The Lord God Is Manifested in the Incarnate Son

The Feast of the Epiphany centers in the visit of the Magi from the East. In that respect, it is a "Thirteenth Day" of Christmas; and yet, it also marks the beginning of a new liturgical season. While Christmas has focused on the Incarnation of our Lord--that is, on God becoming flesh--the season of Epiphany emphasizes the manifestation or self-revelation of God in that same flesh of Christ. For the Lord Himself has entered our darkness and rises upon us with the brightness of His true light (Is. 60:1-2). He does so chiefly by His Word of the Gospel, which He causes to be preached within His Church on earth--not only to the Jews but also to Gentiles (Eph. 3:8-10). As the Magi were guided by the promises of Holy Scripture to find and worship the Christ Child with His mother in the house (Matt. 2:5-11), so does He call disciples from all nations by the preaching of His Word, to find and worship Him within His Church (Is. 60:3-6). With gold they confess His royalty; with incense, His deity; and with myrrh, His priestly sacrifice (Matt. 2:11).

Source: LCMS Lectionary Summaries

The Firstborn Son of God Is Our Redemption from Sin and Death

When the Lord destroyed the firstborn sons of Egypt, He spared the sons of Israel by providing a lamb in their stead. Hence, all the firstborn sons belong to Him. Every firstborn male animal was sacrificed, and every firstborn son of man was redeemed (Ex. 13:12-13). Therefore, the parents of Jesus "brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord" (Luke 2:22). However, He is not redeemed from priestly service but is consecrated for "the redemption of Jerusalem" and "the consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25, 38). For God the Father did not spare His only-begotten Son, but offered Him up as the true Passover Lamb, in order to redeem His people from bondage. His Cross has caused many to stumble and fall, but His blood atoned for the sins of the world and delivers us from death. We now depart in the peace of Christ because we are also raised with Him. As we receive His body and blood, we join Simeon and Anna in "giving thanks to God the Father through Him," "singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," including the Nunc Dimittis, with thankfulness in our hearts (Luke 2:28-32, 38; Col. 3:15-17).

Source: LCMS Lectionary Summaries

The Living and Life-Giving Word of God Dwells among Us in the Flesh

The Lord sends out His ministers of the Gospel to make disciples "of all the nations," so that "all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." For the Lord has "bared His holy arm" in the incarnate Christ (Is. 52:7, 10). The Child in the manger, born of the Virgin Mary, is the very Word of God, the only-begotten Son of the Father, "whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world" (Heb. 1:2). As "all things were made through Him" (John 1:3), so are all things redeemed and made new in Him. In His body of flesh and blood, we behold "the radiance of the glory of God" (Heb 1:3), "glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). He dwells among us in peace that we might have life and light and salvation in Him. For by His Word of the Gospel, we are born again as the children of God, bearing His name and sharing His eternal life.

Source: LCMS Lectionary Summaries

The Word of the Lord Is Fulfilled in the Flesh of Jesus

Though Ahaz would not ask, the Lord gives a sign to the house of David, that "the Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Is. 7:14). With this promise, He signifies that salvation is by His grace alone; it is no work or achievement of man, but the Lord's own work and free gift. The promise is fulfilled as the Son of God is conceived and born of the Virgin Mary, and the sign is received in faith by the house of David in the person of Joseph (Matt. 1:20-24). "Incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary" (Nicene Creed), God is with us (Immanuel) in the flesh of Jesus, Mary's Son. Joseph believes that Word of God and so demonstrates a marvelous example in his immediate and quiet obedience, taking Mary to be his wife and caring for her in faith and love. He loves her because the love of God is manifest in this, that "the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world," "to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:9-10).

Source: LCMS Lectionary Summaries

The Lord Comes to Visit Us in Peace

The Fourth Sunday in Advent turns our attention toward the Nativity of Our Lord. With Mary we await the coming of the Christ, her Son, conceived in her womb by the Word and Spirit of God. As the Lord dealt graciously with her and did great things for her (Luke 1:48-49), so also He manifests Himself and His glory to us in mercy and gentleness. He comes to rule His people in peace, to "shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord." He comes forth not from the great capital city of Jerusalem, but from lowly little Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2, 4). He comes to sacrifice Himself, in fulfillment of His Father's will, for the salvation and sanctification of His people (Heb. 10:10). He who once visited Elizabeth while hidden in the womb of Mary (Luke 1:39-45), now comes to visit us today, hidden in the lowliness of simple water, bread and wine.

Source: LCMS Lectionary Summaries

The Coming of Jesus Enables Us to Rejoice

The Third Sunday in Advent has traditionally been called by the Latin word, Gaudete, meaning "Rejoice!" For as you are called to repentance, so also are you urged to rejoice in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. By His own Cross, He has accomplished salvation for you; "He has cleared away your enemies," "taken away the judgments against you," and has come to reign in your midst. Indeed, He rejoices over you with gladness! (Zeph. 3:15-17). Therefore, even from prison St. Paul encourages us to "rejoice in the Lord always," knowing that the peace of God will guard and keep us in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:4, 7). We find an example and encouragement in the case of John the Baptizer. As he languishes in prison, he calls upon Jesus and is strengthened by the Word of the Gospel that he receives. The same good news is preached to you, by which all things are made new and even "the dead are raised up" (Luke 7:22). Do not be offended by the cross, therefore, but let your life be one of prayer and thanksgiving (Luke 7:23; Phil 4:6).

Source: LCMS Lectionary Summaries