Thursday, December 15, 2005

Benediction

Now this is a biblical benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father be with you; and may the Holy Spirit come upon you and disturb you and trouble you, and set before you an impossible task and dare you to do it; until in your desperation you fall on your knees and wait until He fills you with His power which alone will enable you to do it; and then…but only then, may the Lord grant you His peace. Amen.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

did you hear that at a pentecostal church?

ripe with cliché!!!

do you listen to Jesus with those ears?

Anonymous said...

Benediction accordinging to the dictionary is a 'blessing given at the end of a religious service.' So...when does genuine corporate service end...or even our personal 'relationship' in Christ end? Why the need for the relic rite...might sound nice in lieu of a meal prayer! In some ways 'Bens' are cornie - the big feel good after a big dysfunctional body gathering. I prefer 'You may now go home to your blinking pot roasts that may be burnt...because I preached two min
miutes past noon'!

oncoffee said...

It actually comes a church in India.
I sometimes wonder if cliches get labelled cliches because we are afraid of the truth contained in the cliche!?

oncoffee said...

Benediction... is a 'blessing given at the end of a religious service.' So... when does genuine corporate service end... Why the need for the relic rite... In some ways 'Bens' are cornie - the big feel good after a big dysfunctional body gathering. I prefer 'You may now go home to your blinking pot roasts that may be burnt... because I preached two min
miutes past noon'!

I see a benediction as a statement, not of the service coming to an end, but of service / ministry beginning.
When we started to call what happens on a Sunday AM or whenever we meet "service" we blew it big time - it is not really "service." Some serve, there is no doubt about that, but much that we call service is really household activities. When I put the garbage out at home or wash dishes, I don't it service, I call it being part of the family. When we care for kids in the nursery, teach sunday school, help with greeting, ushering, the library, much of it is simply being part of the family.
The Benediction is a reminder - we go with God [that implies we listen to him & obey as he directs our steps] into this world he has created to be salt and light.
So the Benediction say
Go... get out of here & into there where we belong... but if you think you can go in your own strength... wrong!... Lean on him.