SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
Jesus Involves Himself In My Life
CRAFT: We need to make a clay water jar. Actually a cup made out of clay would be fun too.
SNACK: Wedding Cake and Kool Aid. (Have the kids mix up the Kool Aid themselves.
LESSON PLAN: Jesus was simply at the wedding of a cousin. He was an invited guest, but just that, a guest. He didn't have to involve Himself in the success of the party, but He did. Jesus is more than willing to involve Himself in our lives. He did it first in our Salvation, and since that time comes to us with all good things of Faith and life.
MEMORY WORK: Hebrews 13:5 Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
Jesus involves Himself in my life.
We will learn sin has separated us from the good and gracious will of God.
We will understand that Jesus brought the glory and compassion of God back to our lives.
We will thank God because through Jesus He cares for our day to day life in the world.
Preliminary considerations: The overall theme for today is the compassion of Jesus. The Introit declares that it is the Lord who has lifted us out of the slimy pit of the world and set us on His rock. On this rock He seeks nothing less than our good. The Collect reminds us that God is fully and completely in control and it is He who grants us good things. The Old Testament Lesson is the promise by God to change Jerusalem's present condition to give it a bright and glorious future. The Gradual proclaims the Love God shows to all of us. The Epistle presents us with the fact that God has given people in His church various gifts. The all come from the same God, but they are the gifts especially of vocation that we have wonder in the world. The Gospel Lesson tells us about Jesus getting involved at the wedding in Cana and His first miracle.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Isaiah 62:1-5
The words of our Old Testament Lesson are directed toward Jerusalem, which in this context means, "The Church." Righteousness and salvation are not something that Jerusalem deserves or merits as a work of their own. They will be given these things as a gift from God. The church then will receive a new identity, no longer a group of sinners, but those made over into saints through the work of the Savior. God is zealous for our redemption. Through the Savior, God delights in us. God is motivated by His own Grace to give us the gifts of righteousness and salvation. He is motivated by the work and person of His Son to grant them to our flesh.
THE EPISTLE LESSON: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Paul has just finished his address to the Corinthian Christians concerning the Lord's Supper. Now he takes up another concern that addresses spiritual gifts and the use of them within the church. He begins by reminding us that we were once pagans and outside of the plan of salvation. We have all received the greatest gift of the Holy Spirit to live in us through the water and Word of our baptism. Now the several gifts given because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are enumerated. These gifts of the Spirit are given from the Grace of God, not earned. The connection to the Old Testament Lesson stands. God is motivated by His Own Grace to give us these gifts. The gifts are given to make our lives better, more productive and sound as believers in His Kingdom.
THE GOSPEL LESSON: John 2:1-11
The sinful world is always looking for a sign that will bring security and happiness. They use stars, and mind games to assure themselves of a bright future. The Word of God uses signs to reveal the glory of God in Christ Jesus, who alone is our security and hope for the present and the future. At a wedding at Cana in Galilee Jesus performed the first miracle as a sign. This sign pointed not only to Christ as the Messiah, but also to God as the bringing of all good things. This sign, this first miracle was needfully done to solve a problem, to help people in a jam. Christ Jesus came as the Savior from our "jam" of sin. He worked us out of the jam with His life, death and Resurrection. And, He is willing to involve Himself daily in our life.
STUDY SHEET
The History Channel had a program about the Bible. They were trying to show that the Bible shows us a higher intelligence exists. But the History Channel wasn't talking about God, they were talking about UFO's. It would have been funny were it not so tragic. The Bible tells us that all these things happened because of God. The History Channel chose not to believe in God, Whom we have seen in the person of Jesus. Rather they chose to believe in UFO's which ... well I think you get the point.
As one who has Faith in Jesus Christ, we have come to understand that everything we have comes from God. All the big and little things of our life. Our lives take their annoying turns when we allow Satan, the world or our own sinful flesh to have control.
The greatest act of kindness and Love on the part of God was the sending of His Son to die for us. It might have been enough to just leave us in our lost condition, but that is not what our God of Grace deems necessary. It might also have been enough to make the sacrifice and allow us to struggle on our own to discover the work and person of Jesus.
Instead, Jesus as our King continues to rule our life with His greater Knowledge and Good works. The first miracle was the making of wine to solve a difficult situation. It wouldn't have been the "end of the world" to run out of wine, but still Jesus could and did help. In many of our life situations we aren't at that "end of the world" place, but God still intervenes to bring us and to keep us in His Grace and glory. All the talent we have comes from Him.
1. Along with the disciples who was invited to the wedding?
2. What can we expect whenever and wherever Jesus is present?
3. What time or hour did Jesus mention?
4. Was that time or hour at hand?
5. Then why did Jesus turn the water into wine?
6. What do we receive from God as a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
7. What gifts do we use?
8. Whose names did God change to show they belonged to Him?
9. What name have you been given from Jesus?
10. What does that name mean?