Epiphany Sunday 2025

What a blessing! What a privilege to be alive to celebrate this first Lord’s Day Sunday in the New Year 2025. This Sunday leads us into what I refer to as Epiphany week. Tradition informs us that Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th, which is tomorrow, Monday, however we celebrate today as the Sunday closest to that date.

We come mindful that the year has already begun and we have all lived five of its three hundred and sixty-five days, by the desire and will of our heavenly Father.

We come on this day of worship, holding fast to all that we were offered last week, that mixed week, which provided us with Spiritual treasures. We were drenched with heart–lifting, mind-renewing, hope-filling, trust-engendering, faith-strengthening and life-quickening truths in Jesus. Praise God for such mixed experiences in our lives, for in many opposites, Almighty, Sovereign God still fulfils His will and plan for humankind – you and for me - in Christ Jesus. Jesus is still the Way, the Truth and the Life, and He will be so, forever. 

Our meditation at the end of last week, boldly stated thus.

‘Whatever your situation, there’s hope in Jesus! Rise and live! Amen!’

We have been encouraged to accept that regardless of where we are today; despite life’s unbelievable challenges; in the midst of some fierce and ferocious life-storms; even when voices around us want to commiserate with us, and keep us tied to our sad times, we can lift our hearts and minds to Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.

Have you stopped to contemplate that, ‘God with us’, is God with humans? Do you see the God-made mix here?  Don’t you marvel that God, the true Deity, has come with man, true sinners, to be with us?  Don’t you just stand in holy awe, to think that Jesus would leave heaven, His wonderful dwelling place, to come to earth, our dark and vile dwelling place, to be one with us and help us?  Now this crowns it all. Can your minds really behold this epiphany, when God revealed Himself, not just to a people holy to the LORD; not just to those who have been chosen as, His treasured possession, but to Gentiles?  

Who then are the Gentiles? In the time of Jesus, Gentiles were all people who were not Jewish people. They were those to whom the Law of Moses was not given. There was absolutely no hope for Gentiles, and they were all cast off, written off, as people defiled, not to be associated with. Even people of Jewish origins or Jewish ancestry, people who had Jewish connections, mixed races, to be exact, were seen as Gentiles. We think of Timothy, Paul’s son in the Lord, who was of mixed race. His mother was a Jewess and a believer, but his father was a Greek. When Paul wanted to take Timothy on missions with him, he had to circumcise him, as all Jews were, since many diehard Jews would certainly object with great vehemence to Timothy being on mission as an uncircumcised person.

Let’s place ourselves with acutely listening ear, to this meeting of the Council in Jerusalem. We listen to some Jewish enthusiasts, who are adamant that, the Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses. Acts 15: 5b. After a lot of discussion, we see Peter rising to his feet, as he takes the floor. Everyone is silent as he addresses them. Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.  Acts 15: 7b.

Peter is frank, terse and solemnly serious as he goes on to speak about the saving grace of God, who gave Gentiles the Holy Spirit, just as He gave to them, the Jews. Then, with targeted aim, Peter shoots this arrow at the core of all those with hearts and minds of law. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are. Acts 15: 10 – 11.

All this information has been shared, so that we can be certain that with God there are no distinctions between, Jew and Gentile, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, for all are one in Jesus.

This being the case, we shall travel once more, the road of the Magi, Gentiles, to whom God gave Epiphany.