Growing in Grace 9 - Characteristics of Life and Service in the New Covenant

Characteristics of Life and Service in the New Covenant Introduction 2 Corinthians 3:6a “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;” Led in Triumph 2 Corinthians 2:12-14 12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. 14Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place Romans 8:37 “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Fragrance of Christ 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 14Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? Ephesians 5:1-2 1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Godly Sincerity 2 Corinthians 2:17 “For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:12 “For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.” Letters of Christ 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. Acts 7:51,54,59,60 51You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 54When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 59And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Our Source of Sufficiency 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 4And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who 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. John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Conclusion Jeremiah 31:31, 33 31 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Ephesians 3:20-21 20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.