We observe the Epiphany this week, Sunday is the Baptism of our Lord. We are making a serious shift from Incarnation to ministry, but they are tied together. Jesus takes up our human nature so that through that nature He may serve His creation. Without the incarnation, Jesus is just another teacher and prophet. If he stays in the manger, simply being the Son of God in the flesh without healing, forgiving, feeding, and restoring the broken, He is no Savior.
So, we over the next weeks will witness Jesus, the Son of God, teaching, healing, and exorcising the demons. For this incarnation is purposeful and that purpose has everything to do with you, the sins, fears, failures, and brokenness of your life. Here is what we preach. Preach well!
I have often used this photo. It was given to me by a friend in Kyrgyzstan. It is the tradition to baptize on the feast of Epiphany in the Orthodox communions. Yes, that is a river. Yes, that is snow on the ground behind them. Are any of the young people in your parish volunteering for this? Preaching the revelation of God’s Son to the world, that is what Epiphany means, will often mean proclaiming a Gospel which is strange to our world. How will we call people to lives which bear witness to Christ?
