Ephesians 3,1-7. Epiphany Eve

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Ephesians 3,1-7               0720

Epiphanias  013

Simeon, Prophet

5. Januar 2020

1. O Christ Jesus, the Glory of Israel and Light of the Gentiles, appear to all people who are searching for You, so that they also may be gathered together with all the nations into Your Church.  Amen. (VELKD Weekly Prayer for Epiphany 2020 § 1) 

2. »For this reason I Paul the prisoner of Christ on behalf of you Gentiles. Surely you heard of the stewardship of the grace of God that having been given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, just as I wrote before in brief, when you are reading this, to perceived my understanding in the mystery of Christ, not revealed to the other generations of the sons of men as now was revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, namely the Gentiles are to be fellow heirs, members of the same body and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, I was made a deacon according to the gift of God’s grace having been given to me according to the working of His power.« 

3. The liturgical season of Christmas draws to a close today, for 6. January is the Feast of the Epiphany. Last Sunday we heard how Joseph and Mary brought the eight day old Jesus to the temple for His circumcision; Simeon praised Him as the Glory of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles. Today, on Epiphany Eve, we hear about some Gentiles traveling from the East with gifts for Jesus. 

4. The Apostle Paul makes a connection between Jesus’ circumcision and Jesus’ epiphany. In his Epistle to the Ephesians, he writes: »Remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by those called the circumcision which is made in the flesh by hands, remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. So then you’re no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God« (Ephesians 2,11-13.19). The appearing of the Christ draws both circumcised Jews and uncircumcised Gentiles together in one family of faith. 

5. This gospel telling all mankind of God’s love, acceptance and salvation was met with hostility. In his Epistle to the Ephesians, the apostle writes: »For this reason I Paul the prisoner of Christ on behalf of you Gentiles.« The Apostle Paul suffered many things as a result of preaching the gospel; he tells the Corinthians: »Five times I received 39 lashes at the hands of the Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. On frequent journeys I was in danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger from false brothers« (2. Corinthians 11,24-26). As Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians, many of the hostilities he faced were from his own Jewish brethren. The same happens today. When a Jew believes that Jesus is the Messiah, they are shunned and ostracized by their Jewish friends and family. When a Muslim converts to Christianity, they are ostracized and physically assaulted by other Muslims. Religious strife occurs among us often. When Jesus sent out His 12 apostles to preach the gospel, He warned them: »Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to court and flog you in their synagogues. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for My Names’ sake« (Matthew 10,16-17.21-22). Joseph had to take his family to Egypt to flee the murderous wrath of King Herod the Great (Matthew 2,13-15).  

6. In spite of persecution, people believe the gospel. The Magi traveled from the East to bring gifts to the newborn King Jesus, and when they saw Him they kneel down with their faces to the ground and worshiped Him (Matthew 2,11). Jews searched their Scriptures and realized that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Gentiles had the gospel proclaimed to them and rejoice that Jesus is also their Christ. As Jesus promised His apostles, He promises us: »The one who endures to the end will be saved« (Matthew 10,22). Paul likewise wrote to the Ephesians, saying: »How the mystery was made known to me by revelation. When you are reading this, to perceived my understanding in the mystery of Christ, as now was revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, namely the Gentiles are to be fellow heirs, members of the same body and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel« Here we are, 2025 years after the Magi, fellow Gentiles believing and worshiping Christ Jesus.

7. Eight days after His birth we heard how Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple for His circumcision into the covenant as a son of Israel. On this Epiphany Eve we hear how Gentile Magi arrive with gifts and worship Jesus, the newborn King. Next week we will hear how 12 years later Jesus is again in the temple among the rabbis, listening to them and asking them questions; all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and his answers (Luke 2,46-47).   Amen. 

8. Let us pray. O Christ Jesus, praised by all the nations; may we always see the rising of Your star in the Holy Scriptures, so that we learn how You are the fulfillment of those Scriptures.  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

Soli Deo Gloria

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All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2019 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2019 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. 

Löhe, Wilhelm. Seed-Grains of Prayer: A Manual for Evangelical Christians. Wartburg Publishing House, Chicago circa 1912. Concordia Publishing House; Concordia on Demand.