The Ministry of the New Covenant
2 Corinthians 3:7- 4:6
New Revised Standard Version ©1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA.

                                                                                                                

Abounding in Glory

{3:7}     Now if the ministry of death,
                                    chiseled in letters on stone tablets,         came in
                                            so that the people of Israel
                                                    could not gaze at Moses' face
                                                                                      because of the
                                                                                                          a
   {8}              how much more will  the ministry of the Spirit come in
   {9}                                                                           For if there was
                                                         the ministry of condemnation,
                              much more does the ministry of justification
                                                                                             abound in
 {10}                                                                Indeed, what once had
                                                                                            has lost its
                                                                          because of the greater
 {11}                                         for if what was set aside came through
                                                 much more has the permanent come in


glory


glory
   of his face,
glory   now set aside,
glory?
glory   in


glory!
glory
glory
glory
;
glory,
glory!

                                                                            

With Unveiled Faces

{12}     Since, then,    we have such a hope,
                                  we act with great boldness,
 {13}                 not like Moses,                       who put a 
                                to keep the people of Israel
                                             from gazing at the end of the
 
 {14}                             But their minds were hardened.
                    Indeed, to this very day,
                            when they hear the reading
                                     of the old covenant,      that same
                                              since only in Christ
                                                       is it set aside.
 {15}           Indeed, to this very day 
                            whenever Moses is read, a

 {16}                             but when one turns to the Lord,
                                                                                  the
 {17}             Now the Lord is the Spirit,
                               and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
                                                  there is freedom.
 {18}                                And all of us,              with un-
                                                                       seeing the 
                                                 as though reflected
                                                               in a mirror,
                                             are being transformed
                                                    into the same image
                                                          from one degree of 
                                      for this comes from the Lord,
                                                                    the Spirit.


veil
over his face






veil is still there,



veil lies
    over their minds;

veil is removed.



veiled faces,












glory that was
        being set aside.















glory of the Lord




glory to another;


 

Out in the Open

{4:1}     Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, 
                        we do not lose heart.
   {2}                         We have renounced     the shameful things that one hides;
                                        we refuse                     to practice cunning or 
                                                                            to falsify God's word;
                                             but by the open statement of the truth
                                                        we commend ourselves to the conscience 
                                                                    of everyone in the sight of God.
   {3}                                             And even if our gospel is veiled, 
                                                                                      it is veiled to those who are perishing.
   {4}                         In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,
                                                                                     to keep them from seeing the light
                                                                                              of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
                                                                                                        who is the image of God.
   {5}              For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord
                                              and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake.
   {6}                         For it is the God who said,      "Let light shine out of darkness,"
                                                            who has shone in our hearts 
                                                                       to give the light of the knowledge 
                                                                                                                  of the glory of God
                                                                                                       in the face of  Jesus  Christ.

 

 

sermons on this text

return to texts online

return to main sermon page