Monday, January 6th is Epiphany on the Church calendar. Most pastors who think about these things will preach on it, or at least mention it tomorrow.
In the Roman Catholic Church and basically every protestant church, the Epiphany was when the magi followed a star to find the King of the Jews, who had been born within the past couple years. That’s right, Jesus might have been a toddler at that point.
In the Eastern tradition, the Epiphany took place when John the Baptist plunged Jesus into the waters of the Jordan and the Holy Spirit showed up on the scene looking like a dove while the Almighty audibly declared, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
The point to the holy day is that God revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ. It was- an epiphany. Like the one on the road to Emmaus, otherwise known as, Three’s a Party- the prequel to Footprints in the Sand.
I’m likely deviating from the systematic truth when I say this, but I believe it’s still orthodox for me to equate epiphany or a revelation of who Jesus is with salvation. Unfortunately, we all seem to speak of salvation in either past or future tense. For instance, I met Jesus and was saved in a hotel room in Portland, Oregon on January 28th, 2004. It’s done. I am saved. Or, I’m still praying for the salvation of all kinds of people that I know and love. I keep asking God to reveal Himself to them because I believe they won’t be able to resist His charm and good looks, or His grace and divinity. Then we’ll get to go to family camp together, which will be awesome.
If such is the case, then God only has to make an appearance once in a person’s lifetime. That’s all I needed for a change in everything to happen. But I have an addictive personality and find myself wanting more and more of my relationships- especially more of God (I sound like a saint right now. We all know that isn’t the case). Ask my best friends- I’m totally high maintenance.
Truthfully, I’m still being saved. The proper term would be something akin to sanctified. That points to an ongoing process. Something was set in motion which will continue to move in and through me until the day that I die in a snow drift on the side of the road or when Jesus comes back and shakes everything up in one way or another.
That horrific Footprints poem points toward this. Life is a super long walk on the beach where Jesus carries us when we’re too weak to do it on our own. If I’d authored that poem, there would be only one set of footprints the entire way because I’m a pansy. But, I don’t think of life as a stroll along the sands of the Pacific. It feels more like falling down a flight of stairs. In slow motion. By the time I reach the bottom, I might be a bloody, dead mess, but at least I’ll be willing to submit to Jesus.
I feel this way because when God reveals Himself to me, it isn’t like the heavens open and a dove lands on my shoulder while the hills skip like rams and stones cry out. I’m more like John in the book of Revelation who said, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” When moments like that add up to form a lifetime, it feels a little like toppling down the stairs. Also, it sort of looks like Marcel Duchamp’s famous cubist painting, Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2. That’s mostly because I’m typically not wearing any pants- at least, if I have my way.
Why is a revelation of the Almighty painful? Because every time it happens, I realize that I’m a dirty scoundrel (you are too). Why do I want it? Because I’m a masochist it’s good. Things are put in their place when God shows up. Even if that means that situations still suck but my attitude changes (those are the really hard ones).
I get saved every time Jesus shows up on the scene.
Not that I’ve ever lost my salvation, but rather, the Gospel grows and reaches a place in my life that it hadn’t before. Eventually, the idea is that the Good News of Jesus and His work on the cross will encompass my entire life (let’s be honest- that’s when I’ll be dead because I’m a horrific human. vML is the perfect example of that).
So, Bring on the epiphanies. Let me hang out with Jesus. All. The. Time. Even if it is horrifically a little bloody and painful. Because it’s the best thing for me and you and everyone we’ll ever encounter.
Happy Epiphany.
Jesus is King.
Yep. Pretty much. This is why Paul instructs one of his churches (honestly I can’t remember which one) to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”. It’s a life long process. Thank God because i need it.
David,
It was the church at Philippi. And I hate that phrase, because it’s so good. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Work it out in all seriousness, because it’s significant. The good news is that working it out is part of what God does with and for us. Praise Him, because my decade of this work has been… well… interesting.
I really liked this. I too believe salvation is more than just one part. I’ve been taught that once we are saved from the penalty of sin. When Jesus made his sacrifice on the cross. While we are sanctified we are being saved from the power of sin. Only through Christ. And in heaven we will be saved from the presence of sin. Finally we will be where there is no sin, darkness, pain, suffering.
Enjoyed your post.
Anne, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. The church has developed vocabulary for these things, but that list of words doesn’t always suffice. So, sanctification for me, is getting saved over and over again. Not that I’ve ever lost it, but that Jesus’ work becomes more and more to me. I know it can sound weird, but I believe it 100%. I think at some point- after Jesus’ return, there will be no more sin, darkness, pain, etc. But even the woman or man who’s served Christ the longest will still have sin in their heart. The minute we have zero sin in our lives is the minute that we don’t need Him any longer, or the point where everything has changed and He’s back again.
Anyway- blessings, friend. So glad you stopped by.
It continues to astound me how the closer I get to Jesus, the bloodier I get. I had a conversation with a former student of mine yesterday and, in the course of giving advice, found myself saying that following Jesus isn’t easy – it leaves you hurt, broken, and is the hardest thing you could ever do. I mean, getting drunk every weekend is easy. Standing against the things of the world and allowing God to put his finger on an area in your life you don’t want to deal with and actually having to face it? That crap’s hard! But the freedom it brings is worth it.
Keep falling down stairs, Jake! It’s making you a freer, and hopefully less high maintenance, individual! (And by falling down the stairs I don’t mean literally. Unless of course you say something bad about me. Then by all means…lol. Just kidding,)
Jason, you misunderstand me- I have no problem being high maintenance. I love my friends and my people very much and I expect them to spend time with me. That’s it.
BUT
You make a good point. People distinguish between the visible and invisible church- I would argue that the believers who are “invisible” are actually the bloody ones. Not the people who show up on Sundays and do their thing, but those who end up on their knees, hell beat out of them (literally) week-in and week-out.