{"id":7071,"date":"2019-01-01T07:12:34","date_gmt":"2019-01-01T12:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=7071"},"modified":"2018-12-29T12:46:05","modified_gmt":"2018-12-29T17:46:05","slug":"january-6-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/january-6-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"January 6, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Dennis Sepper, Rosemont, MN<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Warm-up Question<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Have you ever looked for something you lost and found it in a very unlikely place?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Home for the Holidays<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Raleigh, North Carolina, December 17, 2018 \u2013 Twin sisters A\u2019nina and Zoe Pasco, members of their middle school\u2019s cheer squad, thought it odd that there so many reporters at the school\u2019s basketball game.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Then at halftime when the school mascot came onto the court, the dolphin looked a bit taller than they remembered.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>What they didn\u2019t know was that their father, a U.S. Air Force Sergeant, was the reason for both of those unusual observations.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the mascot removed the costume head and the twins couldn\u2019t believe their eyes.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>A\u2019nina and Zoe dashed into their father\u2019s waiting arms (fins?)<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The reaction of the twins was worth the whole surprise which the school administration approved.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>To see the twins\u2019 reaction, follow the link below for a video of the reunion.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsobserver.com\/news\/local\/education\/article223226275.html\">https:\/\/www.newsobserver.com\/news\/local\/education\/article223226275.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Discussion Questions<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you like being surprised?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>What\u2019s the best unexpected surprise you ever experienced?<\/li>\n<li>Why are unexpected surprises so special?\u00a0 (Outside of the obvious fact that they are unexpected!)<\/li>\n<li>Have you ever been the person doing the surprising?\u00a0 How did the reaction of the person you surprised make you feel?\u00a0 Was it worth all the secrecy and planning?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Epiphany of Our Lord<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?ql=413104829\">Isaiah 60:1-6<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?ql=413104877\">Ephesians 3:1-12<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?ql=413104926\">Matthew 2:1-12<\/a><\/p>\n<p>(Text links are to <a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/\">Oremus Bible Browser<\/a>. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elca.org\/Our-Work\/Congregations-and-Synods\/Worship\/Lectionary\/YearC\">Lectionary Readings<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic <a href=\"http:\/\/www.agnusday.org\/\">Agnus Day.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Gospel Reflection<\/b><\/p>\n<p>January 6<sup>th<\/sup> is the festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord on the church year calendar.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It is the 12<sup>th<\/sup> day, the last day, of the Christmas season.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The day is remembered as the day the wise men arrived to pay homage to the baby Jesus.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The gospel writer Matthew includes the story to remind us that Jesus is not only the ruler and savior of Israel but of the entire world.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The wise men represent all the gentile world as they come to worship Jesus. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>When the \u201cwise men from the East\u201d saw the star announcing the birth of Jesus, they did the most logical thing; they headed to Jerusalem, the capital city, and to the palace of King Herod.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>They were looking for the \u201cchild who has been born king of the Jews\u201d and it made perfect sense to them that the king would be born in Jerusalem. However, when they arrived and asked King Herod about the birth, it seems Herod knew nothing about it.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Herod had to call together the priests and scribes to ask them where the child was to be born.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It was a surprise to everyone there that it was noted the child was to be born in Bethlehem, a city far more insignificant than Jerusalem.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It is also worth noting that while the foreign wise men knew of the birth, the religious leaders had missed the clues that Jesus had been born.<\/p>\n<p>With this new information, the wise men set off to Bethlehem.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The star reappeared and guided them to the place where Jesus was.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Matthew tells us that the wise men were overwhelmed with joy that they had found Jesus in this place they didn\u2019t expect.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Once there the wise men offered Jesus gifts befitting a king\u2026gold, frankincense and myrrh.<\/p>\n<p>So often we look for Jesus in places that seem to make sense\u2026in church, in the Bible, when we are doing our devotions.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The wise men remind us that sometimes Jesus shows up in unexpected places and surprises us with God\u2019s presence.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>When we discover Jesus in those unexpected places we too can be overwhelmed with joy and we can return our praise to God.<\/p>\n<p><b>Discussion Questions<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Can you think of a time when you ran across Jesus or God in an unexpected place (outside the church and the Bible)?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Where was that place and how did you feel when you sensed Jesus\u2019 presence?<\/li>\n<li>If you were giving a gift to Jesus like the wise men did, what would that gift be?\u00a0 Why did you chose that gift?<\/li>\n<li>There are many traditions surrounding the wise men and their story that are not mentioned in Matthew\u2019s account.\u00a0 Read the gospel again carefully and answer the following questions:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>How many wise men were there?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Tradition says there were three<\/li>\n<li>Does Matthew tell us they were kings as is often depicted and sung about?<\/li>\n<li>Where do the wise men find the baby Jesus?\u00a0 In the stable and the manger?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><b>Activity Suggestion<\/b><\/p>\n<p>There is a very old tradition surrounding the day of Epiphany of blessing one\u2019s house or the church building for the new year ahead.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Take a piece of chalk and over the door of your house or the church (please get permission first!) write the following; 20 + CMB + 19.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>In this inscription you will see the new year, 2019, two crosses and the letters CMB which stand for the traditional names of the wise men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Once you have written the inscription you can pray this prayer from Sundays and Seasons (Copyright \u00a9 2018 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n<p>O God, you revealed your Son to all people by the shining light of a star. We pray that you bless this home and all who live here with your gracious presence. May your love be our inspiration, your wisdom our guide, your truth our light, and your peace our benediction; through Christ our Lord.\u00a0Amen.<\/p>\n<p><b>Closing Prayer<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Loving God, we thank you for revealing Jesus as the Messiah to the wise men showing us that your love, grace, mercy, and peace are meant for all people of every nation.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>By the power of the Holy Spirit assist us to share the good news of Jesus with everyone we meet through word and deed.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>We ask this in your most holy name.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Amen. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dennis Sepper, Rosemont, MN Warm-up Question Have you ever looked for something you lost and found it in a very unlikely place?\u00a0 Home for the Holidays Raleigh, North Carolina, December 17, 2018 \u2013 Twin sisters A\u2019nina and Zoe Pasco, members of their middle school\u2019s cheer squad, thought it odd that there so many reporters at [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1400],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-post"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - 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