Epiphany 2
January 16, 2011
All Three Lessons
Too Good To Tell!
“Lord God, you showed your glory and led many to faith by the works of your Son. As he brought gladness and healing to his people, grant us these same gifts and lead us also to perfect faith in Him.”
The more you hear of the gospel, the better it sounds. The world calls it “communication”; the Bible calls it “witnessing.” What good is the very best news of the world if it is not shared? Witnessing is God’s method of letting the world know of His goodness and grace. Thus, He calls us to witness to who He is and what He is like. The need for witnessing is seen in the fact that in the average congregation 95 percent of the members make no attempt to tell others about Jesus. I pray we are above average.
In today’s Lessons we are called to witness —
1. What to witness: Jesus the Christ — Gospel Lesson. John 1:29-42 - The story of God is manifested in Jesus as the Messiah. John the Baptist refers to Jesus as the Lamb who is baptized by the Spirit and who baptizes with the Spirit.
A. He who knows it can’t keep it to himself, because —
1. A Christian knows who Jesus is —“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One. John 1:29, 34.
2. A Christian knows what Jesus does. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit — John 1:33.
B. What you can say about Jesus.
1. He is the Lamb of God. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! — John 1:29.
2. He baptizes with the Spirit And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ —John 1:33.
3. He is the Son of God — I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One. John 1:34.
2. To whom are we to witness: the whole world — Old Testament Lesson. Isaiah 49:1-7 - The Epiphany can be seen in God’s servant, Israel, who is to bring the light of salvation to the nations. Epiphany deals with the light and with the spreading of the light to the whole world. God is glorified in his servant (v.3) who witness.
A. There is a divine destiny for your life.
1. Divine plan for your life — Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born, the LORD called me; from my mother’s womb, he has spoken my name. And now the LORD says— he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am[a] honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength— Isaiah 49:1, 5.
2. Discouragement in fulfilling the plan — But I said, “I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand, and my reward is with my God.” - Isaiah 49:4
3. Directive of global proportions — he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” - Isaiah49:6
B. What God asks of each person.
1. To fulfill your destiny — He said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” - Isaiah 49:3
2. To bring the nation back to God — And now the LORD says— he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am[a] honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength— Isaiah 49:5
3. To be a light to the world, he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” — Isaiah 49:6
3. Why we witness: called by the will of God — Epistle Lesson. - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 - The glory of Christ can be seen in the power of the gospel to make believers as in Corinth.
A. Consider your calling
1. Called to be an apostle (the one sent forth) with a united voice “we are witnesses of these things!” — Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:1
2. Called to be saints (believers) — To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours. - 1 Corinthians 1: 2
3. Called into the fellowship of Christ (church) — God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. - 1 Corinthians 1:9
B. What witnessing for Christ can produce.
1. A people enriched with the grace of God — I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus - 1 Corinthians 1:4
2. A people with every spiritual gift — Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed - 1 Corinthians 1:7
3. A people in union with Christ — God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Corinthians 1:9
Grow where you are planted – serve where He directs you, “gossip the Gospel” to all with whom you meet.
The more you hear of the gospel, the better it sounds. The world calls it “communication”; the Bible calls it “witnessing.” What good is the very best news of the world if it is not shared? Witnessing is God’s method of letting the world know of His goodness and grace. Thus, He calls us to witness to who He is and what He is like. The need for witnessing is seen in the fact that in the average congregation 95 percent of the members make no attempt to tell others about Jesus. I pray we are above average.
In today’s Lessons we are called to witness —
1. What to witness: Jesus the Christ — Gospel Lesson. John 1:29-42 - The story of God is manifested in Jesus as the Messiah. John the Baptist refers to Jesus as the Lamb who is baptized by the Spirit and who baptizes with the Spirit.
A. He who knows it can’t keep it to himself, because —
1. A Christian knows who Jesus is —“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One. John 1:29, 34.
2. A Christian knows what Jesus does. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit — John 1:33.
B. What you can say about Jesus.
1. He is the Lamb of God. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! — John 1:29.
2. He baptizes with the Spirit And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ —John 1:33.
3. He is the Son of God — I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One. John 1:34.
2. To whom are we to witness: the whole world — Old Testament Lesson. Isaiah 49:1-7 - The Epiphany can be seen in God’s servant, Israel, who is to bring the light of salvation to the nations. Epiphany deals with the light and with the spreading of the light to the whole world. God is glorified in his servant (v.3) who witness.
A. There is a divine destiny for your life.
1. Divine plan for your life — Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born, the LORD called me; from my mother’s womb, he has spoken my name. And now the LORD says— he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am[a] honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength— Isaiah 49:1, 5.
2. Discouragement in fulfilling the plan — But I said, “I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand, and my reward is with my God.” - Isaiah 49:4
3. Directive of global proportions — he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” - Isaiah49:6
B. What God asks of each person.
1. To fulfill your destiny — He said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” - Isaiah 49:3
2. To bring the nation back to God — And now the LORD says— he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am[a] honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength— Isaiah 49:5
3. To be a light to the world, he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” — Isaiah 49:6
3. Why we witness: called by the will of God — Epistle Lesson. - 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 - The glory of Christ can be seen in the power of the gospel to make believers as in Corinth.
A. Consider your calling
1. Called to be an apostle (the one sent forth) with a united voice “we are witnesses of these things!” — Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:1
2. Called to be saints (believers) — To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours. - 1 Corinthians 1: 2
3. Called into the fellowship of Christ (church) — God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. - 1 Corinthians 1:9
B. What witnessing for Christ can produce.
1. A people enriched with the grace of God — I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus - 1 Corinthians 1:4
2. A people with every spiritual gift — Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed - 1 Corinthians 1:7
3. A people in union with Christ — God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Corinthians 1:9
Grow where you are planted – serve where He directs you, “gossip the Gospel” to all with whom you meet.
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