MALAGASY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Communion’s prayer, Epiphany
Week from 08th to 13th January 2018
“God reveals Himself”
*
Introduction: “God reveals Himself”. For all those who believe in Him, this is a great promise of life, an assurance of salvation, and their glorification in God. For it is written: “when Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” Col 3:4. In this regard, the Apostle John said, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” 1 Jn 3:2. In addition to this he said, “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as he is pure” 1 Jn 3:3, since “without holiness no one will see the Lord” Heb 12:14b. God has predestined to reveal Himself to his people, just as Jesus appeared to his disciples as it is written: “on the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘peace be with you!” Jn 20:19. Surely Jesus will appear again, and “every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen” Rev 1:7. The believers will shed tears of joy for “the One long expected is coming” (Mt 11:3). Conversely, those who do not believe will cry out of dismay and terror in the face of God’s judgment, for “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone. Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed” Lk 20:17-18. Give glory to God who reveals Himself!
Monday 08: God reveals Himself, shining of his glory
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” Is 9:1. Reading 1: Lk 2:8-14; Reading 2: Is 9:1-4; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Is 9:1. Other references:
– “But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” 2 Tim 1:10.
– “And the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” Mt 2:9b-10.
Tuesday 09: God reveals Himself, salvation for the world
“For my eyes have seen your salvation,… a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” Lk 2:30,32.
Reading 1: Is 49:1-6; Reading 2: Lk 2:25-32; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Lk 2:29-32. Other references:
– “On coming to the house, they saw the Child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him” Mt 2:11a.
– “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” Is 49:6b.
Wednesday 10: Jesus Christ: God revealed to man.
“We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” Jn 1:14b.
Reading 1: Mt 12:15-21; Reading 2: Jn 1:14-18; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Jn 1:14. Other references:
– “The Lord appeared to Abram and said: ‘to your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him” Gen 12:7.
– “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Mt 17:5b.
– “This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after He was raised from the dead” Jn 21:14.
Thursday 11: Jesus Christ, the light that will never set.
“I am the light of the world” Jn 8:12a.
Reading 1: Is 60:8-22; Reading 2: Jn 8:7-12; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Jn 8:12. Other references:
– “So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies” Jos 10:13.
– “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there” Rev 21:22-25.
Friday 12: God reveals Himself, comfort for his people.
“After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” Jn 20:20.
Reading 1: Lk 1:67-80; Reading 2: Jn 20:18-23; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Jn 20:19-20. Other references:
– “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace” Lk 2:29.
– “Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me” Jn 14:19a.
– “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him” Jn14:20-21.
Saturday 13: Walk in the light of God.
“Live as children of light” Eph 5:8b.
Reading 1: Is 2:1-5; Reading 2: Eph 5:8-14; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Eph 5:8-10. Other references:
– “Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light” Jn 12:36a.
– “You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness” 1 Th 5:5.
– “Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble” 1 Jn 2:10.
Note: This pericope is published in Malagasy, French, English and German and can be seen on the site www.hifi-madanet.org and on Facebook “Hifi – english”. © Madanet