benediction = bene (well) + dicere (to speak)

Hebrews 13:20-21

Benediction

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

For those of you playing at home, “No” the sub-title “Benediction” is not inspired, but added after –the-fact as a point of clarification or identification to the reader as to what is about to be communicated.

I remember the very first small group I joined. It was Spring and it was in Pastor Dodge’s living room that a group of people I did not know were finishing a study of the book of Jude. I had been working out at a local gym for a while and had gotten to know the staff there as I checked in and out quite regularly (sometimes 2 to the 3 times/day). I had began over the course of the previous summer to ride my bike outside for exercise in order to lose weight. When the winter came, I was in danger of losing my opportunity to work-out and joined the gym initially to continue working on the progress I had made. I had gained some weight upon moving to Ames and living on my own. I was up from 170 to 188 and none of it was muscle. By the time I joined the gym that winter, I was down to 150. I eventually got down to the 130’s (which was incredibly unhealthy, but impressive – which is more of what I was aiming for at that point). Carrie was the girl behind the counter. She went to the same church as I did and was attending a small group (Connection Group). She invited me to attend. She mentioned the lead teaching pastor, Jeff Dodge, was the group’s leader. I acquiesced and attended. Carrie was dating a guy named Jacob. I got to know him through the course of going to the gym and attending the Connection Group which he also attended regularly. Once the study in Jude was done, the group was going to disband for the summer and reconvene in the Fall. Pastor Jeff however pegged Jacob and myself for a continuation of our gatherings. He asked if we would be up for meeting with him weekly on Sunday afternoons to go through the book of Hebrews as Cornerstone was going to be teaching through it that Fall. We both agreed. In the course of that Bible study I came across these verses listed above and memorized them as part of the curriculum. I was reminded of them today and discovered in them grace I did not previously see. What a powerful truth to have anchored in your soul. By the by, Jacob was the best man in my wedding. I was the best man in his. Pastor Jeff is our spiritual dad who taught us about grace, faith, faithfulness, life, livelihood and all the other in-between that requires navigation. The book of Hebrews is forever synonymous in my mind as the place my faith began to grow and mature. It is also yoked entirely in sentiment to my Pastor and one of my best friends who both encouraged me and spurred me on further upward and inward into Jesus.

By way of putting a bow on the previous paragraph: Jacob did not marry Carrie. God broke my desire for control and helped me gain healthy weight in a life/balance of eating and exercise. And Pastor Jeff officiated my wedding.

Back to it:

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Let the VVCSV have a crack at this one:

We have peace with God through Christ. God initiated the peace treaty as we were still firing away at Heaven with the weapons of our demise. Jesus is the Shepherd of all God’s sheep. Jesus was the Lamb who was slain and His blood eternally binds us to God in peace by grace through faith in Him alone. He is both the Shepherd and the Lamb. The sacrifice and the Priest. He grants us everything necessary to be pleasing to Him. He produces through our fumbling around fruit He is eager to pronounce “faithful” in rewarding us forever for what He has already done for us in Christ. In view of God’s mercies in extending this favor to us, may He be praised forever in our hearts, in our minds, by our tongues, through our hands, with our strength, in our weakness now and forever more. Amen. (VVCSV)