Well, it's good to be with you all this morning. It was good to be with you folks last Lord's Day evening as you came over to Lafayette and figured it's only fair if you lent us your pastor last Lord's Day that we lend you a pastor this Lord's Day. So it's good to be with you all. It's good to worship with you. If you would, turn in your copies of God's Word to Numbers 6. We have two passages before us this morning. We'll be looking at both. So as you turn to Numbers 6, if you want to also find Matthew 17. We'll be reading Matthew 17. I believe it's typed there verses 1-3. We're actually going to be reading the whole narrative there in Matthew 17 is verses 1-13. So Numbers chapter 6 verses 22-27 and then Matthew chapter 17 verses 1-13. So when you find those, we'll begin with Numbers chapter 6 and then we'll flip over and read Matthew chapter 17 as well. So, here now, God's Word. Numbers chapter 6, starting in verse 22. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. So they shall put my name on the children of Israel. And I will bless them. And then turning over to Matthew chapter 17, starting in verse one. Now, after six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John, his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves, and he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, let us make here three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and suddenly a voice came out of the clouds saying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise and do not be afraid. When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Now, as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? Jesus answered and said to them, Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already. And they did not know him, but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise, the son of man is also about to suffer at their hands. Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptist. This ends our scripture reading. If you would like to keep both sections open and available. We will be looking at Numbers chapter 6 as we begin, but at this time, if you would briefly join with me in prayer. Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the diversity of it, but yet the singular message that you have for us in the scriptures and that message is the living word, the bread of life, Jesus Christ. And so, as He is preached from all of your Scriptures, Lord, may we hear Him this day, and may we feed upon Him, and may we be full. So, by Your Spirit and by Your Word, we pray that You would apply to all of us, each and every one of us, that which we need to hear this day. And, Lord, may we be changed people as we depart this day from having encountered You in Your Word, the living, Word of life, Jesus Christ, in His name we pray, Amen. As I survey the room, it's very clear that there are many different generations represented here. But one thing is probably true of all of us in this room, and that is we've all probably seen an episode of Looney Tunes. It's a cartoon that began in the 1930s and so it transcends generational gaps. Who of us don't remember Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd or Foghorn Leghorn or the classic Roadrunner and Coyote, right? And even my two-year-old daughter knows Bugs Bunny. We can't forget Bugs Bunny. This transcends generational lines, but if you've seen one of these episodes, then you remember from the end of every Looney Tunes cartoon, at the very end the credits appear and there's this big drum in the center with the word Looney Tunes written across it and out bursts the stuttering porky pig. And he raises his hand almost in a benediction type fashion and he says, that's all folks, in his stuttering voice, right? And so we've all seen that. We're all familiar with that conclusion. But as we come week by week to the Lord's Day to hear the preaching of the Word, the reading of the Word, the singing of the Word, we always conclude with the benediction. And so we can become tired in our hearing. We can become soft in hearing and begin to think that the benediction is nothing more than a divine that's all for. The service was great. This was nice. Now let's go and get some coffee. Let's depart. And that is not what the benediction is. It is not just a divine, that's all, folks. Let's part and go our separate ways. No, in fact, as we take a look at our passages this morning, it is my hope that you will see it is so much more than that. And it, in fact, is Christ. giving you his blessing. That is what the divine benediction is week after week. It is your Savior pronouncing upon you, his children, his blessing that he has earned for you. And so as we unpack these passages, It is my hope that we will indeed see that. But so as we begin, we take a look here at Numbers chapter six. And these are the words that we probably hear more than any other. The the first Aaronic blessing. This is the blessing given to the Levites, given to Aaron and his children to pronounce upon the people. of Israel, but as we hear it week after week, have we really absorbed its meaning? Do we really understand the words? Do we really appreciate what is being said? Well, as we take a look at these words, it's helpful to remember the context. And the context of this is found actually in Numbers chapter four, verse 47, where it says, From 30 years old and above, even to 50 years old, everyone who came to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tabernacle of meeting. And then it goes on to explain all the different duties and all the different responsibilities that the Levites had in the tabernacle. And one of them is the benediction, is the blessing pronounced on the people. This is a duty of the priests. This is required of them, that this is God blessing his people through human instruments. Not only is it a divine command to do this, and not only is it done through human instruments, but there are several things that we can take from this, that this is a command given to human individuals. We see in verse Twenty three of our passage there in Numbers chapter six is that this is given to specific individuals. Speak to Aaron and his son saying this is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. And so this is a command of God for these human vessels. They are the ones pronouncing this. God is using means using these people. There are several other things that we see from this that this is not A prayer. This is not the Israelites, the Levites praying to God. God, may you bless the people. We see this in verse 24. It's the Lord bless you and keep you. It's the Lord who is doing this. It's not God, may you bless the people. It's not directed to God. It's a divine pronouncement through human instruments. And not only that, but then we can also remember, since this is coming through human instruments, we think back on the Israelites of old. It's safe to say that the human instruments were far from pure, far from perfect, and so this blessing is not coming through them because of anything in and of themselves. It's not because of any innate goodness in them or any innate characteristic in their office. as priests. This is God pronouncing His blessing on His people. But so, then what is this blessing? What is the content of the blessing? Look again at verse 24. It says, "...as the Lord bless you." Now, these are words that we hear time and time again. In fact, every time someone sneezes, we probably hear this type of phrase. Oh, God bless you. It's flippant. We throw it around all the time. But what does it mean? Well, it certainly doesn't mean God keep you healthy. Now that's what we mean when we say, oh, God bless you when someone sneezes, right? That's the origin. God keep you healthy. But that's not what this means. And it certainly doesn't mean God make you happy. That's not the point of this blessing. It's so much more than that. This is God divinely favoring us. He's placing His favor upon us. So it's saying, the Lord favor you. And it goes on and keep you. And so this second injunction is that the Lord would not lose you. If you are one of Christ's children, if you've placed your faith in him, this is a fact. He will not lose you. There is nothing anyone can do. Not you, not Satan, no one. can do to cause you to slip from the grasp of God if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ. He will keep you. He is keeping you. This is a promise that you would not wiggle out of His grasp and somehow stumble to the point of being lost. It's impossible. This is part of the blessing of being one of God's divinely favored people. But the blessing goes on. And the Lord make His face shine upon you. Now, who has seen the face of the Lord? If we were to gaze into the face of the Lord in His full glory, we would be consumed. But this is the very thing that is being pronounced upon us, that the Lord's face would be full upon us. That He'd be revealing Himself to us and showing forth His glory to us. This is revelation that He's not holding Himself back, but He's sharing Himself with His people. What a blessing that is! That He doesn't conceal Himself, but He has revealed Himself to you. Not only this, but it goes on, "...and be gracious to you." This is the Lord extending His mercy and His favor upon you that is only because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. Grace is always in light of our failure and always in light of Christ's lack of failure and perfect success. And so it's the Lord show mercy to you, even in light of your demerit. It is great blessing. But again, it goes on. And here we come to a phrase in this blessing that that we don't particularly use this language anymore in our day and age. But it says the Lord lift up his countenance upon you. We don't speak in the 21st century really about countenance. We don't use that word a whole lot. But if you could imagine with me about being in an argument with someone, I know you've probably not had much conflict with people in your life, but if you could try Try to imagine it just for a minute. If you've ever been in conflict with someone, maybe you see them across the room or across the hall at work or wherever, even in church. And isn't sometimes your thought, you want to just turn away. I hope they don't see me. I hope they don't come over and talk to me because there's that gap between you. There's the lack of fellowship. Or maybe even you're talking to them and you struggle to look them in the eye if there's conflict between you. Your countenance is turned down and away from them. There's not this interaction, this interchange, this fellowship. And so when we hear this part of the blessing, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, we are hearing said that the Lord be lovingly reconciled to you. that the Lord has not turned His countenance away from you in judgment or in casting you away, but He is lovingly reconciled to you in fellowship with you. The blessing goes on. And give you peace. We all desire peace. We all desire to have rest. And it's rest in Christ. It's rest from trying to earn favor from God in our own strength. But John Calvin also draws out from this as well that it means more than that. It means that He is giving you peace in your success as you lay your hands to the work of the Lord, that He's giving you peace and prosperity and success in that. And so that you don't have to labor to earn fellowship with God or earn favor from God, but you have peace in your labors and success and prosperity. in your labors. And so these are all the things that we are seeing pronounced upon us in the blessing. It is blessing indeed, isn't it? And it's important for us to know the content of what we're hearing week after week, because this is what God is declaring to be true. And not only that, he goes on to say, so shall they put my name on the children of Israel. Every time you hear the benediction pronounced and you see the pastor or elder raise his hands and speak these words, it is God stamping you with His name. He is placing His name upon you and He is saying, I am not ashamed to be called your God. Sometimes when children are particularly disobedient, parents will say, oh, that's not my child. We're ashamed to have our name associated with the disobedient children, but our God is not ashamed to be called your God, to be called your Father. This is the idea of the blessing and the favor that you are receiving. Notice that last phrase. It says, and I will bless them. The benediction is God's name being invoked, and it is certain He is blessing you. He will bless you. He will bring these things about. If you are in Jesus Christ, it's absolutely certain and guaranteed. He has promised to fulfill it. And so as you hear the contents of this, saints, do you sit on the edge of your seat week after week when the benediction is pronounced and think, I want that blessing. I'm ready to hear it. I'm ready to receive it. I want that. One of my mentors, actually, when he receives the benediction at the end of the service, he puts his hands out in this gesture and does this. Bring it on. Bring on the blessing. And whether we're doing that in physical action or not, are you doing that in your hearts? Bring on the blessing, God, just like Jacob wrestling with the angel of the Lord. I won't cease until you bless me. Is that how? You're listening on the edge of your seat to this blessing and benediction. We need to be engaged mentally in all parts of the service. There are books written about how to listen to sermons and, in fact, how to listen to bad sermons. I hope you're not listening to too many bad sermons these days. But the point is we need to learn how to listen and be attentive to all the elements of worship. And so it is true of the benediction. We need to know how to listen and know how to receive this blessing. But yet, upon what basis can an unholy, sinful people receive such wonderful benediction and blessing pronounced upon them week after week? And how can sinful, wicked priests and sinful, wicked pastors and elders in our own right and in our own strength raise our hands which are impure and pronounce such a pure blessing upon people? So we need to see what the solution is. And as you think about this, as this question sits in your mind, hear these words from Hosea 11. And just listen. When Israel was a child, I loved him. And out of Egypt I called my son. And hear these words from Exodus 4. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, thus says the Lord, Israel is my son, my firstborn. So I say to you, let my son go that he may serve me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed, I will kill your son, your firstborn. And if we're not making the connections yet, then listen to Matthew Chapter two as these prophecies are explained and clarified. Just listen to Matthew Chapter two. And when Joseph arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophets, saying, Out of Egypt I called my son." Are you beginning to draw the connection? Are you seeing how it's possible for the son, Israel, the first son who was unsuccessful, who was unfaithful, who was disobedient, how that Israel might be blessed. And it's only through the true Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ, who this was prophesied about. And so that is why we turn then to Matthew chapter 17, because there we see true Israel, Jesus Christ receiving His blessing. And it's there on the Mount of Transfiguration as he's transfigured that we see hints of the Aaronic blessing. That the Lord's face shines upon the transfigured Christ and the Lord pronounces favor and blessing upon him. We see it in verse two. And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as the light. The Lord's countenance was upon Him. His face was upon Him. Do you see the hints of the Aaronic blessing? And then in verse 5, while He was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud saying, This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him. This is divine favor being pronounced upon true Israel. The obedient Son. And if it's not clear from this passage in 2 Peter 1, verse 17, it says of this account that it was pronounced upon Christ honor and glory. And so we see this obedient Son's blessing here on the Mount of Transfiguration. And so why? Why is it that this son receives blessing? Why is he favored by his father? Well, it lies in the fact about what Elijah and Moses are talking to him about. Now, as you read that, Moses and Elijah appear and speak with Christ. Wouldn't you love to hear that conversation? As you hear this account, don't you think, what were they talking about? I'd love to just listen in and hear about that. Lo and behold, the parallel account in Luke reveals what they were talking about. They were talking about the death that Christ was to accomplish in Jerusalem. And the entire passage is steeped in Christ's death. It's bookended by Christ's death. He just finished hearing Peter declare Him to be the Christ, and then He prophesied about His coming death for which Peter rebukes Him. And then He said that the disciples are to take up their crosses and follow Him. And then Moses and Elijah speak about Christ's death there with Him on the mountain. When Jesus is walking down the mountain with the disciples, they're speaking about how He must suffer and die. The whole context is about Christ's death and His obedience even to the point of death. And as we think about that, then keep in mind John 10, verse 17, where Jesus says that the Father loves Me because I lay down My life for the sheep. This Son is divinely favored and divinely blessed and receives the Aaronic blessing and earns the Aaronic blessing. because He was obedient perfectly to every aspect of the Father's will. Nothing. He said no to nothing. Nothing was too severe. Nothing was too terrible. Not even suffering at the hands of men to the point of death on a cross. But isn't it interesting what Peter has to say? Oh, Peter. We love Peter. We can identify with impetuous Peter. Speaking his mind. Yeah, I'm like Peter. We just we don't think we we just speak our mind and Peter. It says in one of the parallel accounts that he indeed was not thinking when he spoke and he said, Lord, it's good for us to be here. If you wish, let us make three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah. Well, what was he thinking? You see, here's Christ in his full glory. He's being transfigured. This is the Messiah that Peter can get excited about. You see, he just confessed Jesus to be the Christ. And then he was told that Christ had to suffer and die. And Peter says, No, far be it from you, Lord. Messiahs conquer nations. Messiahs are victorious. They overthrow governments. They don't suffer. They don't die. To which Jesus has to say, Get behind me, Satan. You see, Peter still isn't getting it. This glorious Christ, this is the type of Messiah he can be excited about. And so he's saying, let's stay here. Let's pitch tents. This is great. Let's stay here with the glory. But you see, Christ could not avoid the cross and Peter could not cause him to avoid the cross. And we too cannot avoid the cross because the path to glory, the path to blessing is always the path of the cross, taking up our cross and following Him. And so, saints, when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we oftentimes want to wish that away. When we're suffering and when we're struggling, Lord, take this cup from me. But we have to remember that the suffering and the struggle is the path to blessing, is the path to glory, just as it was for Christ. And this is what we see then, as He's transfigured, what the result of the cross is, what the result of His obedience is. Blessing and honor after the cross. And isn't it interesting that the full radiance of God's face shines upon Christ, and it's just the reflection that shines on the disciples, and they fall as dead men. And yet, this is the blessing that we hear in their Aaronic blessing, is that the full face of God would shine upon us and we would not be as dead men, but we can stand, that we can receive that full blessing. But how is that possible? How is it possible, again, that we as sinful people can receive the blessing that only Jesus Christ has earned and deserved? It's because He's taken our curse. And so, think about the Aaronic Blessing in your mind again. Back to Numbers 6 and hear the exact opposite, because this is what your Savior endured for you. The Lord cursed Him. And the Lord forsook Him. And the Lord turned His face away from Him and was wrathful to Him. And the Lord's countenance was downcast toward Him. And He gave Him no peace. The Lord Jesus Christ took your curse. That is what you deserve, brothers and sisters. But Jesus Christ received that that you might receive the blessing that He merited. And before He left the earth, in Luke chapter 24, we read this in verse 50, and He led, this is after His resurrection, this is right before His ascension, And He led His disciples out as far as Bethany and He lifted up His hands and He blessed them. And it came to pass while He blessed them that He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. The last act that Jesus Christ did on earth is He gave His disciples the blessing that He earned. that he merited for them. And we, brothers and sisters, we receive that same blessing because we talked about the Israel of old who was disobedient and we talked about the true Israel who was obedient and who earned this blessing. But what about us, the new Israel, the recreated Israel? And it is only because of Jesus Christ's finished work, Him taking your curse, that He indeed, week after week, not in His physical hands, but through human instruments, He raises His hands and He gives you the blessing that He has earned for you. And that is what is being pronounced upon you, brothers and sisters. It is a declaration of the Gospel. It is a declaration of grace that He has taken your demerit and He has given you that which He has merited. Grace. That is grace. And if you are not in Jesus Christ, if you've not placed your faith in Him, all that you earn is curse. And all that you will receive on that final day of judgment is curse. But if you are in Jesus Christ, saints, if you have placed your faith in Him, all that you receive is blessing. And while you struggle, and while you suffer, and even while God has to chasten you and discipline you at points, it is all blessing, for He works all things in your life together for your good. You see, you are being blessed. This benediction is a reality in your life, week after week and day after day. And so next time and every time you see the pastor or the elder raise his hands to pronounce this blessing and benediction upon you, remember what it cost your Savior. Because the pastor does not raise pure hands in and of himself. But remember, your Savior has nail-pierced hands, and that is why you may receive His blessing. So remember the cost, and remember that it is certain that this salvation is being proclaimed upon you, and it is absolutely certain that you will continue to be blessed day after day, week after week, until you enter glory and receive the full blessing that is promised to us. And saints, how I wish that we were celebrating the Lord's Supper today, that I could display to you the bread and the wine, symbols of Christ's body broken for you and His blood shed for you, symbols of Him taking upon your curse. And I could also display to you those exact same symbols and say that the bread is a picture of you feasting with your God. that you have fellowship with your God, that His face is shining upon you, and His countenance is toward you, and you feast with Him because He has taken your curse. And I can display to you the cup, which is a picture of celebration and joy and merriment as you celebrate with your God, and the delight that you have with Him because of the blessing that Christ, the obedient Son, has given you. But we don't have the elements today, and that's OK, because you will receive the benediction yet again this week and yet again next week. And I want you to remember saints every single time you see the pastor elder raise his hands and pronounce it upon you that Christ is giving you his blessing. Amen. Let's pray together. Our Father and our God, your blessing is too much for what we as wicked, sinful people, disobedient children deserve. And Lord, we are thankful that while we are so similar to disobedient Israel, that you have sent us, the true Israel, your son, the obedient son who has merited for his people blessing and divine favor. And so, Father, we thank you that he obeyed where we could not and that he endured your wrath where we would have been consumed. And we thank You, Father, that He endured that and came out on the other side. And it was not just a glimpse of that blessing that He would receive on the other side of the cross, but He has indeed received all authority, all glory, and all honor. And He sits at the right hand even now where He gives us His blessing day after day and week after week. And we thank You, Father, that You indeed do that. And so, Father, we do pray that even this day that you would pronounce upon us your divine favor, that you would bless us and keep us, and that you would make your face to shine upon us and be gracious to us. Lord, we pray that you would lift up your countenance upon us and give us peace. May it be so. And we thank you that it is so, all because of Jesus Christ, who alone receives the honor and glory, in whose name we pray. Brothers and sisters, if you would turn now by way of response to Psalm 67.