Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20010701.htm

2 CORINTHIANS: OVERCOMING WHEN GOD'S SERVANT FACES RESISTANCE
Part VI: Why Be Encouraged In Serving The Lord TODAY
(2 Corinthians 3:7-4:1)
  1. Introduction
    1. If we look at only the earthly aspects of Christian ministry, we find plenty of causes for discouragement! (1) The world's evil opposes us, (2) carnality in even fellow believers or coworkers or (3) troubles from those who are supposed to help or even spiritually lead us can cause us to want to "throw in the towel!"
    2. The Apostle Paul handled this challenge in a wonderful way in 2 Corinthians 3:7-18, giving us plenty of motivation to serve the Lord today with vigor regardless what discouraging things we face in the process:
  2. Why Be Encouraged In Serving The Lord TODAY, 2 Corinthians 3:7-4:1.
    1. Paul's ministry with the Corinthians was often a difficult, sorrow-laden one, cf. 2 Corinthians 2:3-4.
    2. Yet, he found great encouragement to keep ministering in view of his role in God's overall plan, 3:7-18:
      1. Paul recalled Moses' great ministry for God on Mount Sinai was a glorious one, 2 Cor. 3:7.
      2. Just from the secular view, his ministry was astounding: historian Edward McNall Burns, in his work, Western Civilizations, p. 100 states the "Hebrew conceptions of morality and political theory have also profoundly influenced modern nations . . .", and we know Moses was used of God to give the law containing those concepts of morality and law and order.
      3. We can review Exodus 24:15-18 and 34:29-34 to appreciate this event as follows:
        1. Moses was honored to ascend into the glory of God's presence before Israel, Ex. 24:15-18.
        2. Moses was affected by this event as his face shone with the reflected glory of God, Ex. 34:29.
        3. In fact, this manifestation of God's glory in Moses terrified the onlookers so that Moses had to cover his face with a veil, Exodus 34:30-34.
      4. However, comparing Moses' ministry with that of any Christian's in the Church era today, the Christian's comes out being far more glorious and greater (as follows):
        1. Like Moses, the Christian believer is also equipped by God for his ministry, 2 Corinthians 3:4-6.
        2. However, all other comparisons leave the Christian believer today with a far greater ministry than what Moses had on Mount Sinai, 2 Corinthians 3:6-18: (a) Today's believer ministers to effect conversions of man's heart where Moses' ministry was only one of directing laws to people who obey on their own, 2 Corinthians 3:6. (b) Moses' ministry could only condemn (2 Cor. 3:7, 9) since man could not obey the law of God (cf. Romans 8:3a); however, the ministry of the Gospel of Christ and God's Word in the Church era works to convert people in their hearts: they are saved from condemnation to righteousness (2 Cor. 3:9b). This is achieved not with the bondage of self-help legalistic works, but in the liberty of the control of the Holy Spirit, 2 Corinthians 3:14-17.
        3. The face of Moses shone, but it was a glow that faded constantly, 2 Cor. 3:13. On the other hand, the believer who ministers and those who believe in his ministry are both being permanently transformed in soul and one day in body into the glory of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 3:18.
      5. Hence, Paul could dwell on the blessings of this wonderful ministry he had of the Lord as he wrote to the difficult Corinthian Church, 2 Corinthians 4:1.
Lesson: The LEAST believer in the CHURCH era has a more glorious ministry than did the greatest man under the LAW'S dispensation -- Moses! As such, there is reason to be very encouraged as a believer TODAY in our service for the Lord Jesus Christ, cf. 1 Corinthians 15:57-58!

Application: (1) Since discouragement in serving God's will arises from focusing on EARTHLY criteria of achievement rather than on the spiritual, our first order of business when facing ministry discouragement is to align our views from the EARTHLY to the BIBLICAL value system! (2) If God used Moses to formulate Western Civilization thru his ministry of the law (Ibid., Burns), and if the least believer TODAY has a more profound ministry than did Moses, then God is using believers today in ways that will boggle the mind in terms of eternal value! (3) If we are discouraged at working around our own carnality or that of coworkers, recall Moses' OWN carnality as a fugitive murderer, Exodus 2:13-15 and take heart! God is bigger than carnality, so TRUST and OBEY Him!