My midweek series will be three sermons on the Aaronic Benediction
Aaron’s Benediction for The First Wednesday in Advent God’s Act At the end of every service of Holy Communion, God’s people have God’s Words laid upon them. As you heard from tonight’s Old Testament, God’s Words have been laid upon God’s people since the days of the Exodus, when the Lord our God delivered His people out of Egypt with a mighty arm and an outstretched hand. In those days, and continuing to this day, the people of God receive God’s name, thrown over them like a net, splashed onto them like water, laid upon them like a coat or a blanket: The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Mary in tonight’s Gospel helps us to get started with the first part of this ancient benediction, “The Lord bless you and keep you.” Mary sang in her beautiful song, “The Lord has brought down the mighty from their thrones” (Luke 1:52). At first reading, Mary’s Words sound as though they are describing the power and the strength for our God. Here Mary seems to say that those who would sit upon thrones—those who would set themselves up to rule—they can make no advance upon the LORD of Hosts. By bringing down “the mighty from their thrones,” the LORD shows Himself to be the LORD Most High; the One who laughs at all other authority (Psalm 2:4); the One who rules forever by His power (Psalm 66:7); the One who scatters with a single motion of His arm all who would oppose Him (Psalm 98:1). Perhaps there is another way to hear Mary’s Words, “The Lord has brought down the mighty from their thrones.” Perhaps we have here something more than the proclamation of God’s power. Perhaps we also have here the acting out of God’s grace. God brings down the mighty from their thrones, not merely to show who is boss, but to show us His love, His condescension, His desire to live and dwell among us. God brings down the mighty from their thrones to show us the Advent of His Son. Mighty rulers, low in the dust, depict for us our God. This is what God the LORD was telling His people when Aaron and his sons spoke these Words over them, “The LORD bless you and keep you.” What do the sons of Aaron sons mean when they say to you, “The LORD bless you …”? • This particular Word “bless” does NOT refer to God showing material goods upon you, or giving you good health, or allowing you to live out your daily life in relative comfort and peace. Certainly such things could be called blessings from God, but it is an equal blessing for you when God takes these things away (Job 1:21). This is not the blessing God wants you to have in mind when Aaron and his sons say to you, “The LORD bless you and keep you.” • This Word “bless” also does not mean “happy,” in the manner that our Lord Jesus speaks in His beatitudes, “Blessed—happy—are the poor in spirit; blessed—happy—are those who mourn, etc.” (Matthew 5:2-11). • The Word used here for “bless” means “kneel.” When the sons of Aaron proclaim to God’s people, “the LORD bless you,” they mean, “the LORD kneel before you; the LORD condescend to be with you; the LORD make Himself humble toward you; the LORD abase Himself before you; the LORD make Himself your servant.” In tonight’s Old Testament, Numbers chapter 6, while ancient Israel was still hunkered down “in the wilderness” (Numbers 1:1), God was focusing His peoples’ attention upon the Advent of our Christ. In the wilderness, God was speaking the salvation that would come upon them—the same salvation that has come upon you—through Jesus Christ His Son, our Lord. “The LORD bless you… The LORD kneel before you…” • Though He was in the form of God, Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8). • The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). • Jesus… laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet (John 13:3-5). • You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9). “The LORD bless you and keep you.” THAT is the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ! In so kneeling before you in humiliation and poverty and servitude, the LORD has promised to keep you. He will keep you in the same way that shepherd would keep over their flocks by night. “The Lord has brought down the mighty from their thrones” This is a picture of the LORD your God. He is the mightiest of the mighty and He came down from His throne. “The Lord has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.” On His human-born knees before you, the LORD your God has raised you up. He made Himself your servant so that you indeed may be His king. The arm of the LORD has been laid bare for you (Isaiah 52:10). His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for you (Psalm 98:1). His sword is now devoted to your kingdom (Hebrews 12:28), your throne (Revelation 3:21) and your crown (Revelation 2:10). God is in the midst of you; you shall not fall (Psalm 46:5). _______________________________________________ Sermons mailing list [email protected] http://cat41.org/mailman/listinfo/sermons
