The Second Sunday after the Epiphany
The coming of the Messianic kingdom means the restoration of creation. The sign of this restoration is that “the mountains shall drip with sweet wine.” (Amos 9:11-15) When the elements of a fallen creation fail and run short at a wedding feast, our Lord Jesus steps in to restore creation and miraculously changes water into an abundance of the very best wine. (John 2:1-11) With this sign Christ manifests His glory. The “back” of God (Exodus 33:12-23) is revealed to those who believe. The hour will come when Jesus will again manifest His glory by taking creation’s curse into His own body to release us from its power. The Groom will give His life for the Bride (Ephesians 5:22-32), and from His side will flow water and blood, the holy sacraments by which she is cleansed and made one with Him. Through this sacrificial love of Christ we are enabled to “be kindly affectionate to one another, . . . in honor giving preference to one another.” (Romans 12:6-16)
Introit: (Psalm 66:1-5, 20; antiphon: Ps. 66:4; 92:1)
Pastor: All the earth worships You and sings praises to You; they sing praises to Your Name.”
Congregation: It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
P: Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His Name; give to Him glorious praise!
C: Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is Your power that Your enemies come cringing to You.
P: All the earth worships You and sings praises to You; they sing praises to Your Name.”
C: Come and see what God has done: He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of man.
P: Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, Is now, and will be forever. Amen.
P: All the earth worships you and sings praises to You; they sing praises to Your Name.”
C: It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High;
Collect of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace through all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
- Exodus 33:12-23 +
Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ (13) Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” (14) And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (15) And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. (16) For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” (17) And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” (18) Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” (19) And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. (20) But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” (21) And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, (22) and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. (23) Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”Gradual: (Psalm 107:20-21)
He sent out His word and | healed them, *
and delivered them from their de- | struction.
Let them thank the Lord for His | steadfast love, *
for His wondrous works to the chil- | dren of man! - Romans 12:6-16 +
(6) Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; (7) if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; (8) the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (9) Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. (10) Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (11) Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. (12) Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (13) Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. (14) Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. (15) Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (16) Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
Lutheran Confessions Responsive Reading: The Large Catechism 5th Commandment (1529)
P: “What does it mean ‘Not To Murder”?
C: In the first place, we must harm no one, either with our hand or by deed. We must not use our tongue to instigate or counsel harm. We must neither use nor agree to use any means or methods by which another person may be injured. Finally, the heart must not be ill disposed toward anyone or wish another person ill in anger and hatred
P: Second, a person who does evil to his neighbor is not the only one guilty under this commandment.
C: It also applies to anyone who can do his neighbor good, prevent or resist evil, defend, and save his neighbor so that no bodily harm or hurt happen to him—yet does not do this [James 2:15–16]. If, therefore, you send away someone who is naked when you could clothe him, you have caused him to freeze to death. If you see someone suffer hunger and do not give him food, you have caused him to starve. So also, if you see anyone innocently sentenced to death or in similar distress, and do not save him, although you know ways and means to do so, you have killed him.
Verse: (Psalm 148:2)
P: Alleluia! Praise Him, all His angels;e
C: Praise Him, all His hosts! Alleluia!
- John 2:1-11 +
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. (2) Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. (3) When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” (4) And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” (5) His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (6) Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. (7) Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. (8) And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. (9) When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom (10) and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” (11) This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.