I’ve lived here in NE Ohio for 18 years. I’ve never been stuck in the snow… until December. I was in a hurry to get to the office. And got stuck just around bend from our house. Being stuck was definitely not OK. I walked back home to get Ryan. I asked a neighbor to help. Before it was all over, six guys were helping to dig me out. I hated being stuck.
It’s worse to be stuck spiritually. And, frankly, some of you are stuck. You’ve been having the same arguments with your wife for months, maybe years. You’ve been trying to break the habit of cursing and you can’t. Computer pornography is choking out your spiritual life. You can’t go for a week without driving by a gas station to buy a lotto ticket. Your kids can predict when you are going to start yelling at them. There’s no more love or joy or peace in your life than you had 5-10-15 years ago. You’re not changing. I hope you hate being stuck.
If you’ve been coming here for awhile and this sounds a little familiar, you’re right. Last year at about this time, we began a series called “Fit 4 Life.” Shortly afterwards, we launched into a series called “Spring Cleaning.”
What we wanted to see happen in our lives was radical transformation. I asked you to pray for me… that I would be a new man, so changed that it would seem like this church had a new pastor – one much more like Jesus. More loving. More joyful. More at peace. And I asked you to join me on this journey – that your family and our friends would find you becoming a new you.
We saw some changes. Some of you wrote to me that you could see changes in me. But I’m not satisfied. I want to be even more like Jesus. I want my life to be irresistible – that show off Jesus in me so much that the people around me will want to know Him.
The verse we are going to study over the next few weeks tells us how we can see even more change in our lives. It tells us how to be transformed. Let’s read it together.
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.
II Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
It’s that first part of the verse that I want to focus on for a few minutes this morning. “And we all, with unveiled face…” This tells us where change begins.
I have to tell a story from the OT before you can really understand what this verse means when it talks about “an unveiled face.”
In the OT, Moses was one of God’s greatest leaders. He led God’s people out of slavery in Egypt. And on their way from Egypt to the Promised Land, Moses spent time one-on-one with God at a place called Mt. Sinai getting what we now know as the Ten Commandments.
In Exodus 34, we learn that Moses came away from his time with God with a face that glowed. He was radiant. And the people could see the glow of God on his face. They were afraid. But Moses called them close and gave them the Ten Commandments.
Now, here comes the connect with our verse for today.
When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
Exodus 34:33 (NLT)
The word is “masveh.” It comes from a root word meaning “to cover.” Some translate it as “hood.” Others translate it as “mask.” Maybe it covered his entire face except for his eyes. Maybe it was his Hebrew prayer shawl pulled over his head and around his face. Maybe it was a scarf covering his whole head and face.
When Moses would meet with God, the veil would come off. His face would glow again. His radiant face showed that Moses had been with God – that the words he shared were God’s words. Moses would come out and talk to the people about what God had said, his facing shining. Afterwards, he would put on the veil again until he once more met with God one-on-one.
Why the veil?
Moses… put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory fading away.
II Corinthians 3:13 (NLT)
Don’t miss this: When it was time to be with God, the veil came off. Moses didn’t want anything to get in the way. He wanted to see God.
Now, look again at our verse.
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.
II Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
The way we are transformed is by “beholding the glory of the Lord” – by seeing God. We can’t see Him if we have a veiled face. We won’t change if we have a veiled face. There will be no “new you” if you can’t see the glory of Jesus.
Why can’t I change? What’s blocking my view?
I’m stuck because of…
… a hardened mind.
Their minds were hardened.
II Corinthians 3:14a (ESV)
Hardened. Petrified. These are words that describe people far from God. People whose minds are hard and calloused. They are spiritually dull and do not have the power to understand.
The others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.”
Romans 11:7b-8 (NIV)
Some people just don’t get it. And maybe that’s you. You come to church week after week. But the truth is that you don’t really know why people seem so excited about God, why they want to read the Bible, pray, and sing. You just show up week after week and go through the motions. You’re religious, but there’s really no relationship, no excitement, no passion.
Could it be that you have a hardened mind? It’s a veil that keeps you from seeing the beauty of Jesus, that keeps you from changing.
Why can’t I change? What’s blocking my view? A hardened mind and…
…. a darkened heart.
Do you really have the light of heaven shining in your heart?
… a veil lies over their hearts.
II Corinthians 3:15b (ESV)
The eyes of the heart can’t see Jesus. He’s blacked out.
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Romans 1:21 (NASB)
Some people simply have dark hearts. This doesn’t mean that they are as evil as a Hitler. It just means that the light of Jesus hasn’t yet really penetrated their lives. And maybe that’s you. You read your Bible from time to time, but nothing ever really changes. Other people seem so excited about the things Jesus is teaching them. You pretend to be excited with them, but deep inside, you’re not.
Could it be that you have a darkened heart? It’s a veil that keeps you from having the light of Christ in your life, that keeps you from changing.
Why can’t I change? What’s blocking my view? A hardened mind and a darkened heart… hard-headed and dark-hearted.
The Bible says that that’s really true for everyone apart from Jesus Christ. So, we pray:
Lord, soften my mind so I can absorb Your truth. I don’t want to be hard-
headed. Change that about me. Give me a mental capacity to see the beauty of
Jesus. And shine Your light into my heart. Take away the darkness that is deep
inside of me. Let my heart glow with the glory of God.
What are my first steps toward true change?
I turn from the world.
At our house, we like the reality show, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The first thing they do is clean house. They can’t really do much else until all of the old junk is gone. Often, they just knock down the whole house.
We have a lot of things in our lives that need to be cleaned up. We’ve all got junk that needs to be removed. Problems with sin. Things we watch or listen to that do not glorifying to God. Habits we don’t let go of. We know things need to be cleaned up, but we don’t. The question is why?
The reason we don’t feel the need to get rid of the junk in our lives is because we get used to it. We’ve lived with our mess for so long that it doesn’t even bother us.
We get used to the things we watch and listen to. We get used to the things we do. Maybe the language we use. Maybe the way we treat other people. Maybe the way we respond to our parents. Maybe the shortcuts we take to get a better grade or get something we can’t afford. We allow ourselves to let the junk pile up and it’s time to clean up.
It’s time to turn from the world.
Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong – then guide me on the road to eternal life.
Psalm 139:23-24 (Msg)
Listen, lent starts on Wednesday. I want to ask you to consider joining me in something we did last year. We called it “Spring Cleaning.”
What are my first steps toward true change? I turn from the world.
I turn to the Lord.
It’s not enough for us to turn from something. We have to turn to something… or, really, Someone.
When one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
II Corinthians 3:16 (ESV)
When a person is truly converted – truly saved – that person has turned to the Lord. And the veil of darkness is removed and the true light shines. Now, they are seeing things in another light. Spiritual things that were boring aren’t boring anymore. Spiritual things that were confusing aren’t confusing anymore.
For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
II Corinthians 4:6
The heart can see and the mind is soft. The veil is removed. This is what it means to become a follower of Jesus. This is what it means to be saved. I can see Jesus now and He is beautiful to me!
In the Bible, a man named Jacob saw the Lord and ended up walking differently. Isaiah saw the Lord and ended up talking differently. Saul saw the Lord on the road to Damascus and ended up living differently. Once you see Jesus, you will not remain the same.
I’ve noticed that some women seem to have this thing about getting bored with their appearance. Their hair, their clothing. Whatever. Some women feel the need to reinvent themselves every so often. Anyway, if a girl wants a new look, she might go into a salon and take a picture with her. “I want to look like her.” Now in some cases, you know the stylist is thinking something like, “Girl, it would take a lot more talent than I have to make you look like that!” But there’s an image out there that they’re shooting for.
We need a spiritual image to set our sights on as well. We need to find a goal – a target to shoot for. Well, our pattern, of course, is Jesus.
Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it…
Hebrews 12:2a (Msg)
What are my first steps toward true change? I turn from the world and turn to the Lord.
If you set Jesus as “the new look” you’re going for, you’ll be on the right track. Seeing Jesus is what changes us into the kind of people that look like Him, act like Him, and react like Him.
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.
II Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
If you want to become more loving, more joyful, and more peaceful, the key is to see Christ for who He really is. You become what you behold. This verse talks about how we are being changed, being transformed. It’s a progressive thing. It happens degree by degree. We become like Christ.
I’m guessing you know that tomorrow is Superbowl Sunday. Tom Brady is the OB for the Patriots. He’s being compared to an all-time NFL great and Superbowl MVP, Joe Montana. Maybe it’s not a coincidence that when Tom Brady was a kid, Joe Montana was his hero, his model, his pattern.
This is God’s will for us – that we be look long and hard at Jesus and that we become progressively conformed to the image of Christ. When we become like Jesus, we will know more love. More joy. More peace. More patience. More kindness. Jesus was a man of unquenchable love. No one loved like Jesus loved. Jesus was a man of supreme joy. No one had joy like Jesus. Jesus was a man of unparalleled peace. No one had peace like Jesus. All this was his glory. Now the scripture says, “We are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.”
Again, how does this happen? How are we being transformed? The key is that we “behold (see) the glory of the Lord.” We are transformed into His image by looking at His glory. You become like what you constantly behold.
How can I learn to look more and more at Jesus? Here’s a practical idea: Why not join me in reading through the gospels during Lent? And why not join me in reading through John Piper’s book, “Seeing and savoring Jesus Christ”? 5 bucks. We’ll throw in “The Passion of the Christ.”
One person who really took advantage of growth opportunities last year is Laura Chapman. She shared with me around Christmas-time how Jesus has changed her life. I was so moved that I asked her to share it with you today.
My husband, son and I started coming to CVCC in July, 2003. I had been a Christian for a long time and was sick of it! My view of God was that after you ask Jesus into your heart, He was like a lucky charm, but pretty much expected you to live life on your own. Then when I got into a big jam, He would come bail me out and set me on my feet again.
I was tired of the struggle of trying to live like a Christian on my own strength and not getting it right. I read the Bible, but wasn’t getting to the heart of it because of having the wrong framework. Prayer time was basically tossing up requests.
On Easter 2003, I heard the song, “This is How it Feels to be Free” and I felt as if I had been struck in the heart. I knew I wasn’t free and that is what I wanted more than anything.
Well, from the very first Sunday we came to CVCC, I started to learn about how to get that freedom. I realized I needed to get back to the basics--finding out who Jesus is and what He really did when He died on the cross for me.
In the fall, I joined a CVCC small group, which was uncomfortable because I didn’t know anyone there. But it was great because every week, I’d see and talk with a few women from the group and it helped me to feel like I belonged. Through the study on Psalms and the Life Under Construction series, I got into the habit of reading the Bible regularly.
Last year, Pastor Rick kept saying about himself that he was asking God to make him into a new man, a new husband, a new dad, and a new pastor. I desperately wanted to be a different person, too.
Immediately, I realized that I didn’t know how to adore God. So I asked Him to teach me and right away He did. I received an email that week about praising God by remembering His names alphabetically. And it “just so happened” that my Bible study homework was to write out that list. I was on my way to adoring God. Before, I thought that the adoration part of prayer was like buttering God up so I could slip in the want list, which seemed pretty fake. What I learned is God doesn’t need my praises, but I really need to know who He is and what His character is like. Praising Him is for my benefit and changes the way I approach Him and also changes my attitude throughout the day. So that was my first AHA!
I had no idea I was supposed to be confessing my sins specifically, but our “Spring Cleaning” series sure taught me how to do that! As I learned to confess sins, I became aware of specific things that I needed to change. God is helping me do that, a little at a time. And many old hurts and my anger went away!
As I sought to be obedient to God, I really felt a change inside of me. I used to feel like there were bands around my heart, keeping me back and not letting me live fully. Now I feel that they are gone and I’m learning to live as a free person. I’m having to learn new ways to act and react, but it is happening. My husband has really noticed a difference and it is helping him change, too. He lets me know when I am acting in the old manner, which gets me back on track. I’m not going back to the person I was!
My interests have changed. I’m choosing different music and reading different books. Now, I pray throughout the day. Most often my prayers are about my attitudes and I have to say, “God I don’t want to do what You want me to do, but I want to obey You more, so help me!” and He does. I’m embarrassed at the number of times I have to go to Him to ask for help to say a kind word, or say nothing at all, or to do the right thing or to have the right attitude. But He really is there helping me. Psalm 101:2 is a daily prayer, "I will try to walk a blameless path, but how I need your help, especially in my own home, where I long to live as I should."
Now I know that God isn’t just there waiting to get me with a hammer, but that He longs to have a relationship with me and to walk with me step by step.
My feelings about myself have changed. I am no longer focused on my inadequacies, my unworthiness, my limitations, or stressed out by my inability to get it all right. And since I am more accepting of myself, I am more accepting of others. I feel more relaxed and open. I want to know God and obey Him and let Him be the driver. I still mess up a lot, but now I know it is ok to be human and that I don’t have to be perfect.
I don’t know why it took me so long to start getting it, but I am so thankful that I am now. Just recently it came to me that if I look back at where I was, I’ll be prideful and mess up. If I look at where I need to be, I’ll be discouraged and maybe give up. But if I just keep walking with Jesus a step at a time, I’ll keep changing.
So if we want people to see Jesus in us – if we want to grow to be more like Him – if we really want to change, our strategy must be to see Him. To see Him for who He really is. To fix our gaze on Him and look to Him and think about Him, and put Him before us again and again. This is the key to becoming like Him.
Are you stuck? Are you going nowhere spiritually? It’s time to dig in! It’s time to go to work!
A point to ponder: I cannot change myself.
Leo Tolstoy once said, “Everybody thinks of changing humanity but nobody thinks of changing himself.” Pretty good quote except for one thing: no one can change himself from the inside out by himself. Jesus is our pattern and Jesus is our power. He changes us.
A verse to remember: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (II Corinthians 5:17, ESV)
A question to consider: What is some convincing evidence in my life that I have turned to the Lord?
We won’t know a changed life by watching endless hours of empty TV. We won’t be transformed while wasting hours away exploring the World Wide Web. We won’t change if we set our minds on things that ignore Christ. No. If we choose not to focus on Christ, if we go our own way and preoccupy ourselves with other issues in life, then we dare not say, “Why won’t God help me break this bad habit? Why won’t God help me control this rage? Why doesn’t God help me stop overeating?”
If we spend our days and evenings looking at things other than Jesus we will stay enslaved to our sins. Wherever you are spiritually – whether you are a newcomer to the faith or are spiritually mature – you can go farther and deeper with God. You can see Him do greater things in your life than you have seen so far. Whatever your experience in this life of following Jesus has been, God is saying to you today, “We’re just getting started. You can be a new you. Just keep looking to Me.”
Lord, soften my mind so I can absorb Your truth. I don’t want to be hard-
headed. Change that about me. Give me a mental capacity to see the beauty of
Jesus. And shine Your light into my heart. Take away the darkness that is deep
inside of me. Let my heart glow with the glory of God. Let me see You, Jesus!
