David Bahn – Reflections

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I’m using the 49 Week Bible Challenge for these blog posts. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today’s readings are 2 Corinthians 3; Exodus 31; 34; Proverbs 7.

2 Corinthians 3:4-18

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. ⁵ Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, ⁶ who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

⁷ Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? ⁹ For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. ¹⁰ Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹ For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

¹² Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, ¹³ not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. ¹⁴ But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. ¹⁶ But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Many years ago – before I went to seminary – I was asked to help a congregation by leading lay services on Sunday mornings. My buddy, Jerry and I would drive to Kennett, MO and take turns. One of us would lead the worship. The other would read a sermon. The first time I thought I’d take the easier task and lead the worship rather than deliver the sermon. But when I began the service I was as nervous as can be. Which way do I face? Do we stand or sit? Am I going to mess up the prayers? I’ve eventually gotten at least somewhat adept at this. But my start was nerve-racking to say the least.

And it’s a really good thing I’m not an Old Testament priest. There are so many rules and regulations! I could never keep up with them. I’m all about the spirit of the law – even though I may miss one or two minute details. Those details! How many steps have I taken on the Sabbath? I’d surely lose count. And I’m sure I would just forget and bring in six sticks of firewood rather than the limit of five. And those are just two examples of Sabbath laws for all the Israelites.

If I were a priest I’m sure I would forget and wear my wool cloak when serving in the Temple. Ezekiel 44:17–18 forbids that. And I would not enjoy inspecting for skin diseases or household mildew as Leviticus 13–14 require. Paul speaks of the Old Testament ministry as a “ministry of death, carved in letters on stone.”

But that is not the calling of servants of Christ. We have a sufficiency from God, by the power of the Holy Spirit. And – Thanks be to God – Paul writes “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” So while I don’t want to dismiss any liturgical move that is edifying, I am also free to omit any that are not salutary. I’ve served a church where we sang every verse of every hymn we sang, did not omit any portion of the Divine Service from the hymnal, and relied on very formal rules of conduct. And I’ve served in a church that meets in a restaurant replete with beer taps and other accoutrements of a honkey tonk. Needless to say the latter did not observe very many liturgical nuances.

God has placed his Spirit within us — not to bind us with fear or performance, but to free us through the mercy of Christ. Wherever the Spirit is at work – whether in a sanctuary with every verse sung or in a restaurant with beer taps on the wall – the Holy Spirit brings the freedom of the gospel: freedom from fear, freedom from the weight of performance, freedom to serve with joy in the grace he has already given.