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 120
A Song of Ascents.
[1] In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
[2] Deliver me, O LORD,
from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.
[3] What shall be given to you,
and what more shall be done to you,
you deceitful tongue?
[4] A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with glowing coals of the broom tree!
[5] Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
[6] Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
[7] I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war!
Psalm 121
A Song of Ascents.
[1] I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
[2] My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
[3] He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
[4] Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
[5] The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
[6] The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
[7] The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
[8] The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
Psalm 122
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
[1] I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
[2] Our feet have been standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem!
[3] Jerusalem—built as a city
that is bound firmly together,
[4] to which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
[5] There thrones for judgment were set,
the thrones of the house of David.
[6] Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
[7] Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!”
[8] For my brothers and companions’ sake
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
[9] For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your good.
Old Testament Reading
Job 33
[1] “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
[2] Behold, I open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
[3] My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
[4] The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
[5] Answer me, if you can;
set your words in order before me; take your stand.
[6] Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of clay.
[7] Behold, no fear of me need terrify you;
my pressure will not be heavy upon you.
[8] “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
[9] You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
[10] Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he counts me as his enemy,
[11] he puts my feet in the stocks
and watches all my paths.’
[12] “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
for God is greater than man.
[13] Why do you contend against him,
saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s words’?
[14] For God speaks in one way,
and in two, though man does not perceive it.
[15] In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
[16] then he opens the ears of men
and terrifies them with warnings,
[17] that he may turn man aside from his deed
and conceal pride from a man;
[18] he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from perishing by the sword.
[19] “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his bones,
[20] so that his life loathes bread,
and his appetite the choicest food.
[21] His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen stick out.
[22] His soul draws near the pit,
and his life to those who bring death.
[23] If there be for him an angel,
a mediator, one of the thousand,
to declare to man what is right for him,
[24] and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found a ransom;
[25] let his flesh become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
[26] then man prays to God, and he accepts him;
he sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he restores to man his righteousness.
[27] He sings before men and says:
‘I sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
[28] He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit,
and my life shall look upon the light.’
[29] “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, three times, with a man,
[30] to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with the light of life.
[31] Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
[32] If you have any words, answer me;
speak, for I desire to justify you.
[33] If not, listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
New Testament Reading
2 Corinthians 3
[1] Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? [2] You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. [3] And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
[4] Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. [5] Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, [6] who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
[7] Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, [8] will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? [9] For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. [10] Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. [11] For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
[12] Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, [13] not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. [14] But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. [15] Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. [16] But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. [17] Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [18] And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
- 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...
Most loving Father, whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things, to fear nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on you who care for us: Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested to us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; 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.