Epiphany
The season of Epiphany within the church calendar is one in which Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is revealed–it’s sort of an ah-ha moment. Jesus offers all of us clarity by giving us the ability to see God, a story to live in, and a community to live through.
Seeing God
When we wonder what God is like, Jesus gives us clarity because Jesus is who God is. As John the baptist proclaims, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) In Jesus, we see love in the form of a person who draws together people from all walks of life, confronts injustice, and defeats evil and death by submitting to the cross. Jesus brings answers to many of the questions we wrestle with. Where did existence come from? God created it out of love. What is the future of the world? To be restored because while it is awry, it’s also good and valuable. What about the problem of evil? In Jesus’ life and death, we see that evil is the opposite of good, what God condemns, and rescues us from. How should we live? By loving God and loving our neighbor. These are the answers Jesus offers, providing us with an epiphany of our own about life.
A story to live in
John the Baptist sends his disciple to follow Jesus, the one who takes away the sin of the world and baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:29,33). We learn from John and Jesus that we are to live a story of Spirit lead servanthood.
Martin Luther King Jr. is a beautiful example of this. Despite multiple attempts on his life, he continued to persevere in casting a vision of reconciliation and equality between all races. How did he accomplish this? He believed that God had called him to this work. King wrote,
“God has been profoundly real to me in recent months. In the midst of outer dangers I have felt an inner calm and known resources of strength that only God could give. In many instances I have felt the power of God transforming the fatigue of despair into the buoyancy of hope.” (Martin Luther King Jr, I Have A Dream: Writing and Speeches That Changed The World, p.61)
For most of us, living this story will not transform the world in a notably historical way as King did. But, our commitment to living a story of Spirit lead servanthood will bring grace, mercy, and love to the spheres we live in. Whether at home, work, or school, each place needs people willing to live with kindness and a commitment to the greater good.
Community to live through
When John sees Jesus, he sends his disciples to follow him rather than cling to them. Jesus leads his community by giving his life and calling his followers to do the same. Communities and organizations often exist for themselves, but God’s community finds itself in the life of others (God & neighbor). At Grace, we want our community to be a people who travel through the messiness of life together, choose hope, and love our world. Each of these aspirations requires us to find life in God and others. One simple way to pursue this goal is by connecting with one another and our neighbors through the simple act of sharing a cup of coffee. Our willingness to share our lives and listen to the life of others creates the very community we desire. Who should you grab coffee with this week?
