Christmas Doxology

Call to Worship

Luke 2:8–14 “In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “And this will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.””

Elder: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you!

Collect Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are truly worthy of all praise and glory. You are transcendent over all heaven and earth. You are so immense that the great expanse of creation cannot contain you, since from you it came. And yet, you became weak and helpless as a baby so that you might redeem humanity. I pray that your servants would learn humility through your unfathomable example. That we would learn to trust in your might rather than our own feeble human power. I pray that we would learn this so that your church might reflect your power and glory, not our own, and that the world might then know that our God is the true and living God. All for your praise and the expansion of your kingdom of grace. In Jesus’ name, amen!

Consecration

Reading of Scripture

Old Testament Reading

Isaiah 63:7–9 “I shall bring to remembrance the lovingkindnesses of Yahweh, the praises of Yahweh, According to all the ways that Yahweh has dealt bountifully with us, And the abundant goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has dealt bountifully to them according to His compassion And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses. And He said, “Surely, they are My people, Sons who will not deal falsely.” So He became their Savior. In all their distress He was distressed, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the ancient days.”

New Testament Reading

Hebrews 2:10–18 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of One; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will recount Your name to My brothers, In the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.” And again, “I will put My trust in Him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.” Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brothers in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to help those who are tempted.”

Sermon: Christmas Doxology

Introduction: Praise Yah!

I am going to frontload this homily with the theological framework from which I believe the impact of this Psalm can be understood. Then, we will read the psalm with minor exposition before considering how we should live.

The Psalm can obviously simply be read and understood as a Psalm that is about praise to God. And it falls in the collection of Psalms known as the Great Doxology (Psalms 146-150). These Psalms begin and end with the command, “Hallelu Yah!” Literally meaning, “Let us praise our Covenant God.”

Some questions ought to arise, however, for us when we wonder why this Psalm is in our lectionary for the Sunday after Christmas?

It is because it is the very message of the Gospel that allows us to appreciate the cosmic implications of this psalm.

That everything can praise Yahweh is what is incredible. Everything exists for the glory of God, and yet, that is the one thing which we cannot do. We cannot glorify God. So, how can we do what this Psalm commands? How can we praise Yah?

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition The Larger Catechism

Quest. 1. What is the chief and highest end of man?

Ans. Man’s chief and highest end is to

And yet this is the very thing that Man cannot do. It says in Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” They’ve fallen short of what? The glory of God. It is a privilege to be able to worship and glorify God.

Christopher Ash says in his commentary on this psalm,

Psalms 101–150 Orientation

There is an outer darkness that is, in the most profound sense, outside the new heavens and new earth. In that darkness is unending misery, a being that is a “not really being,” unsoftened by even the echo of a song of praise.

In the most fundamental way, glorifying the Creator is most basic to our existence as human beings.

Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

We live and move and have our being in God. We are utterly dependent upon Him for everything we perceive as real. And even for our senses themselves.

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition The Larger Catechism

Q. 15. What is the work of creation?

A. The work of creation is that wherein God did in the beginning, by the word of his power, make of nothing the world, and all things therein,

Therefore, our most foundational purpose as human creatures is the glory of God, our Creator. We were made for Him and therefore His will is supreme. It is our purpose in life. It is our chief end. It describes the reason for our existence: because God willed it.

However, question 17 goes on to say this,

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition The Larger Catechism

Q. 17. How did God create man?

A. After God had made all other creatures, he created man male and female; formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground, and the woman of the rib of the man, endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls; made them after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it, with dominion over the creatures;

Shrouded in mystery is mankind’s ability to fall. Yet fall we did in our first parents Adam and Eve. And when we fell we lost the ability and the privilege to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Rather, we gained an estate of sin and misery. We lost communion with God, we earned His displeasure and curse, we became children of wrath, bond slaves to Satan, and justly liable to all punishments in this world, and that which is to come.

In summary, we fell short of the glory of God. This even resulted in a curse upon the ground as God said to Adam in the Garden:

Genesis 3:17 “...Cursed is the ground because of you; In pain you will eat of it All the days of your life.”

And Paul says,

Romans 8:19–22 “For the anxious longing of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”

In the fall of mankind, we fell short of the glory of God, earned the wages of sin, being death, and subjected all creation to futility and corruption.

And during Advent, we set aside those four weeks leading up to Christmas as our time to remember that futile fallen estate that mankind was in after that fall of man and during those 4,000 years from Genesis to Malachi. It was a time of darkness, of evil, of corruption. Don’t mistake me, we still do have darkness, evil, and corruption, but the solution to those things had not yet been revealed.

They were eagerly waiting the promises of God to come to pass. 4,000 years is a long time. Israel had been established as a kingdom of light during that time. Jerusalem was supposed to be the city set on a hill. And even God’s people had become corrupted. The darkness seemed to be all-encompassing. The temple had become a den of thieves.

Darkness prevailed over the cosmos just as it did in Genesis before the creation,

Genesis 1:2 “And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep...”

We were plunged back into darkness by sin:

Psalm 88:6–7 “You have put me in the pit far below, In dark places, in the depths. Your wrath lies upon me, And You afflict me with all Your breaking waves. Selah.”

The question was, would mankind and creation ever regain its voice of praise? How could a formless and void mass of sinfulness in any way be changed into a holy and righteous creature? Can God overlook sin? Is not the righteousness of God such that He must punish evil? Then how is it possible that mankind still exists and even has hope? Even more than this, how can we praise Yahweh? Is not His just wrath hanging over us by a thread?

We should all say with Paul, Romans 7:24 “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?”

That is the setting of Advent. It is hope and expectation of salvation. It is a longing for redemption. It is a sitting in darkness awaiting the light.

And then, at Christmas we get the glorious answer: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Jesus has been born. And He was not born to live, but to die. Reconciling all creation to Himself.

Paul says,

Colossians 1:20–22 “And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross—through Him—whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and enemies in mind and in evil deeds, but now He reconciled you in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach...”

Jesus has redeemed creation. Because of Jesus, all things that have breath praise Yah (Hallelujah). Because of Jesus, all things in heaven, on the earth, and in the sea return to their original primary purpose of giving God glory.

Why were we created? For the glory of God.

What did we lose in the fall? The glory of God.

What have regained in Christ? The glory of God.

In Jesus Christ, the chief end of man is regained: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

This Psalm is a reflection of paradise regained. All creation can praise Yahweh.

Praise Yahweh from the heavens

Psalm 148:1–6 “Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light! Praise Him, heavens of heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! Let them praise the name of Yahweh, For He commanded and they were created. He caused them to stand forever and ever; He gave a statute and it will never pass away.”

Leithart points out in his book A House for My Name that God created a three-storied house. The heavens, the sky and the earth, and the sea. Those are the three stories. And we see this theme throughout Scripture. We see it in creation itself, God separates the waters making the heavens (Genesis 1:6), he then gathers the waters below into one place making the sea and the earth (Genesis 1:9-10). Those are the three stories. Consider commandments 2 and 4:

Exodus 20:4 LSB

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

Exodus 20:11 LSB

“For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

This pattern is present throughout Scripture, and can be argued to represent the all-encompassing nature of something.

When God sent the plagues on Egypt He destroyed the heavens (no light), the earth (no vegetation, dead cattle), and the water (turned to blood). He destroyed the Egyptian house.

In Zechariah 14, there is language of destruction and re-creation: There will be darkness (Zech 14:6) but at evening there will be light (Zech 14:7), living waters will flow from sea to sea (Zech 14:8), And Jerusalem will rise above the land with Yahweh king over all the earth (Zech 14:9-10). All-encompassing redemption. God will bring about a new creation.

Revelation 21:1 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.”

Revelation 22:1 “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, bright as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb...”

We have a new heaven, a new earth, and now, instead of a turbulent sea, we have a life-bringing river.

In the consummation, the three-storied house is perfected: the heavens remain, the earth is renewed, and the chaotic sea—the realm of rebellion and death—is replaced by a river of life flowing from God's throne. Every level of creation is either preserved or sanctified, leaving no corner unredeemed. Nothing escapes God's restorative work (Perplexity).

All three stories of the house have been renewed.

So, when the Psalmist is telling the heavens to praise Yahweh, he is saying that this portion of creation has been redeemed. Notice that even the “waters that are above the heavens” are mentioned. This is directly connected with Genesis 1:7 “So God made the expanse and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.” The entirety of the heavens has been redeemed.

And he says, “For He commanded and they were created...”

And Christopher Ash says, 'Praise is the fundamental obligation of every created thing.' He commanded and they were made, they were made for His glory, and therefore, praising God and acknowledging His glory is a command we must obey. We don't make God glorious—He is glorious. But we are commanded to declare what is already true about Him (Perplexity edit of my original).

So, we come back to our question, if God created all things, and we fell short of God’s glory, how can we fulfill our fundamental obligation to give God glory?

The answer is Jesus Christ. Colossians 1 says that “...all things have been created through Him and for Him...” and He has through the blood of His cross reconciled all things to Himself.

Jesus Created everything and then sacrificed Himself so that His creation could regain God’s glory. So that it could fulfill its fundamental obligation.

And so, we see the heavens have been reconciled to God in Christ. Christ created all things by the Word of His Power, and then reconciled all things by His sacrifice.

Praise Yahweh from the earth & sea

Psalm 148:7–12 “Praise Yahweh from the earth, Sea monsters and all deeps; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, doing His word; Mountains and all hills; Fruit trees and all cedars; Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and winged bird; Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; Both choice men as well as virgins; The old with the young.”

Here the psalmist combines earth and sea and all that in them is. These are the other two stories of this house that have been reconciled to God in Christ.

There are the earthly weather patterns and geographic formations. Notice that these do “His word...” As uncontrolled and terrifying as these things appear to us, they obey God’s Word.

Flora (cedars and fruit trees) - All vegetation.

Fauna (beasts, cattle, insects, birds) - Everything that has breath.

Mankind (great and numerous, men and women, old and young) - Consider that in Revelation 21:24-26 the kings of the earth and the nations will bring their glory into the New Jerusalem. And in Joel 2:28-29, we see a similar listing of types of people (old/young, men/women, etc) and this, Peter tells us, began to be fulfilled with the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost.

Translation: All creation is here represented and with the Advent, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus, all creation has been redeemed and will be perfected in the resurrection of the dead in the end of all things. We are living in the light as the light progressively redeems all of creation.

In Christ, all creation has been reconciled; in the resurrection, all creation will be perfected. We live between these realities, as agents of the already-accomplished redemption working toward its not-yet completion. We are the yeast working through the loaf, or a mustard seed growing into a great tree (Perplexity).

This psalm represents that all-encompassing, ever growing, redemption.

Splendor above earth and heaven

Psalm 148:13–14 “Let them praise the name of Yahweh, For His name alone is set on high; His splendor is above earth and heaven. And He has raised up a horn for His people, Praise for all His holy ones; For the sons of Israel, a people near to Him. Praise Yah!”

The splendor of the Creator must stand above all created things, whether heaven, earth, or water. And He doesn’t stand above in terms of hierarchy: God is transcendent. He is not contained in creation, He is wholly different. He isn’t the most powerful being in the universe. He is outside of this universe and unable to be contained within it. And as was already stated, by merely being the great and unique Creator, God has a right to praise. However, there is more to this story.

He has raised up a horn for His people. This is quoted by Zechariah in Luke 1:69 which explains it a bit more:

Luke 1:67–69 “And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He visited and accomplished redemption for His people, And raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant...”

This horn for His people is in reference to the Messiah. The One by whom this redemption of all creation would be accomplished. And Zechariah points us to the lineage of David: Particularly Jesus Christ, the Son of David.

This Psalm, then, is a New Creation Psalm. It is a Psalm that represents what Christ would accomplish: the reconciliation of creation to God. All aspects of creation: Heaven, earth, and see and all that in them is have been reconciled to God in Christ.

How then ought we to live in light of Psalm 148? How can we be more potent yeast?

Be reconciled to God

There are two aspects of this Psalm that we ought to take to heart today.

Be reconciled to God

Live reconciled to God

First, if you have never considered that the reason we are here is because there is a Creator who made you for His own purposes, and that you have been living on borrowed time from this Creator. You are living a life that is under God’s just condemnation for sin. Because of Adam’s fall in Eden, we have earned the wages of sin, death. And it weighs heavily on all of us because it is appointed unto men to die. If you have never considered this, then consider it now. Paul says,

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their transgressions against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. So then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as God is pleading through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

The message of the angels on the night Christ was born was, “Glory to God in the highest” - the glory of God had been regained in creation with the Advent of Jesus Christ. But then, “and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” This God whose wrath is upon humanity can now demonstrate peace and goodwill to us because of the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ so that we could have peace and fellowship with Him.

But, the objective reality must meet the subjective experience. What do I mean? How do we take this salvation for ourselves? God is offering it to us, but it is just that: offered to you. If you do not have faith in Jesus Christ, then you will be demonstrating your just condemnation as still under God’s wrath and curse due to humanity for sin.

We affirm that Christ’s atonement was limited. Not everyone will be saved. And this is a difficult and sober reality taught in Scripture. And it adds to the urgency of this appeal:

If you have never believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation, I implore you: consider Jesus, the One who knew no sin, but became sin on our behalf so that we might become righteousness and have peace with God. Otherwise, you will be lost in the outer darkness, away from the light and consumed by sin.

If you have never believed on Christ or been baptized, please, speak to me or Nicholas after the service today.

Secondly, for those of us who do believe on Jesus. We have been reconciled to God. Are we living in light of this Christmas doxology? Is the glory of God our chief and highest end? Are we shaping our life according to what God has revealed in His Word? Are we striving to live lives that are pleasing to Him?

I’m sure that the answer to many of these questions is, “I’m trying. I’m failing. I’m repenting. And I’m trying again.” That is our condition. Christ in His wisdom has seen fit that our sanctification is gradual.

But, I want to put some concrete applications before you.

When God reconciled us to Himself, we regained our fundamental purpose of glorifying Him. We also regained our creation mandate: be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, tend and keep the garden. And it’s New Covenant counterpart, go into all the earth and make disciples of every nation.

As men become reconciled to God, they regain their fundamental creation purpose. Our task as God’s emissaries is to bring heaven to earth in this manner. To make disciples of every nation so that they can fulfill their created purposes. Those purposes must be informed by the glory of God.

Doug Wilson describes Christendom, or the great society of Christians throughout the world, by way of a town. The church is supposed to be the center of the town. It is not the town but it is the center of the town. Everything that is done in the town is done in view of the steeple of that church. Everything that is done in town is downstream from what happens in the sanctuary of that church.

The glory of God is our fundamental purpose. It informs everything we do. Whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do, do all to the glory of God.

This makes no sense from the perspective of the world:

Why would you sacrifice for anyone if life was meaningless and vain? Why go through the effort of getting up early and letting your wife and children take your money and your time?

Why give your body so that children can be born into the world? Why not try to keep a desirable figure so that you can live a self-fulfilled life?

Why obey your parents?

We do these things because we have been created by God with a purpose that brings Him glory and brings us fulfillment. And this is what the first catechism is saying. When we live in a manner that brings glory to God it is also for our own enjoyment. It is better for a man to labor for his household, it is better for a woman to sacrifice her body for her children, and it is better for children to honor their parents.

Therefore, when you wake up tomorrow and get ready for work, you are fulfilling your creation mandate and in so doing you are bringing glory to God.

When you get the kids going in schoolwork, prepare meals, serve your husband, sacrifice your body so that children can be brought into the world, you are fulfilling your creation mandate and bringing glory to God.

When you give your lived wisdom to the next generation of Christians; teaching them from your experience how to live, you are fulfilling your creation mandate and bringing glory to God.

Children, when you obey your parents, you are fulfilling your creation mandate and bringing glory to God.

So, live in light of this Christmas Doxology. All of Christ for All of Life.

Amen!

Thanksgiving

Almighty God. Father of all mercies, We your unworthy servants, do give you our most humble and hearty thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all people. We bless you for our creation and preservation and for all the blessings of this life. But above all, we thankyou for your inestimable love and the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ. We also thank you for the means of grace and for the hope of glory.​ We beseech you now to give us that due sense of all your mercies, that our hearts may be truly thankful, and that we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all, honor and glory, world without end. Amen.​

Communion

In Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel, there is a line, “...not by power shall a man prevail.” (1 Samuel 2:9) - No one exemplifies this more than Jesus Christ.

As we come to this heavenly food placed before us as earthly bread and wine, I want us to consider this great God; the Transcendent One who created all things; the One who is outside of time and space; the One to whom all creation gives praise and glory.

This Great God, condescended to us at Christmas. He became a baby!

John Donne, the 17th Century poet, beautifully described this in one of his sonnets. Donne is describing how God made himself weak enough to accomplish His mission. And then, the wonder of seeing the One who fills all place, nothing holds Him, and yet here He is lying in a manger. I’ll read the entire Sonnet:

Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb, Now leaves his well-beloved imprisonment, There he hath made himself to his intent Weak enough, now into our world to come; Bu oh, for thee, for him, hath th’inn no room? Yet lay him in this stall, and from the orient, Stars, and wiseman wil travel to prevent Th’effect of Herod’s jealous general doom. See’st thou, my soul, with thy faith’s eyes, how he Which fills all place, yet none holds him, doth lie? Was not his pity towards thee wondrous high, That would have need to be pitied by thee? Kiss him, and with him into Egypt go, |With his kind mother, who partakes thy woe.

John Donne (Holy Sonnets, Nativity)

Jesus became a dependent baby who needed a mother and father. The God of the universe condescended that much. God delights in humility.

And He did it so He could sacrifice His body, and so that we could eat that sacrifice and participate in His sacrifice for our sin on the cross.

Think of the Passover lamb that was to be shared as a meal by the entire household, and whose blood covered that house. There is a bringing together of the sacrifice and the ones for whom the sacrifice was made so that their sins could be covered. They participated in the sacrifice. This is also similar to Noah and the ark.

Noah and his family were not saved from the flood. They were saved through the flood in the ark. Similarly, we are not saved from God’s wrath, we are saved through God’s wrath in Christ. When God poured out His wrath on Christ, it is as though it was poured out on you and me. Just like when Adam sinned in eating the fruit, it was as though I sinned in eating the fruit. Just as by one man sin entered the world...So also by one man are many made righteous.

We see Christ’s broken body and poured out blood, by faith, and it is as real as seeing this bread torn, and the wine poured out. And we participate in his sacrifice just as much as we eat this bread and drink this wine. If you believe what God has said, then when you partake this is true.

If you do not believe when you partake, then you are calling God a liar, taking His name in vain, and eating and drinking judgment on yourself.

And this is why we fence the table with these words:

If you are baptized and in good standing with the body of Christ, harboring no unrepented sin against God or your neighbor, then we invite you to eat and drink with us in remembrance of Christ.

If you are not baptized, or if you are harboring unrepented sin in your heart toward God or your neighbor, then we ask you to refrain from the Supper for now. But we invite you to repent, receive Christ, and seek membership in His church.

The Bread

Give thanks

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 LSB

...the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was being betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Read during distribution:

Psalm 148

The Cup

Give thanks

1 Corinthians 11:25 LSB

In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.

Read during distribution:

Matthew 2:13–23

1 Corinthians 11:26 LSB

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.

The Lord’s Prayer

Matthew 6:9–13 LSB

“...Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Matthew 6:14–15 LSB

“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

The Commission

Matthew 28:18–20 LSB

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Numbers 6:24–26 LSB

Yahweh bless you, and keep you; Yahweh make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; Yahweh lift up His face on you, And give you peace.’