January 4, 2015
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Worship
Theme: Epiphany Sunday
Matthew
2:1-12 NIV
Luke
2:22-40 NIV
I Could Have Had A V8. . .
A
Reading From the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, verses 22-40. . . listen for a Word
from God to you me the people of God. . . (Read Scripture)
Epiphany→ noun, plural epiphanies.
1.
(initial capital letter) a Christian festival, observed on January 6,
commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the
Magi; Twelfth-day.
2.
an appearance or manifestation, especially of a deity.
3.
a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential
meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace
occurrence or experience.
4.
a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a
moment of revelation and insight.
Good morning to all of you and Happy New
Year. I can’t believe that we are at a new year already. Have you all made your
New Year’s resolution yet? I have made a couple but we’ll see how that goes. .
. I pray this New Year brings you
blessings, hope and joy and that you have a renewed vision of Jesus and who He
is in your lives.
In the Christian calendar the first
Sunday of the year is known as “Epiphany Sunday”. “Epiphany” is a very
interesting word to me. . . so much so that I decided to look up the definition
which I just read. This definition kind of reminds me of those old V8
commercials. . . you know what I’m
talking about, the ones that the person has just discovered that what they were
drinking had no real nutritional value and they could have had a V8 instead
that would have given them nutritional value. That sudden realization that
there was something more out there than what you are living with or doing.
From the Matthew Scripture form this
morning we see the Magi. . . these Wise Men. . . they had their “epiphany”,
their V8 moment, before they ever came to visit the babe born in a manger.
These Magi. . . these scholars of the stars. . . they knew who this child was
that they waited for a long time to come into the world. They knew the path
that He would travel. Look at the gifts that they presented this new born king.
Gold
→The meaning of this gift represents Kingship on earth. They knew that Jesus
was a king. But not just any king. . . He was the King of King’s and Lord of
Lord’s.
Frankincense
→This incense that they offered represented priest ship. . . priesthood. They
knew that Jesus was the High Priest. They knew that He was the one who would
lead. . . would be king of. . . the Jews.
Myrrh
→This was an anointing oil. . . an embalming oil and was the symbol of death.
All three gifts were ordinary offerings
and gifts to a king. These gifts are also sometimes described more generally as
gold symbolizing virtue, frankincense symbolizing prayer and myrrh symbolizing
suffering.
These Magi “fell to their knees” when
they entered the house where Jesus was. This falling to the knees represented
great respect and was typically used when venerating a king. These Magi had it
right. . . they knew who and what Jesus really was. They knew that this infant
born in Bethlehem was the true king that would bring justice to the poor and
save the lives of the needy.
But in this story of the Magi, there is
another epiphany, so to speak. . . the
epiphany of King Herod himself. Remember what happened when Herod heard of the
Magi coming to visit the newborn King? He was terrified. Now I am sure that
there were other kings around and Herod was not afraid of them but this one
king, this king of the Jews. . . well this was a different kind of king and
Herod knew it. This would be a king that would turn the world that he knew
upside down. As a matter of fact, when Herod called his priest and scholars
together, he didn’t ask where this new king was supposed to be born. Oh no. . .
he asked where the “Messiah” was suppose to be born. He knew. . . he had his V8
moment. . . his epiphany of what was to be. He knew that the prophecy was being
fulfilled. . . the prophecy of the prophet Micah that was told so long ago. And
he was afraid. . .
God’s people were waiting for that
Messiah. . . the new King that would free them of the oppression they were
feeling from the Romans. They knew that God had promised them a Savior and that
God kept His promises. . . but they
didn’t get the type of Savior they were looking for. They didn’t get one that
would take Rome by storm but one that we gentle and mild and the salvation that
He would offer was pretty radical. . .
The reaction of two such people is found
in the Luke scripture from this morning. . . the reaction of Simeon and Anna.
They worked in the temple and I am sure they prayed daily for the savior that
was much needed for God’s people. They could look around and see how things
were not getting better but worse for their people. They may have even resolved
that they would never see the “salvation of God’s people” in their own time. .
. in their life time. But God had another plan and they would see
the “salvation of the Lord” before they went home to rest in the arms of God.
Oh what an epiphany they received when Mary and Joseph brought their child to
the temple so they could offer their first born to the Lord and bring an
offering. They had their Epiphany of who this child was. . . they had their
Epiphany of what this child would do. . . they had their Epiphany of the
goodness and mercy of God. What a
glorious day for them. . . what a glorious day for us as we have our own
epiphany of who God is. . . of who Jesus is. . . of how good our God is. . . of
how merciful and gracious of Creator is to the created. . .
I think we all have epiphanies in some
shape or form. We are looking for our car keys and then all of the sudden a
thought comes to mind of where they are. We may be reading scripture and all of
the sudden we have that “ah ha” moment and it all makes perfect sense. We may
see or be in a situation and all of the sudden it is like “light dawning on the
horizon” we understand why it is all happening. . . we see it through the eyes
of God instead of our own eyes. Whatever our epiphany may be at times it may
rock our world. . . kind of what happened to Herod. . . with a sudden
realization of something.
My prayer for us as individuals and as a
church is that we all will have that epiphany that will bring us ever closer to
our Lord Jesus Christ this year. . . That we will have a revelation of who
Christ is to us and who we are to Him. . . That we will embark on new journeys
that will lead us to a new and exciting place where we will encounter our
Redeemer in new ways. Let us go into the new year with our eyes wide open
looking for and following the Star. As the saying goes “Wise men and women still seek Him.” Let us seek Him in all that we
say and do and rejoicing as Simeon and Anna did when we find Him in the world
in which we live. Let us lead others to their own Epiphany of our Risen Lord,
Jesus Christ.
Let
us pray. . .
We
have seen your star, O God, shining brightly over us and all the peoples of the
earth. Teach us to trust your light. Help us take risks that we might step out
in faith into the unknown. Guide us to the place where you abide, that we may
be overwhelmed with joy like the magi before us. Guide us to the stable of your
love, that we may offer you the gifts of our lives. Give us that Epiphany
moment that draws us closer to you.
(Abingdon Worship 2010)
Amen.
January 4,
2015
Worship Theme:
Epiphany Sunday
Matthew 2:1-12
NIV
Luke 2:22-40
NIV
Epiphany
Sunday
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
communion
sermon “I
Could Have Had A V-8. . . “
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation
blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Children’s
Message
Mystery box
-
Winnie
the Pooh security blanket
-
borrowed
from Nolan Howes
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
Epiphany
Sunday
January 4,
2015
&
Worship Theme:
New Year
Ecclesiastes
3:1-12 NIV
Revelation
21:1-6 NIV
Epiphany of
the Lord Sunday
sermon “A Year
in Review
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Prayer of
Thanksgiving
we thank you
Lord – v7
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
Epiphany of
the Lord Sunday
December 28,
2014
&
John 1:1-14
Luke 2:8-20
Matthew 2:1-2,
10-11
4th
Sunday of Advent
Advent Sermon
Series: The Voices of Advent, “I was there…”
Voices of
Advent – “I was there…”
dramas by Ross
Olson
sermon/message
– “The Shepherd”
as
performed by and worship led
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Advent wreath
lighting
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
Christmas Eve
Service
December 24,
2014
&
Luke 2:1-7
(KJV)
4th
Sunday of Advent
Advent Sermon
Series: The Voices of Advent, “I was there…”
Voices of
Advent – “I was there…”
dramas by Ross
Olson
sermon/message
– “The Innkeeper”
(as
performed by Doris DeRespino
with
Madison Robinson
and
Shanequa Foss as the daughters)
children’s
message
-
understanding
time
by Julie
Stites
Prayer of
Thanksgiving –
we thank you
Lord – v6
worship led by
Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
4th
Sunday of Advent
December 21,
2014
&
Matthew 1:18-25
3rd Sunday of
Advent
Advent Sermon
Series: The Voices of Advent, “I was there…”
Voices of
Advent – “I was there…”
dramas by Ross
Olson
sermon/message
– “Joseph”
(as performed by
Raymond A. Foss who, like
Joseph,
is an
step-father and adoptive father)
Prayer of
Thanksgiving –
we thank you
Lord – v4
worship led by
Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
3rd Sunday of
Advent
December 14,
2014
&
2nd
Sunday of Advent
Advent Sermon
Series: The Voices of Advent, “I was there…”
Luke 1:26-38
(KJV)
Voices of
Advent – “I was there…”
dramas by Ross
Olson
sermon/message
– “Mary”
(as performed
by Shyanne Foss,
who, like
Mary, is 14 years old)
Prayer of
Thanksgiving –
we thank you
Lord – v2
worship led by
Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
2nd
Sunday of Advent
December 7,
2014
&
1st
Sunday of Advent
Advent Sermon
Series: The Voices of Advent, “I was there…”
Sacred Dance
Introit
Michael W.
Smith’s
“Intro and Prepare Ye the Way”
from his New
Hallelujah album
Advent wreath
lighting
Prayer of
Thanksgiving –
Luke 1:19-20a
Voices of
Advent – “I was there…”
dramas by Ross
Olson
sermon/message
– “Angel Gabriel”
(as performed
by Terry Pettengill)
worship led by
Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
1st
Sunday of Advent
November 30,
2014
All
of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights
reserved. Contact me at Ray
Foss for usage. See all 35,270+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
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