First Sunday after Epiphany
January 12, 2025
(Luke 3:15–16, NIV84) “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, ‘I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.’”
John the Baptist proclaimed the message of the coming Savior and did not praise himself. He told people that he wasn’t even worthy to untie the shoestrings of the Savior.
He knew of the power of the Savior and here we read about some of what the Savior will do. There is reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit, which happened in a very public way on Pentecost, 50 days after the Resurrection of the Savior. Jesus had promised to send the Holy Spirit. The appearance of the Holy Spirit like as tongues of fire – but did not physically burn – would light fires in the hearts of those gathered on that Pentecost day. It was done by the power of the Word of God. The Word of God moved people who took that message back home to the many places they had come from.
And so it must be today. A church, like any civic organization, can have many activities and facilities to draw people together.
But the Word of God must be the important thing that people come to church for and especially take away from gatherings of Christians. Like people at the time of the Reformation, we pray “Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word.”
Prayer
O Lord, we beg of thee to receive the prayers of thy people when they call upon thee. Grant that they may know and understand what you would have them do, and give them power to faithfully do those things. This we ask through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen
