SERMON NOTES:  

Why Epiphany???

Scene 1 - Luke 2:21-38  28 Simeon praised God, saying:   30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:32 a light for revelation to the Gentile”

Scene 2 - Matthew 2:1-23  11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. 

Scene 3 – Luke 2:41-52 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Scene 4 – Mark 1:1-8 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins….all the people of Jerusalem went out to him.  Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 7 And this was his message:
               “After me comes the one more powerful than I,…  8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Big Reveal – Mark 1:9-11 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open  and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” 

In the Baptism of Jesus, God is making an unequivocal declaration (to me)…

This Jesus, the ONE who gets in the sinner’s line with me,

             the ONE who hears “Beloved Son with You I am well pleased “, is

             the ONE for me to trust, follow and consecrate myself to!

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Monday:  Luke 2:21-38
Tuesday:  Matthew 2:1-23
Wednesday:  Luke 2:41-52
Thursday:  Mark 1:1-8
Friday:  Mark 1:9-11
Saturday:  Matthew 3:1-17