I've had an Epiphany!

Matthew 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. My nephew was born September 10. For two days he laid in the hospital without a name. So, my wife and her sister did what two responsible aunts should do … they named him. In a group text between my wife, her sister, and their brother and his wife, who were the parents of the nameless child, the aunts named the baby. Thor. That was the name they gave their brand-new nephew. Thor. Being a good sport, Natalie added a middle name. Voltron. Thor Voltron Stolzman. Although we still like to call our nephew Thor, his real name is Henry John Patrick Stolzman. Henry after his great grandfather. John after his grandfather. And Patrick after his father. Names are significant. There are meanings in those names. We heard some of the names for the Baby this morning: Immanuel, Prince of Peace, Branch, Word, King, Lamb and Shepherd. But there are so ...

John 1:1-18 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him everything was made, and without him not one thing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as an eyewitness to testify about the light so that everyone would believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The real light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what was his own, yet his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They were born, not of blood, or of the desire of the flesh, or o...

Luke 2:16-18 16  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.   17  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,   18  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.   On a cold Christmas Eve in the year 1818,   a young priest named Joseph Mohr quickly walked from his home in the small town in Oberndorf, Austria to the neighboring village of Amsdorf. He was carrying a piece of paper – a poem he had written two years earlier. He made his way to the schoolhouse, walked up the stairs and knocked on the door of the second floor apartment. He was greeted by his friend, Franz Gruber, the schoolmaster in Amsdorf and also the church organist. Father Mohr asked his friend to help him put his poem to music. He wanted a new Christmas hymn for the mass that evening. There was a catch, though. He wanted it played on guitar, not the orga...

The Holy Spirit told Simeon, “You will not die before you see the Lord’s Christ.” So Simeon waited, eagerly expecting the Christ. In the synagogue he had heard the promises so many times that he knew them by heart. That the Messiah would be stricken, smitten, and afflicted, and by His wounds we would be healed. Simeon rejoiced as he heard the promise to Adam and Eve: that One would come to crush the head of the serpent, even as the serpent would strike His heel. He heard the promise that to those living in the land of darkness, a light will dawn. He heard the promise that the great descendant of David would rule on David’s throne and that it would be an eternal kingdom. And Simeon waited. He waited, as his friends grew up with him, as they got married, as they had children, as they died. They needed salvation. They needed deliverance. And he waited. He saw the brokenness of the world, the weeping women, the poverty-stricken children, the evil men. He saw so many who live...

Luke 3:7–18  7 So John kept saying to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruits in keeping with repentance! Do not even think of saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ because I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 9 Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is going to be cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10 The crowds began to ask him, “What should we do then?” 11 He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. They said, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 To them he said, “Collect no more than what you were authorized to.” 14 Soldiers were also asking him, “And what should we do?” He told them, “Do not extort money from any...

Artwork: The Visitation Artist: Jan Lievens Worship Theme: Since Adam, all have come to life in the sinful image of the first parents. With that image comes death. But now comes one who will shepherd his people Israel, one born God and man, the Word made flesh to bring salvation to every generation. The judgment is coming, yet the Lord’s deliverance for every generation is at hand.   Old Testament: Genesis 4:1–2, 6–8, 25-5:5    The man was intimate with Eve, his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have gotten a man with the Lord .” 2 She also gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel tended sheep, but Cain worked the ground. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why do you have that angry look on your face? 7 If you do good, will you not be lifted up? If you do not do good, sin is crouching at the door. It has a strong desire for you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the fie...