This Week
Livestream
Transfiguration - Sunday
8:00 AM
Ash Wednesday
3:30 PM
Epiphany Moments: Glory is hidden, so it can be revealed
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Would you look directly at the sun? Only if you wanted to burn your retinas and have permanent blind spots!
Would you like to look directly at God? It sounds wonderful in theory. Yet Scripture describes God’s glory as being brighter than the sun. Moreover, one component of God’s glory is his holiness. Being holy doesn’t just mean God loves good; he also hates evil with burning intensity. And we sin every day. No wonder the Lord once told Moses, “No one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). Sinners would die of fear if they saw God in all his holy glory.
So, how then can we possibly know God? How can we draw near to him without dying of terror? In our final epiphany moment of this season, God explains. God hides his glory in order to reveal himself. To carry out his good and glorious work of salvation, Jesus hid his glory and went to the cross. To allow sinners to stare at his glory without fear or harm, God hides it in the gospel. In the gospel, we see the glory of Christ’s love, power, and salvation.
The reality is that when God’s glory is hidden, it is most on display.
Reflections on Repentance: Realizing our need for repentance
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the Christian’s 40-day journey with the Lord to the cross and tomb, preparing for the proclamation of Easter. The 40 days are reminiscent of several biblical events: Jesus’ 40-day fast at the beginning of his ministry, Moses’ stay on Mount Sinai at the giving of the Law, Elijah’s fast on his way to the mountain of God.
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While we will not offer the imposition of ashes in our Ash Wednesday service, we still reflect on our mortality and frailty. Our service is a penitential service, in which we contemplate our sin and our need for a Savior. We will celebrate Holy Communion for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life.
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When we do something wrong, our conscience reminds us that we have sinned. When we know that we have sinned, we're faced with a harsh reality that has to be dealt with. We have a huge problem!
We can ignore our sin and pretend the guilt will disappear. We can rationalize our sin and come up with excuses. We can point fingers and blame others for our sin. We can claim victim status and maintain our own innocence.
Or we can do what really needs to be done: We can repent. The Bible is clear: "If we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive our sin and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Man-made remedies don't fix our problem. God's solution of repentance leads us to receive forgiveness. Problem solved!
