First Sunday After Epiphany
The chief purpose of the Epiphany season is to manifest Jesus as the Son of God and our Savior. This is important, indeed vital, because Jesus in His state of humiliation does not appear in divine glory. Many people living at the same time of Jesus concluded that Jesus could not be God’s Son—and put Him to death for that claim. Knowing Jesus as true God is vital to our faith, because He alone is able to save us from sin and death, but only if He is God.
Today, the sermon text shows how Jesus realizes at an early age who He is and what He came to do—His heavenly Father’s business and will, which is to suffer and die for the sins of the world. As Jesus obeyed His earthly parents, He also obeyed the Law for us.
The Introit: This Introit [entrance verse] proclaims the dominant idea of this Sunday and holds the key to our worship today. Using the vision of Isaiah (6:1), the Church points to the heavenly glory of Christ, sitting on the eternal throne, being praised by the angels of God. Thus He who was rich in glory stands in the Temple of God a young lad who became poor in order that we might become rich in salvation.
The Collect deals with one aspect of our text for today—Christ’s obedience and faith. We ask God to both know the will of our Father, as Jesus did, and be given the grace to be able to do it in our lives—willingly, thoroughly, accurately and without hesitation.
The Gradual leads us to bless the Lord because “He only does wondrous things” as we see how Jesus desires to do His Father’s will. By doing that will, Jesus establishes peace with God and wins righteousness for all people. In response to Jesus’ salvation we praise Him and serve Him with gladness.
The Paraments are white to symbolize the joy and gladness that the message of Epiphany gives us—that God’s Son is born as our Savior. It also symbolizes that righteousness that Jesus won for us on the cross that He gives us through faith in Him. As Jesus lives in glory, the while color reminds us of the glory and joy that He will give us in heaven.
