One of the common threads in these fictional tales is recognizing the power of words. Sometimes an incantation sparks a supernatural event. Sometimes the words reveal an answer to a puzzle written by peoples long dead. The professor type gets the message when others around him fail to see the whole picture. The allure of “secret knowledge” has been dogging the heels of religion almost since the very beginning of the religious impulse. Of course it is impossible to know God fully. Therefore, we always want a little edge on the next guy. If we have the power of certain words, perhaps, God will show us a little more of the blueprint of the universe or God will favor us with more blessings than the tribe, or the church, down the street.

Despite Hollywood’s attraction to this theme, the real power of words really isn’t much of a secret. Words do have the power to bless or to curse, and we don’t need a chase scene complete with Nazi tanks to let us know that’s true. Words spoken in kindness or asking for forgiveness are words of blessing. Words that tear down and criticize, and come out of our own brokenness to create more wounds curse those around us. Words may not turn back time, but they can offer healing over time. The words of our faith may not be magical, but a few familiar words of scripture are sometimes all that’s needed to bring us into the presence of God.

Sometimes I wonder if using fewer words would at times be more powerful than the wordiness that usually accompanies most Presbyterian forms of worship. We are without a doubt, people of the book. And if that weren’t obvious, you may want to notice that we even print a booklet each week as our guide. We read words from it, sing words from yet another book, and the one behind the pulpit gets to say an awful lot about her interpretation of the holy book in spite of the fact that her opinion is certainly not all that matters. I dare say that most people think that has to be the longest part of any worship service – the sermon. It probably feels that way anyhow. But in a broader view of things, the sermon is really only a very small part.

Worship is in fact part of a greater rhythm – particularly for those who are committed to observing the weekly ritual of coming together as the community of faith. Our worship does not end with the final blessing. In fact, that’s where it begins. It begins when you leave this place on the 1st day of the Christian week to live your life as a believer. Worship is what you do in your daily life when you enact what it means for you to belong to God fully – mind, body, and spirit every day of the week. We gather as a community of faith, not because Sunday worship is the only time we meet God, but so we can be reminded of how God is active and involved in our lives all the time. We meet in fellowship to rehearse the movement of how God gathers us, calls us to confession, absolves us of our sin, teaches us through the word read and proclaimed, gives us ample time and resources to respond in prayer and sacramental offering, and then blesses us to be the messengers of God’s Word in this world. This longest part of worship lasts from about 11:05 a.m. or so today until we gather again at 10 a.m. next Sunday. You are the stars of those action-adventure stories. You get to follow the secret messages, and uncover hidden treasure, and encounter all sorts of travelers along your way. And what I want you to take away from this morning’s gathering is that you are blessed, not so secretly, with God’s word as you go about your normal life.

One of the things I tell the Confirmation class – every year – and I’m not sure if they believe me is that the blessing part, the last 5 minutes or so of worship is perhaps also the most important. We go through a movement, a ritual, an enactment of our faith, but in the end, it isn’t about me, it’s about you. It could care less if you talked about the topic of the fabulously crafted sermon over lunch. It do, however, care deeply that you have garnered strength from the community gathering for worship such that you have the momentum, energy, and love you need to live a life of faith again this week. This year’s Confirmation class heard my spiel as well and was wise to point out that it is about all of us, me included, when we talk about living our lives of faith after our hour together Sunday morning.

The weekly ebb and flow becomes more important the more often you participate. God somehow gave us that rhythm for a reason. In seven days, one can grow pretty frustrated and jaded with the world. It can seem as though hope is fading fast. We need weekly rest and renewal. We are programmed for it. The body cannot work and claim control for that work much longer than that. We need that opportunity for God to be in charge, so we can let go. In the weekly pattern, it’s okay to admit our failures, because we get a whole new chance to try again. And that blessing! We need that blessing, that assurance that God is with us in the long stretch from Sunday to Sunday.

The blessing that we turn to today is scriptural. It is the Trinitarian blessing from the end of 2nd Corinthians. Paul leaves his church with admonitions for getting along: to love each other, to greet each other with a holy kiss, to let the God of love and peace be with you. Then he closes with these words, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Hoy Spirit be with all of you.”

The Roman Catholic Church accompanies this blessing with the sign of genuflection which signifies reverence for the holy name of God. I admit, this is a powerful blessing – passed down through centuries, not only to bless the Corinthians, but to now bless each and every one of you as you resume your daily lives upon leaving First Presbyterian Church. It isn’t the only benediction in my repertoire, but it is ancient and binding. As St. Peter prayed, may you be bound to the strong name of the Trinity, the three in one, the one in three.

Now, I cannot guarantee that the words of this Trinitarian blessing or any other blessing uttered by me will open the secret gates of your spiritual life. This isn’t an Indiana Jones movie. However, I do hope that they may sink in just a little bit more today – knowing that as much as you come here to worship God, it’s even more important that you leave here to worship God. This blessing is threefold – for grace, for love, and for communion. I do pray that you are blessed with all three.

Grace comes from our Lord Jesus Christ. The power of grace is the power to accept things as they are. Too often we worry about those things we cannot change. We beat ourselves up for the past. We agonize over the future. We get the wheels of our minds spinning faster than we can keep up. Grace gives us permission to stop, to rest, to forgive – even ourselves. Grace reminds us that we already have a savior, and we aren’t responsible for saving the world on our own. Grace accepts you, as you are, right now, no exceptions.

Love comes from the living God. The love of God is absolute, steadfast, and sure. There is nothing we can do to separate ourselves from God’s love. Sometimes we’ll feel that way, but the truth is that God loves us completely. The blessing reminds us to look for God’s love in our lives. With a little practice, we begin to see God’s love coming at us from all directions. Sometimes love hurts when we choose not to see it. We choose to experience pain or damnation instead. It can be easier to cast blame and feel important than welcome love and feel like just a small part of God’s big world. The blessing of God’s love opens us up to the whole of creation and can be frightening at first.

Communion comes from deepening our connection to the presence of the Holy Spirit. Communion is also sometimes called “fellowship” in this blessing. We are blessed to be together. In a given week, countless times, I feel the pull of God’s Spirit bringing me together with a friend, a person in need, or someone in my family. The power of the blessing is the willingness to listen to the Spirit’s orchestrations more so than our own list of “shoulds.” Worship is communion – it can’t be done alone. Yes, there are times to pray alone, to be separate, to reflect, or simply bond with God in the excellence of a sunset, but worship is an act of people gathering to hear and express God’s Word together regardless of whether that happens in a church sanctuary, or a hospital room, or over a family dinner on the patio.

You can imagine epic theme music playing in the background if you like. Today, enter the long part of worship refreshed and renewed, found and forgiven. Remember that what we do here is only a small slice of the bigger picture. And friends, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you, now and forever.

Amen.