Epiphany: the Revelation of Jesus

This season in the Christian calendar is called Epiphany. (This season in the Colorado calendar is called "shiver"!) 'Epiphany' comes from the Greek word which means 'revealing or manifestation.' It refers, broadly, to the various ways Jesus Christ was revealed to the world, beginning with his birth, presentation at the temple, and so forth, even as far as his first recorded sign, the wedding in Cana (John 2). Some churches have a separate festival or special service on a Sunday near January 6 to celebrate that appearing. Others, like ours, note and preach on it. So what would Epiphany mean to us and to our relationship with God and others?

First, we could remember that "in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them" (2 Cor 5:19). God was doing something wonderful, enormous, earth-shaking, and world-changing: removing the sins of humanity from our record, no longer having any judgment against us because of our transgressions against him.

Second, we could remember the last phrase of that verse, "and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation." The gospel accounts tell in detail about a real person, the Son of God who was human as well as divine, who interacted with people, accepted the weak and brokenhearted, comforted the grieving and even raised the dead. Those accounts give us ample understanding of who Jesus is, in order to explain him to others, so they can come to know this man who willingly died for them to erase their sins and join them to the Father.

Third, we know that sooner or later the Lord Jesus will return, appearing the second time to close out this messed-up age of humanity's rebellion, and in his "appearing" (that Greek word again) to set things straight completely, as he began in his first appearing.

Fourth, we could consider that every day, we can see Jesus in the world; not in the flesh, but in those who believe in and trust him. "God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). The greatest compliment we could give one another is "I see Jesus in you today." Because that is our current hope of our certain destiny, and the reality of our being "in Christ" is that Christ is also "in us."

So go ahead, epiphanize -- celebrate all these revealings, and let's give God praise for his gracious love toward us in his revealed Son!