Introduction

Greetings, everyone. Today, we delve into the third chapter of 2 Corinthians, where the theme revolves around ministers of the new covenant, full of the Lord's glory. Before we begin, allow me to share an anecdote. Once, while on a flight, I encountered a pastor I knew. He confessed he had finally relinquished the arduous task of being a pastor to pursue business. Whether he was jesting or genuinely introspecting, his words profoundly struck me. Many around me believe pastoring is a tough job. Some even quip that the most challenging job is that of the US President, followed by that of a pastor. I beg to differ. I lament how such a noble calling could be mishandled.

The greatest privilege in life is the opportunity to serve God, to be a minister of the new covenant, full of the Lord's glory, to be one who serves God. In my earlier days, I successfully marketed the service of God, making it appear exceedingly desirable. Consequently, many resigned from their jobs to participate in church ministry, believing it to be a highly glorious vocation. Serving God throughout one’s life is utterly wonderful. No earthly pursuit can compare to serving God. For if God is with you, you lack no good thing. In fact, you are working for the best Boss in the world.

Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God. (2 Corinthians 2:17)

Many are skeptical, questioning if Paul alone had it right. Hence, in 2 Corinthians chapter three, Paul expounds on the glories of being a minister of the new covenant. My brothers and sisters, reflect for a moment: Weren't we living miserably during those godless days? Now that we have God, and He has progressively supported us to this day, shouldn't we serve Him even more?

I. God Has Qualified Us to Be Ministers of a New Covenant

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6)

Ministering the new covenant is not by the letter, not merely by someone issuing a pastor's certificate, or dictating what you should do. Instead, it is by the Spirit. It is not a gospel that leads to death, but one that gives life. Some brothers and sisters often lament their past sins, constantly offending God, and fearing deep curses. Understand that blessings far outweigh curses; this life-giving ministry far surpasses the ministry of death. Today, our primary task as ministers of the new covenant is to enable people to live out God's image. Look in the mirror. If what you see is a picture of weariness, that is not God's image. The reason for such weariness is the lack of a heart to serve God. Do not be surprised by my words. In reality, there is no problem in life that God cannot solve.

Now, as ministers of the new covenant, we serve to guide people onto the path of living out God's image. This glorious service is truly wonderful, though admittedly tiring, it is the very ministry God has called us to. Don't assume it doesn't concern you. Every Christian should embark on serving God, even if they are not yet well-trained, like spiritual infants earnestly seeking growth.

Paul put it well: if you do it voluntarily, you have a reward; but if you do it unwillingly, that responsibility has been entrusted to you. Paul was a very responsible man. Once entrusted, he would fulfil it well. I can attest that I thoroughly enjoy this work. In fact, I enjoy everything I do. The reason is simple: students, whether they like it or not, must attend school daily. Those who enjoy it are rewarded, while those who don't suffer daily. The same applies to work. Enjoy your work, and you will do it happily. Dislike it, and you will toil to the point of exhaustion. Others will disapprove of you, and you will dislike the work, making it a painful experience. So why not do it well and live happily?

My logic is simple. Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could do a job to perfection and enjoy it immensely? You attend Bible study, not because the church desperately needs you to study and take notes, but because you need to study, you need God's word, and you need to live out God's image. Some argue that they are already attending Bible study, so what more is expected of them? In reality, they could choose not to attend, and I wouldn't particularly mind. As Christians, we are called by God to undertake this ministry of the new covenant. Though Paul primarily speaks of himself here, it applies to others as well. As Christians, strive to be victorious. The fate of those who are not victorious is easy to imagine. We have been combating the spirit of Mammon lately. People ensnared by the spirit of Mammon end up in dire straits. Everything may seem fine initially, but falling into a pit can be devastating.

II. A Ministry of Glory

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! (2 Corinthians 3:7-11)

Moses' ministry, which engraved words on stone, was glorious, even though that glory was fading. These things were written on stone, and that ministry of death had glory. How much more glory, then, does the ministry of the Spirit have? Today, as we serve in this world, we witness many testimonies. The 15-minute testimonies we share every Sunday are just a small fraction. Those testimonies, that spiritual ministry, are even more glorious. If the ministry that brought condemnation had glory—the ministry in Moses' record, where those who transgressed were cursed—how much greater is the glory of the ministry that brings righteousness! Therefore, Jesus Christ grants us the opportunity to serve Him, and this is a ministry full of glory.

That which brings death had glory, so that which brings life has even more glory. The old covenant established in Moses' time, which once had glory, pales in comparison to the surpassing glory of this new covenant. Understand that the glory Moses saw in the world is incomparable to the glory of Jesus Christ, who raised people from the dead. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! Today, through Jesus Christ, we are more than conquerors in the spiritual realm, be it against Old Horse, the spirit of Mammon, or the devil and Satan. Jesus Christ prevailed, and so shall we.

If you lack strength, pray in the name of Jesus Christ, and your strength will be renewed. However, if you lack even the time to pray, you have time to die but no time to live. Relying on yourself will get you nowhere, but relying on Jesus Christ will empower you. This lasting ministry has greater glory, and this spiritual ministry has greater glory. Through Jesus Christ, we are more than conquerors in the spiritual realm. Our pursuit is not the fleeting decades on this earth, but the crown of glory God has prepared for us in eternity. I often see people so weak they cannot even pray, truly having time to die but no time to live. Speaking, their minds are filled with the ministry of condemnation.

We receive a life-giving ministry, and as long as you are willing, we are willing to serve you. We do not bring death but life. Even when we consider setting you aside, it is merely to turn you back to God. Therefore, this ministry of glory is worthy of praise and celebration. God has bestowed spiritual blessings and authority upon us, yet people do not grasp this spiritual authority. Do not assume that your busyness is normal. It is merely a test. God often tests whether people choose to trust in Him. If one does not trust in God and relies solely on their own limited abilities, they are bound to stray from the path, inevitably leading to destruction.

No matter how weak of a Christian you are, even if you are a new believer, know that this is a ministry of glory and strive towards this path. Many brothers and sisters, in their busyness, lose sight of God. If the demons take hold, no one can help you. We must cling tightly to God and not forsake Him. We have all been busy before. Being busy is not exceptional. In past years, my work was extraordinarily demanding, yet I never neglected serving God. Later, I found that I was fortunate to have God when facing financial crises or tribulations, enabling me to overcome them peacefully. Without God, how could we overcome these challenges?

Life is filled with crises, not just once or twice. Looking back, I have always longed to serve God and know Him more since I first believed. When I started building the church , it didn't matter that I made mistakes, God corrected me. I am fortunate to have God, which is why I say living is simple. This is a ministry of glory, a glorious calling. Remember that this is an immense grace, for with God, you have everything. If you have work but no God, what will you use to resist when the demons attack? Now, through Jesus Christ, we have received grace and are prospering in all aspects. Should we forsake God?

You must make a wise choice. Believe what I say and do not easily relinquish this ministry of glory. I do not want you to be just a mere extra, which is meaningless. Doing a job and exhausting yourself is not something to be proud of. I would rather not do it, or if I do, I would do it well, not as an extra. Some pastors' calling is not a glorious one. They may be a pastor, a district leader, or even a small group leader, but they may not make it a ministry of glory. What I mean is, God's word is not written on stone tablets, but on the tablets of our hearts.

III. We Become the Likeness of Christ, From Glory to Glory

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

Chinese Mingding Destiny Theology has made a profound change by redefining salvation. Salvation is not merely going to heaven after death, but living out God's glorious image. Broaden your vision and see the beautiful plan God intends to accomplish in you. God wants to transform you into His glorious likeness. If you know this, you will lack nothing, you will not be busy, you will not be blacklisted, you will not be chased by creditors, and you will not fail in speculation because God helps you. We are no longer under the dominion of Mammon. Living in this world is not based on money, business, or work.

I can say that those who are willing to set aside time for God are incredibly powerful, not because you are not busy, but despite your busyness, you still set aside time for God. I thank God that you come to Bible study because, despite your busyness, you set aside time for God. As you listen to me, know that God is the answer to all our problems, not money. Those who have a lot of money are still in pain and have no meaning. If you are living in pain, it means the Spirit of God is leaving you. How can you not be in pain if the Spirit of God leaves you?

If we are to toil, let us toil for the kingdom of God. I can provide many such testimonies. If we have hope only for this life, we are more pitiable than all men. We are truly letting ourselves down if we do not strive. It is not letting God down. God does not necessarily need it. It is we ourselves who need it. Once a person is busy, they are doomed. If they are busy with worldly affairs, they have trodden the old path of the Israelites. We have seen the Israelites' choice become a historical joke. Having God but not serving Him well, they cling tightly to the trivialities of life. I hope you will not become a historical joke but become the likeness of God. We have never seen Jesus being busy. The God we see is a very efficient God. There is no question of great pressure or being caught up in problems all day long.

It is our duty to serve God because God wants us to become the likeness of Christ. Paul was not writing this letter to the Corinthians, but to himself. We look at ourselves in a mirror, as though made by the Spirit of God, transformed from the Spirit of the Lord. It is the Spirit of God that gives us life. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. If you have the glory of God on you and live in the freedom of God, what will you be like? One of our sisters leaves work immediately after work. When the boss asks, she says she has something arranged for the evening, which is to serve a sister with depression at church. She served for three months until the sister was released. She knows she will offend the boss. The boss is also very unhappy with such employees, but when it comes to salary increases, the boss forgets and thinks our sister is doing a good job and gives her a raise. Can't God take care of this small thing?

If God makes your boss dislike you, whatever you do is useless. If God makes your boss like you, whatever you do will be the same. Many people who walked with me on the path of serving God have experienced God's immense grace. They rush to serve after work because they rent houses and cannot serve at home. Every time they have to catch the last bus home. Later, some brothers and sisters simply rented houses near what was then the city center church, no matter how expensive the rent was. Why do they serve like this? Because we have a glorious hope. Our hope is not to gain something in this world, but to become the likeness of Christ, to have the glorious appearance of the Lord. This is salvation. Some say that he is just an ordinary Christian and does not have such great aspirations, and that he will just clean up in heaven in the future. Unfortunately, there is no sanitation to be cleaned in heaven. If he wants to clean up sanitation, he will be cleaned out and become a tragedy. There is no garbage in heaven. If these people enter, there will be garbage.

Therefore, we must continuously aspire to take on positions of service. Some, upon hearing about serving, do not prepare properly, and the moment they think of serving today, they wish to start tomorrow. It is like wanting to build a bridge before graduating from elementary school, resulting in a collapsed bridge and the inability to do anything. Start receiving proper training today and learn how to serve alongside your pastors. Recently, a sister I was ministering to was preoccupied with her work. I could answer her questions, but work itself has no glory. Of course, you need to do your work well, but being overwhelmed by work means you are not doing it well.

See yourself becoming like the Lord. If you become more and more like the Lord, you will start seeing the Lord's glory in the mirror. Look in the mirror and see if you can see the Lord's glory. The Apostle Paul truly had the Lord's glory on him, giving everything away and never taking advantage. Paul never took a single penny from the Corinthians. Not only did he support himself without any problem, but he also used his own hands to support his fellow workers. With God's help, it is not difficult at all.

We are to become the image of the Lord. Living like ordinary people is meaningless, especially if you are living a dog's life, being particularly stressed and busy, which is not good at all. If you do not want to be busy, God can definitely make you not busy, but we do not have that determination or that faith. Start aspiring now to live out the glory of God, that is what salvation is all about. Living out the glory of God while alive is what this passage is talking about. If the Spirit of God is upon you, you cannot be controlled, you cannot lack wisdom, and you cannot live like a devil or like a dog. You will surely live like Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ lacked nothing. When someone came to collect taxes, Jesus told Peter to catch a fish, and the fish jumped ashore and was caught by Peter. Inside the fish's mouth, he found a silver coin, which was just enough to pay the poll tax for Jesus and Peter. That was how taxes were collected in those days. Those who trust in the Lord lack no good thing, while those who trust in work and business do not know what will happen one day, so stop relying on yourself. I have many testimonies to share. God often favors our brothers and sisters in their work. Some people have easy jobs, come to church to serve after work, have no problems at work, and not only do well but also contribute greatly. If a person has the image of God, they will certainly not live miserably.

IV. Moses' Old Covenant is a Shadow of Christ's New Covenant

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But 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. Even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (2 Corinthians 3:12-16)

When we mention Moses of the Old Covenant, we must know that the law brought by Moses of the Old Covenant is merely a shadow of the New Covenant. Moses' face had glory, but it was fading away. The veil could not be removed from Moses' face later because once it was removed, it would expose the truth. When he first came down from the mountain, his face shone because he had spent forty days and nights with God. He wore the veil because the Israelites dared not look at it, fearing the glory of God. Later, even when the light had faded, the veil could not be taken off because Moses was used to wearing it. Otherwise, if he took it off, the Israelites would ask where the light on his face had gone, and they would think Moses was no longer effective.

This shows us that the New Covenant accomplished by Jesus Christ is a service and office full of glory, but the glory on Moses' face was gradually fading away. The veil could not be taken off later because when there was glory, he was afraid of seeing the glory, and when there was no glory, he was afraid of taking it off and being ashamed. This became an awkward and complicated situation. No one who believes in the Lord believes in such a painful way. This veil is still on people's hearts today. Today, we must take off this veil. If there is glory, we should boldly serve with the glory of God, and we do not care what others say because this veil has been abolished by Jesus.

Therefore, we speak boldly with hope. This passage in Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians is addressed to the group of people around James because those people still hold onto the Old Covenant of Moses. If you read the Book of Acts, you will see that James emphasizes the Law of Moses. If you dare to touch the Law of Moses, he will fight you to the death. The Christians in Israel said that Paul blasphemed the Law of Moses. In fact, Jesus Christ came to fulfill the shadow prophesied by the Old Covenant. The real thing is the glory of Jesus. The Spirit of God has descended upon us. In Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit, we have been set free. We must carry the glory of God on our bodies, just like being transformed by the Spirit of the Lord.

Moses' Old Covenant was abolished. Many people think that the Old Covenant has been abolished. In fact, the New Covenant is much higher than the Old Covenant. The New Covenant is what is called power, glory, and grace. The glory of the New Covenant far exceeds the glory of the Old Covenant; the standards of the New Covenant far exceed the standards of the Old Covenant. If you believe in Jesus, the height you can reach far exceeds what the Law of Moses requires. The Law of Moses requires offering bulls and sheep to bear your sins, but today we offer our own lives. Then time is not a problem, because life is the sum of all time.

Moses' Old Covenant is a veiled covenant, unable to see the true God, otherwise, one will stumble. Today, we do not offer a bull or a sheep, nor do we bring a bunch of quail to offer, but we bring ourselves to offer to God, which far exceeds the requirements of the Old Covenant. Today, we follow the logic of Abraham offering Isaac, offering ourselves as living sacrifices. If you truly have the heart to offer yourself as a living sacrifice, what else would you keep from God? If you offer yourself to God, then there will be no problems. Work will definitely not be a problem. Your boss cannot do anything to you. It is good enough that God has not done anything to him. Why should we love money or care about work? It is just wealth. With God, living is a very simple thing.

Moses' set of things is very low, but it draws a bottom line, which is the Ten Commandments. The New Covenant is that we live in the grace of Jesus Christ. God has forgiven our sins so that we can run this victorious path with a grateful heart. Everyone must not waste this glorious office. From the day I believed in the Lord until today, I have felt that Jesus Christ is precious. He is everything to me, my life, my Mingding Destiny, and what I pursue. I want to live out the image of God and let the glory of God be manifested in me. Precisely because of this, I never give up my service even when I am about to lose my job.

Serving is my life, and God is my life, but work is not. I thank God that if I did not have God, I would be miserable. Can you hear this? Some time ago, an older sister said that following me was a blessing. The house in her hometown had not been rented out. Since I personally pastored her, the house has been rented out. It is a simple thing for God to bring a tenant. Without God, where would the tenant come from? So everyone must know that the New Covenant is full of power. If God cannot even solve a tenant or control your boss, can He still be called God? Today, we re-orient our Christian office. We should serve God with joy and happiness. Otherwise, I will give you a prophecy. You can give up many services, and if God still has mercy on you, you will feel empty and uncomfortable in your heart. It is as if you have lost your Mingding Destiny. People who have had this experience know.

V. What We Can Bear is From God

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our competence comes from God. (2 Corinthians 3:4-5)

If you can handle work, it is from God; if you can handle service, it is also from God. You cannot rely on yourself. The Apostle Paul never relied on his own ability. If we rely on our own ability, living with ability as the foundation is a miserable thing. I know that many brothers and sisters have not jumped out of this vicious circle until today, often living with ability as the foundation. If even serving is based on yourself, you will definitely live a very hard life. If you trust God in everything, what we can bear comes from God, and you will slowly discover that God's ability is beyond our imagination. God will bear all our burdens and arrange everything we need in life.

Sometimes I jokingly say that you are busier than Daniel, the Prime Minister of Babylon, or Joseph, the Prime Minister of Egypt. Daniel was not busy even when he managed 127 provinces, but you, doing a small, insignificant job, should not be so busy. People are busy because they do not believe in God in their bones, only in their own ability. They have to work hard because it is not from God but from themselves. But you need to weigh how much you can carry, because everything must be lived by God's grace. A small pastor I lead recently got several million-dollar orders for intelligent manufacturing factories. I thank God that this is from God. Those who rely on themselves to carry heavy burdens are not people who trust in God and will definitely live a hard life.

This little pastor said that the reason he loves God is that before he came to the church, he was overwhelmed with business. He likes to serve so much now because he relies on God, and his business comes from God. In the past, even if he got orders, he could not get the money after the project was completed and had to chase debts all day long. The projects were also done with stumbles, things that should happen happened, and things that should not happen also happened. Now, many of the projects he takes on are very smooth. If you do not believe it, you really need such an experience. People who trust in God are certainly not tired because what we bear is from God, and God is our strength and refuge.

Although Paul's service may involve tears and sweat, it is from God, and God will personally accomplish it for Paul. The conversion of the Corinthians was not because of what Paul did, but because God had prepared great comfort for Paul. Where the Spirit of God is, there will be freedom. Today, I hope that those among us who are on the blacklist, those who are in debt, or those who are living a hard life will be released and turn from the love of money to the love of God. Many people think that it is difficult to believe in God and not be bound by work. If you do not trust God and do not practice faith, how can it not be difficult?

VI. You Corinthians are Our Letters of Recommendation

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:1-3)

Paul means that you are our testimony, written by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God working with us is infinitely good. Many things are truly magical. The magical things I talk about range from trivial matters to the resurrection of the dead. Paul said that you Corinthians are our letters of recommendation, written by the Spirit of God working with us. The magical things you have experienced are not because of anything else, but because of our glorious and full-of-glory service. Some people may have suffered from depression or a terminal illness or lost a lot of money in business and been scammed very badly. Later, Paul took over and turned things around one after another because the concept Paul conveyed was that if anyone does not love God, let that person be cursed.

Today, let us ask ourselves whether we love God. What do we use to say that we love God? I once met a sister who never tithed and said she loved God very much, but this is not loving God. If the Spirit of God works with us, there will be many testimonies. Many times, I change people as soon as I serve them because the change is not from me but from God. It is normal for God to do this in people because God has mercy on me. Someone said that he could die for God but could not give money. In the final analysis, he was talking nonsense, imitating Ge You quite well. He said that if he had a hundred million, he would give it, but now he has a car, he can also give this car, but he said that he could not because he really has a car. Someone said that he was willing to give his life for God but not to be too painful, he was not afraid of death but afraid of pain, which is really a joke.

Can our service today have enough testimonies to support us? This is a glorious office. We will definitely see the Spirit of God working with you, and we will definitely see the glory of God. If I serve you and you receive grace because of it, you must thank God and thank me because I have imitated the Apostle Paul, so you receive grace. I am willing to give my life to God to serve Him. I never want to take advantage of my brothers and sisters. You can testify for me. Paul reasoned and reasoned and reasoned about a very wonderful thing, that is, our service to God is a glorious office, Amen!