Epiphany of our Lord

January 4, 2015

Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12

Arise, shine; for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you

In Nomine Jesu

Epiphany is about the light. It’s about the light of God’s grace manifested in the Son’s loving embrace. This light once burned eternally in paradise created by the Triune God for the human race. We loved the light, but we were curious about the darkness. Its tempting voice echoed through Satan’s serpentine tongue, and the lie of the darkness plumed us into great shame and fear. Satan brought sin, sin brought death, and death brought death. And when Eden’s gate was barred by a cherubim with a flaming sword, we walked away, head down, drooped in despair. I can’t really imagine those first days for Adam and Eve. To have know such light and then with great haste be ushered into a dark world with no light, only to grope in the dark, tears streaming down your face, a scared child lost in a hopeless place.       

But then Epiphany happened. A light began to glow in a manger so low. It was a warm light, a beckoning light, a light that would guide you home. Through this light you knew who you were, you knew your Creator, you knew His promise and His Word; My seed, the seed of the Virgin, will crush the head of Satan’s darkness and your despair and death will flee at the presence of My Son. In My Son, your home, you are safe and you are loved,” so said the Father in the sending of His Son.

With this lighted-promise in your ear, mouth, and hand, you still however, walk beneath the curse of this land. You fight tooth and nail in this darkness and you know others like you, even the ones closest to you in the pew. They too, come to the lighted house of Bethlehem that beckons their knees to kneel in deep humility, to bow their heads and hear this forgiving Word in the absolving Light of the world. You may think you come alone to this house, but those who sit here with you know the journey from darkness unto light for it’s the journey of all sinners into God’s justifying Son-light. This light moves to love you, to loosen your lips and to sing of His boundless love to you. Epiphany is the joy of your homecoming, the joy of seeing the harbor of your salvation as you are rocked upon the waves and cut by the jagged edges of this worldly reef. Epiphany is the light that shines through the gloom and opens the gates to a new paradise, to a new heavens and earth, an eternal dwelling place with no thought or danger of expulsion, just eternal light in the Son-light of endless days. Jesus is the Epiphany of God’s light, the manifestation of His salvation unto every nation.      

Isaiah spoke of this light: “Arise, shine; for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you and his glory will be seen upon you” [Isaiah 60:1-2]. Great is the darkness and its power. Yet the light of God is greater than this thick darkness. This Light calls the children of darkness, of captivity, to see that they are sons and daughters of the light. This Light has shattered the darkness in a seemingly dark misdeed in the sight of the world’s eyes, but it is salvation to all who gaze upon it, the cross, the newborn light that pierces the darkness by nails and spear, flesh divine, baptismal blood poured out before the ages of time.

Isaiah isn’t done yet.  “And nations shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart shall thrill and exult.”  [Isaiah 60:3-5]. Here is the homecoming of all homecomings. The isolated and the alone, those living in thick darkness, they are now getting up from their pools of tears, their cries of desperation, their beds of hopelessness and they coming into the light of the promise, in the child Jesus, born of the Virgin, born to lead them out of this world and into the new world created by His death and resurrection. 

The wise men came from the east. They were among the first of the Gentile nations to be led by the lesser light of the star to the greater Light of the world. They came to Jesus’ home in Bethlehem and they laid gifts before Him. They came, wise men in their own right, but putting reason aside these men marveled at the wisdom of God becoming flesh. In the darkness of reason, in the confusion of grace manifested in weakness, the Light shines upon them. God has come for them. God has come for you. That is Epiphany. Epiphany is not really about the wise men, it is for the wise men, for who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. 

Do you know people who still wander in thick darkness? Do you know people over whose life the light of Christ has not shone? Do you know people who still live in deep despair of death, who think life is merely point A to point Z, we had a good run and now it’s done? Maybe you are one? Epiphany comes to give you Christ, the hope and promise that He bears every load that you bear. Epiphany comes to show you that God dwells among you in absolving grace. He takes your sins away, your most grievous and darkest sins and He buries them in the darkness of His cross, and shines upon you eternal life in His resurrecting light. No one coming to confess their sins, who bow in deep humility for a life lived in the darkness will be turned away from the light that joys to be with them this Son-day. No burden to heavy even for the tiny shoulders that bears its sinful weight. The Savior born of the Virgin’s Womb has died and been resurrected from the tomb. Enfleshed for you, He walks hand and hand through this darkened land. You will not decay in the end. You will be shining lights, glorious sons and daughters of the two-year old King, born to ransom you into eternity. He will forever and even now, set you a table and readied it with His body and blood, to grace you with honor and sit you in the highest seat. The loving Father who created you in the beginning, by the flesh of your mother’s womb, joys to love you, to forgive you and comfort you in the darkest of days, He has by His Son given you new birth in the holy abode of the new heavens and earth. 

Epiphany is the feast of light. You were given that light on the day you were baptized. You were given a baptismal candle to remind you and show you that the darkness will not over come the light of Christ’s new and 8th day. You live in baptismal light, the water and Word that lighten the darkest of your nights. This baptismal light beckons you another Table of Light. It shines not with glitter or sequins, excitement and euphoria, but the simple body and blood of Christ gives you peace for your unfinished life, finished, and declared perfect in the life that you eat. Light shines in the darkness, Jesus the door of heaven, the harbor of salvation for all who hear Him. Jesus, the light that shines a pathway to the Father’s home, Jesus flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. The home above is lighted by the home that has dwelt below, in the child that draws all nations to see their salvation in His body and His blood. We cry to one another, even as we dwell in the peace of this enfleshed light, for all those who are lost in this dark world’s night. Christ died our sin, and His death brought us life, and life gives way to everlasting light. And now Eden’s paradise is opened by the blood of its Creator, no longer barred to His beloved creatures. Angels dwell there, but not with flaming swords, but with the song book of heaven, singing the new song of the Lamb, giving thanks that you His little lambs are counted among the heavenly host through the gracious Lamb’s High Feast.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son [+] and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.