"When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
On Jan. 4 we will celebrate Epiphany. Epiphany means to reveal or to make manifest. And so Epiphany is where we celebrate the moment that our Lord Jesus was recognized by the three wise men as the savior for all the nations. This Sunday, we will unpack Epiphany and look at what it really means to worship Christ as the Lord like the Magi did. We will also look briefly at other aspects of Epiphany. This will be a great time to set the tone for our relationship with God as we start another year.
This Sunday is celebrated in many churches around the world as Christ the King Sunday. Normally we focus on Jesus’ kingly majesty, but this year we are focusing on the return of the King. In Matthew 25, Jesus concludes his teaching ministry with 3 parables (something like metaphorical stories) about the final judgment followed by a more literal description of the final judgment that will happen when he (Christ the King) returns. It will be a separation of people like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. It’s a chilling scene, because it seems to catch everyone unaware. Jesus tells us the story precisely so that we will be aware and ready for his return. It’s an account of God’s sovereignty, God’s mercy, God’s judgment, and the fruit that true faith bears. May we hear with open hearts and respond with our whole lives.
When God commanded, “You shall not commit adultery,” he did not do it to empty our lives of joy and pleasure. God’s law directs us according to his design for a full life, and his law shows us how to truly love the people around us. May God Order Our Steps and Shape Our Hearts by his word and Spirit, and may we find joy and freedom in life as we learn to Cultivate Purity.
Matthew 5:21-22, 43-48 The Sixth Command, “You shall not murder,” is the most universally accepted commandment, yet it is also one of the most blatantly violated commandments. When we look closer at God’s intent in this commandment, we see that God isn’t simply prohibiting deliberate murder; he is promoting the protection of all people as his image-bearers. In Jesus we see the fullness of this law: love even your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. May God Order Our Steps and Shape Our Hearts by his word and Spirit so that we may truly Help Others Thrive.