2 Corinthians 3:16-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:42-49

I. The Holy Spirit transformed Jesus into a life-giving Spirit.

A. We know that the Holy Spirit is the one who gives life because of what we read in 2 Corinthians 3:6: “The Spirit gives life.” The first person that the Holy Spirit gave bodily resurrection life to was Jesus. Romans 8:11: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” 1 Cor. 15:45 says Jesus became something that He was not before He was resurrected. He became a life-giving spirit.

B. Jesus after His resurrection also has the power to give resurrection life to those who trust in Him. 1 Corinthians 15:22: “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 both say, “the Lord is the Spirit.” Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not the same person. But after Jesus was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit, Jesus and the Holy Spirit both have the same function in this one way. Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit give resurrection life to the dead.

II. The Holy Spirit transforms you into the image of Jesus.

A. Our resurrection life has already begun. There is a transformation going on inside us right now into the image of Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18). Moses was transformed by looking at God in Exodus 34:29-34: “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai,… Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God… Aaron and all the people saw Moses, … and they were afraid to come near him… And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out.”

B. Another practical verse that will help you be transformed into the image of Jesus is Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” When your eyes and your mind are always coming back to Jesus, you will be transformed. Your behavior will be changed. You will become what you worship.

Application:
If you want to change, look at Jesus and think about Jesus.

Sources:
The Bible
Commentaries by Murray Harris, David Garland & Gary Millar,
“Union with the Resurrected Christ” by G.K. Beale

Sermon Discussion Questions

1) Do you really expect God to change you through the Holy Spirit and His Word? Do you expect God to change others by the same means? What does 2 Corinthians 3 say our expectation should be regarding change?

2) How is our ministry today greater than the ministry of Moses? What do we have today that Moses did not?

3) What can we practically do to change into the image of Jesus? Where should our eyes and our minds be if we want to change?