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Jesus is the Savior of All People The Epiphany of Our Lord—C God’s Word for Today The season of Epiphany (the Greek word for “appearance”) recalls how Jesus proved himself to be the Son of God and the Savior of all people. The Festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord is celebrated on January 6, the twelfth day of Christmas, and is often called the Gentile Christmas. In the lessons and the Gospel, God makes it abundantly clear that his salvation is not only for his chosen Old Testament people, but also for the Gentiles (non-Jews). Jesus is the Savior of all people! First Lesson (Isaiah 60:1-6) 1. To whom is the Lord speaking in these verses? 2. From where will people come to fill up the New Testament Christian church? Second Lesson (Ephesians 3:2-12) 3. Who wrote the letter to the Ephesians? (cf. 3:1) 4. What job had God given to this apostle? (vv 8-9) Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12) 5. From where did the Magi come to worship the newborn Savior? 6. Were the Magi Jews or Gentiles? 7. What gifts did they bring Jesus? (cp. Isaiah 60:6) Answers: 1. The Lord is speaking to the New Testament Christian church, which has Jesus as its head. Jesus once said that he is the light of the world (Jn 8:12). He also said that Christians are the light of the world (Mt 5:14). When the prophet announces that “nations will come to your light,” he is speaking of Christ and the Christian church in the New Testament era, when people throughout the world would come to faith in Jesus. 2. From all nations, both Jews and Gentiles. (vv 3,4) 3. St. Paul wrote Ephesians, probably during his first imprisonment in Rome in about 60 AD. The congregation in Ephesus was made up of both Jews and Gentiles, two groups that often disliked one another. Paul wanted these two groups to live peaceably with one another (Eph 2:1418). 4. Paul’s specific mission was to proclaim the good news about Jesus to the Gentiles (non-Jews). The fact that Jesus was the Savior of all people, not just the Jews, was the big “mystery” that God wanted Paul to proclaim. 5. From the east, perhaps from Persia or Arabia. 6. We really don’t know, since the Scriptures don’t make that clear. It has always been assumed that they were Gentiles. 7. They brought him gold, incense and myrrh, all quite expensive items. The prophet Isaiah had predicted such gifts in Isaiah 60:6. Jesus is Our Unlikely, Yet Perfect Savior Answers: The First Sunday after the Epiphany—C The Baptism of Our Lord 1. Saul. God’s Word for Today “Why did Jesus need to be baptized? I thought baptism was for sinners?” It seems strange that our Savior, who was perfectly sinless, would need to be baptized, and yet he was. Why? Because Jesus had come to be our perfect Savior, and he is revealed as such in his baptism. God laid on him the sin of the world (Jn 1:29). Even from birth he endured the effects of our sin. Though Jesus wasn’t a sinner himself, he was carrying our sin, pain and sorrow (Is 53:4), making him seem an unlikely Savior. But by taking our sin and suffering on himself, Jesus actually became our unlikely, yet perfect Savior (Heb 2:10; 5:7-9). First Lesson (I Samuel 16:1-13) 1. Whom had God rejected as the King of Israel? 2. When Samuel went to anoint a new king, did he and the Lord agree on who would be the “perfect” king? 3. Whom did the Lord finally choose as Israel’s new king? Second Lesson (Titus 3:4-7) 4. According to St. Paul, why did God save us? 5. According to St. Paul, how did God save us? Gospel (Luke 3:15-17, 21-22) 6. What was the purpose of the baptism given by John? 7. If Jesus was sinless, why was he baptized? 8. Which three special persons were present at the baptism of Jesus? 2. No. Samuel was impressed with the oldest sons of Jesse because they were big, strong and handsome. But the Lord had different ideas, as he explained: “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 3. God chose the youngest son of Jesse, David, the forefather of our perfect Savior, Jesus. Jesus, too, would seem like an unlikely choice to be our perfect Savior (cf. Is 53:2,3). 4. Paul plainly states that God did not save us because of righteous things we had done (our good works), but because of his mercy. In other words, our salvation depends entirely upon God’s love for us and not our love for him, a concept that seems unlikely to human reason. 5. Paul explains that God saved us “through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” The Christian church has always understood this to be a reference to Holy Baptism, where God washes away our sin through this water connected to his Word of promise. 6. The purpose was the same as the baptism we have today: it’s “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mk 1:4). 7. Though Jesus did not have any personal sin, in his role as our perfect Savior he was carrying the sins of the world (Is 53:6; Jn 1:29; 2 Co 5:21). He welcomed the promises of God that baptism gives sinners. 8. The Holy Trinity (God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) were present at Jesus’ baptism. In the same way, the Holy Trinity was present at our baptisms, as we are baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). Jesus is Our Gracious Savior The Second Sunday after the Epiphany—C God’s Word for Today “Grace” is a beautiful Bible word. We normally define grace as God’s undeserved love. And that’s exactly right! Grace suggests the idea of giving a gift without a sense of obligation. (We should never feel obligated to give a gift! If we do, it’s no longer a gift!). Jesus loves us not because he is obligated. He didn’t die for us out of a sense of guilt. He didn’t owe us. Everything Jesus does for us, he does for one reason only: he’s gracious. He does it because he wants to, freely! Yes, Jesus is our gracious Savior. First Lesson (Isaiah 62:1-5) 1. Who is speaking in these verses through the prophet Isaiah? For instance, who’s the “I” of verse 1? 2. For whose sake would Jesus do what he did as our Savior? 3. What is the result of Jesus’ gracious work for his people? Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) 4. What subject does St. Paul begin to address in these verses? 5. Who is the giver of all Christian gifts? 6. For whose sake does the Holy Spirit give us gifts? Gospel (John 2:1-11) 7. What problem arose at the wedding in Cana to which Jesus and his disciples were invited? 8. How did Jesus react when Mary told him that they had run out of wine? Why did he react this way? 9. What did Jesus do to resolve the problem? Answers: 1. The pre-incarnate Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, is the speaker. 2. Jesus says that he would speak “for Zion’s sake” and “for Jerusalem’s sake” (In the Old Testament “Zion” and “Jerusalem” often represent the people of God, the Church. That is the case in these verses). In other words, Jesus serves as our advocate; he speaks on our behalf before his heavenly Father (1 Jn 2:1; Ro 8:34). 3. No longer are we estranged from our heavenly Father because of our sin. Instead the Lord delights in us (Hephzibah) and we are “married” (Beulah) to him. All this is a result of Jesus’ work as our gracious Savior. 4. Paul begins to address the subject of spiritual gifts. The Corinthian Christians were extremely gifted (1 Co 1:5-7), but they were not putting their gifts to use according to Christian love, which is the greatest gift (1 Co 13). 5. No matter what gift we have, the Holy Spirit is the gracious giver of that gift. Christians have many different gifts, but the Holy Spirit is the giver of them all. 6. Christians are not to use their gifts for their own selfish gain or benefit. Instead, Paul explains that all gifts are “given for the common good.” In other words, each Christian is to use their gifts to benefit their fellow Christians. 7. They had run out of wine. It was customary in Jesus’ day for weddings to be celebrated for several days. It seems clear that the wedding hosts had not adequately prepared. 8. Jesus wondered why Mary involved him, stating, “My time has not yet come.” Jesus seems to be suggesting that it wasn’t yet time for him to publicly reveal himself as the promised Savior through his miracles. As it was, the forthcoming miracle seemed to be performed quietly. 9. He changed water into wine. Although his disciples put their faith in him, it seems his miracle went otherwise unnoticed. Jesus is the Only Savior from Sin The Confession of Saint Peter—C God’s Word for Today Jesus had asked his disciples the most important question of their lives: “Who do you say I am?” It’s a make-or-break type of question that wouldn’t be graded on a curve. There wasn’t, and still isn’t, more than one right answer. Peter finally spoke up, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” Peter was saying much with those few short words. His confession was clear and totally accurate: Jesus is the only Savior from sin! First Lesson (Acts 4:8-13) 1. What were circumstances of Peter preaching the sermon recorded in these verses? 2. How had Peter and John healed the cripple? 3. To what deeper, spiritual truth does Peter connect this man’s healing? Second Lesson (2 Peter 1:1-4) 4. According to Peter, what gives us “everything we need for life and godliness”? (verse 3) 5. Through faith in Jesus, what do Christians have to look forward to? (verse 4) Gospel (Matthew 16:13-19) 6. What were others saying about Jesus? 7. Whom did Peter say Jesus was? 8. How did Peter and the other disciples come to this knowledge? Answers: 1. Peter had healed a crippled man (Ac 3:7), but as a result Peter and John were arrested by the temple guard (4:3). Now they stood before the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, to answer for themselves. 2. Peter plainly confesses that the man’s healing was “by the name of Jesus Christ, whom [the Jews] crucified but whom God raised from the dead.” 3. Peter declares that not only was this man physically healed (the Greek word also means saved) by Jesus, but that all salvation (physical, spiritual, and eternal) “is found in no one else” but Jesus. He is the only Savior from sin. 4. Peter says that Jesus’ “divine power” gives us everything we need. With these two words Peter confesses what he believes about Jesus, namely, that he is our powerful God. 5. Peter says that only through faith in Jesus do we “participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption” of this evil world. Already now Christians begin to realize the fulfillment of these words as we put off our sinful flesh and live according to our new Christian nature (Ro 6:1-11). Even now we are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Co 3:16). But we also await the complete fulfillment of these words when Jesus comes again (Php 3:20,21; Ro 8:23). 6. They thought he was John the Baptist, or maybe Elijah or another of the prophets raised from the dead. 7. Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah, the Son of God. 8. Jesus says that Peter didn’t come to this faith by himself. He didn’t “make his decision” for Jesus. Instead these things had been revealed to him. Only God can work faith in our hearts. Jesus is Our Long-Foretold Savior The Third Sunday after the Epiphany—C God’s Word for Today Jesus’ arrival on the scene in Palestine shouldn’t have been that surprising to the Jews. They had known of the coming Messiah for a long time, dating back to the promise given Abraham (Gen 12:3), even to the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:15). Yet, when Jesus finally arrived, “his own did not receive him (Jn 1:10). He wasn’t the kind of Savior that many were looking for, but that doesn’t change the fact that Jesus is our long-foretold Savior. First Lesson (Isaiah 61:1-6) 1. Who is speaking in these verses? 2. What would the Savior come to do according to Isaiah? Answers: 1. Jesus is speaking through the prophet Isaiah. 2. Jesus would come to proclaim the good news of salvation, particularly to the spiritually downtrodden of this world (Mt 9:13; Lk 19:10). 3. Jesus promises that we will have a part in his heavenly kingdom (priests and ministers) and that we will inherit eternal riches. 4. In a beautiful way, St. Paul compares the Christian Church to our bodies. As our bodies are made up of many different but essential parts, so also the Church is made up of many different but essential parts. We all work together to form the body of Christ. Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 12:12-21, 26,27) 5. Paul encourages us to work together in unity as a body. Just as our own bodies wouldn’t work well if the eyes, ears or feet decided not to work anymore, so also the Church is thrown into disarray when one of its member parts becomes divisive and schismatic. 4. How does Paul illustrate the Christian church and our relationship as Christians to one another? 6. Jesus read the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 61, the First Lesson appointed for this Sunday. 5. What encouragement does Paul give to us as Christians? 7. Jesus said of these words: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” In other words, Jesus was emphatically declaring that he was the fulfillment of the words of Isaiah, that he was our long-foretold Savior. The people who first heard Jesus make this claim were furious (Mk 4:28,29). 3. What promise does the Lord make to Christians in verse 6? Gospel (Luke 4:14-21) 6. What portion of Scripture did Jesus read in his hometown synagogue? 7. What amazing words did Jesus use to conclude his reading? Jesus is Our Powerful Savior The Conversion of Saint Paul—C God’s Word for Today What’s the most difficult disease to overcome? Cancer? Heart disease? Diabetes? AIDS? All of those are terrible diseases, but they’re not the most troublesome disease that human beings face. The most challenging disease to conquer is sin and unbelief. It infects us all from conception (Ps 51:5), and many are still completely held in the clutches of both until the day they die. What a miracle it is when some are brought to faith in Jesus and their sins are washed away in his blood through faith! Who alone can beat such diseases? Only Jesus is strong enough to destroy them. Jesus is our powerful Savior! First Lesson (Acts 9:1-19a) 1. Who was Saul, and what did he think about Jesus and his followers? 2. How did Jesus change Saul’s life? Second Lesson (Galatians 1:11-24) 3. True or false: Paul’s conversion was an accident, merely random. 4. Where did Paul get “his gospel” from? 5. Why would Paul feel compelled to defend himself and his message? Gospel (Luke 21:10-19) 6. What important subject does Jesus treat in these verses? 7. What encouragement does Jesus offer in these verses to his followers? Answers: 1. Saul was a leader among the Jews who were persecuting the church of Jesus. He would later describe himself this: “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless” (Php 3:5,6). In other words, Saul was a near blameless Jew. 2. The resurrected Jesus met Saul on the road to Damascus and asked this Jewish leader why he was persecuting him. This episode led Saul to reconsider his persecution of Jesus and his followers. Later Saul would change his name to Paul and become the greatest missionary the Church has ever known. This shows the power Jesus has! 3. False. The Lord had chosen Paul as his special instrument even before he was born (v 15). 4. He didn’t get it from any ordinary man. He received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. 5. Some were suspicious of Paul because he had persecuted the Church (Ac 9:26). Others believed that Paul went too far in overturning the Old Testament Law (Ro 3:8; Ga 5:112). Still others thought Paul to be an unimpressive preacher (2 Co 10:10). 6. Jesus discusses the signs of the End Time. First will come the birth pains (21:10,11), then Jesus’ followers will face a short time of terrible persecution (21:12-13, 16-17). 7. Jesus promises to give his disciples the words they will need to defend themselves in the face of persecution. He also promises that we will face no lasting harm to our bodies. He concludes: “By standing firm you will save yourselves.” Jesus is powerful to save! Jesus is a Rejected Savior The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany—C God’s Word for Today True or false: Jesus’ earthly ministry was a huge numerical success. If you think the answer is true, then think again. After Jesus had ascended into heaven, the church gathered at Jerusalem numbered only 120 (Ac 1:15). The fact of the matter is, Jesus wasn’t the type of Savior that people were expecting. He wasn’t flashy enough. He didn’t offer instant gratification. Instead, he promised a life of suffering and sorrow in this world (Mt 16:24). As a result, people in Jesus’ time and our own time are hesitant to follow Jesus. Yes, so often Jesus is a rejected Savior. Answers: 1. He was not interested in serving God this way. He argued that he was too young and not able to speak. 2. The Lord had planned to use Jeremiah as his specially appointed prophet even before he was born. 3. Though Jeremiah would face much rejection as a prophet of the Lord, the Lord promised him that he had nothing to fear. He would give him to words to speak, “to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” First Lesson (Jeremiah 1:4-10) 4. The Corinthians wanted to have those gifts that would most readily put them in the spotlight. They wanted to be prophets, apostles and teachers. They wanted to perform miracles and speak in other languages. 1. When Jeremiah was called to be God’s prophet, how did he react? 5. Paul argues that the greatest Christian gift is love. It is the gift that we should most desire. 2. How long had God planned to use Jeremiah as his representative? 6. Love is the greatest Christian gift because love is what makes all other gifts valuable. If we have many gifts, but do not use them lovingly in service to others, they will be of no benefit to others and will not bring glory to God. Eventually these gifts will be taken from us and given to someone who will use them wisely (Mt 25:28-30). 3. What promise did the Lord give to this young man? Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 12:27–13:13) 4. What gifts did the Corinthians most desire? 5. What is the greatest Christian gift, according to Paul? 6. Why does love rate as the greatest gift? Gospel (Luke 4:20-32) 7. When Jesus claimed that he was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, what question did the people raise? 8. What did Jesus say that aroused the people’s anger? 7. They asked themselves, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” The people of Nazareth had seen Jesus grow up among them. They had a hard time believing that he was the promised Messiah. 8. Jesus said that “no prophet is accepted in his home town.” He alluded to the prophets Elijah and Elisha, who helped Gentile foreigners because God’s Old Testament people were for the most part unwilling to listen to the prophets’ message. Jesus would have much the same experience. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (Jn 1:10). Jesus was a rejected Savior. Jesus is Our Compassionate Savior The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany—C God’s Word for Today What does it mean to have compassion? The word “compassion” comes from the Greek language. “Passion” means “suffering,” and “com” means “with,” so if you have compassion for someone, it means that you suffer with them. That’s why is so appropriate to call Jesus our compassionate Savior, because he came to suffer with us and for us in this world of suffering. He shows his compassion by calling us to his side to serve in his kingdom, even though we fall far short of his perfection. Yes, Jesus is our compassionate Savior! First Lesson (Isaiah 6:1-8) 1. What did Isaiah see, and how did it make him feel? 2. What did the Lord do to ease Isaiah’s anxiety? Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 14:12b-20) 3. What gift were the Corinthian Christians most desiring? 4. What goal does Paul suggest we should have as we use our Christian gifts? Gospel (Luke 5:1-11) 5. How did Jesus end up on Simon Peter’s boat? 6. After Jesus finished preaching, what did he ask Peter to do, and what was Peter’s answer? 7. What happened when they let down the nets? 8. When Peter saw the great catch of fish how did he react, and what did Jesus say to him? Answers: 1. Isaiah saw and heard the Lord’s glory filling the temple. Isaiah cried: “Woe to me! I am ruined!” He realized that he was a sinful man standing in the presence of the holy God. 2. The Lord had compassion by assuring Isaiah that his sin was paid for and forgiven. Then he called Isaiah to be his prophet. 3. The Corinthians wanted to be able to speak in tongues (real languages that they had never learned, not the gibberish that one often hears). 4. Paul says that we should strive to use our gifts to build up or edify the church, our fellow Christians. He also points out that speaking languages that people don’t know is not edifying for them because they don’t know what you’re saying. Paul concludes that he “would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.” 5. He was preaching to so large a crowd that he asked Simon Peter for the use of his boat so that the people could see and hear him better. 6. Jesus asked Peter to put down his nets for a catch of fish. While Peter suggested that they wouldn’t catch anything, he did it anyway because Jesus said so. 7. There was such a great catch of fish that the nets began to break. 8. In amazement and fear Peter fell at Jesus feet and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” But Jesus had compassion on Peter and called him and his colleagues to be fishers of men. Jesus is Our Surprising Savior The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany—C God’s Word for Today Jesus did some surprising things during his life and ministry. For instance, he was born in a manger. He instructed the teachers of the law at twelve. He associated with the tax collectors and sinners. He allowed himself to be crucified. He also said some surprising things, things that ran directly contrary to the basic convictions of the world in which we live. For instance, he commands us to love our enemies and to follow him patiently in suffering. And in all these things he promises to be our Savior. Yes, Jesus is our surprising Savior! First Lesson (Jeremiah 17:5-8) 1. Whom does the Lord curse in these verses? 2. Whom does the Lord bless in these verses? Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20) 3. What misconception did some of the Corinthian Christians have about the resurrection from the dead? 4. What arguments does Paul put forth to prove that there will be a general resurrection from the dead? Gospel (Luke 6:17-26) 5. Whom does Jesus say are the blessed of this world, and why? 6. What does Jesus suggest we should do when the people of this world hate us because of Jesus? 7. To whom does Jesus preach woe? Answers: 1. The Lord curses those who would put their trust in man and the things of this world. This is the fundamental approach of sinful mankind: they put their hope in things and people that they can see. They desire honor, glory and power in this world. 2. The Lord blesses those who put their trust in him. Such faith is not always easy because we do not see the Lord, and he does not always work in our lives in a most obvious way. But the Lord promises, when trouble comes our way, we will have no worries when we put our faith in him. 3. Apparently there were some Corinthians who, although they didn’t deny Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, did not believe that all people would one day be raised from death. 4. Paul argues that the Corinthians can’t have it both ways. If they say that there is no resurrection, then they can’t claim that Christ is raised. And if Jesus is still lying in a grave, then our faith in this dead person is worthless, we are still in our sins, those who died in the faith are eternally lost, and we are to be pitied more than all people. But, thanks be to God, Christ is indeed risen! 5. Surprisingly, Jesus says that the blessed of this world are those whom the world would say are the less fortunate and the downtrodden. The reason why these people are blessed, Jesus says, is because through faith in him they will have eternal riches. 6. Surprisingly, Jesus tells us to rejoice when we are persecuted for the sake of Jesus. Our reward will be great in heaven. 7. Surprisingly, Jesus indicates that the powerful, rich and happy of this world are in danger of eternal woe. Those who have so much in this world don’t often realize their need for a Savior. They have their “reward” in this world but will suffer for an eternity because of their rejection of Jesus. Jesus is Our Glorious Savior The Last Sunday after the Epiphany—C The Transfiguration of Our Lord God’s Word for Today There was only one time recorded in Scripture when Jesus revealed his future glory before his resurrection. That one time was on the Mount of Transfiguration, where Peter, James and John had a firsthand (and terrifying) look at Jesus’ perfect glory. Why did Jesus do this? He did it to give his disciples a glimpse at what the future holds for all believers. They were about to enter a difficult time as disciples. They would see their Messiah crucified, but they would also see that Jesus is our glorious Savior! First Lesson (Exodus 34:29-35) 1. What had happened to Moses’ face when he went to receive the two tablets of the Testimony on Mt. Sinai? 2. How did the people react? 3. What did Moses do to help relieve their anxiety? Second Lesson (2 Corinthians 4:3-6) 4. Who is the god of this age, and what has he done to the unbelievers of this world? 5. How is it that we have seen Christ’s glory? Gospel (Luke 9:28-36) 6. Who met Jesus and his disciples when they climbed this high mountain? 7. What happened to Jesus when they arrived? 8. What suggestion did Peter make in verse 33? Answers: 1. Moses’ face began to reflect the glory of God. 2. Aaron and the people were afraid to come near Moses. Paul tells us that “the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory” (2 Co 3:7). This is the natural reaction of sinful people to the glory of God (The disciples of Jesus would react the same way when he was transfigured before them [Mk 9:6]). Moses was eventually able to first coax the leaders back to him (v. 31) and then all the people (v. 32). 3. Moses placed a veil over his face, which he took off whenever he went into the Lord’s presence. 4. Satan is the god of this age, and he has darkened the hearts and minds of unbelievers so that they are unable to see Jesus for who he is: our glorious Savior. 5. Paul says that God “made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” In other words, he has brought us to faith through the preaching of the gospel (Ro 10:17). 6. They met Moses and Elijah, who were generally considered by the Jews to be the two greatest prophets in the Old Testament. 7. He was transfigured before their eyes. The Greek word is our English word: metamorphosis. This is what a caterpillar does when it changes into a beautiful butterfly, his outward appearance changes dramatically. So also Jesus’ body underwent a metamorphosis, in which he put off his state of humility and took on a glorious appearance. 8. Peter wanted to build shelters on the mountain for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, in order to preserve the glory of God for themselves. St. Luke suggests that Peter was speaking foolishly.