Epiphany Day January 6th

Ye are the light of the world. – Matthew 5:14.

This day, since olden times, has been especially devoted to the consideration of mission work. “Ye are the light of the world,” Jesus said to His believing disciples.  Light is salvation.  And salvation, the salvation of the world, surely is none other than Christ, the Savior, and He only (Acts 4:12). When, therefore, Jesus said to His believers, “Ye are the light of the world,” He thereby said that believing Christians are to be the bearers of the light, the bringers of salvation for the world.

We, who through His Word and Holy Ghost, working through that Word, know and own Him, who is our “Light” (John 8:12) and our “Salvation” (Luke 2:30); we are to bring Him, His name, and His Word to those who are in spiritual gloom and darkness, and who do not know the Savior.  This is His changeless, fixed, and express will.  Therefore He said to us: “Go ye therefore, and teach [make disciples of] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19) and again: “Go ye into all the world, and preach [proclaim] the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

And prophesying even through Isaiah the Prophet, He said to the Christian Church: “Arise, shine, for thy Light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.  For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy Light” (Isaiah 60:1-3).

So, let the obedience to His will and the compassionate love wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel of Christ, as well as the promise that our labors shall not be in vain, let all this move us to bring to the unbelievers the light of salvation, which has brought us to faith in Jesus and has thereby saved our souls.

 PRAYER – Lord God, heavenly Father, who has brought us to believe in Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, who is our Light and our Salvation, and has made Him to be our own, enlighten us, we beg Thee, by Thy Holy Spirit, working through Thy Word of truth and grace, that we may more and more appreciate such grace and thank Thee for the same with all of our heart, and also communicate our light and salvation to those who still sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. This grant to us, O merciful God, we who, with Thee, desire that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, the truth that “there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all” (I Timothy 2:5-6).  Amen.

Rise, Thou Light of Gentile nations, Jesus, bright and morning Star;

let Thy Word, the gladsome tidings, ring out loudly near and far;

bringing freedom to the captives, peace and comfort to the slave,

that the heathen, free from bondage, may proclaim Thy power to save.

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May our zeal to help the heathen, be increased from day-to-day,

as we plead in true compassion, and for their conversion pray;

for the many faithful heralds, for the Gospel they proclaim;

let us all be cheerful givers, to the glory of Thy name.

 Hymn 498,1 and 5 (TLH)