Epiphany Vespers Sermon

Here's the sermon from our Epiphany Vespers Service of Jan. 6. If you were in attendance at the service, I hope it resembles what you remember hearing!

Epiphany
Jan. 6, 2010
Isaiah 60:1-6
Nations shall come to your light

In the name of Jesus, amen. As Epiphany begins, it is good for us to remind ourselves that we are receiving from God our Father a wonderful revelation. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ, a revelation that began in the season of Advent, continued through the season of Christmas, and in the weeks to come, will continue to be seen as Jesus does all that the Father gave him to do.
Tonight we hear of the Wise Men who followed the star to offer their gifts. The light of the star eventually led them to Bethlehem, where they presented to Jesus and his family gifts fit for a king. Light brought them to the holy family, just as Isaiah had prophesied centuries earlier. Nations shall flock to your light.
Isaiah’s words about the revelation of God were exceedingly hopeful. Thick darkness enveloped the people of God. There was darkness with very little hope for dawn. As a people, the notion of light and glory and of God himself was being swallowed up by the darkness. The leaders were leading people into darkness rather than away from it. The foreign government that exercised dominion over the land was cruel, vengeful, and only saw the people as a resource to be used, abused, and discarded. Isaiah stepped up to the microphone and declared, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Many of the hearers responded by saying, “Where?” or “Not likely.” or “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
It was a tough message to deliver and a tough message to receive. When nations flocked to Israel it was usually to wage war and plunder. Israel was a battle ground. People who trusted in God and believed his promises saw those promises going unfulfilled and their trust and confidence was wavering, even collapsing. The darkness appeared to be winning. Hope was giving way to fear. Trust in the Lord was becoming an unhealthy self-reliance.
Nations shall come to your light. And the wise men showed up. They may have been led by the light of the star. But that wasn’t the only source of light. From the manger newborn light, shines in glory through the night. Darkness there no more resides; in this light faith now abides.
There was light from the manger. The light of God the Father’s eternal love was present in the baby Jesus. Into the world of dark fear and hopelessness, God brought his glory in shining brilliance.
The wise men came to the light. But shepherds also came to that light. They heard the amazing words of the angel and searched for themselves and they did find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths. Wise men and shepherds, the haves and the have-nots, the worthy and the less-than worthy, together they stood at the manger and saw God in the flesh.
Christmas is when God revealed himself to be man. God was a baby, doing all the things that babies do. The Epiphany is not an event like Christmas is, but is a concept- the concept that Jesus was also God. Throughout this season we’ll hear miracles, we’ll see the Trinity at work, we’ll watch God intimately involved in humanity, doing the words of tonight’s Psalm. Jesus, God in the flesh, true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity and true man, born of the virgin Mary, will defend the cause of the poor, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor.
This is the beautiful revelation of God, the light of God that shines upon Jesus our savior. And nations still come to the light.
Nations, tribes, clans, and peoples gather in awe at the manger. Nations of sinners look upon the baby born to them in wonder. Nations of sinners hear the words of John the Baptizer, that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Nations of sinners live in the shadow of the cross, pick up the forgiveness won for them, and then live that forgiveness. Nations of sinners stand at the mouth of the empty tomb and rejoice in the victory of Jesus, the victory that is for all who believe.
In the bleak mid-winter, the glory of God has risen upon you in our savior Jesus. Let us take our place within the nation of the redeemed, bask in the eternal light of Christ, and praise God for His goodness. SDG