Today in the Spirit: Epiphany 2A
Liturgical churches most often consider the period after the Feast of our Lord’s Baptism and the day before Ash Wednesday to be “Ordinary Time” in the season of Epiphany. The term “ordinary” refers not to space for the mundane but to a period ordered by numbers in the BCP and a series of Gospel readings organized sequentially. (Note: Some churches consider the appointed Gospel readings in Epiphany to be carrying forward the theme of the revelation of light of Jesus Christ in the world from Epiphany Day and the Feast of Christ’s Baptism; thus, the whole season of Epiphany is to be considered extraordinary and festive, not ordinary.)
In the 2019 Book of Common Prayer, the appointed Gospel readings for Epiphany 2 each year come from the early pericopes of the Gospel of John. These narrate portions of the early period of Jesus’ ministry in Judea and the villages of Galilee before he arrived in Capernaum. In Year A, John 1:29-42 begins with the testimony of John the Baptist after Jesus’ baptism and ends with the earliest encounters we have on record of Jesus and his disciples. The reading ends with Jesus immediately giving Simon, son of John, his new name: “[Andrew] brought [Simon] him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas’ (which means Peter)” (42).
Sponsored
John the Baptist’s title for Jesus in the Gospel reading, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29), will be featured in our worship after we hear the narration of the killing of Passover lambs prior to the exodus of Israel from Egypt. YHWH’s passing over the houses of Israelites who have the blood of the lambs on their doorposts is a vivid picture of the forgiveness of sin by the blood of Jesus to all who have faith in him.
The appointed Psalm 40:1-11 is said or sung in our worship to give voice to the faithful who are grateful to God for deliverance and resolved to serve Christ ever after: “He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of thanksgiving unto our God. Many shall see and fear, and shall put their trust in the LORD. (4-5).
The ordinary period of the Epiphany season is occupied with sequential readings from 1 Corinthians across the three-year cycle. In Year A, we begin with 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, where Paul writes his initial greeting to his beloved church in Corinth. Though he will go on in the letter to chastise the church for their many shortcomings, he begins by pointing out all that Christ has given them: “…you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (7-8).
In our appointed Collect this week, we confess that the light of God has come into the world through Christ, and that his light is carried forward by the Church filled with the Holy Spirit. We note especially in this prayer that the Church’s effective ministry is conditional on its devotion to the means of grace provided by God for remaining in Christ: that “illumined by your Word and Sacraments, [we] may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory.”
The Collect
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:21-28)
21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. 24 You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. 25 And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped. 28 Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
Exodus 12:21-28
Celebrant: “Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.” People: “Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.” These words are often included at the climactic end of the Eucharistic prayer on Sundays. The language—as best we can tell—comes to us from Paul (1 Corinthians 5:7-8) who, being an observant Jew, would have been inspired to use such words from the command given in this Old Testament reading: “And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service…you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt…” (25,27).
Okay. But there is an important contrast to be observed between the “Passover lamb” of the OT and the “Lamb of God” in the New Testament. In Exodus, the people must “go and select lambs” (21) for themselves, whereas in the assigned Gospel reading, Jesus appears to John the Baptist and his disciples without their having sought him. He comes to them, and they say, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:29,36). The OT law sends people looking for their own sacrifice, while in the NT Jesus is revealed as the one and only true sacrifice from the Father in heaven (see Hebrews 9:23ff).
Today, by the Spirit, we celebrate Holy Communion in church to remember, and to give testimony to our children so that they remember that God’s loving grace originates beyond our reach–and beyond all hope—in the face of Jesus Christ.
I Have Not Hidden Your Deliverance (Psalm 40:1-11)
1 I waited patiently for the Lord, *
Psalm 40:1-11, New Coverdale Psalter (BCP 2019)
and he inclined to me, and heard my call.
2 He brought me out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay; *
he set my feet upon the rock, and secured my footing.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth, *
a song of thanksgiving unto our God.
4 Many shall see and fear, *
and shall put their trust in the Lord.
5 Blessed is the man who has set his hope in the Lord, *
and has not turned to the proud, or to those who go about lying.
6 O Lord my God, great are the wondrous works which you have done,
and also your thoughts toward us; *
there is none who can be compared with you.
7 If I should declare them and speak of them, *
they would be more than I am able to express.
8 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, *
but my ears you have opened.
9 Burnt offerings and sin offerings you have not required, *
and so I said, “Behold, I come;
10 In the volume of the book it is written of me,
that I delight to do your will, O my God; *
indeed, your law is within my heart.”
11 I have declared your righteousness in the great congregation; *
behold, I will not restrain my lips, O Lord, and that you know
The eager spirit of “David” in the psalm to proclaim and tell ofthe works of YHWH is like that of John the Baptist in the assigned Gospel reading, who declares, I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God(John 1:34). Note for David in the psalm, the witness is all about personal testimony. Many of us are hesitant to share our faith with others out of fear that we do not know enough Bible or theology. For David, it is more than sufficient to proclaim in Israel his own experiences of help from God. He has numerous stories to tell, and he is eager to share them with others.
Why not try this for yourself? Write out a few two-minute personal testimonies of God working in your life–one of healing from sickness, one of provision in a time of need, and one of deliverance from trouble. Rehearse telling these stories in your own words, and then–and this is critical–pray for opportunities to share them with others. Do this today and see what the Holy Spirit will do.
I Give Thanks to My God Always for You (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)
1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Or, “Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus” (4, MSG). Paul begins this letter, as he often does, with thanksgiving and praise to God for the “saints” (2) he is addressing. Now, if you know anything about the severe criticisms to come in 1 Corinthians, reading back on the generosity of language found in this opening may be surprising. According to Paul, the church in Corinth was bound in crippling controversies over: severe factionalism (1:10-17); sexual immorality (5:1-12); legal conflicts between believers (6:1-11); and improprieties in worship (Chs. 11-14). And Paul is not failing to give thanks for them?
Devotionally, there are two valuable lessons to learn here from Paul’s example: 1) There is in every situation “always” reason to praise God; and 2) there is for every saint (even every human being) “always” motive to be grateful. No matter how trying circumstances may be, and no matter how difficult people may be, we must learn the discipline of perceiving, through the Holy Spirit, the way forward by giving thanks.
Why not make Paul’s manner of addressing the unruly Corinthians a model for your intercession for others? Like Paul, do not fail to pray for troublemakers; and when you do, begin by giving thanks and praise to God for them. This is, of course, very hard to do, but it might help to remember, humbly, that just as others may be troubling you, you may be, at any given moment, the one making trouble for someone else.
Today, Holy Spirit, grant me the extraordinary generosity that flows from the life of the Son of God in me; that I will remember to thank you and praise you for every person you have placed in my life.
For This Purpose I Came (John 1:29-42)
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” 35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
John 1:29-42
Who is John speaking to in this passage? We have no idea. The lack of a specified audience has the effect of putting all the emphasis in the reader’s mind on John’s words. No audience becomes every audience, and his words are a pure witness, a revelation of heaven to the whole world—Jesus is the Son of God. As I have mentioned in earlier devotions during Advent and Christmas, John the Baptist is a type of the church. His character, as portrayed in the Gospels, symbolizes the ideal of the church. So his witnessis our own. With him, we are all meant to declare for this purpose I came_[you fill in the blank]__, that he might be revealed.
If we have been called to Christ and equipped by the Holy Spirit, are we not compelled like John to dedicate our families, our careers, our status in society—all of it—to the testimony that Jesus is the Son of God? Humbly, we will admit that making Jesus the meaning of our lives is slow cooking, a lifetime of starts and stops, victories and disappointments. Nevertheless, today, in the Spirit, we pray that the church as a whole, and ourselves as members of it, will make our testimony to Jesus Christ good for every audience.
Today in the Spirit
Reflections and related content, sent straight to your inbox.
Today in the Spirit: Proper 29C (Christ the King)
The feast of Christ the King is the Church’s celebration of Jesus Christ’s kingship over all things, earthly and heavenly. Though many Anglican provinces around the world have unofficially celebrated the feast for a century, the only official Prayer Book designation I could find of the final Sunday of Pentecost as “Christ the King” is…
Today in the Spirit: Proper 24C
At Proper 24C, the Church assigns another parable of Jesus for the benefit of his disciples, found only in Luke. Luke 18:1-8 is the parable of the persistent widow. Our Lord tells a short story of a woman stalking an unjust judge to insist that he give her justice in a case against an adversary….
