Elements City Church
Foundational Faith week 4: Our Holy Confidence (2 Cor. 3)
Where does our spiritual confidence ultimately come from? Is it something we muster up through our actions, strength and will power? Or do we ground ourselves in the foundational work of the Spirit of God alive and active within us? It is the latter as followers of Jesus. The Spirit is the empowering presence of God within that seals us, helps us and is actively transforming us to be more and more like Christ. We are competent to be ministers of the new covenant through the grace of Christ.
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 4:00 PM
Welcome to Elements City Church
We're excited you've chosen to join us in worship for The Holy Roar at Four! Whether you're on-site or online, we are praying that this time will be an encouragement to you! If you're new and want to get connected, we'd love to hep you do so. Click the link below to fill out our Connection Card.
https://connect-card.com/yr4Y0g8VLBSqzKXeubjbHow might we pray for you?
If you have a prayer request you'd like our Elders and Prayer Team to pray for, click the link below to share it with us.
https://elementscitychurch.snappages.site/prayer-requestSpiritual syncretism
...the combination of different forms of belief or practice - mixed together.
As the connection between Christianity and culture became more tenuous or intertwined, the rise of alternate meaning-making systems of spirituality create a culture awash with confusing and conflicting values and beliefs. the Apostle Paul is going to cut through the narrative and tension in the ways of seeing the world of religion in the 1st century and points us back with clarity to the new way of the gospel - found in Jesus; what Jesus embodied, spoke about, demonstrated and called his disciples to point toward. — as he moves on in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 — Paul is going to highlight the NEW COVENANT VS THE OLD COVENANT — this new covenant of God, brought to us in, through and by Jesus.
Big Idea:
Our confidence comes from the Spirit’s work within us, not from our own self-sufficiency. We live from a God provided: Our Holy Confidence — not from self-confidence or our own self-sufficiency. Which is difficult against the backdrop of our culture anchored in individualism and performance.
(2 Corinthians chapter 3)
...the combination of different forms of belief or practice - mixed together.
As the connection between Christianity and culture became more tenuous or intertwined, the rise of alternate meaning-making systems of spirituality create a culture awash with confusing and conflicting values and beliefs. the Apostle Paul is going to cut through the narrative and tension in the ways of seeing the world of religion in the 1st century and points us back with clarity to the new way of the gospel - found in Jesus; what Jesus embodied, spoke about, demonstrated and called his disciples to point toward. — as he moves on in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 — Paul is going to highlight the NEW COVENANT VS THE OLD COVENANT — this new covenant of God, brought to us in, through and by Jesus.
Big Idea:
Our confidence comes from the Spirit’s work within us, not from our own self-sufficiency. We live from a God provided: Our Holy Confidence — not from self-confidence or our own self-sufficiency. Which is difficult against the backdrop of our culture anchored in individualism and performance.
(2 Corinthians chapter 3)
Here Paul answers the question he asked in 2:16, by showing that his competence and confidence comes from God.
This does not reflect an exaggerated humility, but rather a sober recognition of the fact that spiritual work can be accomplished only by the power which God supplies through his Spirit.
This does not reflect an exaggerated humility, but rather a sober recognition of the fact that spiritual work can be accomplished only by the power which God supplies through his Spirit.
The Old Covenant Was Glorious but Fading (vv. 7–9)
“Now if the ministry that brought death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to gaze steadily at Moses’s face because of its glory, which was set aside, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry that brought condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness overflows with even more glory.” --2 Corinthians 3:7-9 CSB
Paul recalls how Moses’ face shone after meeting with God, but the radiance would fade. That glory was real, but temporary.
**The new covenant ministry of the Spirit is greater and permanent.
“Now if the ministry that brought death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to gaze steadily at Moses’s face because of its glory, which was set aside, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry that brought condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness overflows with even more glory.” --2 Corinthians 3:7-9 CSB
Paul recalls how Moses’ face shone after meeting with God, but the radiance would fade. That glory was real, but temporary.
**The new covenant ministry of the Spirit is greater and permanent.
Romans 3:21-24
21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed… 22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.… 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
-it was Jesus who promised and delivered the Spirit to his believers.
== The Spirit not only shows us GOD’S glory but the Holy Spirit is busy transforming us into Christlikeness more and more…
21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed… 22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.… 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
-it was Jesus who promised and delivered the Spirit to his believers.
== The Spirit not only shows us GOD’S glory but the Holy Spirit is busy transforming us into Christlikeness more and more…
In Christ, the Veil Is Removed (vv. 12–16)
12 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness. 13 We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from gazing steadily until the end[d] of the glory of what was being set aside, 14 but their minds were hardened. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. 15 Yet still today, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
Paul says Moses wore a veil to cover the fading glory, but now in Christ the veil is lifted. When anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
12 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness. 13 We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from gazing steadily until the end[d] of the glory of what was being set aside, 14 but their minds were hardened. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. 15 Yet still today, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
Paul says Moses wore a veil to cover the fading glory, but now in Christ the veil is lifted. When anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Many people live veiled—religion, pride, guilt, or fear keeps them from seeing Christ fully. But when we turn to Him, He pulls the veil away and reveals the fullness of God’s grace and truth.…
4 freedoms that the Holy Spirit produces in our lives.
The Holy Spirit as counselor
The first freedom we'll look at relates to what the Holy Spirit does in the lives of those who don't yet have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
John 16:7-8 reads: "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”
The Greek word translated "counselor" doesn't have an exact equivalent in the English language. The actual word is paraclete, and it means one who's called alongside of another person to offer assistance. For instance, a paramedic is someone who comes alongside a person to offer medical assistance. The word paraclete could be translated "counselor" —- or "comforter, helper, supporter, advocate, ally, even friend"
A.W. Tozer wrote, "The primary work of the Holy Spirit is to restore the lost soul to intimate fellowship with God." No longer do our sins alienate us from God, no longer do we live separated by God and in a state of spiritual lostness, because we've discovered the freedom of forgiveness and intimacy with God. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the freedom of salvation.
The Holy Spirit as a guarantee
The second freedom we're going to look at relates to what happens at the moment we entrust our lives to Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:13-14 reads: "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession, to the praise of his glory."
At the moment we trust in Christ, God marks us with a seal. Back then people used a seal to make things secure. New Testament scholar Gordon Fee says, "A seal denoted ownership and authenticity; this thereby guaranteed the protection of the owner." The Holy Spirit is God's authentication of our Christian faith.
The Holy Spirit as a coach
As a counselor the Holy Spirit brings us to Christ, as a guarantee the Holy Spirit makes us secure with God, but what about after we've come to know Christ?
Galatians 5:16-17 reads: "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." And Galatians 5:25: "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
The word "live" in verse 16 is literally the word "walk," and the picture here is that the spiritual life is a process of walking. This is where the idea of the spiritual life being a journey comes from—the idea that commitment to Christ isn't a destination, but it's the beginning of a journey, of a pilgrimage from where we are today to where God wants to take us.
This image of walking presents the Holy Spirit as being kind of like a coach. Coaching is a hands-on, relational process of helping a person be successful, as a coach offers encouragement, resources, and help for an athlete to live up to his or her athletic potential.
Similarly, the Holy Spirit offers us hands on encouragement, resources, and help as we walk up this sometimes steep hill of spiritual growth and maturity. Like a good coach, the Holy Spirit won't walk for us, but he walks beside us, inviting us to keep in step with his promptings, to follow his direction, to rely on his encouragement and strengthening.
The Holy Spirit as a giver
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 says this:
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
The Corinthian Christians were greatly confused about the role of these spiritual gifts in the spiritual life—as many Christians are today—so Paul devotes three entire chapters to discussing how they should and should not be used. Paul says that each follower of Jesus is given at least one manifestation of the Spirit. This phrase "manifestation of the Spirit" is another way to describe the gifts of the Holy Spirit, because it's in using these gifts that the invisible presence of the Holy Spirit is manifested or made visible for people to see. Each one is given a manifestation of the Spirit to make visible the Holy Spirit's invisible presence.
The purpose of this manifestation of the Spirit is for the common good—for the Christian community to be built up and strengthened, for the church to become vibrant, alive, and spiritually healthy. It's the Holy Spirit's giving of these gifts that frees us to serve God.
The Holy Spirit as counselor
The first freedom we'll look at relates to what the Holy Spirit does in the lives of those who don't yet have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
John 16:7-8 reads: "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”
The Greek word translated "counselor" doesn't have an exact equivalent in the English language. The actual word is paraclete, and it means one who's called alongside of another person to offer assistance. For instance, a paramedic is someone who comes alongside a person to offer medical assistance. The word paraclete could be translated "counselor" —- or "comforter, helper, supporter, advocate, ally, even friend"
A.W. Tozer wrote, "The primary work of the Holy Spirit is to restore the lost soul to intimate fellowship with God." No longer do our sins alienate us from God, no longer do we live separated by God and in a state of spiritual lostness, because we've discovered the freedom of forgiveness and intimacy with God. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the freedom of salvation.
The Holy Spirit as a guarantee
The second freedom we're going to look at relates to what happens at the moment we entrust our lives to Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:13-14 reads: "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession, to the praise of his glory."
At the moment we trust in Christ, God marks us with a seal. Back then people used a seal to make things secure. New Testament scholar Gordon Fee says, "A seal denoted ownership and authenticity; this thereby guaranteed the protection of the owner." The Holy Spirit is God's authentication of our Christian faith.
The Holy Spirit as a coach
As a counselor the Holy Spirit brings us to Christ, as a guarantee the Holy Spirit makes us secure with God, but what about after we've come to know Christ?
Galatians 5:16-17 reads: "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." And Galatians 5:25: "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
The word "live" in verse 16 is literally the word "walk," and the picture here is that the spiritual life is a process of walking. This is where the idea of the spiritual life being a journey comes from—the idea that commitment to Christ isn't a destination, but it's the beginning of a journey, of a pilgrimage from where we are today to where God wants to take us.
This image of walking presents the Holy Spirit as being kind of like a coach. Coaching is a hands-on, relational process of helping a person be successful, as a coach offers encouragement, resources, and help for an athlete to live up to his or her athletic potential.
Similarly, the Holy Spirit offers us hands on encouragement, resources, and help as we walk up this sometimes steep hill of spiritual growth and maturity. Like a good coach, the Holy Spirit won't walk for us, but he walks beside us, inviting us to keep in step with his promptings, to follow his direction, to rely on his encouragement and strengthening.
The Holy Spirit as a giver
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 says this:
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
The Corinthian Christians were greatly confused about the role of these spiritual gifts in the spiritual life—as many Christians are today—so Paul devotes three entire chapters to discussing how they should and should not be used. Paul says that each follower of Jesus is given at least one manifestation of the Spirit. This phrase "manifestation of the Spirit" is another way to describe the gifts of the Holy Spirit, because it's in using these gifts that the invisible presence of the Holy Spirit is manifested or made visible for people to see. Each one is given a manifestation of the Spirit to make visible the Holy Spirit's invisible presence.
The purpose of this manifestation of the Spirit is for the common good—for the Christian community to be built up and strengthened, for the church to become vibrant, alive, and spiritually healthy. It's the Holy Spirit's giving of these gifts that frees us to serve God.
The Spirit Brings Freedom and Transformation (vv. 17–18)
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Word: Spirit appears 7 times in this chapter!
You might think of God the Father as God for us, God the Son as God with us, and God the Holy Spirit as God in us.
So, again - Paul ends this chapter with this soaring truth: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all… beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed… from one degree of glory to another.” (ESV)
We're transformed by FREEDOM the Spirit gives and ongoing transformational work that the Spirit is actively doing!
We live NOT in bondage to the law - we’re living in freedom to follow Jesus.
You are in good hands, because you are in God's hands.
(Not your own)
WE don’t live from our own self-sufficiency — we live in the HOLY CONFIDENCE given to us by Jesus and empowered by the Spirit within us!
--Francis Chan Quote (Forgotten God book)
“Without Him (Holy Spirit), people operate in their own strength and only accomplish human-size results. The world is not moved by love or actions that are of human creation. And the church is not empowered to live differently from any other gathering of people without the Holy Spirit. But when believers live in the power of the Spirit, the evidence in their lives is supernatural. The church cannot help but be different, and the world cannot help but notice.”
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Word: Spirit appears 7 times in this chapter!
You might think of God the Father as God for us, God the Son as God with us, and God the Holy Spirit as God in us.
So, again - Paul ends this chapter with this soaring truth: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all… beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed… from one degree of glory to another.” (ESV)
We're transformed by FREEDOM the Spirit gives and ongoing transformational work that the Spirit is actively doing!
We live NOT in bondage to the law - we’re living in freedom to follow Jesus.
You are in good hands, because you are in God's hands.
(Not your own)
WE don’t live from our own self-sufficiency — we live in the HOLY CONFIDENCE given to us by Jesus and empowered by the Spirit within us!
--Francis Chan Quote (Forgotten God book)
“Without Him (Holy Spirit), people operate in their own strength and only accomplish human-size results. The world is not moved by love or actions that are of human creation. And the church is not empowered to live differently from any other gathering of people without the Holy Spirit. But when believers live in the power of the Spirit, the evidence in their lives is supernatural. The church cannot help but be different, and the world cannot help but notice.”
Thank you for partnering with Elements City Church
Thank you for giving your tithes and offerings to Elements City Church. They enable us to be the church, and they help us to fuel the mission and vision. Our capacity to function on a daily basis is a direct result of your support, and we are so grateful for it! You can give online at the link below, or through the Elements City Church app.
http://elementscitychurch.org/giveAren't you glad you came to church tonight?!?
We're grateful you joined us for The Holy Roar at Four! We'll continue our Foundation Faith series through 2 Corinthians next Sunday at 4pm.
See you there!
As always, you can keep up on all of the upcoming events in the Elements app or online, including:
RSVP for:
- Chili Cookoff and After Party, Sunday October 26th
- Child Dedications, Sunday October 26th
We're grateful you joined us for The Holy Roar at Four! We'll continue our Foundation Faith series through 2 Corinthians next Sunday at 4pm.
See you there!
As always, you can keep up on all of the upcoming events in the Elements app or online, including:
RSVP for:
- Chili Cookoff and After Party, Sunday October 26th
- Child Dedications, Sunday October 26th