Is There Anything New?

Happy New Year!

Is there anything new?

At the beginning of the year we celebrate Epiphany. What is “Epiphany,” or an epiphany?

An epiphany is a sudden, profound realization or manifestation of divine power, often associated with the Christian feast day (January 6th) celebrating Jesus's manifestation to the Gentiles (Magi) or his baptism, marking his divinity. The word itself means "manifestation" or "showing". In everyday language, it signifies a moment of sudden insight or discovery, while in Christianity, it is a major festival marking the end of Christmas, celebrating Christ's revelation as Savior to all people, not just Jews.

We will have a special Epiphany focus on Sunday January 4, 2026 during worship (special visit from the Magi/Wise Men) and fellowship afterwards (special French foods associated with the Feast of Epiphany).

What would you say that Jesus did/does to deliver a “profound realization or manifestation of divine power” in new ways? What is the difference between The Ten Commandments (Exod. 20:1–17; Deut. 5:6–21) and The Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1–12)? Was Jesus providing profound realization about a deeper meaning of The Ten Commandments or nullifying them? Consider Jesus’ words in Matt. 5:17 (NRSVUE):

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”

The prophets of the Old Testament delivered epiphanies to the people of Israel through prophetic actions (the way that they lived and behaved) and words that challenged their perceptions and perspectives of their own faith. The prophets were critics of their own systems. Do you think that the people of Israel ever needed to have new and deeper realizations or manifestations of God and God’s ways?

Isaiah 55:8–9 (NIV) 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Do you think that there is ever a time when we, the people of God, do not need new and deeper realizations and manifestations of God and God’s ways, the ways of Jesus? How do you remember the people of Israel reacting to the messages of the prophets?

Matthew 23:37 (NIV) 37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”

Why do you think we are not easily changed in our religious thoughts and ways? How easy is it to understand what Jesus was talking about in the Sermon on the Mount when he preached to them (remember that Matthew was written to primarily Jewish believers) about the need for deeper understandings concerning anger (Matt. 5:21–26), adultery (Matt. 5:27–30), divorce (Matt. 5:31–32), oaths (Matt. 5:33–37), retaliation (Matt. 5:38–42), love for enemies (Matt. 5:43–48), almsgiving/tithing (Matt. 6:1–4), prayer (Matt. 6:5–15), fasting (Matt. 6:16–18), money (Matt. 6:19–34), judging others (Matt. 7:1–5), and all the rest of Matthew 7? What is it that Jesus thinks that we are missing?

It is marvelous that God still wants to lead us forward, to love us forward. Finally, remember what Jesus said about epiphanies to come:

John 16:1212 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.”

And what Paul said about epiphanies:

“But we speak God’s wisdom, a hidden mystery, which God decreed before the ages for our glory and which none of the rulers of this age understood, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”

— God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is

within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.” 1Corinthians 2:7-13 NRSVUE

Happy New Year and I pray it will be a year of new realizations and manifestations of God’s divine presence.

Pastor Steve Fitgerald