Kingdom's Keys Fellowship
Where God's Kingdom Meets Man's Heart.
Epiphany 1 Epiphany Today
Epiphany 1 Epiphany Today
‘Oh, now I see.’ ‘I never thought about it like that before.’ ‘Everything looks different now.’ These and others like it are expressions that are epiphanies, a new way to look at something, a new idea that touches your heart and your mind. There is a new understanding and motivation proceeding from it. To me that is what makes the Bible so amazing. You can’t read it without having an epiphany.
If you carry this thought back into the early history of the Christian movement a church year was developed one season of which was called Epiphany (from Gk. epiphanein-to appear unto). It meant a time to celebrate the revelation, the new understanding that Jesus was born to be a Messiah not just for the Jews but rather a savior for all people. The images used to lift up that epiphany thought were the three wise men from the East who came to worship the newborn King in Bethlehem. We sing the carol, We Three Kings of Orient Are, to observe that truth of universal outreach.
What that means for each of us is when we accepted Jesus as our personal Savior it was our personal epiphany that began a series of epiphanies. From the awareness that Jesus makes a difference in how we think and act, He continues to impress on us the growing realization of the vastness of His Kingdom, the spiritual domain of His reign. The panorama that opens before us when we believe with our mind, trust with our heart and, by faith, act out what He reveals is beyond anything we knew or expected before. We see before us an endless sea of opportunities to extend His presence whenever and wherever we go each day. We find depth in worship of Him, eagerness to learn more about Him, the desire to be around believers with whom we can share Him and find we are no longer intimidated by the world around us that doesn’t accept Him. The season of Epiphany is simply the recognition that everyday is full of epiphanies if we are willing to see them. That willingness is what the Holy Spirit uses to let Jesus be seen, be followed and be accepted.
The Holy Spirit is the ‘epiphany-maker.’ Epiphany and its children are multiplied by the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who gives that ‘now-I-see’ experience. When Jesus told the disciples that He would give them a counselor, a comforter (Jn.14:26), it was to bring His personal presence into the mind and heart of everyone who accepted Him as Savior and Lord. There would never be a moment when Jesus was not present (I am with you always even to the end of the age-Matt.28:20).
With the Holy Spirit comes the new way of seeing everything in a spiritual context instead of a survival context. With the Holy Spirit Jesus’ mind and heart take precedence and the power of sin wanes. With the Holy Spirit we see within what that without is all about. But here is the crowning event. With the Holy Spirit Jesus comes as He is within us. Thus, therefore, our task is to let Him be seen just as He is in the relationship we have with Him. That is why I said in my previous column, “Our goal is not to be like Christ but to let Christ reign through us.” This is precisely the way the Holy Spirit gets us to become like Him. Letting Him emerge from our heart to be seen in the hearts of others is when we become like Him. This is exactly what Jesus did in His relationship with His Father. He wanted people to see and hear the Father in Him. Jesus said it perfectly, ”When you see me you see the Father (Jn.14:9).” “I only do what my Father tells me (Jn.14:10).”
So for each of us the task is to let Jesus be seen through us so that we let those who haven’t seen get the opportunity to have their ‘epiphany’ and succeeding epiphanies. That is why He said we who believe in Him are the lights in the world who are simply reflecting Him who is THE Light of the world. Thus His words, “As the Father sent me that is the way I am sending you (Jn.20:21).”
There’s more, stay tuned……..
‘Oh, now I see.’ ‘I never thought about it like that before.’ ‘Everything looks different now.’ These and others like it are expressions that are epiphanies, a new way to look at something, a new idea that touches your heart and your mind. There is a new understanding and motivation proceeding from it. To me that is what makes the Bible so amazing. You can’t read it without having an epiphany.
If you carry this thought back into the early history of the Christian movement a church year was developed one season of which was called Epiphany (from Gk. epiphanein-to appear unto). It meant a time to celebrate the revelation, the new understanding that Jesus was born to be a Messiah not just for the Jews but rather a savior for all people. The images used to lift up that epiphany thought were the three wise men from the East who came to worship the newborn King in Bethlehem. We sing the carol, We Three Kings of Orient Are, to observe that truth of universal outreach.
What that means for each of us is when we accepted Jesus as our personal Savior it was our personal epiphany that began a series of epiphanies. From the awareness that Jesus makes a difference in how we think and act, He continues to impress on us the growing realization of the vastness of His Kingdom, the spiritual domain of His reign. The panorama that opens before us when we believe with our mind, trust with our heart and, by faith, act out what He reveals is beyond anything we knew or expected before. We see before us an endless sea of opportunities to extend His presence whenever and wherever we go each day. We find depth in worship of Him, eagerness to learn more about Him, the desire to be around believers with whom we can share Him and find we are no longer intimidated by the world around us that doesn’t accept Him. The season of Epiphany is simply the recognition that everyday is full of epiphanies if we are willing to see them. That willingness is what the Holy Spirit uses to let Jesus be seen, be followed and be accepted.
The Holy Spirit is the ‘epiphany-maker.’ Epiphany and its children are multiplied by the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who gives that ‘now-I-see’ experience. When Jesus told the disciples that He would give them a counselor, a comforter (Jn.14:26), it was to bring His personal presence into the mind and heart of everyone who accepted Him as Savior and Lord. There would never be a moment when Jesus was not present (I am with you always even to the end of the age-Matt.28:20).
With the Holy Spirit comes the new way of seeing everything in a spiritual context instead of a survival context. With the Holy Spirit Jesus’ mind and heart take precedence and the power of sin wanes. With the Holy Spirit we see within what that without is all about. But here is the crowning event. With the Holy Spirit Jesus comes as He is within us. Thus, therefore, our task is to let Him be seen just as He is in the relationship we have with Him. That is why I said in my previous column, “Our goal is not to be like Christ but to let Christ reign through us.” This is precisely the way the Holy Spirit gets us to become like Him. Letting Him emerge from our heart to be seen in the hearts of others is when we become like Him. This is exactly what Jesus did in His relationship with His Father. He wanted people to see and hear the Father in Him. Jesus said it perfectly, ”When you see me you see the Father (Jn.14:9).” “I only do what my Father tells me (Jn.14:10).”
So for each of us the task is to let Jesus be seen through us so that we let those who haven’t seen get the opportunity to have their ‘epiphany’ and succeeding epiphanies. That is why He said we who believe in Him are the lights in the world who are simply reflecting Him who is THE Light of the world. Thus His words, “As the Father sent me that is the way I am sending you (Jn.20:21).”
There’s more, stay tuned……..
Views: 5
Comment
About
© 2024 Created by HKHaugan.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Kingdom's Keys Fellowship to add comments!
Join Kingdom's Keys Fellowship