The Theme for Epiphany 2 “God’s Glory Manifested In Transforming Power” can be seen in all
three lessons for the week. In the Old Testament lesson God marries His people.
God will transform Jerusalem
from desolation to delight. In the Epistle lesson The Sprit transforms from
“Jesus be cursed” to “Jesus is Lord!” Here the gifts of the Spirit will be
outlined for us. In the Gospel lesson, the wedding at Cana Christ transforms
water into wine. Here He manifests His glory and His disciples put their faith
in Him.
Collect for Epiphany
2 – Almighty and Everlasting God, who
governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your
people and grant us Your peace through all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your
Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now
and forever.
Collect for the
Baptism of our Lord – Father in
heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River
You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make
all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and
inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our
Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and
forever. Amen
Collect for the
likeness of Christ —O God, by the
patient suffering of Your only-begotten Son; You have beaten down the pride of
the old enemy. Now help us, we humbly pray, rightly to treasure in our hearts
all that our Lord has of His goodness born for our sake that after His example
we may bear with patience all that is adverse to us; through Jesus Christ our
Lord.
A prayer for steadfast
faith –Almighty God, our heavenly
Father, of Your tender love towards us sinners You have given us Your Son that,
believing in Him, we might have everlasting life. Continue to grant us Your Holy
Spirit that we may remain steadfast in this faith to the end and come to life
everlasting. .
A prayer for newness
of life in Christ – Almighty God,
give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness and put upon
ourselves the armor of life, now in the time of this mortal life, in which Your
Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, that in the last day, when
He shall come again in glory to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise
to the life immortal. .
A prayer for Home and
Family – Visit, we implore You, O
Lord, the homes in which Your people dwell, and keep far from them all harm and
danger. Grant us to dwell together in peace under the protection of Your holy
angels, and may Your blessing be with us forever; through Jesus Christ our
Lord.
Monday, 14 January 2013—Psalm
36:5:9, Antiphon, Song of Solomon 2:4 The Lord brought me to the banqueting
house, and His banner over me was love. See also Numbers 2:2 and Psalm 20:5 –
The king’s love for his bride is displayed for all to see like a large military
banner. So is the Father’s love for you. Great is His faithfulness.
Tuesday, 15 January 2013—Psalm128;
key verse v5 May the Lord bless you from Zion all thee days of your life; may
you see the prosperity of Jerusalem. The
blessedness of the godly man is the theme for this week’s psalm. It is another
word for wisdom concerning hearth and home. The key verse is thought to be a
Levitical or priestly benediction or a word of instruction to those assembled
from their homes coming to worship at Jerusalem
Wednesday, 16 January 2013— Isaiah 62:1-5– Isaiah uses the
analogy of marriage to express the relationship of Judah to God. He marries His
people, His land. It is not the first marriage for God. Like Hosea, He takes
His people back again and again. He remarries His people to Himself. What does
this say about God’s attitude toward His people? God loves His people “The Lord
delights in you” v. 4. God make His people new – they take, like a bride takes
her husband’s name, His name: “You shall be called My delight is in her” v. 4
God rejoices over His people, “So shall your God rejoice over you” v.5 God and
His land make a happy couple.
Thursday, 17 January 2013—1 Corinthians12:1-11– Can we be
different and yet one? The church has always threatened with divisions. It
happened in the 1st Century it happens today in the 21st
Century. To have peace and unity must all church members agree and be alike?
According to the text, the church is unique in that she can have unity with
diversity. This unity is the same Spirit in all, but there is a variety of
gifts from the one Spirit. As long as there is one good, sweet spirit in a
congregation, it is a blessing for the church to have a diversity of gifts.
Friday, 18 January 2013 –
John 2:1-11– The custom is to prepare an invitation list for a wedding. The invitation
signifies you are important to the one inviting you. It indicates further that
you are wanted. The unknown couple in the gospel put Jesus on their invitation
list. And they could be glad they did!
Jesus honors them with His presence. He met their needs of wine. He
saved the reception from failure. Have you invited Jesus to come into your
marriage, your work, your life?
For many life is
empty. Our lives may be as empty as the stone jars. When we come to Jesus, as
Mary did, for help, Jesus not only fills us up to the brim, but gives us an
excess. The six stone jars provided 120 – 180 gallons of wine! Note, tool, the generosity of Jesus in
feeding the 5,000 – twelve baskets were left over. Jesus is able not only to
meet our needs, but to exceed them.
Just like the Nike commercial Mary told the
servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do. “Just do it!” She had learned to
respect His words. If the servants had not obeyed, there would have been no
wine out of water. A miracle will take place in our lives when we “do whatever
He tells us”. To obey is a test of faith when the command seems illogical and
ridiculous. The need was wine and Jesus commands getting water! He has other
seemingly illogical demands: “Give and it shall be given you,” “He who loses
his life shall find it.”
Saturday, 19 January 2013—-Matthew 2:1-12; Ephesians 1:9; John
18:26-27; John 1:29 - Sunday’s hymn of the day is The Star Proclaims the King
Is Here (399 LSB) This is yet another
wonderful Epiphany hymn. Despite outward conditions nothing will change
concerning God’s dealings with His people. As the Wise Men were directed to
find the infant Lord Jesus so to this day the Lord will make His presence known
to you as He comes through His means of grace. This is how He chooses to
communicate to you – in tangible ways. Not in myth, not in the spectacular or
the supernatural but through simple means. Wise men still seek Him. Look for
Him in those places He has promised He will be found.
Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 and Lutheran
Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House
Schnorr Von Carolsfeld
woodcuts © WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use
Lectionary Preaching
Workbook Series C – John Brokhoff © 1979 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
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