Introduction:
A. As you know, transformation is big business on TV these days.
1. Our present love affair with reality shows has led to many TV programs that have to do with transformation.
2. There are home makeover programs that transform ugly rooms and deteriorating homes into something that could be featured in Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
3. There are programs like the Biggest Loser that transform men and women from obesity to healthy.
4. This is all well and good, but these transformations are external.
B. God is also in the transformation business, but the changes that God wants to bring into our lives does not focus on externals.
1. The makeovers that God is interested in bringing about have to do with our hearts, and our character.
2. The glory of the new covenant has to do with this marvelous transformation that God brings about in our lives.
3. Let’s work our way through today’s text from 2 Corinthians 3 and discover what Paul says about the glory of the new covenant.
I. Understanding the Word
A. In our text today, we witness Paul contrasting the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.
1. A covenant is an agreement or an arrangement made between to people.
2. In most covenants, the two parties enter into the agreement on equal terms.
3. But in the biblical sense of covenant, God is the prime mover who approaches us to offer a relationship upon conditions that we can neither initiate or alter.
4. Our only choices are to accept or reject God’s covenant.
B. Interestingly, when Jesus and Paul called this covenant “new,” they used a specific Greek word.
1. In Greek there are two words for “new.”
2. One is neos, which means “new in point of time.”
3. The second Greek word for “new” is kainos which means not only “new in point of time, but also new in quality.”
4. Can you guess which of the two words were used by Jesus and Paul? Jesus and Paul both use kainos when speaking of the new covenant.
5. Therefore, we need to understand that the new covenant is not only new in point of time, but that it is quite different in kind from the old covenant.
6. The new covenant produces a totally different kind of relationship between us and God.
7. Let’s look at some of these differences that Paul points out in the text.
C. First of all, let me make a clarification. In making the contrasts between the Old and New Covenants, Paul did not deny the glory of the old covenant, because there was glory in the giving of the Law and the maintaining of the tabernacle and temple services.
1. What Paul affirmed, however, was that the glory of the new covenant was far superior, to the glory of the old covenant.
D. The first contrast affirmed by Paul is that New Covenant glory means spiritual life, not death.
1. Look at verses 6-8: He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
2. When Moses descended from the mountain, after conversing with God, his face shone with the glory of God.
3. This was a part of the glory of the giving of the Law, and it certainly impressed the people.
4. Paul then argued from the lesser to the greater: if there was glory in the giving of a Law which brought death, how much more glory is there in a ministry that brings life!
E. The second contrast affirmed by Paul is that the New Covenant glory means righteousness, not condemnation.
1. Look at verses 9 and 10: If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.
2. Again, Paul is arguing from the lesser to the greater.
3. The Old Covenant was considered glorious, even though it brought about condemnation.
4. The New Covenant is greater because it produces righteousness and changes lives to the glory of God.
5. Our greatest need is righteousness, and God’s greatest gift is righteousness through faith in Jesus.
F. The third contrast affirmed by Paul is that the New Covenant glory is permanent, not temporary.
1. Look at verse 11: And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
2. Paul wrote at a period in history when the ages were overlapping.
3. The New Covenant of grace had arrived, but the temple services were still being carried on and the nation of Israel was still living under the Law.
4. In 70 A.D., the city of Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed by the Romans, and that would mark the end of the Jewish religious system.
5. Once the temple was destroyed, there could be no more priesthood and no more temple sacrifices.
6. The glory of the Old Covenant was fading in Paul’s day, and today that glory is found only in the pages of the Old Testament.
7. Paul’s point was that the glory of the New Covenant is so much greater because it will never fade away?
G. Because the new covenant is so much greater, Paul declared that he was very bold (vs. 12), and then he proceeded to discuss the veil that Moses wore.
1. Look at verses 12–13: Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 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.
2. When Moses came down from meeting God on the mountain, his face shone with God’s glory, but then Moses covered his face with a veil so that the people would not be able to see the slow fading of the glory that was once there.
3. As we have already discussed, this represents the fact that the old covenant and the relationship it brought between God and humans was essentially one that would fade away.
4. The old covenant was destined to be replaced by the new covenant.
a. But it was not to be replaced as something wrong would be replaced by something right.
b. Rather, it was to be replaced like something incomplete is replaced by something complete.
5. The revelation that came by Moses was true and great, but it was only partial – a shadow of what was to come.
a. The revelation that came in Jesus Christ is full and final.
6. Long ago, Augustine said so wisely, “We do wrong to the Old Testament if we deny that it comes from the same just and good God as the New. On the other hand we do wrong to the New Testament, if we put the Old on a level with it.”
7. The old was a step to glory; the new is the summit of glory.
H. This idea of the veil that Moses wore took hold of Paul’s mind and he then applied it to an ongoing blindness of the Jews.
1. Look at verses 14 and 15: 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. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
2. Paul had a special love for Israel and a burden to see his people saved.
3. But Paul knew that this was no easy task because there was a spiritual “veil” over their minds and hearts.
4. Even though the Old Testament scriptures were read systematically in their synagogues, the Jewish people did not grasp the spiritual message God had given them.
5. The very Scripture that ought to point them to Jesus as the Messiah was not able to do so because of the veil.
I. Was there any hope for the lost children of Israel?
1. Paul said there was. Look at verses 16 and 17: But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2. Only in Christ is the veil removed.
3. Whenever a person does turn to the Lord, the veil is removed because they see in Christ the fulfillment of the law.
4. And not only is the veil removed, but the bondage of the law is removed and the Spirit introduces life and liberty.
J. The last verse of the section and the chapter is a favorite of many.
1. Verse 18 reads: 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.
2. This verse is the climax of the chapter and presents truth that is so exciting and marvelous.
3. It declares that all of us, Christians, are privileged to share in possessing and radiating the glory of the Lord through the work of the Holy Spirit.
4. Under the Old Covenant, only Moses ascended the mountain and had fellowship with God; but under the new covenant, all believers have the privilege of communion with the Lord.
5. We are participants in the glory of God and are transformed into His likeness by the Spirit.
6. As we look into God’s Word and see God’s Son, the Spirit transforms us into the very likeness of God.
7. The goal of New Covenant ministry is transformation into the image of Jesus Christ.
8. The Law brought us to Christ, but only new covenant grace can make us like Christ.
9. This caused Paul to declare: Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. (2 Cor. 4:1)
10. When we understand that our lives and ministries involve the glory of God, how could we quit or give up hope?
II. Applying God’s Word
A. There are three things I would encourage us to remember about New Covenant transformation.
B. First, I would encourage us to remember that New Covenant transformation is POSSIBLE.
1. Later in chapter five of 2 Corinthians, Paul will declare: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17)
2. No matter how long we have been a Christian, whether short time or long, we are a new creation.
3. As a new creation, we are a member of the family of God, and we have received the deposit of the Spirit of God, and God is for us.
4. Ultimately, there is nothing we cannot overcome and become, because we like Paul can say, “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:13)
5. None of that means that transformation is going to be easy or quick, because Satan is working against us, and sometimes we also work against what God is trying to do in us and for us.
6. But no matter how frustrated we might be, or how much we might have failed to experience transformation in the past, the possibility remains in the present and the future.
7. God’s promises always remain – including “…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ.” (Phil. 1:6)
8. Jesus declared, “with God all things are possible.” (Mt. 19:26)
9. Jesus also promised, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mk. 9:23)
10. Paul’s words from today’s text are filled with hope – “And we…are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory…” (3:18)
11. Let us not give up hope, but continue to believe that transformation is possible.
C. Second, I would encourage us to remember that New Covenant transformation involves a PERSON.
1. The person I’m talking about is the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2. Transformation ultimately comes from and through God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. God lives in us and works in and through us – The Lord transforms us, we don’t transform ourselves.
4. John Ortberg explained it this way in his book The Life You Always Wanted: “It's like a motorboat and a sailboat. A person can operate a motorboat without assistance, given the right equipment and effort. Operating a sailboat is different--it is dependent on the wind. The operator of a sailboat does whatever enables him to catch the wind. Spiritual transformation is like this: ..we can open ourselves to spiritual transformation through certain practices, but we cannot engineer it. We can take no credit for it.” (p. 55-56)
5. It is focusing on the Lord and yielding to His will and ways that leads to transformation.
6. Bringing the Lord into every part of our lives leads to transformation.
7. I like the story told of the wise mother who visited her son at college.
a. When she visited his dorm room, she saw that his walls were covered with more than a dozen suggestive pictures and posters.
b. Her heart was grieved, but she said nothing.
c. Several days later, the mailman delivered a package to the young man.
d. It was a gift from his mother—a beautifully framed picture of Jesus Christ.
e. Proudly the boy hung the picture on the wall above his desk.
f. That night, before he went to bed, he removed the pin-up picture which hung closest to the face of Christ.
g. The next day another picture was consigned to the wastebasket.
h. Day after day the pictures began to disappear from the walls until only one remained—the picture of the Savior.
8. As the song says:
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting; He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—For more than conquerors we are!”
9. Transformation involves a Person – The Lord who is the Spirit makes our transformation a reality.
D. Finally, I would encourage us to remember that New Covenant transformation is a PROCESS.
1. Shortly before his death, Cecil B. DeMille, the legendary film producer of films like The Ten Commandments, Cleopatra, and The Greatest Show On Earth, wrote this beautiful meditation:
“One day as I was lying in a canoe, a big black beetle came out of the water and climbed up into the canoe. I watched it idly for some time. Under the heat of the sun, the beetle proceeded to die. Then a strange thing happened. His glistening black shell cracked all the way down his back. Out of it came a shapeless mass, quickly transformed into beautiful, brilliantly colored life. As I watched in fascination, there gradually unfolded iridescent wings from which the sunlight flashed a thousand colors. The wings spread wide, as if in worship of the sun. The blue-green body took shape. Before my eyes had occurred a metamorphosis-the transformation of a hideous beetle into a gorgeous dragonfly, which started dipping and soaring over the water. But the body it had left behind still clung to my canoe. I had witnessed what seemed to me a miracle. Out of the mud had come a beautiful new life. And the thought came to me, that if the Creator works such wonders with the lowliest of creatures, what may be in store for the human spirit?”
2. Our transformation is a process much like that of metamorphosis – there are stages in the process, and there are periods where nothing seems to be taking place.
a. We all have experienced those spiritual growth spurts and then those spiritual plateaus where it seems like no progress is being made.
b. I like a sign that was seen on the freeway in Boston during a major transformation of the streets and bridges. It said: “Rome wasn't built in a day. If it was we would have hired their contractor.”
c. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will be our spiritual lives. Transformation is a process.
3. I love the way Peter discusses the process of transformation in the opening of his second letter.
a. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
b. The promises of that passage include the fact that God has made available all that we need for transformation, and that we get to participate in the divine nature.
c. Then Peter describes the process of developing our character by adding these divine qualities in increasing measure.
d. Peter concludes with the promise that if we are diligent in the process the end result will be spiritually effective and productive lives.
4. The big question for us is: How do we do this? How do we allow the Lord to transform us into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, while at the same time make every effort to do our part?
5. I would suggest that our part includes practicing the spiritual disciplines: such as service, prayer, and Bible study and meditation.
6. Nothing can take the place of the Word of God in our lives which then becomes the sword of the Spirit in our hand.
7. 1 Peter 2:2-3 says, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
8. Look at what Paul told the elders from Ephesus: “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32)
E. I want to end with this marvelous story of transformation.
1. The true story of the Mutiny on the Bounty has often been retold.
2. One part that deserves retelling was the transformation wrought by one book – the Bible.
3. Nine mutineers with six native men and twelve native (Tahitian) women put ashore on Pitcairn Island in 1790.
4. One sailor soon began distilling alcohol, and the little colony was plunged into debauchery and vice.
5. Ten years later, only two white men survived Alexander Smith and Edward Young, surrounded by native women and half-breed children.
6. One day, in an old chest from the Bounty, Alexander Smith found a Bible.
7. Unfortunately, this wasn’t of much use to him, because he was illiterate.
8. Edward Young, however, was literate and so he taught Smith to read using the Bible.
9. A year later, Young died, but Alexander Smith continued to read to Bible.
10. Seeing the importance of teaching the Bible to others, he began teaching the children how to read, and eventually some of the mothers learned to read as well.
11. Using the Bible, he taught everyone about the Christian faith and instituted a daily prayer time, grace before meals, and Sunday worship.
12. In 1808, Pitcairn’s Island was discovered by an American ship the USS Topas.
13. The members of the crew were amazed to find that the island was inhabited by thirty five English-speaking people of Polynesian descent who were practicing the Christian faith.
14. Here’s a picture of the Bounty Bible from the Pitcairn Island Museum.
15. The Bible and the Christian faith had transformed the Pitcairn community into a peaceful, prosperous community with no jail, no whisky, no crime, and no laziness.
F. Let’s leave here today knowing that the glory of the new covenant includes the permanence of the spiritual life and righteousness it brings.
1. Let’s be encouraged by the fact that the Lord will bring transformation into our lives through the Spirit, as we do our part to cooperate with the Lord.
2. Let’s not be discouraged or give up hope, because we know that transformation is possible, and is a process – it takes time.
3. Let us focus on the person of transformation, the Lord Jesus himself and the Spirit He sent.
4. And let us allow the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God to do it’s work with in us.
5. If God can use His book to convert the inhabitants of Pitcairn Island through a former illiterate, rehabilitated alcoholic, He can use that book to transform our lives as well.
G. Oh, the glory of the New Covenant!
1. How great it is to be a child of God; a disciple of Jesus Christ!
2. And how great it is to experience God’s transformation with ever-increasing glory.
3. Together we can say, “I’m not all that I can be, or want to be, or will be; buy by the grace of God, I’m not what I use to be.”
4. We used to sing a great children’s song that goes like this: “He’s still workin’ on me, to make me what I ought to be. It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be, cause He’s still workin’ on me.”
Resources:
Paul for Everyone, 2 Corinthians, Tom Wright, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003
2 Corinthians, The NIV Application Commentary, Scott J. Hafemann, Zondervan, 2000
2 Corinthians, John MacArthur, Nelson Impact, 2007
The Letters to the Corinthians, William Barclay, The Westminster Press, 1975
Be Encouraged, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Warren Wiersbe, Victor Books, 1989
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Murray J. Harris, Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, Zondervan, 1976
“Extreme Makeover – God Edition” Sermon by Bill Sullivan, SermonCentral.com
“The Transformation of the Christian” Sermon by Joel Pankow, SermonCentral.com
