Epiphany!

Walking in the dark can be trouble; even hazardous.
Yet we do it all the time.

Take a midnight stroll from the bed to the sink and see what I am talking about. Notice how (at night) footboards and end tables seem to jut curiously further out than they do during the day. Stubbed toes and colorful language are the evidences.
It can be painful walking in darkness.

But when the lights come on, everything changes.
It’s not so much that the room is all that different, but our ability to navigate, is.
Very.

When lights are turned on, we see things we couldn’t see before.
Vision is clarified. Obstacles are more visible. Perspective is illumined.
We are enabled to do the journey better, because it all looks so different.

When lights come on, darkness cowers and shadows dance.
Illumination changes everything.

That is what the season of Epiphany is all about.
It is about experiencing the illuminating power of the Light of the World.

The word epiphany comes from the Greek word “epiphaneia,” which means “the appearing, or the revealing.” From as early as the 4th century, the church began to set aside a certain number of Sundays after Christmas in order to pay close attention to biblical stories in which real people, groping in the dark, stumbled headlong into the light of Christ. And in their stumbling, were changed forever.

In the words of the prophet,
“People walking in darkness have seen a great light.” ~Isaiah9:2

How true those words were.
How true those words are.

Epiphany is still possible. Right here. Right now.
The Light of the world still illumines.
And when it does, nothing is the same.

That is why, beginning this Sunday, January 5th, 2014, we will begin a new sermon series entitled, “Epiphany!” During this series, we will discover how an encounter with the Light of the world changes how we see what we see. It changes how we see God; how we see others; even how we see ourselves. In the radiance of Christ’s love, our entire perspective, our outlook, our attitude and approach to this journey is transformed.

Here is a peek at the series coming…

January 5, 2014: Wise Guys and Tough Questions (Matthew 2:1-12)
January 12, 2014: Eyes Wide Open (Acts 9:1-19)
January 19, 2014: The Hidden Value of Going Through the Motions (Matt. 3:13-17)
January 26, 2014: Out of the Shadows (1 John 1:1-10)

Shaun King
Senior Pastor
Johns Creek Baptist Church