We come here every week to give praise and honor to God. We also come because God promises to give us gifts – to cleanse us from sin, to speak a word of encouragement and conviction, to feed us at His table. The Triune God is a giving God, and He invites us into His house to offer Himself to us.

As we worship, the Spirit draws us up into the life of the Trinity, and that means that the Spirit draws us up into the self-giving life of the living, giving God. Since He gives Himself, we receive the capacity to share His gifts. Because we are forgiven, we can forgive; because God speaks His word to us, we can speak it to family, friends and neighbors; because God breaks bread with us, we are called to generous hospitality.

That is what the benediction is about.

The benediction reminds us of what we have received and experienced in worship – the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Spirit. The benediction places God’s triune name on us, a Name that guards us, shines on us, and gives us the peace of His countenance.

The benediction is not a prayer. It is a pronouncement, a declaration of blessing. You should not receive the benediction with bowed head. God shines His face upon you and shows Himself “face to face,” and you should receive it by showing your face to Him.

Worship begins with a good word from God, an invitation to enter His house and ascend His mountain. Worship ends with another good word, a dismissal that sends us away to mission and ministry under His blessing. The benediction shows us that we come so that we can be sent away with God’s commission. We gather so that we can be dispersed.