We will be celebrating Epiphany Sunday during worship this week. As I looked to prepare for this week's message and the theme of Epiphany, I was struck by just how little we seem to realize what the Epiphany celebration is all about. Traditionally, if we know anything about it at all, we know that this is the Sunday where we remember the wise men coming from the east to pay homage to the Christ child. In addition, we probably know that this is the Sunday we sing the old hymn "We Three Kings". So what's the big deal about Epiphany?
According to Mirriam-Webster, an epiphany is "an appearance or manifestation, especially of a divine being." Searching further, one can find that in the ancient world, the word epiphany had special meaning because it was used to describe the appearance of a ruler. In other words, when we celebrate the epiphany, one of the aspects that we are celebrating is the realization by humanity of the Lordship of Christ. In the Epiphanol event, we came face-to-face with the reality that this child reset the world order. Let us not forget, however, how the magi got to the Christ child. They were led by the star in the sky - that's right, they were led. They didn't get there by charting their own course to the Savior - they were led by a more powerful force.
When you come to worship this week, indeed when you are in the midst of your daily spiritual disciplines, use this Epiphany celebration to remember that we now live as ones with a new order to our lives - an order given to us by the arrival of the Christ child. Use this Epiphany celebration to remember that, just as the magi were led by the star to the Christ child, we too must allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit to the Christ child. When we celebrate Epiphany, we reject the Oprah-ization of faith and spirituality that says you can find your own path. We celebrate, indeed we embrace, that our is a life of following the guiding light set before us by Almighty God.
See you Sunday!
Lamar
According to Mirriam-Webster, an epiphany is "an appearance or manifestation, especially of a divine being." Searching further, one can find that in the ancient world, the word epiphany had special meaning because it was used to describe the appearance of a ruler. In other words, when we celebrate the epiphany, one of the aspects that we are celebrating is the realization by humanity of the Lordship of Christ. In the Epiphanol event, we came face-to-face with the reality that this child reset the world order. Let us not forget, however, how the magi got to the Christ child. They were led by the star in the sky - that's right, they were led. They didn't get there by charting their own course to the Savior - they were led by a more powerful force.
When you come to worship this week, indeed when you are in the midst of your daily spiritual disciplines, use this Epiphany celebration to remember that we now live as ones with a new order to our lives - an order given to us by the arrival of the Christ child. Use this Epiphany celebration to remember that, just as the magi were led by the star to the Christ child, we too must allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit to the Christ child. When we celebrate Epiphany, we reject the Oprah-ization of faith and spirituality that says you can find your own path. We celebrate, indeed we embrace, that our is a life of following the guiding light set before us by Almighty God.
See you Sunday!
Lamar
