Song of the Drunkards

JESUS FACED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF OPPOSITION FOR HIS HARD WORDS AND UNFLINCHING DEVOTION TO YAHWEH. NO SURPRISE THEN IF WE FIND OUR NAME FESTOONED IN BARROOM BALLADS (CF. PS 69:12).

Epiphany: A Day of Revelation

January 8, 2023 in Epiphany, Meditations

Isaiah 49:6 

6Indeed [the Lord God] says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Though Epiphany proper fell earlier this week on January 6th, today we celebrate Epiphany Sunday. As we have emphasized each year, Epiphany means “revelation.” On this Sunday, therefore, we celebrate God’s wonderful mercy in revealing His Son to the world. Historically, Epiphany has been associated with three distinct yet related events: the coming of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the wedding at Cana of Galilee. Each of these events reveals Christ in a unique way.

Consider, first, the coming of the Magi which occurs at the beginning of Jesus’ life. The Magi were a powerful ruling class within the Persian Empire – wise men, counselors, astrologers who were often the power behind the throne. While Herod, the King of the Jews, plotted Jesus’ destruction, these Magi, Gentile rulers, sought out the new-born Jesus and worshiped Him, acknowledging Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. God revealed His Son to these Gentile rulers; they were the first fruits among the Gentiles. So Epiphany celebrates that, through the Magi, God the Father revealed that Jesus is His King, come to rule over all the nations of the earth.

Consider, second, the baptism of Jesus which occurs at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. In the waters of the Jordan, Jesus entered upon His earthly ministry and revealed the purpose of His kingship. He was washed in water to identify with us in our sin and to prepare the way for our forgiveness. As Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove and a voice from heaven declared, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Epiphany, therefore, celebrates that, through Jesus’ baptism, God the Father revealed that His Son Jesus is His Redemptive King, come to rescue His people from their sinful corruption and from death. 

Consider, finally, the wedding in Cana of Galilee which witnesses the beginning of Jesus’ miraculous signs. When the wine at the wedding feast ran out, Jesus turned water into wine and, in John’s words, “revealed His glory” (Jn 2:11). Jesus revealed that He was indeed God’s Anointed King, come to rescue His bride, and to shed His own blood for her that He might restore to her the joy of salvation, that He might make glad the hearts of men through His rule and reign. Every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree. Epiphany, therefore, celebrates that, at the wedding of Cana, Jesus revealed Himself to be God’s Festal King, come to rule us in joy for our good and glory.

Epiphany, therefore, is a day of revelation, a day when God eliminates our excuses for rejecting His Son and rebelling against His just and joyful rule. As one of the ancient acclamations for Epiphany declares, “Today the Bridegroom claims his bride, the Church, since Christ has washed her sins away in Jordan’s waters; the Magi hasten with their gifts to the royal wedding; and the guests rejoice, for Christ has changed water into wine, alleluia.”

So what of you? Have you given heed to God’s revelation of Himself in Christ and acknowledged Him as God’s Festal, Redemptive King? Have you rejoiced in His coming and brought your gifts before Him? Have you rejoiced that God has revealed Himself to you and to the world? If you have done all these things, then praise be to God! So one more question: have you then, in turn, been another means of God’s revelation of Himself to the world? It is to this that Epiphany calls us – to reveal Christ to the watching world, to proclaim the glories of our King that all men and nations bow before Him and worship Him.

So reminded of our calling to receive the revelation of God in Christ and to be the revelation of Christ to the world, let us confess that we have often closed our eyes to His revelation and our lips to His praise. And, as you are able, let us kneel as we confess our sin.

Walking in Wisdom

January 1, 2023 in Bible - NT - Colossians, Meditations

Colossians 4:5-6 (NKJV)

5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

In closing his letter to the Colossians, Paul urges a number of common graces upon the believers in Colossae. He knew that they would be tempted in the cosmopolitan and corrupt city of Colossae to retreat into a holy huddle and be cranky and uptight. Hence, he imparts to them, and to us, some closing words of counsel, that guide both our actions and our speech.

Regarding our actions, Paul urges us to “walk in wisdom toward those who are outside” and to “redeem the time.” In other words, Paul commands us to follow the exhortations to wisdom found in Proverbs and other books, particularly in light of our calling to be witnesses for Christ and of the brevity of time that the Lord has allotted to each of us on earth. We are to use the gifts and talents that the Lord has given us for the advance of His kingdom and the good of our neighbors.

This other oriented focus continues in Paul’s exhortation regarding our speech. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Elsewhere he urges us to speak in such a way that it “gives grace to those who hear” (Eph 4:29). Our speech, Paul tells us, is not primarily to serve ourselves but others.

And so, what do these exhortations mean for us? First, they remind us that Paul saw no contrast between the Proverbs of Solomon and the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So let us be diligent to have these Proverbs dwell in our hearts and minds. Let us teach them to our children and grandchildren that they might learn what it means to walk in wisdom toward those who are outside and to redeem the time.

Second, Paul is validating the old-fashioned concept of good manners. Manners are simply patterns of behavior that attempt to put others at ease by considering their interests as more important than our own. Opening the doors for ladies, making eye contact, saying hello and goodbye, saying thank you and you’re welcome – we should view all these things as attempts to apply Paul’s admonition to let our conduct be characterized by wisdom and our speech be seasoned with salt.

So consider some practical implications of Paul’s admonitions. Today we find ourselves in a new facility that, Lord willing, we will be able to enjoy for a couple months. As guests in this facility, we need to demonstrate good manners. And so, children, you shouldn’t be climbing on the furniture, snooping in spaces that are off limits, or running wild around the hallways. Don’t touch things that aren’t yours and be careful to treat everything as though it were quite precious. We are being given the privilege of meeting here and need to exercise good manners in the way we use the facility.

And you, parents, take responsibility for your children. Watch over them with all diligence and teach them the importance of manifesting good manners in their treatment of this place. Fathers, in particular, be engaged with your children. But don’t do this in such a way that you too violate the stricture to have your speech seasoned with grace. Don’t yell and scream at your children because you have failed to train them in good manners. Instilling manners into our children is not done primarily on Sunday morning – it must be happening all week. And so the exhortation to you parents is to impart the grace of good manners to your children – don’t rob them. “He also who is slack in his work,” Solomon writes, “Is brother to him who destroys” (Prov 18:9). So take the time to impart these courtesies to your kids.

Walk in wisdom, redeem the time, speak with grace – these are the reminders that Paul gives to the Colossians and to us. So reminded how we as a people have failed to fulfill these things, let us kneel and confess our sin and weakness to our Father seeking His forgiveness.

You Shall Call His Name JESUS

December 25, 2022 in Bible - NT - Matthew, Christmas, Meditations

Matthew 1:20–21 (NKJV)

20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Today is not just Sunday; it is Christmas Sunday – a glorious high feast day in which we celebrate the incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Only rarely does Christmas fall on a Sunday – so today is doubly blessed. I hope and pray that your day will be filled with celebration.

As we consider the birth of our Christ, it is fitting that we read the angel’s words to Joseph. The angel explains the mystery of Christ’s incarnation – He has been conceived by the Holy Ghost – and instructs Joseph to name this Child “Jesus.” The name “Jesus” means “Savior” and so the angel explains the significance of the name: you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. He saves us from our stubborn refusal to do what is pleasing to God and to instead follow our own path. The Child born to Mary not only reveals the wonder of infancy and the glory of children – He does of course do those things – but this Child reveals God’s determination to deliver us from our sin. He was born to rescue us for we were lost and estranged from God. And so He came to offer Himself in our place so that we might be forgiven and restored to fellowship with our Creator.

As we enter into the presence of our Lord on this Day, therefore, it is fitting that we bow before Him to confess our sins. So let us confess our sin to the Lord, seeking His forgiveness through the death of Christ, rejoicing in God’s salvation. We will have a time of silent confession, followed by the corporate confession found in your bulletin. As you are able, let us kneel together as we confess.