Sometimes it is good to start at the end. At the end of our worship service there
is a “benediction.” A benediction
is simply a prayerful blessing. As
the service is ended and we are about to go out into the rest of life we
receive this prayerful blessing. I
have grown to love and use the words of 2 Corinthians 13.14—“The grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with you all.” Here a few
things I love about this passage:
It is Trinitarian—all
the members of the Trinity are mentioned. This reminds me that no aspect of God is withheld from
blessing his people. God in the
fullness of who he is blesses his people.
There is no competition or disagreement in the Godhead. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all
committed to the gospel grace of his people.
It is focused on
gospel grace. The blessing
speaks of grace, love, and fellowship—all of this flowing from God to us! We are a people of the gospel and these
gospel realities are not just for the beginning of the Christian life. They are needed to live the Christian
life—everyday and always! This
blessing is one way we keep the gospel central in our lives and in the life of
our church.
May I suggest a simple way to receive this benediction? Whenever I am on the receiving end of
the benediction from a minister I simply extend my hands outward in a posture
of receiving a gift. As the words
are spoken I receive the words, often silently saying “thank you” to God. In this way I affirm the gospel and
receive it afresh.
I have grown to love this benediction. It is short but powerful. It can be spoken in a few seconds but
the truths are majestic enough to meditate upon for a lifetime. Grace, love, and fellowship from the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit—blessings indeed!
