Blessed by the Triune God

Some Bible passages people just know. Most ofrunner in America. Zerk dug deep, pulled out all
us can recite the first line or two of Psalm 23.the stops, lunged across the finish line and
“God so loved the world” would rate upcollapsed into a pile of arms and legs. I don’t
there, too. Because of our familiarity with theknow if he broke his sunglasses or not. He won.
worship service, some rather obscure BibleBecause he knew he couldn’t fail, he gave it
passages have lodged in our heads, like, “thehis best as every champion will. And as every
peace of God that passes all understanding, guardChristian will. We will give God the Father our best
your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippiansevery day, because we can not fail.
4.7).” But there’s one passage which“The Lord make his face shine upon you and
everybody knows. It’s almost as eagerlybe gracious to you.”
anticipated as the umpire shouting “PlaySince this is Hebrew poetry, the same idea is
ball!” For many it signifies the service is almostexpressed in two ways. When God the Son
over. For others, it is the clarion call to get readymakes his face shine on us, he is blessing us with
to live the faith outside the walls of the church.his grace. Grace is his undeserved love. Grace
It’s the Old Testament benediction and todaymeans you and I didn’t deserve to have
we want to look at it on Trinity Sunday to seeJesus die on the cross for us. That’s what
how it shows were arethe Apostle Paul says. “For a good man
Blessed by the Triune God.someone might possibly dare to die. But God
1.The Father keep us (24).demonstrates his own love for us in this: While
2.The Son bless us (25)we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans
3.The Spirit give us peace (26).5.8).” We were not the good man Paul talks
The Lord instructed Moses to have Aaron, theabout, the good man that somebody might die
high priest, and all the members of his family whofor. We were still sinners, the evil people that
would succeed him, put the Lord’s name onnobody would want to die for. Yet, Jesus died for
the people for a blessing. It is a three-fold blessing,us.
with that special name of God, the LORD. The“Make his face shine on you,” has an
LORD expresses God’s saving nature. This isinteresting, military history. War was a lot more
the God who promised sinful human beings apersonal in ancient times. After a great battle, the
Savior from sin, kept promising that Savior inancient king, who had fought side by side with his
spite of man’s wickedness, kept working onmen, would line them up and personally greet
that promise of a Savior when we appeared tothem. Those who did well in battle would be proud
be doing our darndest to fight against thatand be looking him in the eye. He would smile on
promise, and finally fulfilled that promise of athem, give them a big bear-hug and reward them.
Savior when he sent his Son to die on the crossThose who did not do so well in battle would hang
as payment for our sins and raised him to lifetheir heads in shame that they had let down their
again on Easter Sunday to show us we wereleader. A tyrant would slice off their heads. But
really forgiven. Everything was right between usnot a benevolent and generous ruler. He would put
and God. That’s the LORD.his hand under their chin and lift their face up, so
Now, for that three-fold part of the blessing. Itthey could see him smiling at them, forgiving
certainly hints that there is a three-fold nature tothem and encouraging them to do better next
our God, because God, the creator of language,time.
does not waste words. The three-fold repetition isAll the times we have sinned against God, we
significant. From the rest of the Bible we knowshould hand him our heads on a platter. But
there is God the Father, God the Son and Godthat’s not how God the Son works. By his
the Holy Spirit. Just look at Jesus’ commanddeath he did away with the guilt of our sin. No
to baptize in the name of the Father and of thepunishment awaits us. We can look our Savior in
Son and of the Holy Spirit, the same words wethe face and be happy.
use as an invocation at the beginning of the“The Lord turn his face toward you and give
service. Though there is only one God, our God isyou peace.”
three (what should we call it)—persons. TheseWe can see this last part of the Old Testament
three persons are not the same, like it could beblessing as talking about the work of the Holy
the same mom who is mommy at one timeSpirit. The Spirit is the one who gives us that
during the day, wife another part of the day andpeace of forgiveness by making it our own
employee another part of the day. They arethrough faith.
different, but united in purpose, intent and action.Good News isn’t good news until you receive
God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is our Saviorit and believe it. I think it first happened to me
God.while waiting to see a member at the Desert
Now let’s see how each person of thatSprings ICU. They are very fussy about their
Trinity blesses us.visiting hours—15 minutes on the even hours
“The Lord bless you and keep you.”(but don’t quote me). And I’d think it was
We think of God the Father as the Creator. Theon the odd hours, so I would wait in the second
one who brought us into being and the one whofloor ICU waiting room. It was grim. Families there,
keeps this world going. He’s like the young,not knowing whether their loved one would make
good-looking dad teaching his toddler son how toit through or not. One time a doctor in scrubs
walk. He’s always holding our hands highcame in the waiting room. Almost. He was
above our heads, supporting our weight and givingstopped by a nurse at the door. They were
us the forward momentum so we can put thosequietly discussing something. There was only this
white baby shoes one foot ahead of the otherother family in that big room, over in the corner
with a big smile on our faces as our baby brainson the other side, and me, by the door with my
are thinking, “I’m walking.” Yup.Bible on the table. It turned out he had good news
We’re walking. All the Father has to do is letto give the family, but the look on their faces
go of our hands and “We’re falling.”before he turned his face to talk to them, a small
He doesn’t let go of our hands. “Never willsmile on his face, showed fear, anxiety, terror.
I leave you; never will I forsake youAfter just a few words peace and joy fell over
(Deuteronomy 31.6).” Not in good times andthem.
not in bad times. Not in the labor and deliveryThe Good News isn’t good until people
room, not in the ambulance. Not in life andreceive it and believe it. That’s the blessing of
certainly not in death. I will be there always forthe Holy Spirit gives to us, that he turns his face
you and I will save you from everything andtowards us to create that faith and trust in the
anything you need saving from.Good News of sins forgiven. And through this
That’s what God the Father is promising eachblessing the Holy Spirit, we have a peace which
of us every Sunday. With God the Father by ourknows no end, a peace that minor (and major)
side, we can’t fail. Heaven is guaranteed.setbacks in life are not going to remove.
What could you do if you knew you couldn’t“Peace I leave with you,” Jesus tells us.
fail at something? The sinful human nature says“My peace I give you. I do not give to you as
we’d coast. We’d take it easy. We’llthe world gives. Do not let your hearts be
come out on top anyway! That’s not thetroubled and do not be afraid (John 14.27).”
way it works. A few of our members here knowThe Holy Spirit makes that peace ours now and
of a young man who has never lost a race. Iforever.
think his nickname is Zerk. At the state trackEvery Sunday, in these ways, we are
meet, he got his toughest competition ever. ZerkBlessed by the Triune God.
was worried sick before the race. He had never1.The Father keep us (24).
been beaten. He wanted to remain unbeaten in his2.The Son bless us (25)
high school career. Coming around the final turn he3.The Spirit give us peace (26).
was getting beaten as the northern NevadanAnd when we hear it later on in the service,
runner was running the race of his life and wasmaybe it will mean even more to us. Certainly
about to beat the second fastest high schoolmore than “get ready, church is about over.