Epiphany
We know the word: a moment of piercing awareness, the sudden jolt of understanding. This is the season of Epiphany, a season celebrating the revelation of the Savior, the light of the world. Throughout the season we focus on the ministry of Jesus: the calling of the disciples, the teachings of Christ, his miracles, and finally his transfiguration. The epiphany of Epiphany is that this is no mere teacher or prophet— this is the Son of God, the Messiah. Epiphany calls us to live God’s mission, announcing the good news of Christ’s arrival to every culture and to those who live across the street. We, the church, are sent out as the manifestation of Jesus to a watching world (from Seeking God’s Face by Philip Reinders).
- Calling -
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim Your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!
The Lord has manifested his glory:
O come, let us adore him.
- Constitution -
Read/Listen, Meditate, Pray, and Contemplate on God’s Word, remembering that God is with you and ready to speak to you because he loves you.
Praying the Psalms
Psalm 91
[1] He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
[2] I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
[3] For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
[4] He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
[5] You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
[6] nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
[7] A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
[8] You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
[9] Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
[10] no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
[11] For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
[12] On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
[13] You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
[14] “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
[15] When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
[16] With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 92
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.
[1] It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
[2] to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
[3] to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
[4] For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
[5] How great are your works, O LORD!
Your thoughts are very deep!
[6] The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
[7] that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
[8] but you, O LORD, are on high forever.
[9] For behold, your enemies, O LORD,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.
[10] But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
[11] My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
[12] The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
[13] They are planted in the house of the LORD;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
[14] They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
[15] to declare that the LORD is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Old Testament Reading
Job 12
[1] Then Job answered and said:
[2] “No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you.
[3] But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know such things as these?
[4] I am a laughingstock to my friends;
I, who called to God and he answered me,
a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.
[5] In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune;
it is ready for those whose feet slip.
[6] The tents of robbers are at peace,
and those who provoke God are secure,
who bring their god in their hand.
[7] “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
[8] or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
[9] Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the LORD has done this?
[10] In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of all mankind.
[11] Does not the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
[12] Wisdom is with the aged,
and understanding in length of days.
[13] “With God are wisdom and might;
he has counsel and understanding.
[14] If he tears down, none can rebuild;
if he shuts a man in, none can open.
[15] If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
[16] With him are strength and sound wisdom;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.
[17] He leads counselors away stripped,
and judges he makes fools.
[18] He looses the bonds of kings
and binds a waistcloth on their hips.
[19] He leads priests away stripped
and overthrows the mighty.
[20] He deprives of speech those who are trusted
and takes away the discernment of the elders.
[21] He pours contempt on princes
and loosens the belt of the strong.
[22] He uncovers the deeps out of darkness
and brings deep darkness to light.
[23] He makes nations great, and he destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and leads them away.
[24] He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth
and makes them wander in a trackless waste.
[25] They grope in the dark without light,
and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.
New Testament Reading
Romans 16
[1] I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, [2] that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.
[3] Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, [4] who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. [5] Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. [6] Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. [7] Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. [8] Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. [9] Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. [10] Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. [11] Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. [12] Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. [13] Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. [14] Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. [15] Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. [16] Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
[17] I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. [18] For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. [19] For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. [20] The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
[21] Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
[22] I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.
[23] Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.
[25] Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages [26] but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—[27] to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
- Communion -
Pray for yourself, others, our church, our neighbors, and the world.
Pray the Lord’s Prayer & the collect of the week:
Our Father who art in heaven...
Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
- Commission -
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
Let us go forth in the name of Christ.