Epiphany proclaims that Christ is revealed to the nations, and that the Gospel must continue to go out—and be heard. From the visit of the magi to the Church’s gathering today, Epiphany teaches where Jesus is to be found and why His presence matters.
Just as King Herod sought to destroy the Christ Child, the devil still works to keep people from Jesus—not always through open persecution, but through distraction, busyness, and complacency. The danger is not usually dramatic, but subtle: the idea that worship can wait, that gathering around Word and Sacrament is optional, or that Christ can be found just as easily elsewhere. Yet the Scriptures warn that the devil prowls, and Christians are called to be watchful and to resist him.
The magi traveled great distances to worship the incarnate Lord. Their journey exposes how easily modern Christians can be tempted to treat Christ’s presence casually, even though He promises to be truly present for His people in the preaching of the Gospel and in the Holy Sacraments. Around the world, believers still risk everything to gather where Christ is, knowing that His gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation are worth any cost.
Epiphany calls Christians to renounce the devil and all his ways, to resist complacency, and to rejoice in the reality that Jesus is not merely an idea or a feeling, but truly present where He has promised to be. Like the magi, the faithful are invited to come, to bow down, and to worship—bringing gifts of thanksgiving and support for the ongoing proclamation of the Gospel—rejoicing that Christ continues to dwell among His people.
All Saints Lutheran Church and School 