SAVIOR OF ALL
Twelve days after Christmas, our holiday decorations have been taken down. Our Christmas trees sit out at the curb for pickup and recycling. ”It is the day your honey gave you 12 Drummers drumming.”. It is January 6, 2023, Epiphany. The church celebrates the day the 3 Wise Men followed God’s special star to meet the newborn KIng of the Jewish nation. Mary and Joseph were Jewish; so were the pharisees and the shepherds. The Wise Men were of different races and different countries. With their arrival, God is going on record and telling us His Son, Jesus, has come to give Himself as the sacrifice for all people. God is letting us know that Jesus Christ is the Messiah who would save everyone from sin and restore them to His presence and power. Epiphany is from a Greek word that means an appearance, a shining of a light or a revelation. ”Arise and shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord risen upon you.” (Isiah 60:1)
John the Baptist, baptized hundreds of people. There was an unprecedented movement toward God throughout the country. John’s baptisms were part of the people’s turning from sin. Jesus went down to the River Jordan and was baptized by His cousin, John. But why? Jesus wasn’t a sinner. Jesus knew He must identify Himself with the movement toward God. When Jesus was baptized, God spoke from Heaven, ”You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased”.
The 3 Wise Men teach us a lesson; they followed where God took them. Jesus depended on God all the way. Jesus trusted in God for everything He needed. Jesus has all the power in Heaven and on Earth, but He leads us gently. When our faith is low, like a candle about to go out, Jesus makes us strong again. No matter how broken we are, He never gives up on us. Can we, like the Wise Men, follow God’s direction?
Jesus calls us to follow Him. His gift to us, as we remember our own baptism, is the opportunity to share in the service of God’s people. Let us remember to draw on our baptism for comfort, confidence and courage, let the words of our mouth and heart be acceptable to the Lord, live a blessed life of love, and listen to His words. Jesus has given Himself for people to do good.
Remember the Lutheran Hour Ministries. Christians are part of what God is doing through this Ministry. Your gifts and donations make a very real impact on this ministry every day.
The Lutheran Hour can be heard every Sunday on radio stations
WCCO (830 AM) at 6:05am
KRWC (1360 AM) at 7:30am
KDUZ (1260 AM) at 12:30pm
KDHL (920 AM) at 6:00pm
Stay connected to the Lutheran Hour Ministries
Learn more……..visit lhm.org | thred.org | lhm.org/mensnetwork
Friend us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
You can now receive daily devotional emails:
Click on “Daily Devotion by LHM” at the bottom of any page within StPeterlc.