March 24, 2014
YOU THINK THAT STORY IS GOOD, YOU SHOULD HEAR THIS ONE . . . .
2 Corinthians 3
Chris Truax
Central Truth
You once were blind, but now you see. Behold the glory of the Master so that you can be transformed into His likeness.
Key Verse | 2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
2 Corinthians 3
Ministers of the New Covenant
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our 1 3:2 Some manuscripts your hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 2 3:3 Greek fleshly hearts
4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one 3 3:16 Greek he turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord 4 3:17 Or this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, 5 3:18 Or reflecting the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. 6 3:18 Greek from glory to glory For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Dive Deeper | 2 Corinthians 3
Have you ever been in a group of people and someone tells an entertaining story, but then some other guy has to "one-up" him by sharing an even better story? This can sometimes start a battle over who has the best story -- a battle that no one ever wins. God has many good stories (in fact, they all work together to form one story). One of His stories blows the others away by far. In fact, if you try to compare this story with the others, the other stories that seemed amazing at the time seem like a mere shadowy reflection of this one.
Let's take the story of Jonah for instance: a man swallowed by a big fish survives inside, then he preaches to a whole nation of bad people, and they repent. An amazing story, right? Or the story of Joseph: his father's most beloved son, he gets sold into slavery by his resentful brothers. He's eventually promoted, but later wrongly sent to prison. Years later, he's promoted to second in command of a whole nation and saves his family (the Israelites) from starvation. Wow!
Or the story of Moses: he leads his people out of slavery from Egypt through many miracles! In Exodus 34, Moses gets to see the God who had given him the Ten Commandments, a part of the old covenant. This encounter with God causes Moses' face to glow. Just a few minutes with God, and Moses is radiating God's glory -- he put on a veil to hide his face! Each of these is but a shadowy reflection of the most amazing story of all -- the story of Jesus. Although He was God's beloved Son, He humbled Himself, taking on full humanity and appeared as a servant by dying on a cross. He was then buried, but brought back to life in order to save all who believe in Him. He finally ascended to the right hand of God the Father. With unveiled faces we can behold the glory of God in Christ and shine His light to others. This light never fades from our faces because it's from the Spirit of the Lord who lives in and through us! Wow, wow, wow! God's story always wins! You can't "one-up" that!
Discussion Questions
1. What other Old Testament stories can you think of that are a reflection of the redemptive work of Christ revealed in the New Testament?
2. Do you try to veil God's glory or allow it to transform you and those around you?
3. Make a list of those you know who have a veiled face to the truth of the gospel. Shine His light to them, praying that God will remove their veil so that they can see the glory of God and be transformed by His Spirit, too.