Remember the bad old days when we used to pick teams on the school playground? Were you one of those who was chosen or not? Do you know what it feels like to be chosen last – or not at all? Well, this week in Epiphany (Week 5 – 7 February), that’s what all the people in the readings would have expected. David, aware of his weakness and need of God’s care; Isaiah, with sinful lips and from a people of sinful lips; Paul, the unworthy apostle and Simon Peter, the rough fisherman – all would have expected God to pass them by, and yet, God chose them unexpectedly. What a joyful, inspirational and challenging message this sends us. Can we be those who choose the unexpected the way God does?

May God bless you as you prepare this week.

READINGS:
Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13): Isaiah is called to speak God’s hard message of judgement and coming destruction to God’s people. Yet hope remains like the stump of fallen tree.

Psalm 138: David’s song of thanks for the God who is both glorious and worthy, and who cares for the lowly. David’s confidence in God’s plans and God’s care for him.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11: Paul’s “summary” of the Gospel message, and acknowledgement of his own unworthiness to be an apostle of this Gospel.

Luke 5:1-11: Jesus takes Peter out in Peter’s boat and they catch a huge catch of fish. In spite of Peter’s protestation of sinfulness, Jesus calls him to be a disciple.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
This week in Epiphany, the focus shifts, a little, away from Jesus himself. All of the readings turn our gaze to those whom God chooses, and particular to their weakness, sinfulness and unworthiness to be chosen. Isaiah, when faced with god, immediately recognises his, and his people’s, unworthiness. David recognises his weakness and need of God’s care and protection. Paul, rejoicing in the resurrection appearances of Jesus, also protest that he is unworthy to be called an apostle. And Peter, faced with Jesus presence and power, after the great catch, confesses his sinfulness. Yet, each of these people ultimately responded to God’s call, and were used by God in significant ways. When God calls our human standards of eligibility don’t apply, and often the ones called are the ones we would least expect.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: In a world where “might is right”, where “money talks” and where “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”, it is tempting to shun and ignore the weak, the poor and the marginalised. Yet, as Christ is revealed through the season of Epiphany, we discover a God who chooses the very ones that would fail to qualify in human terms. What does this say to us as followers of Christ in a meritocratic world system? How do we ‘choose’ those who are most hurt by natural disasters, economic collapse and the consequences of climate change (food shortages etc.) And how do we use whatever influence or resources we may have to change this elitist system from within?

LOCAL APPLICATION: Every day we make choices about people – who we will connect with, who we will listen to, who we will value, who we will ignore or reject. Every day we subtly assess the people we encounter making judgements about them and their value to us or to the world. And every day we do the same as we evaluate ourselves – often causing us to push ourselves harder than we should, or making us defensive and threatened in the presence of those we consider “better” than ourselves. How might our daily living and interacting change if we were to take God’s “choosing” seriously. If we were to realise that God does not evaluate as we do, nor does God consider our worthiness as we do. Who might we choose if we were to choose as God does? How differently might we behave if we accepted our own choosing as an accomplished fact? Who are the people in your community who most need you to choose them today?

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
Chosen
Choosing Differently

Hymn Suggestions:
Come Let Us Sing Of A Wonderful Love
Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
Hallelujah! What A Saviour (Man Of Sorrows)
Holy Holy Holy
To God Be The Glory
Indescribable (Link to YouTube video)
Majesty And Mystery (Awesome God) (Link to Vicky Beeching’s MySpace page – Scroll down in the media player to find & listen to the song)
Love Enough (Link to YouTube video – a good song for youth)
Everyone Belongs (Link to Amazon.com Mp3 page – there is a preview option here)
Wonderful Love (Link to Amazon.com Mp3 page – there is a preview option here)

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for Communion

Video Suggestions:
Woe To Me

Epiphany falls on Wednesday the 6th of January this year. For those who celebrate it on this day, the first Sunday in January would be Christmas 2C. However, for many churches, the Epiphany celebration will be held on Sunday January 3rd, and it is with this in mind that I have prepared these resources. If you need resources for Christmas 2, I’m afraid I won’t be able to provide any here, but there is a really good list of links at The Text This Week. I hope this will meet your needs.

The focus of Epiphany, as usual, is the visit of the Magi. The other readings, though, add some wonderful nuances and textures to this story, emphasising the inclusivity of Christ and the priority of God for justice and for defending the least. In a world where faith is often used to exclude and exploit, and with the tough conflicts and divisions across our planet, the Epiphany message is a timely word.

READINGS:  
Isaiah 60:1-6: The light of God’s glory and God’s goodness shines on God’s people.

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14: A prayer for God’s love of justice to fill God’s king, who will then defend the poor and rescue the oppressed.

Ephesians 3:1-12: In Christ both Jews & Gentiles enjoy the riches of God’s blessings.

Matthew 2:1-12: Wise men from the East arrive, worship the Christ-Child and present him with fine gifts.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:    
The Festival of Epiphany reveals to us who this Christ is that has incarnated himself among us. There are two clear revelations that would have been startling for the first readers of Matthew’s Gospel. The first is that the Messiah has come inclusively – for all people: Jew AND Gentile, Wealthy AND Poor, Oppressed AND Oppressor. This inclusivity is a significant aspect of the scandal of the Gospel. The second revelation is the mind-bending truth that has traditionally been seen as reflected in the Wise Men’s gifts: This Child is Royalty (gold), Divinity (frankincense), and yet, also, self-giving Sacrifice (myrrh). All of these passages call us into praise for God’s inclusive incarnation!

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: Defensiveness and otherness are two of the main characteristics of today’s political, social, economic and relational world. In the quest for self-development, human beings have increasingly seen their individual selves as distinct from and “other than” other people. Businesses work hard to “distinguish” themselves form their competitors and even nations work hard to identify themselves, drawing boundaries, naming enemies and allies, and putting huge investments into defending what is “uniquely theirs”. Epiphany, scandalously reveals that Christ crosses all of these boundaries, refusing to be defensive or self-protective, and refusing to draw lines separation. This incarnate Messiah draws all creation together into one, and gives up his own safety, security and comfort in order to do it.

LOCAL APPLICATION: Every church community, and every person, longs for the light of God’s glory and blessing to shine on them. This longing often leads us into trying to earn God’s blessing through legalism, doctrinal purity or separation from those who are considered “unrighteous”. Too often faith becomes something exclusive, something to defend against others who see things differently. Epiphany reveals an alternative view of God’s glory – that in Christ’s incarnation God’s glory and blessing are already ours – not something to earn; and that the experience of God’s glory is found in connection and sharing with others, while protecting and defending the least. It is a good discipline to ask: “Who needs to be included in our community right now?” and “Who needs to be protected?” – two questions that necessarily call us to emulate Christ’s self-sacrifice in our own lives.

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
About The Light
Light And Glory
Who Are You, Jesus?

Hymns: 
What Child Is This?
We Three Kings
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Christ From Whom All Blessings Flow
Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken
Marvelous Light (Listen to preview here)
Shine Jesus Shine (Link to YouTube video)
Here I Am To Worship (Link to YouTube video)
How Great Is Our God (Link to New Song Cafe’ YouTube video)
Open Our Eyes, Lord (Link to YouTube video)
Open The Eyes Of My Heart, Lord (Link to YouTube video)

Liturgy: 
A Liturgy For The Breaking Of Bread

Video:
Psalm 72 (From TheWorkOfThePeople.com)
To Know The Creator (From WorshipHouseMedia.com)

Images:
Word And Table – Epiphany PowerPoint
Word And Table – Another Epiphany PowerPoint 
Wise Men And Star Still (From WorshipHouseMedia.com)