Worship Guide for July 21

July 18, 2024

Prepare for Sunday morning worship by using the guide below.

2 Corinthians 3:1-18

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? ²You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. ³And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

⁴Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. ⁵Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, ⁶who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

⁷Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, ⁸will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? ⁹For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. ¹⁰Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

¹²Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, ¹³not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. ¹⁴But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. ¹⁶But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And 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.

Watch the Sermon

Summary: Last week, Paul used the illustration that the church carries with it the fragrance of God. The effect of that fragrance is to bring life to those who are saved, and death to those who are perishing. This week, he will compare the church to a letter. Next, he will compare the old covenant (the Law given to Moses on Mt. Sinai) to the new covenant (which comes through the blood of Christ). As you read, you may think that Paul is being too critical of the Law, but there is more to be understood here than we might see at first glance.

Review & Apply

Why does Paul say he needs no letter of recommendation?

What do you think it means that the church is Paul's recommendation letter? What does that say about the church? What does it say about Paul's ministry?

What is Paul referring to when he talks about "carved...letters on stone"? Why would he say they are a ministry of death?

Verse 13 talks about Moses putting a veil over his face. Read Exodus 34:29-35. Why did Moses wear a veil?

Verse 16 says that when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. What did that look like in your own life? How do you know the veil has been removed from your eyes?

How does verse 18 inform our understanding of growth in godliness? Think back in your own life and consider if you can see how you have been transformed by degrees of glory since you came to Christ.

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