Bat Cave : Benediction

A Few days before I got laid off I was reading again in Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life by Charles R. Swindoll and I came across this short but powerful chapter I’d like to share with you.

Benediction

During my years of growing up I sat through hundreds of sermons from dozens of preachers. My family skipped from church to church trying to find one that would meet our needs …Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Brethren, Independent…you name it, we attended it. As I recall those years, one thing stands out in my mind as the best part of almost every sermon I heard---the end! I remember so clearly that no matter how strong or weak, how exciting or dull, how long or short the message may have been, the most beautiful words of the day were uttered as the man would bow his head and give a brief closing prayer. It wasn’t until I was nearly grown that I realized he was actually quoting a passage of scripture to which he had given the name “benediction.”

There are three prominent benedictions in the New Testament, each one equally familiar to our ears. As soon as you read them, you will be reminded of how well-acquainted you are with them.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the Great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25)

These inspired expressions of praise were once in vogue more than they are now in our day of spontaneity and freedom. In fact, it was considered an expected part of a dignified worship service…the minister was not through until he closed the sermon by quoting (with a pardonable flair of eloquence) his favorite benediction. Who can fault such a custom? After all, he was declaring the Word of God---and we can never get too much of that! There are occasions that arise in our church where a “benediction” seems most appropriate, I will use one with delight to close the service. It seems to give a final voice in a fitting fashion, far more significant than a casual prayer could provide.

Unfortunately, however, familiarity with our hearing these lovely statements has resulted in our missing the depth of meaning. Let me choose Jude’s words as an example. Look and read the third quotation you read earlier.

What a powerful promise! If you’d take the time to turn in your Bible to Jude’s letter, you’d notice that just before those closing words he refers to our Savior’s coming in mercy for his own. This “benediction” builds upon that thought as it tells us something our Lord is doing for us now, as well as something He will do for us then, when he comes back for us.

Now: He is “keeping us from stumbling.”

Then: He will “present us blameless with great joy.”

Currently—during the interval between our new birth and his sudden appearance—He is guarding us, keeping us, protecting us, securing us, helping us not to stumble. How often He lifts us when we are low, and supports us when we are weak! As long as we rely on him, He guards us from stumbling. But, alas, we do not always rely on Him….so we stumble and we continue to do so. In fact, we frequently look back over a week that’s passed and feel that’s all we did---stumble.

Here’s where the second part fits so perfectly. When our dear Lord will one day reach down and snatch us up---up before him blameless…faultless…flawless. He will be no peeved deity, angry because of our failures and ready to strike us because they were many. David ratifies that fact in Psalm 103:10 and 14.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For He himself knows our frame; He is mindful we are but dust.

Picture yourself before God as Tennyson describes it:

…in that fierce light which beats upon a throne, and blackens every blot.

You would think it is a natural thing for the Almighty to frown and draw from his records a legal size clipboard with your name at the top upon which would be the numerous times you stumbled. How depressing a thought! No---a thousand times, no! God keeps no records to be used against you.

He will accept you in that day being, fully aware you are but dust…and He will invite you to stop at this moment and think that over. It’s not possible to imagine the scene without smiling, seized with inexpressible joy.

Today: Kept from stumbling

Tomorrow: Accepted as blameless

Now there’s a benediction that’ll do more than end my sermon. It ought to make your day.

Newsboys-Breathe (Benediction)