(New Covenant) 1. the Glory of the New Covenant — Miki Hardy

The Glory of the New Covenant in 2 Corinthians 3

So it's wonderful to be back again, and may we together open our Bibles in the second book of Corinthians chapter 3. I'd like to share with you during that time on the glory of the new covenant. The glory of the new covenant.

The Cloud and Presence of God Under the Old Covenant

That probably puts a question in your mind, what's the glory of the old covenant? You know when we talk about the glory of God in the old covenant, many times it speaks about a cloud. The presence of God filling the temple, filling the tabernacle.

God coming in his presence manifested by a cloud, and God visited his people in the temple. And we look at that in the book of Leviticus, Exodus, in the book of Chronicles. When the temple was built, the glory of God filled the temple.

There was a cloud. We can see that even in the start of the book of Acts, in the new testament, in the new covenant. When the presence of the Lord filled the house where they were praying, they were waiting for the Holy Spirit to come.

And it was a noise, it was a wind. The glory of God was there. But here in the text that we are going to look at, the apostle Paul is going to relate to us and describe to us what is the glory of the new covenant.

Let us read from chapter 3, verse 7. 2 Corinthians 3, verse 7. But if the ministry of death written out, written and engraved on stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away.

How will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect because of the glory that excels.

For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. So in other words, we are talking about the glory of the old covenant under the law and the glory of the new covenant under grace.

Lazarus and the Manifestation of God's Glory

It is like comparing the glory of God that is being manifested. In fact, the glory of God, when we talk about it, it can be manifested in many ways. I think you remember when Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus and he was dead.

And Martha came to Jesus and he said, it is too late. It is four days now that he is in the grave and he even smells the dead body. Do you remember what Jesus told Martha? What did he say? If you believe, you shall see the glory of God.

And the glory of God was manifested when Lazarus was raised from the dead. The power of God was being manifested. The presence of God was there. You see, the glory of God can be manifested in many ways.

But here what we are going to see is something which can revolutionize our lives. The glory of the new covenant because it touches every single Christian life. It is not something that you can see from far.

It is not just a miracle. It is not just the manifestation of God in a particular situation. But the glory of the new covenant touches every life of those who are born again. So it is more than the manifestation of God through miracles, through healings, through his power.

Through his presence in this place or his presence somewhere. The glory of the new covenant is the presence of Christ in us. It is the presence of Christ in us. Living in us. That is what Paul is going to express here.

So it is more than when Jesus stood before the grave of Lazarus. And the glory of God came down. And there was a miracle. Lazarus came out from that tomb, resurrected from the dead. That is a miracle.

That is a presence of God right there to touch one person's life. Can you understand that? And when the temple was being built in the old covenant. And everything was set apart and set and done. The glory of God came down.

The presence of the Lord came and filled the temple. There was a cloud, like a cloud. It represented the presence of God. In the tabernacle of Moses it was the same thing. God came down. And then he left.

Moses, the Veil, and the Passing Glory of the Law

When Moses came down from the mountain, his face was shining. The glory of God was upon his face. And the people of Israel could not even look at him. But then it faded away. God wanted to express to the people of Israel.

That Moses had an encounter with God. And had brought back the commandments. The law. That Moses was not on the mountain just having prayer. He had an encounter with God. He met God. He heard God. And God himself wrote with his hands on the tables of stone.

The ten commandments. And that's how God related to Moses. But here the apostle Paul talks about the glory of the new covenant. If the ministry of condemnation was glorious. How much more the ministry of righteousness be more glorious.

And when we talk about righteousness. We're talking about what? Being saved. Being redeemed. As if we are right with God. Not as if but being right with God. Being forgiven. Can you understand that? So it's more than the presence of God somewhere.

That's why the apostle Paul expresses himself about the mystery of the church. He says Christ in you the hope of glory. Christ in you the hope of glory. That's the glory of the new covenant. It's not that God has changed.

No God doesn't change. He's the same. All the time. But there's something special about the new covenant. There's something special about the church. Something special. About the relationship that God has with you and I.

It's special. It's not like in the old covenant. And here we are sitting in just in this place. And hearing the gospel. And probably not realizing what has been happening to our lives. What is this covenant that God made with us.

As we became born again and entered into the kingdom of God. Maybe we don't realize what's happening. And when we talk about the glory of God we just have one thought in mind. God somewhere. The power of God.

A miracle. A demonstration of God's love somehow. Okay verse 12. Therefore since we have such hope we use great boldness of speech. Unlike Moses who put a veil over his face. So that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

But their minds were blinded. Their minds were blinded. Can you see that? Their minds were blinded. And yet the glory of God was being manifested before their eyes. But their minds were blinded. For until this day.

This day. The same veil. Remains unlifted. In the reading of the old covenant. Of the old testament. Until this day. The veil is not uplifted. In other words you cannot see. The benefits of the new covenant.

You cannot see. You are still blind. There is only one way that the veil is being taken away. It's in Christ. It's when you are born again. Then the veil is removed. Then you are no more blind. You can see.

Then you can see. Amazing. The presence of Christ. In us. That's cunning you. But the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day when Moses is read. A veil lies on their heart. In other words if you are not converted.

If you are not born again. You read the old covenant. You can read the bible. The veil is still there. You cannot see. You don't see anything about your own life. You don't understand the mystery of Christ.

You don't understand the mystery of the church. You don't understand. The glory of the new covenant. You don't. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord. The veil is taken away. When one turns to the Lord.

Transformation by the Spirit of the Lord

Okay. When you are born again. Then the veil is taken away. And what happens? Now the Lord is the spirit. And where the spirit of the Lord is. There is liberty. Freedom. Where the spirit of the Lord is.

There is liberty. But we all. With unveiled face. In other words. He says it's not the same glory. That was shining on the face of Moses. We have unveiled face. Right as we are now. You and I looking at each other.

With unveiled face. Beholding. As in a mirror the glory of the Lord. Without the veil. We are beholding. In other words. If we look ourselves in the spirit. We behold as we look and see ourselves in the spirit.

The glory of Christ. The glory of Christ. As we are being transformed. Into the same image. From glory to glory. As by the spirit of the Lord. So what's the glory of the new covenant? If we read and we understand what we have just read.

The apostle Paul describes the glory of the new covenant. As the presence of Christ in us. Christ in us. His life. His life in us. What else do we want? What can be more glorious? And yet we can take our life.

And live in the flesh. And yet we can take our lives in our own hands. And walk in rebellion. And walk in independence. And still walk in sin. The glory of the new covenant. We're not talking about a visitation of God.

We're not talking about a miracle. Which gives God the glory. We understand that. Which glorifies God. We understand that. You know when I look at John chapter 17. The prayer of Jesus. I think we all know about that a little bit.

Christ's Glory Through Sacrifice and Obedience

And Jesus talks to his father and he says glorify your son. In John chapter 17. He says glorify your son. That your son also may glorify you. Now Jesus was going to the cross. That's where he was going.

That's the last prayer. That's one of his last fellowship with his father. And the time. The time of suffering. The time of death. The time of sacrifice was right there. Was at hand. And he says now father glorify your son.

I'm on my way to the cross. I'm on my way to give my life. Here I am as a sacrifice. Glorify me he says. So that your son may glorify you. In other words. What I am going to do. As I give myself as a sacrifice unto the cross.

And die for the sake of the sins of the world. I am going to glorify you. My life. What I'm going to do. He says I have already glorified you. But now glorify your son. So that your son will glorify you.

That's what we are called to be. That's what we are called to live. To glorify God by our lives. To become the fragrance of his knowledge. The fragrance of the knowledge of Christ. Now don't forget we're talking about the glory of the new covenant.

There are so many people who are seeking for power. Seeking for glory in themselves. Seeking for material things. Seeking for things that they can touch and they can see. But in the description of what the apostle Paul is seeing.

We are seeing here the glory of the new covenant. Is nothing related to material things. And nothing related to physical things. It's Christ in you. It's Christ in me. It's my life. It's what's happening deep down in my heart.

It's the presence of Jesus Christ in me. It's his life being manifested through me. And if you talk about the new covenant. We can talk about law. We can talk about grace. We can talk about many things.

But if you just put all things together. You are going to see that if you want to glorify God as the son of the new covenant. You shall live his life and allow him to live his life through you. That will be your life glorifying God.

That's the glory of the new covenant. Nothing to do with the old covenant. Nothing. It's you and I. It's your life. It's my life. It's not when you go to the discotheque. It's not when you go and put your life into sin.

It's not when you are obeying the devil. It's not when you are following the desires of your flesh. It's when Jesus Christ is living his own life through you. That's the glory of the new covenant. That's the glory of the new covenant.

Transformed Lives as the Glory of Christ

And you can't express that covenant more glorious than your life and my life. Because it proves what Jesus Christ has done on the cross. It proves the power of his death. It proves the power of his resurrection.

Transform lives. You and I are being transformed. We are the glory of Christ. Paul talks about those who are working with him. His fellow workers. Do you know how he expresses, how he describes them? He says, my brothers, the glory of Christ.

It's amazing. 2 Corinthians chapter 8. You know sometimes I preach and you don't believe. I need to talk, I need to read the scripture. Yeah. Sometimes I may say things that, you know, just, I show you.

Now 2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 23 says, if anyone inquires about Titus. If you want to inquire about that man. If you want to know about his life. If you want to know about his attitude, his character and the way he lives.

Listen, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Oh, if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches. The glory of Christ. That's who they are. The glory of Christ. That's more than just being someone.

If you want to inquire about Titus. If you know what to do about those who are collaborators with me. Working with me, giving their lives with me. They are the glory of Christ. Yeah. They are men that I've given their lives.

They are men that are suffering with me. They are men and women that I've identified their lives with Christ. Fully. You want to inquire about them? You know who they are? That's my description of who they are.

The glory of Christ. There's nothing more glorious about the new covenant. When you see a transformed man, a transformed woman. Walking in the image of Christ. What can glorify God under the new covenant more than that?

It's a ministry of the spirit. If you look at chapter 3 and chapter 4. Paul talks about being ministers. Ministers. Of this new covenant. Ministers of the spirit. They minister life. Nothing compared with Moses.

Some of you might say that would be wonderful. If I go on the piton la rivière noire. You know and go and pray and come back. And my whole face is filled with the glory of God. And I present myself before my wife.

And I say, my wife I know the Lord. Is that what you want? You see? The glory of the new covenant is one. It's not one time thing. It's not one time experience. No. It's walking with Christ. It's Christ in me.

Christ in you. The hope of glory. Being transformed from glory to glory. To finally come to the image of Christ. Hallelujah. Some people want glory. They want power. They want things that their eyes may see.

They call that the power of God. They call that the presence of God. They're running after power. They're running after something. They're running after emotional things. Running after material things.

Running after things that may benefit themselves. That's not the glory of the new covenant. It's not. May the church understand. That the glory of the new covenant. Is better. Than the glory of the old covenant.

And it's Christ in you. Christ in me. The hope of glory. That's why the apostle Paul gave his life. So that he may present every person perfect in Christ. Because he knew. That that is the glory of the new covenant.

That's the new covenant. Men and women transformed to the image of Christ. If you want to serve the Lord. And having another idea. And another mission. And another desire. And another plan. That bringing people to become perfect in Christ.

And present them as a whole man. You've got some strange motivation somewhere. I'm telling you the truth. I'm telling you the truth. I go one step further. If you marry someone. Just so that you may have fun.

And you may love her and go to the beach. And just for the family. You don't understand the glory of the new covenant. But if you take someone. A person. A wife. And you in your heart desire. That this woman come to the image of Christ.

And you are ready to pay the price. And give your life. And love her. Like Jesus Christ loved the church. Then you understand the glory of the new covenant. Because the whole purpose is to bring men and women like him.

That's the whole purpose. You want to make a friend? Have a friend. But what's the purpose of having a friend? That's why the church is in a mess. Because preachers, pastors, servants of God. Are taking advantage of people.

Advantage of their money. Advantage of their goodness. Advantage of their humility. Advantage of their love for God. Can you understand what I'm saying? Do you see what I'm saying? Christ in you. The hope of glory.

Ministry, Hebrews, and the Image of Christ

The mystery of the church. Now you can see the motivation of the apostle Paul. Why did he serve the Lord? There was a time in my life. When I was just born again. I didn't understand ministry. No. Like many of you.

Ministry was just preaching. It was so good to stand behind a pulpit. And preach the gospel. Oh how wonderful it is. Without understanding the price to pay. To become, to try to become an example. So that others might.

Like you desire. Become like him. In the book of Hebrews the author says. In the early days. In chapter 1 verse 1 he says. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1. Maybe we can read it together. God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past.

To the fathers by the prophets. That's how God spoke. In the past. By the prophets. Has in these last days spoken to us by his son. Why? He has appointed him. He has appointed Jesus Christ. To become a heir.

Of all things. Through whom also he made the world. Now. Who being. Who being. The brightness of his glory. The reflection of his glory. Who has become. Who has become. Who has become. The reflection.

The image. The brightness of the glory of God. Who has. Thank you. There is one person who has understood. For the last 30 minutes what I have said. Jesus Christ has become the glory of God. Under the new covenant.

That's why God made him. Establish him. The heir of all things. The ruler of all things. God appointed him. And the same Jesus Christ that God appointed. As the heir of all things. And the Lord of all the earth.

Appointed him to become the glory of God. Christ is the glory of God. And the same Jesus Christ. God has ordained to come and live in us. And live his life in us. Now what do you want? Christ is the glory of the Father.

That's what he says. Being the brightness of the glory. Of his glory. The brightness. The reflection of the glory of God. That's who Jesus Christ is. You think that you accept Jesus Christ. And then he becomes just your little friend.

He is Savior. He is Lord. He is everything. He is the glory of God. He is the glory of God. Can you understand why Jesus Christ. In his last prayer to his Father. He says glorify your son. So that your son.

Himself Christ. May glorify the Father. He knew where he was going. He knew that he was right going to the garden of Gethsemane. He knew. He knew he was going to the cross. He knew that was the way. That would glorify the Father.

He knew. He knew that. There was no other way. Something had to be done. Because he had come in the flesh. He had come down. He has left his glory. He has left everything. He became humble. He humbled himself.

In the form of man. Something had to happen. Again. Tonight is the time Father. Glorify your son. So that your son. May glorify you. Exceptional. Can you see the glory of the new covenant? And some people are just worried about.

If God would come down. Right there. Comes through that window. And come here. It's wonderful. Do you understand what I'm saying? That God would visit you in hospital. That God would visit you in your home.

That God would send someone to bless you. I mean it's fine. It's alright. It's okay. It's wonderful. It's great. If we're talking about the glory of the new covenant. We're talking about you. About me.

We're talking about someone living in you and me. We're talking about maturity. We're talking about spiritual growth. We're talking about growing. Going from glory to glory. To the image of his son. Of Christ.

What glory do you want? We so much want to touch things. We so much want to look at things. We so much want to live in the natural. Talking about maturity. This is what God has ordained. For every one of you.

And me. That Christ in you and I. Become. The glory. Of that new covenant. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Are you still there? I hope so. Now let's look at chapter 3 first. It's also very exciting. 2 Corinthians chapter 3.

Believers as Epistles of Christ

Verse 2. You see right from chapter 3. From the beginning of chapter 3. Right through to chapter 4. It's the same subject. It's the same point. That the apostle Paul wants to show. In chapter 3 verse 2 he says.

You are our epistle. Written in our hearts. Knowing. Know and read by all men. Know and read by all men. They didn't learn a lesson. They didn't read a book. No. There was something. There was something.

In their lives. There was something that spoke louder. It was the life of Christ. And he continues he says. Clearly you are an epistle of Christ. You are an epistle of who? Of who? Epistle of who? Of Paul?

No. Of Christ. Of Christ. We're reading Christ. We're seeing Christ. We're feeling Christ. Ministered by us. Yeah. We brought the gospel to you. We brought the revelation of the gospel to you. That's okay.

That's fine. But you are an epistle of Christ. Written not with ink but by the spirit of the living God. Not on tables of stone but on tables of flesh. That is of the heart. We are looking here at circumcised hearts.

That's what we are looking here. Hearts that have been circumcised. Transformed. Changed. Molded. Touched. Broken. By God. So in other words you don't have to come and walk with your ten commandments in your hand or in your pocket or in your book.

You don't have to walk by that. Let people see. Let people read. Let people feel. Christ. Christ. Your life is an epistle. We can read Christ through you. Yeah. We can read him. We can see him. It's in you.

It's your life. It's become part of you. Chapter 4. Verse 7. But we are this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side yet not crushed.

We are perplexed but not in despair and all the rest. But look at verse 16. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. Renewed.

Change. Transform. To the image of Christ. That's the purpose. That is the purpose. That's the aim of our Christian life. There is no greater. You see you can read the Bible. Anyone can read the Bible.

Anyone can look and see about the benefits of the new covenant. Anyone can read about the old and the new covenant. But the greatest most powerful reflection. If that's the right word. Reflection of the new covenant that God has made with you and I.

Between him and you and I. Is him Christ living his life through us. That's the greatest reflection of the glory of the new covenant. You can't beat that. You can speak about it. You can't beat it. It's our lives.

And all the miracles that come with it. And all the good things that come with it. And all the healings and all the blessings and everything that comes with it. It's wonderful. It's part of it. There's room.

There's place for that. We expect it. We have faith for it. Can you see what I'm saying? Okay. We're not excluding these things. No. But what we are seeing. What the apostle Paul is demonstrating here.

Is the glory of the new covenant. And what does it bring? You have forgotten. Oh Lord. Oh my Lord. It brings freedom. Liberty. You see the people of Israel. What did they have? They had the presence of God in the temple.

But they were under law. Obligation. They were under all sorts of. You call that instructions. They were to do sacrifices. They had to do so many things. To find that presence. They had to. But verse 16, 17 and 18.

Freedom, Grace, and the Spirit of the New Covenant

Of what we have read. Doesn't say that. It says. You see. It says. In Christ. The veil is removed. In Christ. In Christ. The veil is removed. And the 16 says. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord. The veil is taken away.

Now. He says. Now. Now. From that point. Now. The Lord is the spirit. You remember when apostle Paul was talking. Earlier in chapter 3. He was talking about the ministry of the spirit. Remember. The ministry of the spirit.

He says. The letter kills. But the spirit gives life. But now he says. But now. Now. When the veil is removed. The Lord is the spirit. Christ is the spirit. And where the spirit of the Lord is. There is liberty.

There is freedom. Christ is freedom. Christ brings liberty. Freedom to enter in his presence. Freedom to fellowship with him. Freedom to be who we are. With all our faults. With all our mistakes. With everything that we blow everyday.

The freedom to be who we are. And accept the grace of God on our lives. Freedom to be who we are. Brings us to the place. Where we do not have to make up. For our faults and mistakes and weaknesses. You do not have to make up for them.

Do you understand? Make up. Is it the right. Aye. Cover up. You do not have to do something to cover that. Can you understand? Because it's no more you. It's Christ in you. All your you must disappear.

In the sense that it can be still there. You don't trust it. Do you understand? You don't trust it. And you don't worry about it. Don't try to cover it. Don't try to make up. So that. You can be satisfied after you've blown it.

No you don't have to. You've messed it up. You failed. What can I do now? What can I do to repair that now? You can't repair it sir. Just repent. And that's it. Don't try to make up. For it. Don't try to add something to your life.

So that you might feel satisfied. To have now covered that thing that you blew. Is my English alright? Do you understand what I'm saying? That's freedom. That's liberty. You can't repay that fault. Because if you try to repay it.

You remove yourself from under grace. If you try to repay it. Do you understand? Then you remove yourself from under grace. It's no more the spirit of Christ. No more. Now you are trying now. To become religious.

Do you understand? Now you're trying to become religious. Then you just have to go to purgatory. Do you understand? You've got to repay for the bad things that you've done. That's the most beautiful thing of Christianity.

You don't have to repay. You don't have to. And people tell you before you reach heaven. You've got to go and pay for your sins somewhere for a time. Praise God for his grace. And praise God for his abundant grace.

And praise God for his grace. That never ends. That's why. That's why. The glory of the new covenant. Puts us in a place. Where we feel. We are free. And free indeed. You don't need to try and make up anything.

No need to strive to please God. No need to. No need to cover up anything. Be yourself. But take up your cross. And follow him. Just take up your cross. And follow him. And he will take care of the rest.

Alright? You see you cannot. You just can't separate this order. The order of the new covenant. You can't separate it from freedom. You can't. Because everything falls apart. And everything crushes down.

Finished. And it's one of the greatest thing that bothers the church today. Freedom. Liberty. It's one of the things that bothers. Leaders of churches. Because they always want to have a hold somewhere.

They always want to put a barrier somewhere. Scared. They are scared. They carry the fear. That God does not carry. Yeah. They fear for the sheep more than the good shepherd. Yeah. It's a fact. I tell you the truth.

Church Control, Law, and Religious Tradition

I just preached somewhere in Africa. About freedom. Little bit. Just a little bit like that. I mean little bit. 40 minutes. Little bit. And there was quite some arguments. And some of the guys said, Listen.

We've been holding on these people. And giving our lives for them for the last 25 years. And now you come to us and tell us that these people are free. Blows their mind. They've worked. They've toiled.

They've given their life. To get these people in the fold. To get them there. And do everything to keep them there. With all the laws and the regulations and everything. 20 years. 25 years of their lives.

They've done that. And now you tell them, Open the door sir. Open the door. You will know exactly who they are. Let them go. If they return in the fold. That's the one that are bound to be there. I tell you it shakes.

That's why I say that's one of the things in the church. That fears. Preachers. But you cannot separate the order of the new covenant. The glory of the new covenant. If you mix it with law. You can't.

The simple reason because you can't is. It's not possible. The simple reason is this. Is that if you put law and tradition. And obligations on your life. You will never be free. And you will never be able.

To be able to manifest and transmit the very life of Christ. You'll transfer religion. Religion. You can't separate it. That's why the apostle Paul say where the spirit of the Lord is. There is liberty.

That's what he says. It's written. I mean clearly. He says Christ is the spirit. And when the spirit of where the spirit of Christ is. Where the spirit of Christ is. How many times we have talked to you about the spirit of Christ.

The heart of Christ. How many times? It's not law. It's not tradition. It's not religion. It's you and him. That's why God wants to put order. God wants to shake the church. God wants to put order. Order.

Order. You want a free people. A free people. With all their weaknesses and all their failures. And you'll find out who you are. That will be a good place to be. Because then God works in you. You know.

It's the truth. Now verse 18. We're going to end now. But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. We behold in a mirror the glory of the Lord. Okay. See yourself. You understand.

Not in the flesh. Not in the natural. Don't look at you. And start to comb your hair. And say I'm the glory of the Lord. I'm not talking about in the natural. I'm talking about in the spirit. When you are.

When you are. When you are taking up that cross. And God is dealing with your life. Look at yourself in the spirit in a mirror. And let me tell you. You are the glory of the Lord. As long as you allow the Lord to do what he needs to do in you.

And you don't run away and take your whole life in your hands. And do what you want. Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. We are being transformed. That's the beauty of it. We are being transformed.

You have not been finally totally transformed. You and I are being transformed. Can you understand? We are being transformed. We have not arrived yet. We are being transformed from glory to glory. Into the same image.

As by the spirit of the Lord. Right? You know it's sad when you. It's sad when you hear people talk about God. Talk about power. Talk about manifestation. I mean. There is place for some of these things in the body.

In our experience with God. There is place for so many other things to happen. But you see. When you hear people. Christians talk about church. Talk about the kingdom. Talk about God. The only thing that they are seeking.

Looking for. Is power. Is shaking. Is falling. Is all this outside performance. The outside performance. Right? But that's not what we are hearing here. That's not what Apostle Paul is teaching us here.