But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.
Hebrews 8.6
Christ in the mediator of the new covenant. His blood--the blood of the covenant (Luke 22.20; Hebrews 13.20)--purchased the fulfillment of God's promises for us. And the end result is that God brings about our inner transformation by the Spirit of Christ.
God works all his transformation in us through faith in all that he in for us in Christ. The new covenant in purchased by the blood of Christ, effected by the Spirit of Christ, and appropriated by faith in Christ.
The best place to see Christ working as the mediator of the new covenant is in Hebrews 13.20-21:
Now may the God of peace,who through the blood of the eternal covenantbrought back
from the deadour Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with
everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him,
through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The words "work in us what is pleasing to him" describe what happens when God illuminates the law in our hearts in the new covenant. And the words "through Jesus Christ" describe Jesus as the mediator of this glorious work of sovereign grace.
So the meaning of Christmas is not only that God replaces shadows with reality, but also that he takes the reality and makes it real to his people. He writes it on our hearts. He places this Christmas gift of salvation and transformation in the hearts and minds of all who are children of God.
This is an excerpt from 'Joy to the World-Daily Readings for Advent' by John Piper.
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