Thought for an Epiphany Sunday: “Christmas Jesus is a beautiful baby boy wrapped in swaddling clothes, sleeping in a trough on a bed of straw as farm animals and shepherds look on pensively. For many, these are the defining images of Jesus: helpless, dependent, silent. This is not at all the person of the Messiah who is announced in the Old Testament.” - M. Daniel Carroll R., Professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College
Prayer as We Gather: Thank you, Lord, that you alone establish our borders peacefully. Give us leaders in this New Year, we pray, who will acknowledge that you are God and they are not. Amen.*(Inspired by Psalm 147)
Call to Worship:
Listen to the Lord’s word, you nations:
The one who scattered Israel will gather them and keep them safe.
The Lord will rescue them from those stronger than they are.
They will come shouting for joy,
Jubilant over the Lord’s gifts.
Their lives will be like a lush garden; they will grieve no more.
The Lord will turn their mourning into laughter
And their sadness into joy. (from Jeremiah 31, The Common English Bible)
Morning Prayer: As we recuperate from holiday excesses and battle seasonal fatigue, Lord, we welcome apostle Paul’s clear-eyed reminder: “Through Jesus you have imbued us with every heavenly spiritual blessing.” As this transition year unfolds in the life of our beloved congregation, we cherish our adoption as your children, chosen before the creation of the world, destined to honor your glorious grace given freely through Jesus, sealed with Holy Spirit’s promise. Lead us to the pastoral shepherd whose name you already know, as we continue to follow the Galilean who taught us to pray, saying …*(Inspired by Ephesians 1)
Prayer of Confession: Forgive us, Lord. No sooner do Christmas carol lyrics extolling the light of the world fade from our lips than we begin to act out gospel writer John’s chilling verdict: “The light was in the world, but the world didn’t recognize the light; He came to his own people, and his own people didn’t welcome him.” It’s a lot easier to sing about adorable baby Jesus than to follow offensive grownup Jesus. Have mercy, we pray, on our penchant for pulling the welcome mat out from under Mary’s boy child. Amen.*(Inspired by John 1)
Assurance of Pardon: Take heart, all who launched into this New Year afflicted by a momentary spiritual amnesia that prohibits our recognizing or welcoming God’s dearest child, the Galilean Lord who is our only hope in this self-destructive world. John’s honest reprimand includes this hope-inducing addendum: “But those who did welcome him, those who believe in his name, he authorized to become God’s children.” Come into our hearts, Lord Jesus, there is room in our hearts for you. Thanks be to God that the Word became flesh!*(Inspired by John 1)