We are now moving from the season of Christmas to the season of Epiphany, which means revealing. Over the next four weeks, notice how either the Bible passage, or the comment which follows, mentions the word, “reveals “ or “revealed”.
5th January John 1:10-18
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.[For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
Comment
It is so good to put this passage alongside the passage from Luke’s gospel about the birth of the Lord Jesus as a tiny baby. As John tells us,” the unique one, who is himself God, has revealed God to us.” It is as though Luke’s story is told from earth and John’s story is told from heaven’s perspective. Jesus reveals the Father to us. Each individual who believes and receives him into their heart and life, becomes a child of God. Sadly so many rejected him or didn’t even recognise who he was. The disciples, looking back could truly say they had seen God’s glory shining through the life of the Lord Jesus.
Do you want to receive one gracious blessing after another out of his abundance?
All you need to do is ask the Lord into your life and circumstances and trust him to lead you.
12th January Luke 3 v 15-17, 21-22
15 Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. John answered their questions by saying,
“I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”
21 One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.
Comment
When bad things happen, there is a cry for justice. God is a God of justice and
Luke tells us in these verses that there will be a day of reckoning, when we will have to give an account. We often think of water as a symbol of washing and fire as a symbol of refining, where the dross is burned up. When we invite the Lord Jesus into our lives he cleanses us and baptism is a symbol of our belonging to him. The Holy Spirit, refines the lives of the followers of Jesus by pointing out to us what spoils our claim to be Christians.
As Jesus was praying, the Holy Spirit revealed to those gathered around, what joy Jesus brought to his Father in heaven.
Will you pray that God will demonstrate his cleansing and refining power to many people today? Will you ask the Lord to do amazing things through the life of our church in 2025?
19th January John chapter 2:1-11
2 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”
“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”
This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Comment
We are now in the season of Epiphany, meaning revealing. John ends this story of Jesus saving his host at the Wedding in Cana from terrible embarrassment by saying, “This was the first time Jesus revealed his glory.” The Lord Jesus reveals that he is fully God and fully man in his ability to work miracles, always enabling us to experience beautiful things with God:- beauty for ashes; the oil of joy for mourning; a spirit of praise instead of despair.
This wonderful story speaks to me about the Lord wanting us to rejoice. Joy is a most important part of the life of a Christian.
Will you ask the Lord Jesus to help you experience his peace and joy in the Holy Spirit?
January 26th Luke 4:14-21
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Comment
Just as the Lord Jesus can turn our sadness and our embarrassing failures into joy, so in this passage he reveals himself as the one who fulfils the promises of the Old Testament.
Going to his home town he took his turn to read from Scripture revealing that he was not merely the son of Joseph as they supposed. He will open our eyes to things we never understood previously; he will set us free from habits and attitudes and our own prejudice when we turn to him to be renewed.
What Good News does the Lord want you to share with others?