The observance of the Epiphany is, aside from the commemoration of the resurrection, the oldest Christian "feast". It is commonly found in more liturgical Christian bodies. The word Epiphany in the Koine Greek is ἐπιφάνεια, epiphaneia, "manifestation", "appearance”. Epiphany or sometimes referred to as the “Theophany”.
In the Ancient
Apostolic Church, the Epiphany commemorated three separate occurrences’
the visit of the Magi, The Baptism of Jesus and
the miracle at Cana.
When Jesus came to the River
Jordan to be baptized by John a powerful revelation is shown forth as our Lord
Jesus comes up out the waters.
"An straightway coming up
out of the water, and He saw the Heavens torn asunder, and the Spirit like a
dove descending upon Him" Mark:1:10
Many Christians cites the Baptism of Jesus as
being a demonstration of the "right method"
of the sacrament of Baptism, but when we look closer, we can see this
moment in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ is far more than that.
It is a powerful Epiphany, that is a revelation,
of the great Triune God and the very purpose of Jesus Christ.
At the Jordan
There upon the banks of that Jordan John came
in his work of preparation for the coming of the One who Israel and all
humanity has truly been waiting for. The very location where
John lifted up his voice and conducted his baptism ceremonies had
great significance for the people of Israel.
It was at this place centuries earlier
that the Lord God, under Joshua, who s' name is the same as our Lord
Jesus, brought Israel into the Promised Land.
It was here that the Levites entered the
Jordan with the Ark of God, which represented the presence of God among the
people.
It was here that the waters of that Jordan
opened and made the way so the people could enter the land which the Lord had
Promised.
"So when the people broke camp to cross
the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of
them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as
the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the
water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a
great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while
the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was
completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests
who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the
Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole
nation had completed the crossing on dry ground." Josh: 3:14-17
Israel entered the land of Canaan which was
theirs through divine decree. They became a nation with its own land
to settle. Israel lived in villages which they did not build, reaped fields
that they did not sow, and drank from wells which they did not dig .Josh:24:13 .
Here in the Promised Land, led there by
Joshua, Israel was to build a culture from which the Messiah would emerge. One
of the purposes of the people of Israel was to provide a cultural context
through which the Messiah would be introduced to humanity, this is one reason
why that Jesus said that "Salvation is of the Jews" Jhn:4:22.
One is Coming
It is out of Israel's cultural anticipation
that Jesus is brought forward there upon the banks of at that Jordan and
steps into the awareness of us all.
John stands on the banks of that Jordan and
preached a message about a transformed life, a departure from sin because the
One is coming, who is far greater than John. Many from the region come to hear
the message responded to it's power and were baptized.
"John did baptize in the wilderness, and
preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out
to him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of
him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with
camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat
locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There comes one mightier than I
after me, the lace of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I
indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy
Spirit." Mk: 1:4-8
Jesus himself makes the journey to that place
upon the Jordan so that he too might be baptized.
"And it came to pass in those days,
that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan."(9)
But the baptism of our Lord brings forth a
great Epiphany, revelation, for all humanity.
"And straightway coming up out of the
water, he saw the heavens torn asunder, and the Spirit like a dove descending
on him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, You are my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased". (10-11)
When John, who was a Levite, enters the
waters of that Jordan with Jesus, who is the very presence of the Great God as
the Ark of the Covenant was among the people of Israel.
When John administers the Sacrament of baptism
it is here and now that the very heavens are "torn asunder" and the Holy Spirit descends
upon our Lord Jesus and the divine affirmation is pronounced that Jesus is very
Son of the Great God.
Heaven Opened/Torn Asunder
All this was not simply Theological theatrics,
but powerfully declares the very purpose for which our Jesus has come.
Jesus is the Joshua who brings us all to and
through the Jordan of the Promised Land of the Kingdom of God. And it is
through Jesus alone that all the Promised of the Great God are ours.
Not a Promised Land of material riches which
will fade away, but rather a Land of Promises which are eternal and will
never fade.
Jesus came that Heaven is opened now to
humanity, that is there is now nothing to prevent us from having access to the
Great God. The Heavens are "torn asunder".
We now, through Jesus, have the right to approach the Lord God to receive
from him all that God has for us for any who will but freely receive it.
There is nothing stopping us from having a
relationship with the Great God, this is why it is recorded "torn asunder”,
which means, everything has been removed that could prevent us from knowing our
God from being in a Holy relationship with Him, the Father, Son and The Holy
Spirit.
St. Paul address this in his second epistle to
the Church at Corinth, but it is true for us all. God's unwavering intent
has always been to have a relationship with humanity, through Jesus.
"But as surely as God is faithful, our
message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was
preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,”
but in him it has always been Yes".2Cor:1:19
The Heavens now are as opened to us as it was
there on the banks of the Jordan. We, like Israel, are free to enter
the Land of Promises. There is nothing to prevent us except our own
unwillingness to enter.
There awaits each of us more than we can even
begin to comprehend, all because of Jesus, if we will but freely receive it.
St. Paul writes to us about just receiving
from God all that He offers.
"For no matter how many promises God has
made, they are "yes" in Christ" And so through Him the
"Amen" is spoke by us to the glory of God". (20)
"Yes" is God's answer to us all, to
each and any who will freely receive it, all because of Jesus.
Jesus came that the Heavens might be "torn asunder" which means that God is
accessible the way to all His Promises has been made open by and through
Jesus Christ. A relationship with God is made possible by and through Jesus.
Jesus is "the Joshua "
who leads us all into the Promised Land of the Kingdom of God. He is the "Ark of God", the very presence of the Great
God, which parts not the River Jordan but the very Heavens themselves.
The Holy Spirit
St. Mark the Evangelist records that as
Jesus arises out of the waters of baptism, the Spirit of God descends
upon a dove upon him. Here Jesus is being publicly anointed as the One who is
the very Messiah that Israel and all humanity has sought.
"And straightway coming up out of the
water, he saw the heavens torn asunder, and the Spirit like a dove descending
on him" Mk:9:10
Again, we are being shown the very purposes of
God in Jesus' Ministry, as the Heavens open, "torn asunder",
and all that God has for each and all of us is discharged to humanity, so now
is the Spirit. This is demonstrating that the Holy Spirit is available to
us.
St. Luke records the prophecy of Joel as
quoted by St. Peter on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit manifested in
the lives of the Disciples.
"in the last days, God says, I will pour
out my Spirit on all people"Acts:2:17
Jesus is showing that the Spirit is now
available even as God is accessible. Recall, John said that the One to come that "he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit".
The Heavens are opened "torn
asunder", the Spirit is given. A relationship with the Great God is
offered to any and all who will freely receive it all though Jesus.
The Fathers' Affirmation of the Son
As our Lord Jesus emerges from the waters of
that Jordan the affirming voice for the Great God is heard out of the "torn" Heavens.
"And there came a voice from heaven,
saying, You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (11)
This reveals the affirmation from the highest
of Heaven that Jesus is the very Son of God, in whom all divine pleasure
rests. This tells us it is Jesus that has , and always, pleases the
Father. It is also the revelation that Jesus is the Son of God though whom all
of our sonships are derived from Jesus. Jesus alone is fully God and fully
human.
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of
God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may
be also glorified together." Rom: 8:17
Here we see the Trinity being brought into
view through the life of Jesus in the flesh.
Epiphany of the Trinity
We are seeing again the Epiphany of God here,
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is here to reveal all of
God to us. The Heavens are opened, "torn asunder”,
God is accessible, the Spirit is available. God is here in Jesus.
When we come to believe in Jesus all that God
has for us is ours' , we enter the promises which God has always
intended to share with humanity , The Holy Spirit is available to lead us in
the Christian life which is an ever deepening relationship with the Great God.
In Jesus, we all are brought to the River
Jordan, here we are given the Epiphany of the very purpose of Jesus,
he has come to open the Heavens and all the promises that God has for
us, and to make possible the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives,
and to have revealed to us the Great Triune God, all of God is brought
into view in that one moment at the baptism of Jesus.
We see the Epiphany of God revealed in Jesus,
the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. All of this we catch but a glimpse of
when look upon the Epiphany at the River Jordan through the Baptism of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Benediction: May we each and all, see the full glory
of the Son of God and enter fully that Land of Promises, which our Lord has for
each and all of us, as we come to the Holy Trinity all revealed in and thru
Jesus, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.
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Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
Topinabee Community Church
Topinabee Michigan
If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.
https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html
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“If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”
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