.
Not as someone who’s “almost enough,” but as someone who knows that Jesus is enough. Amen.