Transformation In Ministry

2 Corinthians 3:6–7 (NLT)

6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away.

pray

Confession of Faith

I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe. I believe the WORD of God! The victory is mine! I have it now! I can see it through the eyes of my faith! In Jesus Name

Introduction:

Last week we begin to set the foundation for transformation in our lives and the lives of the minister, and ministry!

Today, I want to continue developing the foundation for transformation by looking a little deeper into service or what we call ministry!

The New Covenant

Any ministry today serves the new covenant!

That word covenant translated “testament” means an agreement made between two parties;

It is a contract drawn up between two or more people;

It is a special relationship set up and established between individuals.

Now, In the Old Testament period of history, God set up an old covenant between Himself and specific man Moses

2 Corinthians 3:6 (NKJV)

6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

When the text refers to the covenant of the letter or the covenant of the law it is referring to the laws written by God on tablets and given to Moses!

So there was the old covenant of the law!

The old covenant was good!

The Old Covenant was glorious, but it had veiled meanings! Moses only spoke to the children of Israel with a veil on his face

Exodus 34:33–35 (NKJV)

33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.

34 But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded.

35 And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.

Because of that, people could not adhere to the rules and regulations!

So the old covenant brought with it condemnation

The old covenant brought condemnation!

The old covenant faded way!

So today we serve under a new covenant or agreement

2 Corinthians 3:6 (NCV)

6 He made us able to be servants of a new agreement from himself to his people. This new agreement is not a written law, but it is of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.

So we must understand the transformation! Many of us have been living like we were under the old covenant!

We have been feeling condemned on so many levels!

We have use religion as a type of old covenant to keep people in check!

To Lord of people!

To make individuals feel guilty just about anything and everything!

But the bible clearly states that we are servants of a new agreement!

Jesus Christ has set up a new covenant , a new agreement with mankind! Its called the “new covenant of the Spirit.”

Hebrews 8:8 (NLT)

8 But when God found fault with the people, he said: “The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.

Hebrews 9:15 (NLT)

15 That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

Hebrews 8:7 (NCV)

7 If there had been nothing wrong with the first agreement, there would have been no need for a second agreement.

Hebrews 7:22 (NLT)

22 Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God.

Here is the transformation

God used to deal with us by law, but now He deals with us through the Holy Spirit.

The law was the old covenant between God and man.

The Spirit is the new covenant between God and man.

We serve the new covenant of the Holy Spirit!

This is important for you to know !

The new covenant has everything to do with God’s spirit - That means it is foundational in our personal relationship with God!

You gotta get this -

2 Corinthians 3:7 (NCV)

7 The law that brought death was written in words on stone. It came with God’s glory, which made Moses’ face so bright that the Israelites could not continue to look at it. But that glory later disappeared.

2 Corinthians 3:8 (NCV)

8 So surely the new way that brings the Spirit has even more glory.

I realize for me as a Pastor, or UCF as a ministry, or you as a Christ follower, we must all transform and focus on serving the new covenant!

We can’t minister to God’s people operating as if we were under the law!

It’s going to require God’s spirit to lead us

It’s going to require God’s spirit to Guide us

It’s going to require God’s spirit to show us how to love one another

It’s going to require God’s spirit to show us how to live

It’s going to require God’s spirit to show us How to bridle our tongues

It’s going to require God’s spirit to show us How not to gossip

It’s going to require God’s spirit to show us How not to get angry all the time

It’s going to require God’s spirit to show us How not to lie

It’s going to require God’s spirit to show us How not to cheat

It’s going to require God’s spirit to show us How not to sin

It’s going to require God’s spirit to show us not to condemn each other!

That’s what the old agreement did!

It condemned! It did not bring righteousness

2 Corinthians 3:9 (NCV)

9 If the law that judged people guilty of sin had glory, surely the new way that makes people right with God has much greater glory.

2 Corinthians 3:10 NLT

10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way.

That’s why the old covenant faded away!

You are out on your own, if you are trying to hold people to old covenant laws, when Jesus has brought a new covenant - that speaks of a personal relationship with God!

The old covenant kills!

The new covenant gives us life!

John 14:26 NKJV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Transformation

1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Transformation

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NLT

19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Transformation

If you are trying to live by the law or even worse to get others to live by the law look at what the text says

Galatians 3:10 NCV

10 But those who depend on following the law to make them right are under a curse, because the Scriptures say, “Anyone will be cursed who does not always obey what is written in the Book of the Law.”

The new covenant is different, wonderfully different.

The Holy Spirit gives life.

He gives life by doing two things.

2 Peter 1:4 NLT

4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

When The Holy Spirit enters your life he gives you the divine nature of God

We are transformed

We become a spiritual man or woman with a transformed mind that focuses on God!

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Transformed

The second part of transformation is The Holy Spirit infuses the desire tin us to please God.

Now we may fail or miss the mark but something on the inside pricks us

to confess, ask forgiveness, and to cast ourselves on the strength and care of God.

Transformation takes place and our whole desire is to trust God,

Transformation takes place and we become depend upon God completely for life and breath and all the necessities of life.

Transformation puts our entire life such that we are wrapped up, tied up and tangled up in Jesus Christ and the things of God!

Matthew 6:33 NKJV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

In this second half - I am asking God to lead and guide me into total transformation, To lead you into total transformation, to lead our ministry into a total transformation where we serve Jesus Christ ,

Where we are lead by the Holy Spirit

Where we focus on the things of God!

2022 is our season for transformation!