8 Epiphany - Sunday (Variable)

8 Epiphany - Monday Before Last Epiphany

Psalm 2:6-13       The Lord’s Anointed King

The Lord declares that he has enthroned his “anointed” (eternal) king on Zion (the temple mount; Jerusalem; the people of God; the Church; the heavenly city), God’s holy hill.

The Lord has declared that the Christ (Messiah; both words mean “anointed” in Greek and Hebrew, respectively) is God’s (only; John 1:14b; 3:16) “begotten” Son [begotten physically by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20, 23; Luke 1:34-35) and spiritually (John 1:32-34; Matthew 3:17) by the Holy Spirit (John 1:33]. God has given all nations and all people to the inheritance of Jesus Christ. God has given the power of physical and spiritual life and death over all the earth and all people to Jesus Christ. Christ’s authority is like a rod of iron against a clay pot.

The kings and rulers of earth are warned to serve the Lord with fear and trembling (having a healthy respect for the power and authority of the Lord), to avoid perishing (eternally) by the wrath of God. Those who take refuge in the Lord will be glad that they did.

The Lord has always been the intended King of God’s people (1 Samuel 8:5-7). When Israel asked for a human king, God allowed them to have one, although he warned them of the consequences (1 Samuel 8:11-18). The king was chosen by the “anointing” of the Lord (1 Samuel 9:15-17; 10:1-9). God has given all power and authority, in heaven and earth, to Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18).

Jesus came to be the only sacrifice acceptable to God for the forgiveness of our sins (disobedience of God’s Word; Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right) and restoration to fellowship with God and to eternal life, both lost through sin.

Jesus is the righteous Judge, who is coming again, at the end of time (this temporal age; our lifetime), to judge the living and dead in both the physical and spiritual senses (1 Peter 4:5; John 5:28-29). All who have ever lived will be accountable to the Lord for what they have done in this temporal lifetime. Those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord (eternal King) and have trusted and obeyed Jesus will receive eternal life in God’s kingdom in heaven; those who have refused to accept Jesus as Lord and have not trusted and obeyed Jesus will receive eternal destruction in hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1: 5-10).

8 Epiphany - Tuesday Before Last Epiphany

To be used after the last Variable Sunday of Epiphany until Transfiguration 

Exodus 24:12, 15-18     Moses in God’s Presence

The Lord told Moses to come to the top of Mt. Sinai and wait, and the Lord would give Moses the Law written on stone tablets. Moses did as God commanded and the cloud (and fire; of God’s presence) settled on the top of the mountain. Moses waited and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. The Glory of the Lord appeared as a “devouring fire” on the mountaintop and was visible to the Israelites waiting below. Moses entered the cloud and was on the mountaintop forty days and nights.

Moses and the Israelites were led through the wilderness by God’s presence manifested as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21-22). When God descended upon Mt. Sinai, he was manifested in a cloud and fire to the Israelites waiting below, but only Moses was allowed to enter into God’s presence.

Jesus came to make it possible, by the blood sacrifice of his body on the Cross, for us to be forgiven and cleansed of sin so that we can enter into God’s presence. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection made it possible for us to be filled with the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9). The Holy Spirit is the manifestation of God’s presence within us, through whom we have personal knowledge of and fellowship with the Lord. The Holy Spirit is the “pillar of cloud and fire” (Acts 2:3; Matthew 3:11) within us to guide us safely through the “wilderness of the spiritually dark night of this world, and into the eternal Promised Land of God’s eternal kingdom of heaven. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

God calls us to come and enter into his presence through Jesus Christ who is the only way, the only door, to God’s presence and God’s eternal kingdom. We must act at once in faith (obedient trust) in Jesus and God’s Word, and then we must be willing to wait for God’s timing.

8 Epiphany - Wednesday Before Last Epiphany

2 Peter 1:16-19 (20-21)       Apostolic Doctrine

The Gospel is not a collection of myths devised by humans, but the eyewitness testimony of the Apostles to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and his power. Peter (and James and John) were present with Jesus on the mountain at Jesus’ transfiguration, when the voice of God from heaven declared that Jesus is God’s beloved Son, with whom God was pleased. They heard and so testified. Their testimony verifies that the Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prophecies and the Apostolic testimony should be studied, as a light in the darkness, until we have received the indwelling Holy Spirit. The prophecy of scripture is not man’s insight or interpretation, but humans inspired by the Holy Spirit proclaimed the Word of God.

The Apostle Peter was one of the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples who was present at the Transfiguration. He witnessed Jesus meeting with Moses and Elijah on the mountaintop. He saw Jesus become supernaturally radiant (Matthew 17:1-8). Peter heard the voice from heaven declare that Jesus was God’s beloved Son (Matthew 17:5). Peter testified that Jesus had declared that the prophecy of Elijah coming before the manifestation of the Messiah had been fulfilled by John the Baptist (Matthew 17:9-13). Peter witnessed that prophecy fulfilled in both events.

This Letter of 2 Peter is part of the Apostolic (as taught by the Apostles) Gospel which the Apostles had received directly from Jesus Christ, and were passing on to new believers. New believers are to study the Old Testament and the New Testament as they await “rebirth” through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Old Testament contains the prophecies of the Messiah (Christ) and the New Testament is the eyewitness testimony of their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. New believers are to be trained as disciples of Jesus Christ by “born-again” disciples until the new believers have been “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19b). The gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit ends the spiritual night of eternal death and rises as the dawn and the bright morning star (compare Revelation 22:16) to give us the light of Spiritual life and insight within our hearts.

The Apostle Paul is the prototype and example of a modern “born-again” disciple and Apostle of Jesus Christ, as we all can be. Paul (formerly known as Saul of Tarsus) was confronted by the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-4). Paul repented, accepted Jesus as Lord (Acts 9:5), obeyed Jesus’ command to wait for further instructions (Acts 9:6-9), was “discipled” by a “born-again” disciple (Acts 9:10-16), until Paul had received the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17-18). Then he began proclaiming the Gospel (Acts 9:19-20).

Paul’s example is unique in the speed with which he was born-again and became an Apostle. The original Twelve disciples spent two and a half years with Jesus night and day and still had to wait (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-5, 8) until the Day of Pentecost when they were “reborn” (Acts 2:1-13). Paul had already been formally educated in the Jewish scriptures (The Old Testament) and was zealous for God. He just needed to be pointed to the Messiah, Jesus.

Once Paul had been “reborn” he was guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and he testified to the risen Jesus of whom he had personal experience and knowledge. He became as much an Apostle as the others. 

Jesus comes to his disciples individually and personally as they trust and obey him (John 14:15-17). Only Jesus gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

There is a Day of Judgment coming, at the end of the temporal age, when Jesus will return to judge everyone who has ever lived (John 5:28-29). Those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and trusted and obeyed Jesus will receive eternal life with the Lord in the eternal kingdom of heaven, but those who have rejected Jesus and have refused to obey Jesus will receive eternal condemnation and destruction in Hell (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). No one knows when Jesus will return, but we have only this lifetime to be spiritually “reborn” and no one can be certain that one will live to see tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation; today is the day to receive Jesus and to begin learning to trust and obey him.  

*I believe that Paul is the one the Lord chose to take the place of Judas Iscariot, Jesus’ betrayer, not Matthias (Acts 2:12-26).

8 Epiphany - Thursday Before Last Epiphany

Matthew 17:1-9         Transfiguration

Jesus took Peter, James, and John, the brother of James, and went up to the top of a mountain. Jesus was transfigured in their presence: his face became bright as the sun, and his clothes became radiant as light. Two figures, Moses and Elijah, appeared with Jesus and were talking with him.

Peter suggested that the disciples should build three booths one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. While Peter was saying this a bright cloud overshadowed and a voice from the cloud declared that Jesus was [God’s] beloved Son, that God was well pleased with him, and that the disciples should listen (hear and obey) him. The disciples were frightened by what they had heard and seen, and prostrated themselves, but Jesus came and touched them and told them not to be afraid.

When they looked around there was no one with them but Jesus. As they came down from the mountaintop Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had witnessed “until the Son of Man is raised from the Dead” (Matthew 17:9).

Peter (Cephas; Simon), James and John were the three disciples of Jesus’ inner circle. They had also accompanied Jesus into the home of Jairus, when the daughter was raised from the dead (Luke 8:41-56). The Apostle Paul later stated that they were pillars of the Church in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:9). They were chosen by Jesus to witness Jesus’ transfiguration and the presence of Moses and Elijah during that transfiguration.

The scribes (teachers of the Law; the Jewish Scripture) taught that Elijah was expected to return to prepare Israel for the coming of Messiah. The three disciples asked Jesus about this on the way down from the mountaintop, and Jesus told them that John the Baptist was the fulfillment of that prophecy (Matthew 17:10-13). The three disciples had also witnessed the fulfillment of that prophecy on the mountaintop in the appearance of Moses and Elijah.

Peter suggested building three booths. Booths were temporary shelters set up during the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) to commemorate the Israel’s wilderness experience. Booths had become a religious symbol and shrine. Peter wanted to create a memorial to Moses, the “lawgiver,” and Elijah, the great prophet, as well as Jesus, but the voice of God made it clear that Jesus was of greater magnitude than the Jewish patriarchs; Jesus was the beloved (and only begotten) Son of God, and that we are to trust and obey Jesus, rather than being loyal to the Jewish patriarchs and Jewish tradition. The three disciples were witness to the transfiguration of Jesus and the appearance of Moses and Elijah, but were not to testify to that experience until after Jesus had been raised from the dead.

Moses’ face had become radiant after being in the presence of God on the mountaintop (Exodus 34:29-35). Jesus’ face was as radiant as the sun and his clothes were also supernaturally radiant. Jesus’ radiance was a greater order of magnitude.

Jesus is the new spiritual “Moses.” He is not only fully human but fully divine (Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28). Jesus is the new mediator between God and mankind. Jesus is the new leader who brings us through the spiritual wilderness into the eternal Promised Land. Jesus doesn’t just reflect God’s presence; he radiates it.

The three disciples were allowed to witness Jesus’ heavenly glory, and to testify about it after Jesus’ death and resurrection, but Jesus did not demonstrate it publicly, so that people would have the freedom to decide for themselves who Jesus is.

8 Epiphany - Friday Before Last Epiphany

To be used after the last Variable Sunday of Epiphany until Transfiguration 

Isaiah 35:3-7      Promise of Salvation

1 Peter 3:18-22       Salvation through Baptism

Take strength, weak hands; be firm, feeble knees; be strong, fear not, fearful heart! Look and see; your God is coming with vengeance and recompense, to save you.

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped” (Isaiah 35:5); then the lame will leap like a [deer] (see Acts 3:8), the mute will sing for joy. Springs of water will arise in the wilderness, and streams will flow in the desert. Dry ground will be transformed into pools of water, and dry wilderness will become a swamp; reeds and rushes will replace grass. 

Christ died for sin once for all time and all people, the righteous one for the unrighteous, in order to reconcile us to God. He died in the flesh but was made alive in the spirit. He proclaimed the Gospel to those in prison who formerly did not obey God.

In the days of Noah God waited patiently during the building of the ark, by which eight people were saved through water. The Flood corresponds to Christian Baptism which now saves us through water, not as the cleansing of physical dirt from our physical bodies, “but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21) who has entered into heaven and sits at the place of honor at God’s right hand, with authority over angels and all powers (in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

Throughout the Old Testament God has promised to bring forth a Savior, the Messiah. God has designed his plan of salvation into the structure of Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14). Isaiah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah, during the period of the destruction of the northern kingdom of the ten tribes, Israel.

In this text God promises to come and save those who are trusting in him, bringing vengeance on those who do not trust and obey him and who oppress his people. The Lord will come to repay everyone who has ever lived, according to what they have done in life.

One of the signs of the coming of the Messiah will be the healing of the blind, deaf, lame and mute (Isaiah 35:6a). Spiritually dry wasteland will be transformed by the living water of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39)

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s promised Savior, the Messiah (Christ and Messiah each mean “anointed” in Greek and Hebrew, respectively). Jesus is God’s “anointed” eternal Savior and King.

Jesus first coming (advent) was distinguished by the healing of the physically blind, deaf, mute and lame (Matthew 9:2-7, 27-33, Mk 7:31-37; John 5:1-9). Jesus also healed the sick and raised the dead (Luke 17:11-19; Matthew 9:18-26). The purpose of Jesus’ miracles of physical healing and restoration were intended to show that he was the promised Messiah, and that he could also heal those who are spiritually blind, deaf, mute, lame, sick, and dead.

Jesus is God in human flesh (Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28). Jesus’ words are the Word of God (John 14:10, 24), and have the creative force of God’s Word (Matthew 8:23-26; Genesis 1:3). Jesus manifests God to those who trust and obey Jesus (Matthew 11:27; John 14:6-11 21, 23).

Jesus has promised to return on the Day of Judgment at the end of time, to judge the living and the dead, in both physical and spiritual senses (1 Peter 4:5). He is coming with the recompense of God. He will save from God’s vengeance and punishment those who are trusting and obeying Jesus (see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right), but he will condemn and eternally destroy those who have refused to accept Jesus and have refused to trust and obey him, who have opposed God and have oppressed God’s people (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

Jesus is the one and only blood sacrifice acceptable to God for sin for all time and all people who will accept it by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus. Jesus is the (Passover) Lamb of God (John 1:35-36); the perfect, blemish-free Lamb sacrificed for the Passover Feast, which protected God’s people from the angel of death, when God destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians (Exodus 12:5-14).

Jesus and God the Father alone are righteous; we are all unrighteous sinners (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). We have been alienated from God because of sin. Jesus is the only way to restore us to fellowship with God and eternal life in his heavenly kingdom (Acts 4:12, John 14:6).

Jesus died in the flesh but was raised from physical death to spiritual, eternal life. In a sense we are all imprisoned by sin and death. Jesus has come to free us from sin and death and give us eternal life (Hebrews 2:14-15; John 10:10).

God once destroyed the earth by the Flood. The people were wicked and didn’t heed God’s Word of warning, but Noah did, and saved his family through God’s provision, by believing God’s Word and following God’s instruction by building the Ark (Genesis 6:5-8:22).

God has given his Word of warning that he is going to destroy the wicked, the rebellious and disobedient; this time by fire in Hell. Jesus Christ is the “Ark” which he has provided to save those who trust and obey God’s Word.

The historical Flood is also a metaphor for the waters of Baptism, through which those who trust and obey Jesus will escape destruction and receive eternal life. We are saved through Baptism by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ. In Baptism we have the “promise” of Salvation, but we have to claim and “own” it through obedient trust in Jesus Christ. To all who receive Jesus (Revelation 3:20), who believe (trust and obey) in his name (character and person; i.e. God’s only begotten Son; God’s anointed Savior and eternal King), he gives the *power* (the promise and the ability) to become spiritual children of God, by the indwelling Holy Spirit, the power and will of God (not by flesh or the effort and will of mankind; John 1:12-13).

We must be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8), by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is possible for one to know with certainty for oneself whether or not one has received the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2).

Those who have been “born-again” have been forgiven all their sins, and have a clear conscience in God’s judgment (Hebrews 9:13-14). God attributes to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ and we have eternal life through Jesus’ resurrection.

We who have been “born-again” can be reassured and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the risen Jesus within us (Romans 8:9), as we approach the Day of Judgment. We can be confident that we will receive a share in the reward of Jesus Christ in heaven (Romans 8:17). We need not fear God’s vengeance and condemnation.

8 Epiphany - Saturday Before Last Epiphany

 To be used after the last Variable Sunday of Epiphany until Transfiguration