1. II Cor. 3:1-11

2. A. Paul’s Credentials – Vrs. 1-3

3. “Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?” II Cor. 3:1 Dear Paul, Due to your inconsistency there is some doubt as to your credentials. Could you please bring some letters of recommendation from Peter? If you do this then we could recommend you to other churches to help you out. Your children in Christ at Corinth 1. No Human Handwritten Letter is needed.

4. “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3 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.” II Cor. 3:2,3

5. 2. The Corinthians themselves were Paul’s letter of Recommendation. a. The letter of Commendation was written by Christ b. The paper was the Corinthian’s hearts b. The ink was the Holy Spirit c. The world was the reader d. Paul was the Post man 2. The Corinthians themselves were Paul’s letter of Recommendation. “You yourselves are our letter written on our hearts…” “known and read by everybody.”

6. 3. The Letter was written by Christ Himself “You show that you are a letter from Christ” 4. The letter came by Paul’s ministry He was the Post Man “the result of our ministry” 5. The Holy Spirit was the ink “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God” 6. The words of the letter were written on their hearts “not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts”

7. B. Paul’s Sufficiency 4-6 “And such confidence we have through Christ towards God: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. Who also has equipped us as ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.” WORLDWORLD W A Y O F THE GOD’S WAY

8. 1.Paul’s confidence came through Christ “And such confidence we have through Christ towards God:” 2. Paul’s confidence did not come from himself. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.”

9. 3. Paul’s confidence came from a new equipping as a result of a new covenant “Who also has equipped us as ministers of the new covenant”

10. 4. Paul’s equipping came by the Spirit not the law …“not by the letter, but by the spirit: because the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.”

11. C. Paul’s Sufficiency Has a Greater Glory 7-11 “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, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!”

12. 1.The old covenant did have a glory a. But it also had many flaws 1) It produced death “Now if the ministry that brought death”

13. 2) It was written on the external “…which was engraved in letters on stone” 3) It was fading away “…came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was”

14. 2. The new covenant produced righteousness “….will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!” a. Righteousness is superior 1) The Law produced guilt and self effort 2) Christ produces righteousness and empowerment

15. 3. The new covenant is everlasting, more glorious, and will never fade away. V. 10-11 “For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!”