REMOVING THE VEIL
Text: 2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2
2 Co 3:12-18 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, (13) not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. (14) But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. (15) Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; (16) but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. (17) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (18) And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. 2Co 4:1 Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Co 4:2 We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
Paul makes a comparison about what can be seen versus what is veiled from sight in II Corinthians chapters 3 and 4. In II Corinthians 5:7 Paul reminds us that we have to walk by faith and not by sight.
A quick synopsis from the Old Testament reminds us that Moses broke the first two tablets inscribed by the finger of God (Exodus 31: 18). Moses was told by God to go down from the mountain as the children of Israel corrupted themselves as they turned to idolatry worshiping a golden calf because of their unbelief. They had already broken the first two of the ten commandments on the tablets inscribed by God’s finger.
In Exodus 34 we are told that God replaced those tablets. Unbelief always causes problems! In today’s text, Paul associates the veil with unbelief!
Who is the only One who can remove the veil of unbelief?
God does not just want us experience just transformation, God also wants us to be an exhibit who Jesus is in our life!
TRANSFORMATION
What is it that can hinder our ability to experience transformation?
1) Works righteousness: Are there people who believe that they can earn God’s righteousness by obeying the law? In Galatians 3:10 Paul said, Gal 3:10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law." How can we ever obey “all things “if we are all sinners?
2) Removing the curse: Jesus removed the curse in two ways. Consider First, Mat 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
Consider secondly the price Jesus paid! Gal 3:13-14 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"— (14) in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Can relativism hinder our ability to be transformed? Pastor Craig Christina said something that cuts to the chase: “The modern age of relativism teaches us us to value personal opinion above objective truth” (Michael Duduit. ed. The Abingdon Preaching Annual 1998. Craig C. Christina. “Removing the Veil”. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997, p. 85). So far, we know that the law cannot transform us and neither can “reletavism”! Relativism deceives us into thinking that we can find our own way without God! Relativaism will not work for a nation or for individuals. The point is that apart from Jesus Christ, we cannot remove this veil because apart from Jesus Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5).
EXHIBITION
Is it enough to be inwardly transformed by Jesus Christ? No! Of course not! How can we change the world if the salt stays in the shaker? Didn’t Jesus tell us that exhibiting our faith is like being light to a world with people who stumble in the dark (Matthew 5:13 -16)?
When others look at us can they see us reflecting the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Alternative Application
2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2. There's a marvelous little story tucked away in the pages of Edward Gibbon's seven-volume work The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. It tells of a humble little monk named Telemachus living out in the farming regions of Asia.
Telemachus had no great ambitions in life. He loved his little garden and tilled it through the changing seasons. But one day in the year 391 he felt a sense of urgency, a call of God's direction in his life. Although he didn't know why, he felt that God wanted him to go to Rome, the heart and soul of the empire. In fact, the feelings of such a call frightened him, but he went anyway, praying along the way for God's direction.
When he finally got to the city, it was in an uproar! The armies of Rome had just come home from the battlefield in victory, and the crowds were turning out for a great celebration. They flowed through the streets like a tidal wave, and Telemachus was caught in their frenzy and carried into the Coliseum.
He had never seen a gladiator contest before, but now his heart sickened. Down in the arena men hacked at each other with swords and clubs. The crowds roared at the sight of blood and urged their favorites on to the death.
Telemachus couldn't stand it. He knew it was wrong; this wasn't the way God wanted people to live or to die. So little Telemachus worked his way through the crowds to the wall down by the arena. "In the name of Christ, forbear!" he shouted.
Nobody heard him, so he crawled up onto the wall and shouted again: "In the name of Christ, forbear!" This time the few who heard him only laughed. But Telemachus was not to be ignored. He jumped into the arena and ran through the sands toward the gladiators. "In the name of Christ, forbear!"
The crowds laughed at the silly little man and threw stones at him. Telemachus, however, was on a mission. He threw himself between two gladiators to stop their fighting. "In the name of Christ, forbear!" he cried.
They hacked him apart! They cut his body from shoulder to stomach, and he fell onto the sand with the blood running out of his life.
The gladiators were stunned and stopped to watch him die. Then the crowds fell back in silence and for a moment no one in the Coliseum moved. Telemachus' final words rang in their memories: "In the name of Christ, forbear!" At last they moved, slowly at first, but growing in numbers. The masses of Rome filed out of the Coliseum that day, and the historian Theodoret reports that never again was a gladiator contest held there! All because of the witness and the testimony of a single Christian who had the glow-in-the-dark power of grace and God's goodness. https://www.sermonsuite.com/emphasis-preaching-journal/glow-dark
How are we are we rescuing the perishing? Are we passing them by when we have the calling and the means to rescue them? Does the light and love of Jesus shine through our actions? Consider this story. “Dr. Scott Kurtzman, chief of surgery at Waterbury Hospital, was on his way to deliver an 8:00 a.m. lecture when he witnessed one of the worst crashes in Connecticut history. A dump truck, whose driver had lost control, flipped on its side and skidded into oncoming traffic. The resulting accident involved twenty vehicles; four people died.
Kurtzman immediately shifted into trauma mode. He worked his way through the mangled mess of people and metal, calling out, “Who needs help?”
After about ninety minutes, when all sixteen victims had been triaged and taken to area hospitals, Kurtzman climbed back into his car, drove to the medical school, and gave his lecture — two hours late.
Over the years, Kurtzman has stopped at a half dozen crashes and assisted at three. “A person with my skills simply can’t drive by someone who’s injured,” says Kurtzman. “I refuse to live my life that way.” (Craig Brian Larson and Phyllis Ten Elshof. gen. eds. 100 Illustrations Tha Connect. [Hal Carp. “Roadside E. R.”. Reader’s Digest August 2006]. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008, p. 278). How does this story apply to us? This story applies because it reminds us of our calling to shine for Jesus so that we can rescue those who would otherwise perish. How well are we doing at rescuing those who perishing because of the spiritual handicap of blindness cause by the god of this world? That is a question that the Christians and the church will always be answering. The way that we let the light and love of our Christian witness shine will make a difference for better or worse.
In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
