#3 Of 3 - Love’s Ultimate Victory Series

Sermon Handout

Series Title: L.U.V.

Sermon Title: #3-Love’s Ultimate Victory

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3: 12-18

February 14, 2010

I. M________ had this kind of relationship with God., v. 13

When Moses came away from interaction with God, his F_______ radiated

II. We often M________ having this kind of relationship with God, vv. 14-15.

‘dull,’ - “petrified like stone”, ’blind, or ignorant.’ They couldn’t S_______ the truth, or because they simply can’t understand the truth.

God gave the OT to instruct His people in how to live, but it was never to take the place of a personal, intimate F________________ with God.

III. God made a W________ for you to have this kind of relationship with Him, v. 14b, 16

V. 14, ‘taken away’ - unveil; remove the veil, so you can see

In Jesus, the God of all the universe came to earth in B__________ form. He had relationships with people. Which is what He wants with you and me.

V. 16, ‘turns’ - revolves.

‘taken away’ is different from the previous word. It means that an A____________ has been lifted, and we are free to move and live in a loving personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus.

IV. You will be B_______________ in this kind of relationship with God, vv. 17-18.

“there is freedom.” In a loving relationship with Christ, we have the freedom to find M_________ in life, and joy and love and comfort.

2. “we ...reflect the Lord’s glory.”

B__________ Camp

“[we] are being transformed into His likeness.” Like a butterfly is transformed from a caterpillar, he wants to C______________ our lives from slavery to sin, into a victorious life in relationship with Him.

Because God L___________ us, He wants to give us ultimate victory over sin and rebelliousness and destructive behavior.

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Sermon

Series Title: L.U.V.

Sermon Title: #3-Love’s Ultimate Victory

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3: 13-18

Scripture

13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.

14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.

15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.

16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (NIV)

Introduction

Well, I don’t really have to define the word, ‘victory,’ do I? If you keep up with the NFL, then you know that the New Orleans Saints won the victory in the Super Bowl last Sunday. If you’ve ever played any sport, then you have experienced a victory.

Well, I’ve never been much on sports. When I was in the 10th grade, some of the older students started a chess club, and I joined it. I had learned how to play chess in the 5th grade. I would play at lunch time, and any other spare few minutes I could find. I checked out books from the library that taught how to play better.

So the chess club decided it would sponsor a high school chess tournament. You had to win two games against your opponent to advance. Well, I won pretty easily all the way to the semi-final round. My opponent was an 11th grade guy, who was pretty smart. He came over to my house for the first game, and we sat down to play. And he was one of those thinkers. Our first game went for two hours. And I lost it. He came over a few days later to play our second game. And I guess I played well, and I won it. So, I went from sadness to excitement, So, we had to play a tiebreaker. He came over again, and we sat down to play. We began pretty basically, and after 20 minutes or so, it hit me that I was playing poorly. He was making all kinds of attacking moves, and I was running away, and I knew that it wouldn’t be long before the game would be over. And then it happened. He made a move that was not an attacking move. And it wasn’t a defensive move either. Maybe he was setting up for something down the road. But as I studied the board, I realized that I had put my pieces into very strategic positions early in the game. And even though he’d been chasing me around, everything was ready. And in 5 or so moves, I had won the game. I went on to the final round against the valedictorian, and though I was worried, I went on to win the victory.