PASTOR'S MESSAGE

 

The Lord’s Blessing

Numbers 6:22-27 

When his printer’s type began to grow faint, a man called a local repair shop.  The friendly employee who answered the phone said the printer probably only needed to be cleaned.  Because the store charged $50 for such cleanings, he advised the caller that he might be better off reading the printer’s manual and trying the job himself.  Pleasantly surprised by his candor, the caller asked, “Does your boss know that you discourage business?”  “Actually it’s my boss’s idea,” the employee replied sheepishly.  “He says we usually make more money on repairs if we let people try to fix things themselves first.”

My friends, that seems to be especially true, when it comes to our spiritual lives!  The more we try to fix our broken lives, the more we make a mess of things.  The more we try to clean up our act, the worse it gets.  That’s why we need the blessing of God to restore us, to mend our flaws and repair our shattered hearts and lives.  Such was the situation in our Old Testament lesson for today.  It’s what is known as ‘the Aaronic Benediction’ – the words of blessing that the Aaron and the priests were to speak over the children of Israel. 

Interestingly enough, God spoke these words of blessing, not because the Israelites were so faithful and obedient, but quite the opposite.  He spoke them, in spite of the fact that the people were rebellious and wayward.  As a matter of fact, these words seem to be spoken in the aftermath of the Golden Calf incident, when the children of Israel had given into idolatry.  Even though God had redeemed them from their enemies, they had repaid His kindness with their rebellion.  They had messed up their lives so completely, that only God could rescue and restore them.  And my friends, as we stand on the threshold of another year, we can say the same thing about ourselves.  As we look back over the past year, we can all think of many instances where we failed God, just like the Israelites did. 

For example, we have made sports and recreation, work and pleasure, people and things our Golden Calves and given them first place in our lives, instead of worshipping God alone as our top priority.  We have neglected to make use of His Word and Sacraments as frequently and as fervently as we should.  We have failed to serve Him and one another, by using our gifts and abilities, as well as our time and effort to its fullest extent here in the church.   Yes, we too, have repaid God’s kindness with our rebellious ways. 

It’s rather like the father and son, who were shopping in the sporting goods store.  Dad was somewhat skeptical of his son’s newfound determination to get into shape, but nevertheless he followed the teenager over to admire a set of weights.  “Please, Dad,” pleaded the boy, “I promise I’ll use them every day.”  “I don't know, Michael.  It’s really a commitment on your part,” the father pointed out.  “Please, Dad?” the boy continued.  “They’re not cheap either,” the father replied.  “I’ll use them Dad, I promise.  You’ll see.”  Finally won over, the father paid for the equipment and headed for the door.  From the corner of the store he heard his son exclaim, “What do you mean I have to carry them to the car?”

Unfortunately, that’s what our commitment to God and His kingdom is too often like – full of excuses and let downs.  But thankfully, for you and me, that’s not what God’s commitment to us is like.  He does not give up on us.  Instead, He is fully committed to rescue and redeem and restore us in His love, just like He did for the Israelites of old.  And that’s why He spoke His word of blessing upon them – the same word of blessing He speaks to you and me today:  “THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU; THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; THE LORD TURN HIS FACE TOWARD YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE.” 

What a wonderful word of benediction that is!  Instead of God’s face frowning at us in anger, because of our sin, He lifts up His countenance upon us and makes His face shine upon us.  That means, that He is now smiling at us, because He has forgiven us all our sins.  That’s why it says that God is gracious to us.  In Hebrew, that word ‘grace’ means: ‘to show favor, to have sympathy and compassion on someone.’  And that’s exactly what God did, when He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.  In His compassion, He allowed His own Son to suffer the torments of hell on Calvary and to die in our place, so that we might be spared.  And in so doing, He showed us the ultimate favor, by pardoning us of all our guilt and shame and absolving it once and for all.  And that’s why He now turns His face toward us.  Instead, of hiding His face from us in disgust and loathing, He turns toward us in favor and pays attention to us for Jesus’ sake.  That is His ultimate word of blessing.

Now, you’ll notice that in the benediction the name of the Lord is repeated three times, as a reminder that it is our Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who brings us this blessing.  The Father created and preserves us; the Son redeemed and saved us; and the Holy Spirit sanctifies us and gives us new life.  As a matter of fact, in Hebrew the blessing keeps increasing.  The first phrase contains 3 words, the second phrase contains 5 words, and the final phrase contains 7 words.  This shows us how God’s blessings to us keep on increasing until they reach the number of perfection, because every good and perfect gift comes from Him, in particular our salvation, which is found in Jesus Christ alone. 

For instance, The Global Prayer Digest from June of 1995 contained the following story:  “You have been faithful to me all your life. You have listened to me and obeyed what I told you to do,” the marabout said to the dying man. “Because of this I have prayed for you. So when you die, I guarantee your salvation.” This conversation took place in Senegal, in a Sufi Muslim sect or brotherhood known as the Mouride. There the marabout is the spiritual leader. It is through your good relationship with this marabout that all your efforts in business, agriculture, and political life are blessed. And you can be guaranteed salvation, if you are on good terms with the marabout. In truth, however, the only name that guarantees real salvation is the name of Jesus.

My friends, that is the very saving name that God places on us, every time that the Benediction is spoken.  In fact, that’s what God meant in our text, when He said:  “SO THEY WILL PUT MY NAME ON THE ISRAELITES, AND I WILL BLESS THEM.”  The chief way that god blesses us is by placing His name upon us to save us from our sin.  And that’s exactly what happened in our Baptism, when the name of the Triune God was placed upon us, to cleanse us of all our guilt and make us members of His heavenly family.  As a matter of fact, in Hebrew the verb ‘put’ actually means: ‘to lay upon,’ and it was used of placing armor on someone.  So it is that in our Baptism, God enfolds us in the armor of His saving name to protect us from sin, death and the devil.  And that’s why when Martin Luther wrote his German Mass, he did something different from what had normally been done – he included this Aaronic Benediction at the end of every service, as reminder that God’s name is always upon us to guard and preserve us from every evil; that every time we come to the Lord’s Table, Jesus personally speaks His word of benediction upon us to grant us pardon and remission of all our sins.

Certainly the Israelites understood the power of God’s blessing.  For example, in 1986, two thin amulets were discovered in a burial cave in the Valley of Hinnom.  These amulets were dated as coming from the ninth century B.C.  Written on the amulets was the Aaronic benediction.  The people saw that by placing his name on His people at the time of their death, God claimed them for Himself.  In an even better way, by placing His name upon us at our Baptism, God has claimed us as His precious children, whom He has blessed with forgiveness and salvation, and He will keep us safe until He brings us to everlasting life!

Mark Guy Pearce writes:  “I was walking along one winter night, hurrying toward home with my little daughter at my side.  Suddenly she said to me, ‘Father, I am going to count the stars.’ ‘Very well,’ I said. ‘Go ahead.’ By and by I heard her counting: ‘Two hundred and twenty-three, two hundred and twenty-four, two hundred and twentyfive … Oh, dear,’ she said, ‘I had no idea there were so many.’ Ah, dear friends, I sometimes say in my soul, ‘Now, Master, I am going to count all Thy benefits.’ I am like the little girl. Soon my heart sighs — sighs not with sorrow but burdened with such goodness, and I say within myself, ‘Ah! I had no idea that they were so many.’”

Truly, God has blessed us with many riches in the heavenly places in union with Christ Jesus.  Best of all, He has placed His name upon us in our Baptism to rescue us, redeem us and restore us as His children.  The amazing thing about that is that in all of Scripture, God only placed His name on one another thing and that was the temple in Jerusalem.  It’s a reminder to us that we are now His holy temple and He is living right inside of us to give us new life.  And so, as we head into a new year, may we never forget all God’s benefits to us, but praise and thank Him for them daily, and live our lives to His glory, for His name’s sake.  Amen.

 

                     

           

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