When one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:16-17

One of the best things about teaching, for me, is the learning aspect. Because I don’t so much teach as sit at the end of the table and ask a few questions.

Tuesday morning’s study of 2 Corinthians 3 was a great example. Because most of what emerged as helpful came out of the conversation rather than my notes.

My notes were extensive (they usually are) but by the time the Bible-study is up and running my preparation is typically just deep background – much as the reading, living, research, praying and thinking ahead of time work as deep background for all the guys in the room.

What’s important is the being there, the conversation, the fellowship, the praying together, and the shared sense of being intentional disciples – the following Jesus in community.

There are, however, three specifics I presented that might translate well from our meeting and into this post:

1. First, I shared three documents with the guys – my U.S. Passport, my U.K. Passport and my pocket-Bible. I pointed out that these all serve as letters of introduction or recommendation.
   • “You belong,” the passports say, “we vouch for you. This document grants you safe passage.” These are credentials.
   • Likewise Ephesians 2:19 – “So now you are no longer strangers and aliens. Rather, you are fellow citizens with God’s people, and you belong to God’s household.”
   • Paul points to this assurance in verse 4 of our chapter: “This is the confidence that we have through Christ in the presence of God.”
2. The marked contrast between The Law and New Life in Jesus is a lot like the difference between a “paint by numbers” picture and an Impressionist work by Turner or Monet. In one, the focus is narrow – staying inside the lines, copying the exact colors and “not messing up.” In the other we are freed to live with the love of Jesus pouring in us through us, creating life and grace in imaginative and unexpected ways.
3. Throughout the conversation I had a diagram up on the whiteboard. Two headings: “Old” on the left and “New” on the right. Almost every sentence in the chapter contained a word or an idea that I added to one side or the other (I will take a photo of my prep notes to give the idea).

What this page from my notebook demonstrates in the important truth that Jesus is so much more than a feature of the New Testament… Jesus is The One who stands astride both covenants, he is The One who is the New Covenant. Jesus is not part of this new thing God is doing, Jesus is the new thing.

Christ is all and is in all.

Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. – Colossians 3:11

Not so much set free “from” Law as made free “for” Love – DEREK

Not so much set free “from” Law as made free “for” Love