e-vo for week of January 11

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday we enter into the more ordinary times (green is the liturgical color) of the Sundays after the Epiphany. We continue to experience revelations of who God is—Epiphany comes from the Greek επι + φαινω, epi (which can mean “upon”) + fie-no (which can mean “shine”), which literally can mean “shine upon” and figuratively can mean “to reveal or make known”. Epiphany is the season where we linger around God being made known. Made God be made known in us and through us this day.

Peace,
Pastor Karl

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43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." 46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." 51 And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

John 1:43-51, NRSV

Nathanael has some preconceived notions about Nazareth of what good may or may not come from there. It wasn’t until he experienced some encouraging words from Jesus and perhaps evidence of miraculous revelation that he changed his tune.

How about us? Where is Nazareth for us? Where is susceptible to our preconceived notions? Where do we wonder if good news could really come from there? Is it a place? Is it a particular expression of Christianity? Is it someone who doesn’t always practice what he or she preaches? Is it a teen or pre-teen who is claiming to be impregnated by the Holy Spirit? Is it a disciple who promised never to deny Jesus only to do that three times before the morning came? Is it a messy and not-so-very-cool church? ( for the interested reader I would highly commend to you: http://rachelheldevans.com/blessed-are-the-uncool ) Where are the places that draw our skepticism as a source of God’s good news?

Perhaps we need some encouraging words from Jesus.

Perhaps we need some evidence of miraculous revelation.

Jesus says things like:
• “Peace I leave with you.”
• “You did not choose me, I chose you.”
• “They did not choose me, I chose them.”
• “Let the heavy laden and burdened come to me and I will give them rest.”
• “If you ask me I will give you living water.”
• “Don’t call unclean what God has declared clean.”
• “You are my friends.”

Jesus reveals God’s heart and God’s way to us (often miraculously) by:
• Coming as one of us by way of a virgin birth
• Befriending tax-collectors, sinners, lepers, Samaritans, sell-outs, outcasts, hypocrites and us too
• Healing those who were/are sick in mind, body and soul
• Willingly dying a horrific death for the sake of the aforementioned
• Rising from the dead with angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man

Nathanael’s heart was turned to believe and proclaim who Jesus truly was. May our hearts be turned and our words inspired to proclaim who Jesus truly is.


God, stir us to shed our biases against who you would send to reveal yourself to us and the world. Help us learn and live and share your encouraging words. Help us be open to miraculous and more ordinary revelations of who you truly are—in us, in others, through others and through us. Give us courage to speak of you as you provide opportunity. Amen.