Epiphany - Lord of all
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Epiphany
Epiphany
Today is Epiphany (with a capital E)-the Term “Epiphany” comes from a Greek word which means “appearance” or “manifestation.” it is the day we celebrate the arrival of the wise men bringing gifts to the baby (or more accurately toddler) Jesus - but what is epiphany about.
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Epiphany
EPIPHANY Term “epiphany” comes from a Greek word which means “appearance” or “manifestation.” In Western Christianity the festival of Epiphany, observed on the sixth of January, celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, the coming of the Magi to see the child Jesus (Matt. 2:1–12)
We heard the story of the Magi in the run up to Christmas. We hear how they travelled from the east, how they travelled for years, how they arrived bringing gifts
We listen to how Herod wanted them to tell him where Jesus was so he could put an end to this but we often overlook the significance of the Magi in the story.
The Magi were foreign, they were not Jewish, they were not even from the Jewish part of the world yet here the were worshipping the Christ Child, having had the true nature of that toddler revealed to them.
A hint that this messiah was not just for Bethlehem, or Judea or just for the Jews.
If anyone had noticed this would have been extraordinary. It would have been unthinkable.
God is bigger than the limitations we place on him.
God is bigger than the limitations we place on him.
But God has a habit of reaching beyond the bounds of social convention, of political correctness to meet with folks that us christians don’t expect him to and possibly don’t or can’t speak to about him.
Over 10 years ago a study of 600 new Christians showed that 150 of them had a direct dream or vision of Christ that lead directly to them becoming Christian, their common factor, they were previously Muslim. This theme has continued since. God love his people. He is far bigger then the limitations that we place on him.
That is my first point for Epiphany - whatever we think God is capable of, whatever the group we think God is interested in, whatever our view of how God operates. He is much bigger, much greater, much more interested than we can imagine.
Jesus spent his ministry engaging with the sorts of people most of us spend our time trying to avoid. when we read in Galatians.
28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
We can add in the things of today, there are no rich or poor, there are non with degrees or working in the land, their are no British or immigrant, able or disabled; they are all one in Christ Jesus.
Revealed to all
Revealed to all
The Jews of 2000 years ago were only concerned with their people, with their little part of the world. They had fixated on those that had kept ‘true to God’ though if you have read the any of the bible from the third chapter of Genesis through to the end of the Old Testament, you would know this applied to almost no one. Yet the Jewish people, God’s Chosen People believed that God cared only for them.
The other meaning of epiphany is to have something revealed to you. Often in a personally dramatic way. It is often something that when it is revealed that it is so blindingly obvious you can’t believe that you did not know it before.
Angular Velocity
Through out His ministry Jesus declared that the salvation he was bringing was for more than the Jewish nation like the time he met the Samaritan woman.
5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
john 4:5-
Now the Jewish nation despised the Samaritans and the Samaritans despised the Jews. The Samaritans were from the norther tribes of Israel and the Jews thought they had got everything wrong, they had sinned against God and were outside of Gods plan, they were not worth bothering with. The Samaritans on the other hand hated the Jews, they thought them arrogant, they could not believe they had created this monstrosity of a temple and preferred to worship God on a mountain just has Abraham had.
to a either a jew or a Samaritan it was incomprehensible that
man would speak to a woman he did not know,
a rabbi would speak to some one unclean (a Samaritan)
that God would speak would include the other lot in his salvation yet...
Jesus continued
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
Jesus constantly told the people around him that Gods Salvation is for all, he went out of his way to show that it is not restricted to geographic location, to ethnic group, to those that have lived to a particular standard, to those who worship in a particular way or place. Salvation is not limited to those in stone building with the book of common prayer or those in 1960s libraries with songs by Bethel or Matt Redman.
God’s grace is for all but back in the time of Jesus the man, this was an epiphany that they could not grasp.
I fear It is no different today , God tells us what is going on or what is going to go on but we often fail to see. We miss the epiphany. we need to grasp hold of the things God is saying are to happen.
God tells us what is going on or what is going to go on but we often fail to see.
1 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John—2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
God tells us what is going on but we often fail to see.
We miss the epiphany. we need to grasp hold of the things God is saying are to happen.
This may be something that God is saying to us personally. - Lisa holding out for the right job
Lisa holding out for the right job
This may be something that God is doing in the Church, the nation or the world. We need to examine some of the prophesies and promises that are given. Not just for encouragement but for direction, so we understand what to get behind.
Smith Wigglesworths 1947 prophesy :
When the new church phase is on the wane, there will be evidence in the churches of something that has not been seen before: a coming together of those with an emphasis on the word and those with an emphasis on the Spirit. [those that worship in the temple and those that worship on the mountain]
When the word and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest move of the Holy Spirit that the nations, and indeed, the world have ever seen. It will mark the beginning of a revival that will eclipse anything that has been witnessed within these shores, even the Wesleyan and Welsh revivals of former years.
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Now I want to be part of that I don’t want to miss it because I have missed the epiphany - we need to focus on what God is saying to us.
And this is the second point for the dayGod tells us what is going on or what is going to go on . - to understand what God has in store we need to listen, look, read his word and what others are writing from his word, act , position ourselves with others that know the heart of God.
Why Epiphany?
Why Epiphany?
Epiphany is one of the oldest Christian feasts. It was celebrated since the end of the second century, before the Christmas holiday was established.
Two colleagues at work are of Ukrainian descent and their family celebrates Epiphany more than they celebrate Christmas day. This will see them sit down to a twelve course traditional feast.
Epiphany is massively important to some christian cultures, there is the view that on Christmas day we have a baby but Epiphany is where we know we have a Messiah (a Christ) Epiphany is is also called Theophany (“manifestation of God”), especially by Eastern Christians.
This is my third point of the day. Do we see Jesus as a nice cultural reference, a life style choice or do we see him as God, the only reason we have to exist?
To put it another way are we All in or Luke warm. Are we here for the tea and cake or because we serve a mighty God?
I know there are days when I feel on fire for God and others when I look back on the day and wonder if I considered God at all. I tend to find I can live with God at arms reach but am only alive when I am embracing Him and Him, me.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Epiphany meets epiphany
Epiphany meets epiphany
Just like the January sales, Epiphany is a great deal as it is a BOGOF festival, it does not only celebrate the visit of the Magi but also the baptism of Jesus by John
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
mark1
This was a massive epiphany to those around that Jesus was the son of God backing up the declaration of the Angels to the Shepherds, the conviction of the wise men we know have God declaring the true nature of Jesus. This is the first step to the cross for Jesus and to salvation for us.
This is where I get to my fourth point. This happened at the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, he had not done anything yet but God announces You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” to say he had done nothing is a bit of a lie, you see Jesus knew the Father.
if you know the Father, then God is well pleased with you. if you don’t know the Father, then there is an open invite.
God loves you, God values you - get to know Him. Not for what you do, but for who you are, for the relationship you have with Him.
Chosen - John
Chosen - John
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Cornelius
Cornelius
1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peters dream
Peters dream
“When we stray from His presence, He longs for you to come back. He weeps that you are missing out on His love, protection and provision. He throws His arms open, runs toward you, gathers you up, and welcomes you home.” - Charles Stanley
“When we stray from His presence, He longs for you to come back. He weeps that you are missing out on His love, protection and provision. He throws His arms open, runs toward you, gathers you up, and welcomes you home.” - Charles Stanley
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. 17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” 21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.”
Acts 10:9-22
Read more: https://www.christianquotes.info/top-quotes/18-powerful-quotes-about-forgiveness/#ixzz5boLZMepr
Chosen - John
Chosen - John
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
What that means for us.
What that means for us.
So what does Epiphany mean for us?
I don’t do very well with new year resolutions but I think there are five things that we could all take away from Epiphany and apply over the next few days, months or the year.
Four we have spoken about...
Recognise that whatever we think God is capable of, whatever the group we think God is interested in, whatever our view of how God operates. He is much bigger, much greater, much more interested than we can imagine.
God tells us what is going on or what is going to go on . - to understand what God has in store we need to listen, look, read his word and what others are writing from his word, act , position ourselves with others that know the heart of God.
Listen, watch , read, surround yourself with God’s People and God’s word - God tells us what is going on or what is going to go on .- Position your self to know His heart ,to Grasp it , don’t miss it.
Make Christ your primary focus not just a life style choice - All in.
God loves you, God values you - get to know Him. and get to know yourself in him.
This is my third point of the day. Do we see Jesus as a nice cultural reference, a life style choice or do we see him as God, the only reason we have to exist?
God loves you, God values you - get to know Him. Not for what you do, but for who you are, for the relationship you have with Him.
The final thing is that we are all in this together and I don’t just mean the Church but wider.
as it says in Hebrews and 1 Peter
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.
Heb
1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Collossians 3:4
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
Epiphany sees us recognise that the Christmas baby was indeed God and the root of our salvation through the ultimate sacrifice. Before his death Jesus modelled a meal of remembrance and commanded that we too take part in this meal.
Communion a common meal.
Communion a common meal.
Communion is a special meal that we take part in:
To commemorate the death of Christ: "This do in remembrance of me."
To signify are part of this new covenant and to pledge ourselves Him and to his entire service.
To represent the mutual communion of believers with each other.
To indicate and to promote the communion of believers with Christ.
It is also a common meal in that it is for everyone. Not one of us here is individually worthy of taking this meal but through the grace of our Lord we freely welcomed to come and eat and drink. We are not barred by birth right, upbringing, possessions or circumstance. If you want to know God, you know and love him or you are on a path of exploration you are welcome at his table remembering there is also confession. In partaking of the elements we declare: “Christ gave his body and blood for me. He died for me.”
To represent the mutual communion of believers with each other.
In this remembering there is also confession. In partaking of the elements we declare: “Christ gave his body and blood for me. He died for me.”
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 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.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Prayer and finish.
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 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.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. 33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.
1 cor 11:23-