Would you donate to us today?

×

And lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:50-51)

 

When I was a little kid bored in church, I used to count organ pipes. Or how many times a particular visiting pastor would push up his glasses while he preached.

I was also interested in how the pastor raised his arms for the end of the service blessing. Did he go for the canoe-carry, a 90-degree arm bend? The straight arm morning stretch approach, or did he go for the arms forward lets play Patty Cake position?

Now that this kid has grown up and become a pastor, I get to give the blessing at the end of the service.

Giving the Blessing

It is one of my favourite things to do. From the front, I can see how the congregation receives it. For some people it is just the marker that we are almost done; they are packing up while I speak.

But I see other people smile, or even cry a bit as the blessing is given. Some hold out their hands in a gesture of receiving, others pull their loved ones in close. Some close their eyes, others look me in mine. It is a special moment; I love it.

Numbers 6

The common blessing from Numbers 6 goes like this: the Lord bless you and keep you, the make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his face toward you and give you peace.

These words have a beautiful backstory.

Leviticus 9:22 tells us that Aaron the high priest would offer sacrifices for the sins of the people while standing up on the edge of the altar. And then, before he stepped down, he would turn to the congregation—from upon the altar with his hands covered in the blood of atonement—and give the Numbers 6 blessing.

The symbolism is awesome, isn’t it? The blessing comes to the people on the basis of the blood of atonement, substitutionary sacrifice for sin.

But it gets better.

Jesus Our High Priest

When your pastor gives the blessing, it is not so much in imitation of Aaron the high priest on the edge of the altar, but in imitation of Jesus the great High Priest ascending into heaven.

Think about that!

The Bible tells us that as Jesus was carried up into heaven he lifted up his hands and he blessed his disciples, no doubt with the high priestly blessing of Numbers 6.

And while Jesus’ hands were not covered in blood they did carry the scars of his bloody death. Christ raised his arms in blessing on Ascension Day because he had already spread them in sacrifice on Good Friday. This is the glory of Ascension Day: the blessing of God comes to us in the nail-scared hands of our ascending Lord.

And yup, you are reminded of it every Sunday.

The end of the service, when your pastor raises his hands in imitation of Christ, that is a special moment, and I hope you grow to love it.

Maybe this Sunday you don’t pack up your stuff during the blessing. Maybe you don’t count the organ pipes or how many times the pastor adjusts his glasses. And please (!) don’t analyze how the pastor raises his arms.

Instead, you might smile, shed a tear perhaps, hold out your hands if you like, pull your loved ones close and with eyes closed or open, hear the glorious words of the nail-scared but ascended Lord Jesus Christ speaking also to you. Yes, not only to others but also to you.

The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Amen.

 

LOAD MORE
Loading