Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
EPIPHANY LIGHT!
The word "epiphany" is often used today to describe a breakthrough discovery or realization -- be it scientific, religious, or philosophical. You know, the-lightbulb-above-the-head-going-on thing. As Christians our historic use of the word Epiphany describes the fact -- the wonderful God-given realization -- that Jesus is the Son of God. And more than that, in Him God has become man in order to bring light into the darkness of our sin and death.
The Epiphany we celebrate in these weeks after Christmastide is all about light. God's light. His light breaking through human darkness. God shining into the darkness of our world and of our hearts.
Time and again the world we live in almost suffocates us with the darkness sin brings. The moral blindness. The exploitation and abuse of the weak and vulnerable. The misuse of God's good gifts. The lies to defend lies. The mocking of things good and true. The elevation of hollow human "wisdom" above God's gracious revelation. The substitution of ... The list goes on and on. The darkness the more dreadful because sinners imagine it brilliant light.
So, let us return from our Sunday services into the sin-darkened world we inhabit, holding high the truly brilliant beacon of God's grace, His glorious love shining forth from the face of Jesus.
The light of the Epiphany gospel shines through the Word into our own hearts as Jesus is clearly shown to be the One who with His forgiveness breaks through the dark sin-guilt that condemns each of us to an eternity of darkness. And this Epiphany light is not only in the Scripture word we hear read from lectern and pulpit, it is also in the word we personally experience when the pastor says, "I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
