Friday Within the Octave of the Festival of the Epiphany of our Lord
Posted on January 8, 2021 by under
Scripture: St. John 1:35-42 (NKJV)
1:35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).
Devotion
As Jesus came to give life eternal to all who believe, and the Holy Spirit gives faith by the Word, we sometimes ask the question, “How does this come about?” While we cannot discern the secret will of God, we are shown in today’s reading that the Lord works through means.
The spoken proclamation of John the Baptizer, when he calls Jesus “the Lamb of God,” causes John’s disciples to follow Jesus. Later, Andrew also uses the spoken word to bring his brother Simon to Christ. Jesus then speaks over Simon, giving him a new name.
The Lord continues to work through His means, the means of Word and Sacraments. The preached Word calls sinners to repentance and faith in Christ. The Sacraments grant these things by being connected and combined always with God’s Word.
Some would like to believe that the Lord cannot or should not work through means. However, He is Lord of all, and Creator of all. If the Lord chooses to work through means, and shows us this truth in His Word, then who are we to doubt Him?
Prayer: O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest Thine Only-Begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, who know Thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of Thy glorious Godhead; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
