2. www.firstmbchurch.org/messages Week 1: Comfort for the hurting Week 2: Dealing with painful relationships Week 3: The fragrance of God Today: Confident and competent Christians

3. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 4 We have this confidence toward God through Christ. 5 It is not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God. 6 He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.

4. 2 Corinthians 2:17 and 3:1 2:17 For we are not like the many who market God’s message for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ. 3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

5. 2 Corinthians 3:1-6 1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone. 3 It is clear that you are Christ’s letter, produced by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God — not on stone tablets but on tablets that are hearts of flesh. 4 We have this kind of confidence toward God through Christ.

6. “I am confident toward God through Christ” Anyone who hears My word and believes God who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life. Jesus, John 5:24 I will give them eternal life, and they will never perish – never! No one will snatch them out of My hand. Jesus, John 10:29 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! Romans 8:1

7. Why should we be confident before God? If you confess your sins, God is faithful and He is just and He will forgive your sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9 Since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ! Romans 5:1 What, then, do we say? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No! I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created things will have the power to separate us form the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! Romans 8:31, 35, 37-39

8. Why should we be confident before God? Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence and boldness (Hebrews 4:16)

9. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 4 We have this confidence toward God through Christ. 5 It is not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God. 6 He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.