ISAIAH 42:1-9

PSALM 89:20-29

ACTS 10:34-38

LUKE 3:15-16,21-22

Sermon – 1/11/04

One of the most popular hymns for Advent Season is “O come, O come, Emmanuel.” The name Emmanuel means “God with us”, and Christians proclaim that in the incarnate Jesus, born of Mary, God was with us in a unique and tangible way, and God is still with us today in a profound spiritual sense.

“Epiphany” is a word meaning “the revelation of God” and describes how God’s presence in the world in Jesus Christ is revealed in certain special events early in his life or at the beginning of his ministry as an adult. Western Christians usually think of the visit of the wise men to Jesus as a very young child, something we celebrate on January 6; hence we date this Sunday as “the first Sunday after the Epiphany”, and all the Sundays that follow until Ash Wednesday are “Sundays after the Epiphany!”

But Eastern Orthodox tradition emphasizes three epiphanies: in addition to the visit of the wise men, they are Jesus’ baptism as an adult in the Jordan River and his transformation of water into wine at a wedding reception in Cana of Galilee. The second of these we hear about in today’s Gospel; the third will be next week’s reading.

It seems like an odd assortment of “opening acts” for Jesus. What on earth can we learn from these three seemingly unrelated stories about Emmanuel, “God with us”.

These stories begin to answer the question who “us” is when we say “God with us.” Was it – or is it – some kind of select group who God came to be with, a sort of Middle Eastern version of “The Society of Mayflower Descendents”, or was it only an elite group of theologians and bishops among whom God came, or was it only people on some ascetic pilgrimage far away from normal human joys and sorrows who experienced the presence of God? No, no, and no.

Jesus was born a Jew in the middle of one of the most historic towns for Jews, the town where King David was born. But Matthew’s Gospel reports that his first visitors – and worshipers – were goyim, Gentiles, foreigners, non-Jews, pagan “wise men” or magi “from the East”, probably meaning Arabia, Iran or – most likely – Iraq.

“God with us?” “Us” means every people and nation. There are no barriers of nationality, ethnicity, race or history when it comes to developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The wise men showed the way. The way continues to be open.

Jesus, Christians proclaim, was always and forever sinless, yet his first public manifestations as an adult was at a “revival meeting” (we could say) led by John the Baptist for those of his fellow Jews who were most aware of their need to repent of their sins and change their lives in order to have a right relationship with God. Jesus came and stood among them before John the Baptist in the muddy waters of the Jordan River to express his solidarity with the humble and spiritually hungry. The learned theologians and the religious potentates were conspicuously absent from the crowds coming to John.

“God with us?” “Us” means all believers who come before God in humble prayer, ask for forgiveness for their sins and a renewed, dynamic relationship with God.

Jesus’ first miracle, as recorded in the Gospel of John, was not the feeding of the 5,000 or stilling the storm or walking on water or even healing a suffering person; all those came later. John’s Gospel says that Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding reception when he turned water into wine! This does not mean, of course, that Jesus was endorsing over-indulgence in alcohol consumption; it does mean that he was with people in the midst of the joys as well as the sorrows of normal life.

A wedding reception is a uniquely special event for the bride and groom, and a special event for their families, but for many people, however much they may like the couple, it is, well, another wedding reception. That’s not bad. It simply means that joy, community and festivity are part of normal life, and Jesus’ presence and first miracle at a wedding in the otherwise obscure, hick town in

the hills of Cana of Galilee reminds us of God’s presence in normal life, including its joys. It’s not just times of great drama, stress or sorrow that we can look for God to be with us, but normal times of joy also!

“God with us?” “Us” means people experiencing the joys as well as sorrows of normal life. Whether Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding reception before or after people did “The Electric Slide” or “The Chicken Dance” we don’t know; what we do know is that he was there helping to celebrate the normal joys of human existence.

So, where can we expect to encounter God with us? Among people of any race, ethnicity, or nation; among ordinary people who are humble and spiritually hungry; among ordinary people who are joyful. And that’s just the start. Emmanuel, God with us, also comes among fishermen doing a normal day’s work, among sick, disabled or outcast people, among men, women and children, among those who welcome him and among those who don’t.

Let each of us and all of us be alert to the presence of God with us anywhere we go! Only a tiny percentage of the Bible takes place inside houses of worship or places set aside previously for worship. God is not limited in God’s presence with us by buildings or the rank of people or any other factors. We could suddenly be aware of God’s presence, God’s guidance, God’s love in our homes, at work, at school, any place, anywhere, any time.

God only knows where Epiphany might happen next in your life! Be aware, be open – and follow Emmanuel wherever he comes among you.

(The Rev.) Francis A. Hubbard

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church