Epiphany: 6th January 2011
Sermon from St. John’s gospel 1,15-18: John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'” And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Dear friends of our Lord Jesus Christ:
As St. John the Baptist sees our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ walking towards him at the Jordan River, he cries out: “This is the one!” This man there, the one you see walking over here, the one you hear teaching his disciples, the one you witness healing the sick, comforting the downhearted, uplifting the downtrodden, liberating the possessed, feeding the hungry, releasing prisoners from captivity, preaching good news to the poor, giving sight to the blind, dancing to the lame, songs and melodies to the deaf and mute, life to the dead – that is the one proclaimed by the prophets of old. He is the one, I was calling your attention too. He is the one, we have all been waiting for – for God’s sake! Although he came after me, he has always been way ahead of me. He’s the one, whose way I was sent to prepare. I am his forerunner, his messenger, his last prophet – not even worthy of tying his shoelaces. Pointing out Jesus Christ was my prime mission. Therefore: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:29)
That is truth of Epiphany’s watchword and the reason why we can rejoice: “The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.” (1.Joh.2,8) Although Herod is still on the throne, Pilate can still preside over mock-trials and the high and mighty of this world can still inflict injury and death to the innocent, this is now no longer, how things are going to end up. The final and last dance will not be theirs nor those opposing the Christ of God, but rather belongs to God’s people. Therefore sing joyfully and relieved with the Psalmist of old with the Psalm for Epiphany: Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Ps. 100)
Jesus Christ, the one born of the virgin Mary, the one, who was worshipped by the wise men from the East, the one, who fled to Egypt to escape the murderous Herod and who came to live in Nazareth and serve his parents faithfully in the house of his mother Mary and in the carpentry of his stepfather Joseph – he is the only begotten Son of the heavenly Father, full of the Holy Spirit and overflowing with grace, goodness, love and mercy for his people both of the old and new covenant. From him – this little baby in the manger, this political refugee, this carpenters apprentice, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords in all the heavens and on earth we have received grace upon grace: Forgiveness of all our sins, atonement for all our trespasses, propitiation for all our wrongs, justification for all our lawlessness and unrighteousness, redemption for our ills, reconciliation for our warmongering, peace for our strife, expiation for our transgressions, deliverance for our hang-ups, salvation from our troubles and tribulations, victory for our defeats, light for our darkness, grace for all our godless sin of revolt, lack of faith, love and goodness, life for our death. He does not come lightly, but rather heavily laden with God’s gifts of love, goodness and
peace, life and eternal salvation. He – the homeless and outcast – brings us the divine inheritance of his Father, he makes us true sons of God and altogether heirs of the heavenly kingdom. Us – that is those from the Occident [European: Caspar], the Orient [Asian: Baltasar] and the people from the South [Africa: Melchior]. Fulfilling the ancient prophecies like that given by the prophet Isaiah in the 60th chapter – today’s Old Testament reading – : A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the LORD. That’s the reason those wise men brought gold, myrrh and frankincense – to fulfill everything written in the days gone by through divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. That’s also to fulfill the most glorious divine mystery about which St. Paul writes in today’s epistle driven by the same Holy Spirit: This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
That glorious gospel was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He made us members of his body – the one holy Christian Church and has also made us partakers of his evangelic promises: Fear not, but go in peace + God is with you now and forever! That’s the godly light shining into our darkness. That’s the rejoicing and jubilation of Epiphany – the Christmas of the gentiles, people like you and me. Not because of what we are or did in accordance with divine law or something we achieved or maintained according to the prerequisites of Moses, but rather thanks solely to his “fatherly goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me.” [Martin Luther: Explanation to the 1st Article of the Apostolic Creed]. Jesus Christ comes heavily laden with goodness for us and our salvation, but then also goes quite a few steps further and more than just the extra mile of taking away from us all that which was burdening us heavily and had laid on us so despairingly making life in joy, freedom and peace impossible. He took that burden upon himself and bore it faithfully unto the cross of Golgotha releasing us from it and liberating us to his godly life and joy in eternal salvation. Oh, what a wonderful, merciful and gracious God and Lord do we have in Jesus Christ!
Thankfully he let us know all about it. Jesus Christ told us about the good heart of his Father and that his Father – our heavenly Father – is all out to save, keep and preserve, sanctify and entirely perfect us in true unity and holy salvation with him in eternity – where he will be all in all and we will behold him as he is. Jesus Christ revealed the innermost heart of his Father to us, so that we would have no doubt, but trust him entirely in life and death, knowing that He does not want sinners so perish, but rather wants everybody to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. This gospel he taught to his disciples before and after Easter and entrusted it to them saying: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them everything I have taught you.” Thank God for this wonderful gospel, which has been entrusted to us and which has brought us life out of death.
O Morning Star, how fair and bright! You shine with God’s own truth and light, Aglow with grace and mercy! Of Jacob’s race, King David’s son, Our Lord and master, You have won Our hearts to serve You only! Lowly, holy! Great and glorious, All victorious, Rich in blessing! Rule and might o’er all possessing!
Come, heav’nly bridegroom, light divine, And deep within our hearts now shine; There light a flame undying! In Your one body let us be As living branches of a tree, Your life our lives supplying. Now, though daily Earth’s deep sadness May perplex us And distress us, Yet with heav’nly joy You bless us.
Lord, when You look on us in love, At once there falls from God above A ray of purest pleasure. Your Word and Spirit, flesh and blood Refresh our souls with heav’nly food. You are our dearest treasure! Let Your mercy Warm and cheer us! O draw near us! For You teach us God’s own love through You has reached us.
Almighty Father, in Your Son You loved us when not yet begun Was this old earth’s foundation! Your Son has ransomed us in love To live in Him here and above: This is Your great salvation. Alleluia! Christ the living, To us giving Life forever, Keeps us Yours and fails us never!
O let the harps break forth in sound! Our joy be all with music crowned, Our voices gladly blending! For Christ goes with us all the way– Today, tomorrow, ev’ry day! His love is never ending! Sing out! Ring out! Jubilation! Exaltation! Tell the story! Great is He, the King of glory!
What joy to know, when life is past, The Lord we love is first and last, The end and the beginning! He will one day, oh, glorious grace, Transport us to that happy place Beyond all tears and sinning! Amen! Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! Crown of gladness! We are yearning For the day of Your returning! Philipp Nicolai 1556-1608 tr LBW 1978
Readings for Epiphany:
Watchword 1.John 2,8: The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
Ps. 100: Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
Isaiah 60,1-6: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the LORD.
Eph.3, 2-3a. 5-6: Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation … which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Mt.2,1-12: Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
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