Mid-week Advent 3

Advent Mid-week 3

December 19, 2001

Isaiah 35:3-4

“Farewell to Fear”

INTRODUCTION:  Fear, FDR reminded a terrified nation “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” In the past three months as a nation, a society, and as a people we have dealt with the topic of fear. How is it that we address our doubts and our fears? 

We live in a unique time.  What will the future bring?  How do we face the future?  Is it possible to eliminate fear?  In the prophecy of Isaiah the Lord directs us to a point in time when our fears will all disappear.  That time has come as God has come to visit His people. These are certainly words of comfort and hope as Isaiah bids us to say farewell to our fears. Listen again to Isaiah’s comforting and encouraging words: “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear…” How can we be so bold? Isaiah assures us

I.                    Your God will come.

A.                 Jesus came into this world the first time as a mere baby. That was His first Advent.  He came for a specific purpose, which was to save people from their sins. He came wrapped in flesh to be our substitute; to take our place under the Law, to redeem us who are under the curse of the Law. As Jesus lived the perfect life as He went to the bloody cross and broke from the sealed and silent tomb He gives to us salvation and life.

B.         But that was only His first Advent. King Jesus has promised that He will come for a second time as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Lo! He comes with clouds descending

Once for ev’ry sinner slain;

Thousand thousand saints attending

Swell the triumph of His train

Alleluia, Alleluia,

Christ the Lord returns to reign.

[ Lo! He comes with clouds descending Hymnal Supplement ’98 #802 stanza 1]

II.                 When He comes it will be with vengeance. 

A.                 Isaiah reminds us that He will come with divine retribution.  There is still one score to settle.  Those who have denied the Savior, those who refuse to depend upon Him; those who seed to destroy His children because they bear His name and bear up under His cross will be visited.  Jesus reminds us “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12) The matter that will be settled.  All will be made right when Jesus comes in sight.  When He opens His mouth death meets its death.

Every eye shall now behold Him

Robed in glorious majesty;

Those who set at naught and sold Him.

Pierced and nailed Him to the tree,

Deeply wailing, deeply wailing,

Shall their true Messiah see.

[Lo! He comes with clouds descending Hymnal Supplement ’98 #802 stanza 2]

B.                 We need not take matters into our own hands. We need not try to force the Savior’s hand. We need not try to settle the matter. Christ will settle things in His own way and in His own time. We as His children are to content ourselves and, to the best of our ability, should live in peace. God is at peace – with you and with the world – for He has sent Christ, the prince of peace into this world, to win for us his true and abiding peace.

III.               The prophet tells us clearly “He will come to save”

A.                 Already He has save the world once – at the cross when Jesus suffered and died for your sins and for mine. Because of the cross and empty tomb we can say without any hesitation that there really is peace on earth good will toward men!  In Jesus Christ all sin is forgiven period!

Those dear tokens of His Passion

Still His dazzling body bears,

Cause of endless exultation

To His ransomed worshipers.

With what rapture, with what rapture,

Gaze we on those glorious scars!

[Lo! He comes with clouds descending Hymnal Supplement '98 #802 stanza 3]

B.                 The Lord’s peace will again be realized and perfected in us by either one of two realities.  Either you and I will be transferred from this vale of tears into the kingdom of glory or our eyes shall behold Him face to face when we see Him in the clouds of heaven.  Whatever it may be we can say now without any hesitation: “it is well, it is well with my soul.

Yea, Amen, let all adore Thee,

High on Thine eternal throne;

Savior, take the pow’r and glory,

Claim the kingdom as Thine own.

Alleluia, alleluia,

Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone!

[Lo! He comes with clouds descending Hymnal Supplement ’98 #802 stanza 4]

CONCLUSION:  "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32

Mid-week Advent 2

Advent Mid-week 2

Isaiah 11:1-10

December 12, 2001

"A Profile in Greatness"

INTRODUCTION:  In this Advent season we look forward. As we look forward we anticipate one of two great events happening. Either we will celebrate with family and friends yet another Christmas or we will see Jesus face to face as He returns in glory.  If it is to be yet another Christmas celebration we will welcome Him into our hearts and homes.  If it is to be His Second Advent – we will be ushered out of this world only to spend our time in glory. Certainly we need to be prepared for these coming events.

But who is this expected one and what is He like?  Is He worth the effort?  Is He worth all of the preparation?  Is He worth the wait?

Admissions officers of colleges and universities often prepare profiles of new students to acquaint the faculty with the lives of incoming students. In business, the personnel director might do something similar with a new hire profiling a city of a community; highlighting schools, churches, and community attractions. Profiling can be a positive thing.

In our Old Testament lesson for this evening Isaiah draws a profile of the Messiah about 800 years before He came into the world. This evening, lets consider the portrait that Isaiah would paint for us as we consider the One who is coming. This evening, consider the profile of greatness.

I.                    Who is He?

A.                 He is a prince – v. 1 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit” As Isaiah wrote this prophecy the Assyrians had all but destroyed Judah.  Things got even worse! The Babylonians which took Judah into exile brought the kingdom of Judah to an end in the year 586 BC.  How could a prince emerge from such great odds stacked up against them?

With God all things are possible – In these word we have the Lord’s promise that the Messiah will grow as a shoot from the stump of David’s dynasty. As Jesse, the father of David has the promise of an even greater son emerging on the scene.

B.                 This coming one not only is He a prince – He is also a man of spirit. “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord” (v. 2) The Holy Spirit will endow Him with the wisdom to undertake wise purposes and with the power to carry them out in the fear of the Lord.

C.                 This coming one will also be a God-fearing man. “and He will delight in the fear of the Lord” Jesus, speaking to the people, speaks of the validity of His testimony.  In the gospel of John He says: “ The one who sent Me is with Me; He has no left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him” (v. 29)  Then John replies with this observation: “Even as He spoke, many put their faith in Him”

Transition: We see who this coming one is but what will He do?  Many a skeptic may question “but what have you done for me lately?”  Isaiah replies to this question:

II.                 What will this chosen one do?

A.                 He will judge righteously, not on outward appearance or on hearsay – “He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears” (v. 3b) This is good news for you and me.  Despite the holy and pious things people might say, often time people act from selfish, self-centered and self-serving motives. They ask “what’s in it for me?”  Jesus establishes a new standard. He will judge by the standard He sets for the world - a standard that is centered in the cross and empty tomb. “With righteousness He will judge the needy with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth” (4b)

B.                 He comes to destroy the evil in the world through the power of His Word.  “He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips he will slay the wicked” (4b)

As in Isaiah’s day world rulers many times lacked those qualities needed for leadership. Jesus, on the other hand, rules with righteousness and equity. You will always receive a fair hearing with Jesus on the throne.

III.               What will this coming Messiah accomplish?

A.                 He will establish peace on earth. “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a young child will lead them” (v. 6) We see this verse depicted in Christmas cards which we receive in the mail at Christmas time. On the cover we see a lion and a lamb lying down together.  As the world works, you would expect to open the card and find a picture of the lion licking his chops having just devoured the lamb!  The world knows nothing of peace! The world knows only strife, contention and war. It is only Jesus who can bring about real and everlasting peace.  That is why the prophet says “And a young child shall lead them”.  It was only at the coming of the Savior that the angels could sing “peace on earth, good will toward men”.

B.                 With the coming of this child to earth the sons of men will come to know God – They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (v. 9) As the Word of God is taught people come to the knowledge of the truth. As Christ came into this earth so He reveals Himself to the whole earth that people now can come to know God.

C.        Wise men still seek Him. As the coming one enters time and space so now the nations seeks after God.  Isaiah writes: “In that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to Him and His place of rest will be glorious” (v.10)

CONCLUSION: This is the profile of the coming one Jesus our new born king.  Jesus, a descendant of David comes as the righteous branch with healing for the nations. As we prepare to celebrate His entry into time and space as an infant may we even now prepare our hearts and minds to be welcomes by Him when he comes again as judge and king.  Oh, come let us worship Him, Christ the Lord. Amen.

Mid-week Advent 1

December 5, 2001 

Luke 23:35-43 

"Peace in Our Time?"   

INTRODUCTION: The world is ever in pursuit of peace. Each succeeding decade makes peace a greater necessity because of the sophistication and proliferating of modern weapons. The great world powers have difficulty agreeing to limit armaments. Yet, the world longs for peace and fears the coming of the next war. This longing for peace is exhibited by the words of verse 4 carved on the outside wall of the United Nations building in New York City.  “And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Why has this dream of world peace not been realized? Our text for this night gives the conditions for peace, a peace the world has yet failed to pay. We need not a false hope of peace now when the nations are far from the Lord. This evening lest us consider this pressing question: is peace for the world possible?

1.     Is peace possible? Not now but in the last days – Listen to v.2 of our text for this evening:

And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

Peace can only come to this world when Jesus, the Prince of Peace returns in glory. Until that day comes the world, as we know it, will remain in turmoil and conflict. As long as this world runs there will be a world filled with strife and turmoil. This passage does not promise peace for the world today. Trouble and toil will continue until Jesus returns. But there will come a day when these words will be fulfilled. At Christmas we will celebrate the Savior’s first Advent –when He was born in Bethlehem’s manger. But there will come a time when His Second Advent will arrive. We wait and watch for His appearing> When Jesus returns and will stand upon the earth there will come to pass the words of this verse.

And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

On the last day, the Lord will return in glory where all the nations will flow to Him.

2.     Peace will become not only a possibility but also a reality when God our heavenly Father is hailed and considered the Lord and King of all.  God is “highest of the mountains” the center of the world, the hub of the universe. In Him we live and move and have our being. There is nothing that exists which has its foundation apart from God. He spoke the world into existence at the time of the creation and continues to sustain this world to this very moment. When God is considered to be the true God – that’s when peace will be realized. v. 2

And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

What does this mean? God is in control. When things appear not be going our way, when we can’t see the forest for the trees, when we can’t find any direction God still remains in control He orders our days and orders all things according to His perfect will. This is what the peace of God means for you and for me. We receive peace when we can’t find it any other place.  

3.     Peace will bring all nations to God. That’s when we will experience real and lasting peace…when all nations come to God and are brought under His rule then peace will become a reality. - vv. 2-3

And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.  And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.

When people make peace with God they will have peace among themselves. How can we experience this peace? How do we know than there is “peace on earth and good will toward men”? There is peace because God is at peace. He has accepted the sacrifice, death and resurrection of Jesus His Son and our Savior. He exchanges our sin for His righteousness and grants us His peace. Christ Jesus the prince of peace has given us His eternal peace. Is there a possibility for peace? In Jesus we can only know the Father’s peace.

Then will come to pass verse 4

And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Are you searching for God’s perfect peace? Receive it this night in Jesus’ Holy Name.  O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just words do proceed, give unto Thy servants that peace which the world simply cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Thy commandments, and also that we, being defended by thee from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and in quietness. Amen

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

November 22, 2001

Luke 17:11-19

Are You the One?

INTRODUCTION:  Do you want to get rich quick?  Then count your blessings!  There were ten who were healed of the worst possible disease of leprosy. The ten came to Jesus and begged for mercy. All ten obeyed when Jesus told them to go to the priest to show they were clean and cured. But only one came back to thank Jesus. Here are some of the most scathing and tragic words Jesus ever uttered, "Were not ten cleansed?" Where are the nine?"  The grateful one was a Samaritan, a half-breed despised by the Jews. It is still the ratio of grateful people, one out of ten? Are you the one?

How you can be the one who is grateful…

1.   Recognize your blessings - v. 15 When he saw that he was healed. A miracle had taken place. Once the man was ill. Now he was whole. Once he had a death sentence. Now he had new life given to him. Such miracles take place each and every day.  The question for you and me to ponder is this, do we recognize these miracles?  It isn’t fortune, or fate, or accident. Our times are in His hands. Count you blessings one by one. Recognize that the Lord has truly blessed you. Look around at all of the countless blessings and gifts that the Lord has given to you. We truly are a blessed people. Thanksgiving causes us to stop and take inventory of the blessings given to us from God.

2.   Return to thank Jesus -vv. 15,16 Turned back…giving him thanks. Only one man returned. His actions will always be remembered. He simply stopped and went back from where he had gone. He returned back to the Lord for He remembered from where he had come.  Again, this is such an illustration for us to follow. When we recognize the blessings, which the Lord has given to us what is our response. Do we hoard it all for ourselves?

      Do we save and keep it all or do we return a portion back to God?  Thanksgiving is a time for us to stop in the midst of our busy lives and to be genuinely grateful. Is this not why you have come here today. There are countless other things you could be doing. But you have done that one thing needful. You have returned back to the Lord to give Him thanks and praise.

3.   Realize your unworthiness - v. 16 "He fell on his face at Jesus' feet” This man knew of his condition. He knew that he was unworthy to receive any of the gifts and blessings, which the Lord had showered down upon Him. That is why he fell at Jesus’ feet. He returned to the Lord in humility. What is our attitude before God?  Is it one of indifference or is it one of humble obedience and gratitude as the Lord has had mercy upon us.  The proper position is this one man on his knees. He humbled Himself before the Lord for he realized that He had come into presence of the Lord.

CONCLUSION:  Are you the one?  With a grateful heart you most certainly are. On this day of National Thanksgiving may we render to the Lord our thanks and praise for His mercy upon us in spite of our sins and shortcomings, for His mercy, and for the miracles, which He places before us each and every day.  Life is a gift from God, may yours count as a gift back to God. A Blessed Thanksgiving. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

Thanksgiving Eve

Thanksgiving Eve

November 21, 2001

  Psalm 138

A Song of Thanks

"Trusting God even when things go wrong!"  

INTRODUCTION:  “Lord God, You keep the Proud at a distance and look upon the lowly with favor. Stretch our Your hand to us in our suffering, perfect in us the work of Your love, and bring us to life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 

The following Psalm, Psalm 138 was recorded as a song of thanks, seemingly on the occasion of some notable answer to prayer.  Life was for David a very difficult and stormy road. There were twists and turns along life’s highway at every turn. Yet through it all, David never gave up on God and His amazing forgiveness and grace.  It’s one thing to thank God when all is well, it is quite another of trusting and thanking God when things seem to be unpleasant. In our text for this evening, David encourages us to trust in God, even when things are going wrong!

I.    Gladness (138:1-2) I will give thee thanks with my whole heart: Before the gods will I sing praises unto thee.  I will worship toward thy holy temple, And give thanks unto thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

A)    David’s Inner Compulsion to Worship the Lord (138:1)

1.      Its Totality (138:1a) I will give thee thanks with my whole heart:

2.      Its Testimony (138:1b) Before the gods will I sing praises unto thee.

B)     David’s Inspired Comprehension of Worship (138:2)

1.      The Temple That Was So Solidly Real To Him (138:2a).  I will worship toward thy holy temple

2.      The Topic That Was So Sweetly Refreshing To Him (138:2b),  And give thanks unto thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth:

II.    The Truth That Was So Suddenly Revealing To Him (138:2c) For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

III.   Grace (138:3) In the day that I called thou answered me, Thou didst encourage me with strength in my soul

IV.   Glory (138:4-5) All the kings of the earth shall give thee thanks, O Lord, For they have heard the words of thy mouth.   Yea, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord; For great is the glory of the Lord.

V.    Government (138:6-7) For though the Lord is high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; But the haughty he knoweth from afar.  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me; Thou wilt stretch forth thy hand against the wrath of mine enemies, And thy right hand will save me.

A)    An Amazing Fact (138:6-7)

B)     An Abundant Faith (138:7)

1.      God Will Revive Him (138:7a) Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me;

            2.   God Will Rescue Him (138:7b) Thou wilt stretch forth thy hand against the wrath of mine enemies, And thy right hand will save me

VI.   Growth (138:8) The Lord will perfect that which concerned me: Thy loving kindness, O Lord, endures for ever; Forsake not the works of thine own hands.

CONCLUSION: God has answered prayer. Once again He has shown to us His faithful love to us through His Son Jesus Christ. He is great and high; yet He cares for insignificant men and women, people like you and like me.  The psalmist David has a continuing story to tell of God’s protective care for people. Know this night that He truly cares for you, even when things are not always pleasant, when all is not right, He still holds you in the palm of His hand.  A Blessed Thanksgiving, Amen.

Reformation

REFORMATION   

October 28, 2001

Romans 3:19-28   

"Living by Works or Faith?"   

The problem for Martin Luther was that of getting right with God. The issue continues to this day. How do I, a poor miserable sinner, a poor wretched sinner find the peace of God when my sins rise up to condemn me? How do I make peace with God? How do get things right with God. Our text gives us the answer.

1.      The whole world is involved - vv.23-24 - for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

We are all in the same boat. There is something common to each of us and that is our condition of sin. There is not one person on this earth who has lived the perfect life. We all are in the same lost condition. We are all sinners condemned to spend eternity separated by God. No one can escape this death sentence. We are all sinful lost creatures.

2.      The whole world is accountable to God – v.19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:

The Law of God condemns each of us. The entire creation is held accountable to God. Each of us must stand before a just and holy God. What will we offer God when we stand before Him? Can our righteousness stand the test of His holiness? What can we offer Him?  Our sins make us silent before God.

3.      There is an inability of the Law to reconcile us to God - v.20 - because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.

Our conscience condemns each of us. The Ten Commandments show us what we have done and what we have failed to do. Each of us stands condemned, accountable for what we have done in this life, in our “time of grace”.  Our deeds are all tainted with sin. Try as we might there is nothing we can do to make up for our sins and shortcomings. This inability of the Law to reconcile us to God leads us to end up in despair. As the question suggests who shall save us from this from this body of sin and death?”  We cannot find any way out except for the grace and mercy of God. James reminds us: “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”  How is this done? It can only happen by God’s grace and favor.   

4.      Reconciliation, it is a gift - v. 23 - for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

Since all have fallen short of the glory of God. Since all have sinned. We are reconciled by the grace of God as a gift.  Reconciliation happens when we make our peace with God.  Since we have nothing to offer to God in exchange for our sin we seek what Christ has done. What does He have to offer? He offers to us His life.  He exchanges our sinful life for His perfect and holy life. He exchanges our inability to please God with His willing and active obedience. He makes us at one with God as He went to the cross, suffered and died in our place and then rose for our justification. He did this all to bring us back to God. He did this all to make us one with Him.

5.      This gift is all made possible by grace - vv.24-25 - being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God;

Grace. “God’s riches at Christ’s expense” - That’s what grace is all about.  We are hid into the folds of Christ’s wounds and stripes. By His blood we are now made the true sons and daughters of the Savior.

Remember the words from our morning liturgy “for those who believe on His Name He gives the power to become the children of God and has promised them His Holy Spirit…He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. Now, that’s what it means to be saved by God’s amazing and wonderful grace.

6.      There is the necessity of faith to appropriate the gift - v.28 - We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. What does God ask of us? He only asks that we trust God and keep Him at His Word. We boast not in anything we have done or anything we have failed to do. We simply take God at His Word and trust that Word.  What word do we trust? Jesus put it best when He said in the Gospel of John:  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” {John 3:16-18}

CONCLUSION:        

By grace! On this I’ll rest when dying; 

In Jesus’ Promise I rejoice; 

For though I know my heart’s condition, 

I also know my Savior’s voice. 

My heart is glad, all grief has flown, 

Since I am saved by grace alone.

                                                            [TLH #373 stanza 7]

Trinity

Trinity Sunday
June 10, 2001
Numbers 6:22-27
"Blessing upon Blessing"

Introduction:  The Lord instructed Moses to bless the people of God.  God instructs Moses to instruct Aaron and his sons how God's people are to be blessed. For thousands of years whenever God's people have gathered together they have received a special blessing. This morning, let's consider the blessing of God.

1.     The Lord bless you and keep you

A.   The Lord bless you

1.   Why have we come here today?  There are countless things you could be doing with you energy and your time. Yet, you have made a commitment to be here this day. You have come to this place and at this time to receive a blessing from God.

2.   And a blessing you will receive. The Lord has given you His promise that He will in fact bless you. This is His promise to bless and not to curse. Remember the Savior’s words – “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or {if} he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall {your} heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"  [Luke 11:11-13]  How true it is, the blessings of God are a guarantee to those who are His.

B.    The Lord promises to keep you

1.    Hold on! Hang in there! That can sometimes be a helpless and desperate cry of someone in trouble!  Life on this earth can be at times difficult at its best, frustrating and impossible at it worst! With the hymn writer we can say “I need Thy presence every passing hour”.  If there is anything I have learned from living here on this earth is the simple fact that we need God.

2.    We are far from helpless consider His promises to keep you. He says “I will never leave you and never forsake you” “I am with you always!”  He has promised to be near you. The writer to the Hebrews, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit gives us this assurance: ”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}  The Lord’s promises are sure. He will bless and keep you always!

2. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you

A.   The Lord makes His face shine upon you

1.  What face do we see when we see Him? Moses' face, we are told shone. It had to be veiled because his facial features changed as a result of seeing the Father face to face. What do we see when we gaze into the face of God.

2.  We see a shinning face because of the cross and empty tomb. Our sins have been forgiven because of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. Because of this reality, the cross and empty tomb, we have the guarantee of seeing a pleasant face of God.

B.    And be gracious to you

1.  We receive the Father's grace as a gift. “Salvation unto us has come by God’s free grace and favor,” says Martin Luther in his hymn.

2.  He is gracious - show too anger abounding in mercy. The Psalmist puts it this way:  “Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, {bless} His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit; who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, {so that} your youth is renewed like the eagle.” {Psalm 103 :1-5} 

3. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace

A.   His countenance

1.  The gaze of the king would often determine a victim’s fate. To look down meant death! But to lift up meant life - How will the King look at you?

2.   In Christ and only in Christ does the Father lift it up for us. Because of Jesus’ wonderful work on the cross the Father’s countenance is always lifted up!

B.    To receive His peace

1.   Peace which the world simply cannot give. The reason – the world is ever striving but will never achieve true and lasting peace.

2.   Peace which will last can only come from God.  We have peace because God is now at peace with Christ's work, with you, and also with the world.

CONCLUSION: By this blessing God's name; His stamp of approval is upon us and we receive a blessing - what a relationship we have with Him - what a blessing it is to receive the blessing of God!