Sermon Tone Analysis

Title

Theophany

Outline

When Israel left Egypt the stated purpose was to worship

Sinai was the goal, and only after Sinai was Canaan possible

There at Sinai there was a theophany in which experience Israel received

A way of and an experience of worship - ultimate meaning

A law or Torah that formed them into a people

An ethic which made the Torah consistent with the God they worshipped and formed the basis of Torah itself

That is the experience of Theophany for us, a two-fold Theophany

On the one hand it is the Theophany that has happened

“the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men”

Jesus insisted on it: “Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.””

There is an ethic to be fulfilled - righteousness according to the call of God in John, righteousness according to the Torah, and righteousness produced in humans whom Jesus joined in baptism

“when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him;  and behold, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.””

There is a revelation of God that leads to worship - God is revealed as Father, Son and Spirit and the Son is revealed as the way to God, the one in whom God is well pleased.

His ethic becomes our ethic and his Torah becomes our Torah forming us into his people

On the other hand, it is the future Theophany towards which we are directed

“awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”

Jesus is now in the process of “purify[ing] for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds”

That means that his worship should lead to an ethic, clearly seen in Titus, and a rule of life, a Torah, that forms us into his people.

We are headed towards a metaphorical “land” where we can express the Triune worship and live out our redemption by fully being his people

[That is why heaven and hell could be in the same “place”, for existing in the midst of that rule and worship, if one had chosen one’s own rule and worship, would be hell, the opposite of what one desired.]

So, brothers and sisters, Theophany is, in a sense, our center

It looks back to the revelation of Jesus to humanity that calls us to right worship, teachings us right ethic, and organizes us under just and right Torah.

It will lead to our redemption through the one we worship

It looks forward to the coming revelation of Jesus in which he will gather the people he has formed through his redemption, bring them into the full experience of the Trinity and its worship, and reveal to them the consummation of their ethic and way of life in the fullness of God

Glory to you, Lord Christ, revealed to us

Readings

EPISTLE

Titus 2:11–14, 3:4–7

11 For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, 12 training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, 13 awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

4 but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, 6 which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

GOSPEL

Matthew 3:13–17

13  Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.”

Then he consented.

16 And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; 17  and behold, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Notes

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022 | THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD

THE THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD

Bright Vestments

Matins Gospel Mark 1:9–11

Epistle Titus 2:11–14, 3:4–7

Gospel Matthew 3:13–17