Monday, January 14, 2013
Matthew 3:16-17 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!
"Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit." So we sing Sunday after Sunday. So Christians have sung for centuries in the historic order of service (liturgy). We sing these words of praise no matter the season of the Church Year. For no matter what acts of God on our behalf we are remembering -- whether it is Christmas or Easter, Ascension or Pentecost -- it is for our saving that the Triune God has broken into human history. We sing the glory of His redeeming love.
But hasn't the word "glory" and the giving of glory lost its luster -- given our society's penchant for glorifying entertainers and sports figures and even those whose only claim to fame is fame? Could be. But Epiphany gives us the opportunity to stand in "another place" as we sing glory to the the God of our salvation. For whether we stand with the sick and crippled in the darkening street outside Peter's house in Capernaum or are gawking with amazement with those celebrating a wedding in Cana of Galilee, the Gospels give us an Epiphany opportunity to see afresh what wondrous things our God has done and is still doing for us.
Nowhere is the view more clear and the footing more solid and our alleluias louder than on the banks of the Jordan River, where John was preaching that day Jesus came to him to be baptized. As the Son of God is baptized and the Spirit descends to fortify our God-man substitute for His redeeming work we hear the voice of the Father declaring His love for and delight in Jesus our Brother.
Could the extent of the loving commitment of the Triune God to rescuing us from our sinful circumstances be more plainly portrayed? Can we find a better place to stand and sing?
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit
now and forever.
Amen.
