“Epiphany”. Epiphany is a season that shows us the part of Christ’s life when He and His teaching becomes known to many people. It is a time of displaying and manifesting Christ in our personal and public lives.
About this Sunday: Jesus tells His disciples to be
“salt and light” to the world. By that, He means that the things that we do in this world should have an air of witness about them, a sense that the things that we believe and do are significant for our lives and the lives of those in the world around us.
Reflecting on the Readings:
• Isaiah 58:1-12 – Shining in church and out – God tells Israel that their worship in the temple and lives in the world should agree with one another. Is there a disconnect between your life on Sunday and your life on other days of the week? • Psalm 112:1-10 – Set Free to Shine – The psalmist rejoices in a sense of security that God’s people have knowing that they have followed God’s laws. Have you ever felt secure knowing that you’ve done the right thing? • I Corinthians 2:1-16 – Shining in the Spirit’s Guiding – Paul explains that the Spirit shows us the wisdom we need to shine. How do you find out what the Spirit is guiding you to? • Matthew 5:13-20 – Shining on a Hill – Jesus explains to His disciples that they are to shine into the culture and to season it – in other words, to make an impact. Are you impacting those around you with the grace of God? Law and Gospel: • Law: How will you impact the world? If you are going to be remembered for something in the next 5, 10, or 45 years – what are you hoping to be remembered as? God is calling you to be known, but not known for/as yourself, but being known for and as His disciple. How are you known and is it something that displays your relationship with Jesus? • Gospel: Even people who don’t want a lot of attention from crowds of people, still want to be remembered. Jesus doesn’t tell us that we have to be anonymous, but rather that His identity given to us in our Baptism actually makes us shine. Living the Lectionary Ideas: • Learn: (Re)Memorize the 10 commandments and look in Luther’s Small Catechism explanations to find positive ways to live out the principles of the commandments. • Do: In preparation for a time when you may be given the opportunity to witness, practice telling your story of faith beginning with your Baptism to a friend or family member. • Live: Courageously. Witnessing requires courage. Ask God for the courage to shine in the world and live courageously.