2 Corinthians 3:12-15

¹²Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. ¹³We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.

Thailand

         Several years ago, we were asked who want to train church leaders for evangelism in Thailand. I was praying at that time for clear signal from God to serve in Asian mission. I’ve been in Thailand before that. So, if God called me to return as missionary in Thailand, I was not sure back then.

Subsequently, one of our partners in church planting was chosen. He was single at that time. After the evangelism training, he stayed in Thailand for few more months. When he returned back to the Philippines, he invited to be their wedding sponsors. The pastor met his wife in Thailand mission.

We were surprised because the pastor never hinted any desire to be attached to a woman, how much more to be married. The pastor and his wife served in Thailand as missionaries. Did they expect to meet while in missions? Praise the Lord for his mysterious ways we cannot comprehend.

Seriously together, let us reflect on Ephesians 3:20-21, ²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Immeasurable things we cannot imagine will surprise us mysteriously. God may still grant things we ask him, but he mysteriously accomplish things he planned. We may realize that, it is by his grace that he blesses us beyond our expectation. God gives unexpected and amazing mysteries when we serve him gladly. What may inspire us to serve the Lord joyfully?

In winter, you’ve not cleared your backyard snow yet, but you come to clear snow at the church parking lot. You come to clean the church building, even if you have things to organize  in your basement or garage. You teach children at church while joggling time teaching your own children. You’re very busy throughout the week but you still attend Prayer Meeting. What inspires you to serve God cheerfully? It’s by his grace we serve him gladly.

To hear endless valid reasons of not participating in the ministry is not mysterious. It’s ordinary. Despite many valid reasons, we’re involved in the ministry with gladness when Christ is prioritized in our life. We seek God and his righteousness first and foremost when the Holy Spirit inspires trust that God provides all things we need. Discover how amazing God’s love is.

May the Holy Spirit empowers us to courageously testify of his eternal love.

1. Courage

                        ¹²Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 

Previously, we learned that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ. The Holy Spirit inspires to courageously testify for Christ. The hope of eternal glory in Christ causes us to be confident and boldly proclaim the gospel of Christ. And we sense glorious gladness obeying the Lord forever. Have you had glorious gladness of witnessing for Christ, yet?

It’s normal to be reserved and not talk about private life. Hesitation to testify for Christ is natural. But to courageously tell others about personal transformation in Christ is by the grace of God at work actively in our life.

Let’s observe how Moses responded when the Lord instructed him in Exodus 6:29-30, ²⁹He said to him, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you.” ³⁰But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”

Pharaoh was most educated person in Egypt. Eloquent speech may convince him. Moses hesitated to obey the Lord, why? He viewed himself as not eloquent enough to convince Pharaoh. Many Christians hesitate to testify for Christ, why? They’re not sure what to say or how to reason out. They may assert, “How will I answer tough questions about the Lord?”

We can learn from what happened in John 9:24-29, ²⁴A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” ²⁵He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” ²⁶Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” ²⁸Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! ²⁹We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

The Jews followed the laws of Moses but their hearts were covered so that they cannot see spiritual realities. They assumed Christ was sinner.

The man born blind did not argue about that. He simply testified of his personal experience. He knew he was born blind, and then he can see.

To witness for Christ is to simply tell about personal encounter with him. We talk about transformation Christ did in our life. We do not need to convince listeners to believe in Christ. Anyway, the Lord prepared potential believers to listen and believe in Christ. We should pray to recognize them.

Those Jewish leaders were waiting for the Messiah, but they cannot recognize that Jesus Christ is the Messiah they’re waiting for. Their loyalty to the law of Moses blinded them to spiritually see and appreciate miracles that Jesus did. Jesus said in John 9:39-41, ³⁹“For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” ⁴⁰Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” ⁴¹Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

The Pharisees faithfully give the tithes of God. They’re prayerful, but they cannot recognize that the words and works of Christ come from God. They depended on their own human righteousness by diligently obeying the law of Moses. In comparison, the man born blind trusted Jesus Christ.

Christ healed him, and he was able to see physically and spiritually.

2. Comparison

                        ¹³We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 

Temporarily, Moses experienced transitory glory. His face was radiant whenever he spoke to the Lord. But after talking to the Israelites, the radiance on his face faded away. The fading radiance on the face of Moses exemplified a temporal glory of obeying the commandments of Moses.

Ordinary Jewish people admire the Pharisees for their devotion to the laws of Moses. The Pharisees may have sensed temporal glory of human praise after all so that they strictly followed the 10 commandments.

Reflect on John 12:42-43, ⁴²Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

Human praise can disillusion anybody. Celebrities love to perform not just for monetary profits. They are addicted to popularity and praise from the audience. In comparison, we want to serve the Lord because we sense peaceful gladness from God even when nobody appreciates or praises us.

How do we explain to children what it declares in Philippians 4:9?

 ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Everyone has problem and concern of life. All of us, we need peace.

We seek peace from God to refresh us. God won’t require to obey him first before he gives peace. It is the Lord who inspires us to obey him gladly. We sense joy and peace as practical proofs that God is active within us.

We should pray that God inspires us to cheerfully obey him diligently.

Power and authority cannot produce peace. The Jewish high priest and his associates should be most powerful, but they were jealous of the apostles as it narrated in Acts 5:17-18, ¹⁷Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

The apostles were teaching about Christ, and they were healing the sick in the name of Jesus. More and more people believed in Christ and joined the church. The high priest and his associates were jealous. They cannot believe that ordinary people like the apostles of Christ can perform miracles, why? Their hearts and minds were spiritually covered.

3. Cover

 ¹⁴But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 

Jewish people practice Judaism since childhood. They assume that they will enter heaven by obeying the laws of Moses, and their hearts were covered. Because of that, they cannot accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

The Lord took and crucified with Christ our sins. By faith, we believe Christ our Savior. The Lord removed the veil of our heart when we repented of our sins. But we’re expected to obey the Scripture, why? Let’s reflect on Galatians 4:1-6. ¹As long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. ²The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. ³So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. ⁴But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. ⁶Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 

Newly born infants do not know how to behave as adults. Parents or guardians help babies to take a step one at a time. When children become adults, they behave and decide independently like all adult people do.

Likewise we’re born again as spiritual infants by faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit uses the Scripture to guide us grow mature spiritually. As we grow mature spiritually, we learn to hear and obey the voice of the Lord. And as we behave as children of God, we explore more of his grace.

May we be enlightened by what it declares in Hebrews 10:15-16,  ¹⁵The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: ¹⁶“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

Surely by his grace, God uses the Scripture to practically teach us. If we are on the right path of spirituality or diverted from his blueprint for us, God’s law reminds us. How do you react when you violated traffic rules?

No Left Turn

Why should we follow traffic rules? Traffic violation is very costly and not pleasant experience. One Sunday while driving at a corner I’m not familiar with, I had already turned left before I noticed the “No Left Turn” signage. Then a traffic officer apprehended me, but concern was how my family view my behavior. How did I react? My family saw firsthand that I complied peacefully. I smiled and hope that my family follow my example.

Pragmatically, traffic rules are essential to evaluate if the Lord has already uncovered our heart from the confusing influence of sin, human instinct and logic. Parents: Our family learn firsthand from our examples. Our family may not verbalize it but they can learn from our driving behavior during traffic jam or when violating traffic rules. Be good example to them.

Faith in Christ is always tested anytime anywhere for us not to be idle. How do you personally internalize what it declares in Jude 24-25?

²⁴To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you    before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— ²⁵ to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Great and ordinary Christians can be disillusioned by worldly pattern of life. Pastor or not, financial shortage may affect us. Anyone is affected by broken family, failed relationships, unemployment, health failure, physical and mental illness. Heaven is our eternal home, not in this temporal world.

Together we trust the Lord to keep us from stumbling until forever. We pray for stronger confidence that we enter heaven when Christ returns. As we wait for his return, let’s adventurously explore much of his grace. Amen!

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