Kelly Minter "All Things New" - Session 3

Session 3 of this series is called "A New Ministry."  Kelly will focus on 2 Corinthians chapter 3:1-18.

Kelly begins by saying that Paul had a lot of problems with the Corinthian church.  They wanted a letter of recommendation.  They didn't like it that Paul was poor, not popular, beaten up.  They wanted a successful, powerful man.  

• Tension
• Hardship
• Attack

Chapters 3-6 are about what Christian ministry should look like.

Old Versus New Covenant. Look at verse 6.  The old covenant was good but was powerless to change us (Law of Moses/10 commandments).  It showed us what we needed to do but the Law didn't help us get there.  The old law:

• Kills
• Brings death
• Condemns

Paul has a different kind of ministry, much more glorious than the law.  Look at Romans 8:3-4.  God fulfilled the law by sending Jesus Christ, who is the new covenant, and we are part of this new covenant ministry.

Five Characteristics

Kelly mentioned 5 characteristics of what it means to be a new covenant minister:

A ministry about people's hearts. If we've lost sight of people's hearts, we've lost sight of what it means to be in new covenant ministry.  We can be about people, numbers and masses but forget about their hearts. (see 2 Cor. 3:3).

A ministry for which God equips us. Equip: to render one fit, to equip one with adequate power to perform ones duties.  In order for the Lord to make you sufficient, He may have to take you through a season of breaking you down.  He's working out the sufficiency in you. (see 2 Cor. 3:6).

We also looked at 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 and Exodus chapter 34.  The story of the tablets and coming down from the moutain with Moses face shining.  He had to put a veil over his face.  That was glory that would fade.  How much more glorious is that which will last and not fade.  This new covenant ministry will last.

It's a ministry of boldness.  Why?  Because we have a hope (verse 12).  Read 2 Corinthians 3:12-16.  Paul uses the metaphor of a veil two different ways:

• Veil covers the hearts of unbelievers and removed when they come to the Lord
• The veil we put over our faces as believers (verses 12-13)

Kelly commented that the people in the world have a veil over their heart because they haven't turned to Christ.  We also can have a veil over our face because of not telling them the gospel. 

"Others may not get the veil off their heart until we get the veil off our face."

A ministry of freedom (verse 17).

A ministry of unfading glory.  "ever increasing glory" verse 18.

Kelly asked this question "why do we get to be ministers of the new covenant?"

Second Corinthians 5:21 gives us the answer "so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Session 4: "The New Has Come"