Transforming Glory - 2 Corinthians 3:18 (Degraded Audio)

1:02But I want to talk to you about transforming glory, transforming glory of our Lord this morning. Some get to 2 Corinthians. But some top resolutions. You've heard some of the resolutions for 2018. You've probably made some of them, right? Eat better, exercise better. More, spend less money. Much of the ones that we've made, and those are also the ones that have the top broken ones each year. But here are some interesting ones: eat more bacon. That was a top one. Got to wonder about that one, right? Now, here's another one: learn the difference between effect and effect.

1:56Be good to learn, right? I like this one. Change my relationship status from forever alone to slightly desperate. As I read through many of the top resolutions, I realized something they all had in common. They were typically me-centered, either bodily focused for the most part, not all, but for the most part, bodily focused, self-focused, and focused on the here and now. How to do better at something, how to have a new hobby, make new friends, do something.

2:37Very few, if any, were soul-focused. You know, we're not just flesh and blood, we are a spirit, we have a soul. There is an immaterial part of humanity that is far more important than the physical part. Very few are focused on the soul, very few are focused on others, and very few are. Eternity, eternity-focused, at least in the popular culture. You don't see resolutions like, I want to be a better slave. No, you just don't see that, right? I want to do the dirty work that no one else wants to do, and I want to do it without being recognized. That's what I want to do. And yet, that is really one of the very things about our Lord, very thing about His glory that transforms us. But of all of the New Year's resolutions made this year, and you've probably made many, there is one that I would like to suggest that needs to be at the top of every believer's list. If you are a follower of Christ, then I think that this resolution needs to be at the top of your list.

3:55You could say it like this: I purpose in 2018 to love the Christ of Scripture more. I purpose to love the Christ of Scripture more. And when 2018 is over and you've traded your life for something else, everything you're going to trade your life for that comes this year, what is the ultimate goal of everything? I would say that hopefully this time next year, you would love the Christ of Scripture more. And the question is: how do you do that? How do you do? That the answer comes in our passage this morning.

4:36Our love for the Christ of Scripture grows as we reflect upon his transforming glory. Our love for Christ will grow as we reflect upon his glory. Looked at Christmas Eve, if you remember, spoke about the transforming glory to some degree that Christ came. As we behold him, he is a glory. His glory is so powerful that it actually transforms those who gaze upon it. And so that is my encouragement to you today: that you would let 2018, you would purpose that 2018 would be a year where you behold the glory of Christ more.

5:24And in so doing, you will be shaped by that glory, and your love for Christ will grow. So, I want to read to you 2 Corinthians 3:18. Look at it. We'll be just looking at the one verse. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord the Spirit. This verse is all about the transforming glory of Christ. And there are four aspects of this transforming glory that I want to look at this morning so that we will love this Christ of Scripture more intently in 2018.

6:21Four aspects. Transforming glory. Four aspects of transforming glory. The first, I want you to notice who is being transformed. Who is being transformed? Look back at our verse, verse 38, first words we read in verse 18. But we all, we all, we all with, we all, not y'all, but y'all, y'all, and we all, you know, there is a we all, we all with unveiled face. Those are the ones who are being transformed. Those who are being transformed are those who are described here as having an unveiled face, an unveiled face. Now, we don't have much of veils in our culture today. We see them around, but not much, right? But the whole idea, what is the purpose of a veil?

7:23To cover, to cover, to hide, yes, to keep something hidden. At least until it's removed, right? That's the purpose of the veil. You remember, we see this veil imagery is really noteworthy in the Old Testament. We see it a lot. You remember Jacob's wedding day? You remember in Genesis 29? I'll read you a portion of this because you can't improve on it. From verse 20, so Jacob served Laban, you remember, for seven years because he wanted to marry his daughter Rachel. And they seemed to him just but a few days because of his love for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife. My time is completed. So Laban gathered the men and gathered the people in the place, and they had this big wedding ceremony. Except what happened?

8:21He's, yeah, Laban said, Okay, I'm going to send my daughter out there, Leah. The next morning, Jacob wakes up and says, Wait a minute, I served you for Leah. He says, Oh, no, no, no, you, you, we got to, you got to marry the older one first, you know. But all this, it's kind of bizarre to us. It was the effect of the veil, right? He didn't know who he was marrying, right? That's how to keep something hidden. And boy, Laban kept something hidden. I guess the moral of the story is back then you really had to trust your father-in-law as much as you trusted your wife, right?

9:01But maybe that's why today we have veils, but you can see through them, right? Yeah, I want to make sure, but that's my wife. That's the one I signed up for right there. But even then, it's too obscure. But if you think about the whole purpose of a veil, it's to obstruct vision, it's to keep something hidden. So a physical veil obstructs physical vision. A spiritual veil obstructs spiritual vision. Of course, in our text this morning, this imagery of the veil that Paul is using is certainly a reference to Moses.

9:44And Moses in Exodus 34, if you remember, he put a veil on. And it's important to, I'll read a portion of this to you. You remember, this is in the days of Mount Sinai when Moses would go up and meet with the Lord and his face would shine. Let me read to you a portion of this because I think a lot of us miss the purpose of the veil here. Exodus 34, 29, it came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai that he did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with him, speaking of the Lord. So when Aaron and all of his Sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. So he goes up. Moses speaks with the Lord. His face is shining. He comes down. People see his face shining, and they're afraid, and they tend to draw away. Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers returned to him. So they called. He said, Wait, come back. And they came, and Moses spoke to them. Afterwards, all the sons of Israel came near. So it wasn't just Aaron and them, but then the other, the congregation came near, and he commanded them to do everything that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with him, he put a veil over his face. So in other words, he spoke to God, had a glowing face, came down and spoke to the people with a glowing face. And then he put the veil over his face. But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take off the veil until he came out. And whenever he came down and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had commanded, the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses that the skin of Moses' face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went to speak with him. So in other words, he would speak to them with the glory and then Then, when he was done, he would put the veil over his face. I want to make sure you get this because it's a very important picture here. So, the pattern of Moses wearing a veil from Exodus 34. First of all, he would remove his veil and go speak with the Lord. So, he would remove his veil, verse 34 says, Then he would go and speak with God on Mount Sinai with a face unveiled. He would then come down and speak to the people with his face unveiled, and then afterwards, he would replace his veil until the next time he went up the mountain. You have a little conclusion here, just based on that. It's Moses wore a veil a lot, at least during this time in their journey, right? So, going back to where we have four aspects of transforming glory, you know, who is being transformed? That's the question we're asking. But the question, even before that, is why did Moses put a veil over his face after he spoke to the people?

13:10I mean, we can imagine how dazzled the people were at the brilliance of Moses' face while he spoke with God or right afterwards. So, why would Moses cover his face? What is Moses trying to hide? What does he not want the people to see? Well, look back a couple verses. He gives our answer. We're in a section here in 2 Corinthians where Paul is defending his ministry. In verse 17 of chapter 2, he says this to this church: We are not like many peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God. So he's defending his ministry. There's been some attacks against Paul's ministry. And so he begins to defend his ministry. And he goes on and he says, You are our letter. We do not need letters of recommendation or accommodation. You are our letter written in our hearts. You are read. In other words, it is not, we do not need letters of recommendation because you are our letter, because the Spirit of God has written himself upon your hearts. And that is evidence of a new and greater covenant, not one that you can just look at words carved in stone.

14:37But the greater commendation is that of the new covenant, where the Spirit of God writes in the characteristics and qualities of Christ upon the hearts of his people. And so Paul is defending his ministry. And he speaks then, he goes on to speak in verse 6. He says, We have confidence. Not that we're adequate in verse 4 in ourselves, but our adequacy is from God who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. So he goes on to talk about this difference between the ministry of death, what he calls this covenant that comes down with God's righteous requirements. And he describes it as a ministry of death. And he talks about the glory with which this ministry came, such that Moses' face even shone.

15:40But then he speaks, but how much more will the ministry of the Spirit even come with a greater glory? And he starts speaking about the greater glory of the covenant that is in Christ, a covenant which he has been made a servant or a slave of. Then he comes to verse 12. And he says, This, therefore, having such boldness, we use great boldness in our speech. And we are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face, so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. He tells us why Moses put this veil over his face. He did not want the sons of Israel to look intently.

16:30At that which was fading away, the glory on Moses' face would diminish. Such is the glory of the old covenant. You see, when Moses went up, there was a physical transformation that took place. At least in some degree, it radiated a glory, but it faded. It was a glory that faded, that went away. And Moses put a veil on it because he didn't want people looking at that which is diminishing, that which is coming to an end. Speaks of something else needs to be revealed, something that's glory increases. But such was the passing glory of Moses' face. It would shine for a while, but then wear off. Such is the nature of the old covenant system.

17:29Such is the nature of mere moralism. A lot of good resolutions out there to be a better you, right? To be better, to do things better. And there may be an excitement for a while, but then that kind of fades away. Such was the ministry that Paul refers to as the old covenant ministry. It came with power. It came with excitement. It came with glory. But you know what? It was a. Ministry of death because it revealed God's righteousness.

18:06It did nothing to prepare the individuals to meet that righteousness. And because it was a ministry of death, it was passing away. You see, we need a glory that isn't just calling us to account for our shortcomings. We need a glory that can transform us into those righteous requirements. So, as Paul's defending his own ministry, he's making this comparison between the surpassing glory of the old covenant, I mean, of the new covenant, to the old covenant. We come back to the basic question: who is being transformed? Well, look back at the context, right? And if you will, if you look at the context of all of chapter 2 and verse 3, or chapter 3, those who are being transformed, Paul has described in two ways. First of all, if you look back, verse 14, there are those who they do not have a veil over their hearts. Those who are being transformed do not have a veil over their hearts. Speaking of the generation of Israel, verse 14, but their minds were hardened, for until this very day, the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains unlifted because. It is removed in Christ. So, those who are, Paul is speaking about here in verse 18: we all, they are those who do not have a veil over their hearts. They have an ability to understand the true nature of God, spiritual realities.

19:53But they're also described as those whose minds are not hearted, are not hardened. Their minds are not hardened. There is no mental block against God. But in verse 14, it speaks also that they are in Christ. And in verse 16, it says, Those, whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. So, who is being transformed? Those who have had the veil taken away. Who has had the veil taken away? Those who have turned to Christ. They do not have a veil over their heart.

20:36But there's a second way in this chapter that Paul is speaking about those who are transformed. They do not have a veil over their face either. Not only is there a fail, not a veil over their heart, but there is not a veil over their face. Look back at verse 18. And then note that when he says we all, he's referring not just to the apostles, he's including His audience, we all believers in Christ, that is, those who have turned to the Lord.

21:07It's including, it's not just the apostles with unveiled face, and it's not just Moses. I think he's really bringing in, making an emphasis here. The comparison that he's making is with Moses. You see, Moses met with God with what? An unveiled face. And so do believers. And that's what he's saying. We all with an unveiled face are beholding the glory of God. So that is the first. Who's being transformed? All those who have turned to the Lord, all who have had the veil removed. Question to you: Have you turned to the Lord?

21:55Do you keep turning to the Lord? Because that is where you will see Christ and the veil will be removed. So the four aspects of transforming glory: the first deals with who is being transformed. Second deals with how we are being transformed. Look back at verse 18. But we all, with an unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. So that's how they are being, they are beholding in a mirror. The glory of the Lord.

22:35Now, how does that work? You know, the whole idea here is gazing like a mirror, like on, or as in a mirror. I've got a mirror here, right? You've heard, you've heard it said that you are what you eat. Well, this scripture makes it clear: you are what you behold. You are what you set your heart upon. You are what you look at. You are what you find beautiful. You are what you find desirable, and that you look upon, and then that conforms you or transforms you. And that's why one of the very first things God wanted to make sure his people didn't have no idols. Because as you look at an idol, you become like that. And so, but the word here is talking about reflecting as a mirror. Okay? We all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror. Now, I'm going to do something you don't see. I'm going to come down out of the pulpit. It's kind of scary for a moment, right? And then I'll make a resolution not to do it again for the rest of 2018. But, okay, so to get the idea of what he's talking about here, it's not like beholding a mirror. Well, look at me in the mirror. I'm beholding my reflection in a mirror. Okay, and estamu fail, right?

23:57No, no, it's more like, see, I can. See my wife. You see how I'm looking at her through the mirror. So there is a reflection being cast in the mirror. And so I am beholding her in a mirror. Okay, through a mirror. And this is the imagery he's using. We are beholding Christ as in a mirror. So what the Word of God does, and He makes it clear, He's talking about the Word in the next, in chapter four, He goes on. But what we have with the Christ of Scripture, we see in the Christ of Scripture, what do we see? The face of God, the glory of God, the very glory. And that's going to be made evident in verse 6, right? In verse 6. But you look down at chapter 4 and verse 6. For God, who said, light shall shine out of darkness, is the one who is shown in our heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Speaking of the Christ of Scripture, we see the Christ of Scripture through the words of Scripture. And it is, yes, it is but a mirror. And as we see, we behold with an unveiled face, we behold the Christ of Scripture. And as we behold the Christ of Scripture, guess what happens? We are transformed into that image.

25:28You know, it's. Interesting, the same expression. It is the glory of the Lord. In Exodus 24:17, you remember the sons to the eyes of the sons of Israel, they looked up on the glory of the Lord. Same expression. And do you know what they saw? It was like a consuming fire upon the mountaintop. And then in Exodus 40, verse 34, we again read about the glory of the Lord. And this time they see a cloud in the form, the glory of the Lord in the form of a cloud coming upon the tent or filling the tabernacle. And then in 4, verse 6, Paul speaks about the glory of God. It's the face of the Christ of Scripture. The one that Paul has met. In fact, he'll say this again, and he's already said this in 1 Corinthians. For now we see in a mirror dimly. That's the idea. Seeing dimly.

26:34But then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I have been fully known. So how are they to be transformed? How are we being transformed? By beholding the glory of the Lord as with an unveiled face. Next question or next statement: what we are being transformed into. What are we being transformed into? Well, Paul gives us. He tells us what's happening to us. Look in verse 18. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. Into that very same image, the image that we are seeing, we are being transformed. A metamorphosis is taking place. A metamorphosis, that's the word. A metamorphosis is taking place. We are changing as we behold the glory of Christ. We are transformed into that glory. You remember God's goal in Genesis 1:26? What was it? Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. Let's make him.

27:59The whole purpose of creation is to make man who would bear the image, who would be like God and reflect, who would see God, understand God, and reflect that character and person of God in their lives, in everything they do. And that's what he did, right? And we have this fall, right? But as we look into Scripture, what happens? We see the God of Scripture. And we see the God of Scripture, and we see the Christ of Scripture. And as we see the Christ of Scripture, we are transformed into the image of the God of Scripture.

28:42From the very initial point to final glory, from glory to glory, from one step of glory to the next. We look at the glory, we see the glory, then that glory becomes the cause and the basis for future glory. We're transformed in it. We learn more, we know more, then we imitate more. We're transformed. And speaking here right now, there's an inner change going on, but that inner change will culminate in an outer change one day, right?

29:14It's a glory that progresses in stark contrast to the glory that was revealed on Moses' face. That was here and then diminished. There is an inner glory, an inner change that has taken place, and from glory to glory, and it will culminate in an outer change, a glorified body suitable for permanent habitation in the new heavens and the new earth with the Holy God reflecting, gazing upon, enjoying, and reflecting the glory of God. So it is the Christ of Scripture who is revealed in the precepts of. Scripture. And as we study the scripture and we are transformed, we see by the work of the Spirit of God, we are transformed by seeing the image. And then, guess what we become? We become a reflection of the reflection and somebody that God uses to make Himself known. Those who are transformed become the instruments that God uses to draw others to Himself.

30:30Rarely, and I would say rarely, if ever, does anyone stumble upon a Bible and then see the Christ of Scripture without some kind of personal contact by a believer in the process, right? Look back over your own life. When you came to Christ, there were people in your life, probably not just one, but many. Contact with people who have been transformed by the precepts of Scripture is what God uses to reach the nations so that they would know the Christ of Scripture and so be transformed. So, what are we being transformed into? Into the likeness of Christ.

31:10I want you to see one more thing: by whom we are being transformed. The four aspects of transforming glory: number one, to know who is being transformed, how we are being transformed, what we are being transformed into, and now I want you to see by whom we are being transformed. Look back, verse 18. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord the Spirit. Just as. From the Lord. Not the Lord of the Spirit. The emphasis here is upon the Spirit. The Lord the Spirit.

31:59In fact, he's already in verse 17. Look back at verse 17, he says, Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. See, we live in the era, well, the work of the Holy Spirit. We see the glory of God, not in the fire on the mountain, not in the cloud in a tabernacle, but in the work of the Holy Spirit illuminating and transforming us into the image of the Christ of Scripture. There is a lifting of the veil. That is the work of the Spirit.

32:44And there is a transformation that takes place as he lifts the veil, and we see it's all about the work of the Holy Spirit. This is what he is doing. So there's an emphasis. Paul places an emphasis upon. The Spirit, the Yahweh Spirit. Put it that way. Yahweh Spirit. I want you to see the work of the Holy Spirit. You know, in Genesis 1:2, one of the first things we read about is the darkness. It was all over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. And then God said, Let there be light, right?

33:32Look at 2 Corinthians 4:6, just a few verses down. For God, who said, Let our light shall shine out of darkness, is the one who has shown in our hearts to give light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. You see, the work of the Spirit of God is to reveal Christ. That's what He does. And then to transform those into the image of Christ. That is to make light shine out of darkness.

34:11And He is accomplishing the goal of creation in the process. You see, the objective of the Holy Spirit is to illuminate the Christ of Scripture, to bring us into contact with the Christ of Scripture, to make the Christ of Scripture all beautiful to us. And through that, transform us into the image, the Christ of Scripture. That is the glory of the old covenant. See, the glory of the old covenant is that it could only condemn man. The glory of the new covenant is that it can transform man into the glory that God desires. And listen, it is the work of the Spirit. He is doing this in our life, and He knows what He is doing.

35:02So, gaze, continue to gaze upon the glory of Christ. Now, as I bring all this together, and how do we go from here? You know, what do we do in light of this transforming ministry? This is what's happening to us. Now, we've got a year before us. What are you going to do with this year? Will you purpose to love Christ more intently if you want to love him more? And I would say you need to purposely gaze upon him more, purposefully behold him more. Whatever else is going on in your life, make time, take time to gaze upon the beauty of the Christ of Scripture. And there are four results that will come out of this. Poor results. Maybe they will go quickly. Four results of this transforming glory. And Paul experiences them going on in chapter 4, verse 1. Therefore, therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. First result of being transformed by his glory is there will be a growing awareness of your purpose for your life, or of our purpose for our lives. Just as, just as we have received mercy, we have also received this ministry. Have you received mercy? Then you received this ministry. And this ministry is that of being a slave, a slave of showing Christ to others.

36:48A service ministry. That's why we're here. That's our purpose. That's what Paul says. Just as I have received mercy, I have received this service, this ministry of showing Christ to others. Second result of being transformed by his glory or continuing being transformed by his glory is there will be a heightened courage to proclaim the Christ of Scripture. Notice in verse 1, Paul says, We do not lose heart, but we have renounced the hidden, the shameful ways, not walking in craftiness or adulterating, that is, distorting the word to. Our own advantage. That's not us, but we, by the manifestation of truth, are commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. That is, we are laying our message and our life clear before you, before God, and we commend ourselves to your conscience. Look at our lives, thoroughly look at them, look at our testimony, and laying ourselves bare. He says, We've renounced all hidden ways. Our banner is clear.

38:00The boldness. It reminds me of that young African pastor from Zimbabwe. I've read this statement that he made years ago. But it catches the essence of what Paul was saying. I don't care what happens to me, but I am going to commend myself. I have a courage to proclaim the Christ of Scripture because only the Christ of Scripture can transform. Listen, what this young African pastor said: I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. My die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed. My presence makes sense. My future is secure. I am finished and done with. Low living, sight-walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on his presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor by power. My face is set, my gate is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And when he comes for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me. For my banner will be clear. And that's exactly what Paul is saying. I have commended myself to live in truth before you and before God. My conscience is clear.

40:46That's a transforming work. So there's a third result of being transformed by His glory, and that is a greater clarity on what's happening in spiritual warfare, a greater clarity on spiritual warfare. Verse 3: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Why does the God of this world want to veil minds and hearts to keep people from seeing the glory of Christ and so being transformed? That's what it boils down to. That's the nature of spiritual warfare to veil the view of Christ because the adversary hates, hates God and hates the image of God born in Christ. You see, the Christ of Scripture is obscured by the traditions of man.

41:59The Christ of Scripture. Is reduced by science, the Christ of science. When you put Scripture and political correctness, the Christ of Scripture mix him with the Christ of political correctness, he's deformed. And that Christ cannot save. When you put the Christ of Scripture and marry him to materialism or pursuit of any other thing, the Christ of Scripture gets eclipsed. So there's a greater clarity. That's what it boils down to. And you can see it through the history. You can see it in a personal level. You know what the devil's doing? He wants to veil your testimony if you're a believer. Keep you from reflecting, keep you from, down to a very macro level and a very personal level.

42:51One more thing. One more result of transforming glory. And that is, you will have an increased delight to be a slave. An increased delight to be a slave. Verse 5, for we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord and ourselves as your bondservants for Jesus' sake. In other words, we're not peddling the word of God at all. We're all about disclosing the Christ of Scripture, wherever that may take us, and we do so because we do not preach ourselves, we preach Christ and. And we are your slaves because if you do not see the Christ of Scripture, you will not be transformed into the Christ of Scripture. A veil will remain over your heart. And so Paul gives himself to that. But that's a work that was transformed, right? It's a transforming work.

43:54Well, as you come to 2018, she did purposefully set time aside into fellowship with the community of the redeemed so that you may grow, behold the Christ of Scripture more. We are becoming exclusively his. That is the work of the Spirit of God in our lives. You know, in fact, the very first time I met Nancy, you know what began to happen? Nancy's my wife. First time we, our eyes met across a big smoke-filled room, it wasn't smoke. Actually, it was smoke. We were in Russia, you know, in there. But first time we met, you know, out of the masses, you know what began to happen? A growing exclusiveness between our relationship. From the very beginning, my heart towards her, we went from being complete strangers to wedded love. And that was a process, one of growing exclusiveness. And the same is true with our relationship. Relationship with Christ. From the first time we meet Him in faith, from the first time we hear Him, there is a growing exclusiveness in our allegiance to Him as individuals and as a body. That is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This growing exclusiveness to know Christ, to see Him, and to be conformed and transformed into His image.

45:28So, let's purpose to love the Christ of Scripture more purposefully in 2018 by beholding His glory more. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we just desire to know more about you. Father, we know it is your good pleasure that we know your Son, your Christ, more intimately, more deeply. We are completely powerless. Even as we come to the pages of Scripture, Father, there will be a veil over our eyes and hearts unless your Spirit does an illumining, awakening work in us. And so, Father, as we approach Scripture this year, as we approach corporate life together, Father, may our growing desire be to know you more intimately, to be conformed more into your glory, and forgive us. Father, forgive us where we have placed so many things in the way that obscures our vision of you. Father, help us be done with small living, short goals, and compromised visions of who you are. Reveal Christ to us. We know this is the will of your Spirit. We know this is the will of the Father. We know this is why Christ came. Open our eyes, transform us, Christ's name.