“WE ACT WITH GREAT BOLDNESS” (Outline)
August 27, 2023 – Pentecost 13 – 2 CORINTHIANS 3:12-18
INTRO.: Our text today encourages us to act with great boldness. We might not always feel very bold or courageous. God appointed Joshua to replace Moses as the next leader of Israel. Big shoes to fill. Joshua would lead God’s people into God’s Promised Land. A people who often grumbled against the Lord God. Many enemies to face. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid and do not be terrified before them, because the LORD your God is going with you. He will not abandon you and he will not forsake you” (DEUTERONOMY 31:6). The Lord is with us. Goes with us. Does not forget us. “WE (CAN) ACT WITH GREAT BOLDNESS.” I. Moses’ veil hides God’s glory. II. Only Christ reveals God’s glory.
I. MOSES’ VEIL HIDES GOD’S GLORY.
A. Verse 12. Paul described believers’ hope in God earlier. Sins forgiven. Eternal life. Sure hope.
B. Verse 13. Moses put a veil over his face to cover God’s glory. Elders feared Moses’ shining face.
1. God’s glory was bright whenever Moses was in the presence of the Lord. Faded.
2. Glory faded when Moses not in the Lord’s presence. Veil covered God’s glory.
3. Moses did not want the Israelites to think that God’s glory was a fading glory. Eternal.
a. People have summer tans. b. These tans will disappear by the middle of winter.
C. Verse 14a. Israel still hardened their hearts even though they did not see God’s glory fade away.
1. Israel often dissatisfied with how the Lord provided for them. Veil covered hearts.
2. Verse 15. Veil remained still to this day whenever Moses read. Looked only at the Law.
3. Jews demanded Jesus’ crucifixion. Released murderer Barabas. Veil. Darkness hid glory
D. So sad that God’s own chosen people did not see the glory of God as revealed in his word. Or in his care for them. Or by his miracles done for them. simply defined, Moses’ veil was the law. All too many only focus on God’s law. God’s glorious gospel is hidden from their sight. Understanding. Salvation. We review: Law Shows Our Sin. The Gospel Shows Our Savior. Law is a short word. Three letters. Sin also short. Three letters. Law cannot save. “For this reason, no one will be declared righteous in his sight by works of the law, for through the law we become aware of sin” (ROMANS 3:20). Too many churches emphasize the law. Do…do…do some more. This causes guilt. Forgets Jesus’ work done!
E. Satan is the prince of this world. Father of lies. Promoter of darkness. The devil does not want anyone to live in the Lord’s light. He uses the attractions of this world to distract from God’s glory. The veil of the devil’s darkness hides the divine glory of God. “In the case of those people, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from clearly seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is God’s image” (2 CORINTHIANS 4:4). Our loving, heavenly Father encourages us to act with boldness against the devil. God’s Word is our boldness. We hear, read, and study. Tell Satan, “NO!”
F. None of us want to give the devil a foothold in our hearts. Into our lives. Satan’s darkness can start seemingly innocently. Israel grumbled about God’s goodness. Did not listen. Turned away. We do not want to think that God does not care for us. All too soon we might close our ears. Rebel. Turn away from the goodness of our loving, heavenly Father. “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of their hearts” (EPHESIANS 4:18). Sinning begins the darkness. The veil begins to hide God’s glory. All too soon hearts become hardened. Resist the devil’s temptations. Flee from the lusts of the flesh. Act boldly!
“WE ACT WITH GREAT BOLDNESS.” Moses’ veil (law) hides God’s glory.
II. ONLY CHRIST REVEALS GOD’S GLORY.
A. Verse 14b. The veil “is taken away only in Christ.” Christ uncovered God’s glory for Israel.
B. Verse 17. Lord is Spirit. Spirit of Lord gave freedom. Boldness for early Christian believers.
1. Everyone desired to be free. This was God’s freedom from sin, Satan, and even death.
2. Children of Israel still blinded by the veil of Moses. Did not see glory of God in Jesus.
a. Jesus told Jewish leaders: search the Scriptures, discover truth, will be set free.
b. Jews responded: We are Abraham’s descendants, never slaves to anyone. Hardened.
C. Verse 18. God’s gift of faith changed unbelievers into followers of Christ. Into God’s image.
1. Believers now had unveiled faces. Glory of the Lord reflected in lives of Christ followers.
2. Faith of believers grew from glory into greater glory. Their faith gave them boldness.
3. All of the believers’ boldness came from the Lord. The Spirit who gave freedom. In Christ.
D. Interesting that the Lord mentions being changed into his image. Icon is the word used here for image. Corinthian believers lived in a very wicked city. Corinth was a large city filled with glorious temples dedicated to various false gods. Now these believers looked to the Lord in humility and simplicity. Think of the challenges they faced. Left glorious “mega-churches” behind. Worshiped in small numbers. Often in peoples’ homes. Christ had opened their eyes to see God’s glory. The Spirit gave them hearts to believe God’s glory. Their heavenly Father strengthened to act with boldness. We now, like the Corinthian Christ-followers, have our hope as a sure hope. God’s sure hope living in us gives each of us spiritual boldness. “For out of his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (JOHN 1:16, 17). Our faith grows!
E. Believers, God has given you and me freedom. God’s freedom is divine power. Power to tell Satan to get behind us. Leave us alone. We have God’s boldness to flee the temptations of this world. Our own sinful flesh. “For God did not give us a timid spirit, but a spirit of power and love and sound judgment. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner” (2 TIMOTHY 1:7, 8a). We do know right from wrong. Good from evil. We act with great boldness against the darkness of this world. Through Christ we see God’s glory. Believe. Act boldly. Testify to the Truth.
F. What are we to do with God’s glory in our hearts? In our lives? Simply put…we are to shine with the glory of God among those still sitting in darkness. Hopelessness. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed…” (LUKE 4:18). Look closely at the people you see in public. Or your neighbors. Or friends. Family. Are they oppressed by the pressures of this empty life? Do they have a dark outlook about their lives? Or the world? Engage them in conversation. Proclaim to them God’s good news. Freedom. God loves them. Forgives them. Is with them…always.
CONCL.: Moses’ veil still hides God’s glory to this day. The law does not save. Cannot save. Will not provide any comfort. Law shows our sin. ONLY Christ reveals God’s glory. Gospel shows our Savior! “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 PETER 1:3). Our hope is our sure and living hope. Christ lived. Died. Rose again. Paid for our sins. And the sins of the world. “WE ACT WITH GREAT BOLDNESS.” May the Lord God strengthen us to boldly shine with his Christ-revealed glory! Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENTECOST 13 rdgs: EXODUS 34:5-9; ROMANS 10:5-13; MATTHEW 16:13-20; (PSALM 133)
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