Benediction

May 27, 2019

Benediction

“This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”

Matthew 3:17 (MSG)

The word benediction literally means to say good things. Our model for a benediction in our spiritual lives is the voice of God speaking to Jesus after he was baptized by John: “The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life” (Matthew 3:16-17 MSG). Through this benediction, God commissioned Jesus for his ministry on earth.

Jesus’ ministry and the New Testament letters make known to us that this benediction is not only for Jesus but also for all who follow him.  Noted theologian and scholar, Bishop N.T. Wright, says that at the heart of the gospel proclaimed by the Apostle Paul is the fact that “what is true for the Messiah is true of his people.” Wright explains this truth this way: “the Messiah died, so his people die in him, sharing his suffering; the Messiah rose again, so his people rise again in him, knowing the power of the resurrection to comfort and heal, already in present time, and cherishing the hope that one day they will be given new, resurrection bodies like the one the Messiah himself has now” (Tom Wright, Paul for Everyone 2 Corinthians (London, SPCK) p.4).

 Do you honestly believe that what is true of Jesus is true for you? I know it is a huge leap of faith to so believe, but this is the message of scripture. God’s mercies begin afresh each morning (Lamentations 3:23), and every morning God’s speaks afresh to you, “This is my child, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”

My Takeaway: Join me today and take a leap of faith and choose to live in God’s benediction for us: “You are my child, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Copyright © 2019 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.