The Joshua Victor Theory

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. A blessed Epiphany! January 6 is the traditional celebration of Epiphany, which may be the second oldest celebration in the Christian church year after Easter. It seems to have been celebrated as early as the 2 nd century, celebrating Jesus’ birth and baptism. Later, the visit of the Wise Men came to be emphasized in Western churches. Epiphany means “manifestation” or revealing, and focuses on miracles that showed Jesus is the Son of God. Our love for the Wise Men at Christmas and Epiphany, is seen on Christmas cards and in nativity sets and children’s programs. Like the rest of the Christmas story, over time, there are lots of details that got “added in”, but aren’t actually in Matthew’s telling of their visit. For example, we’re not told they came on camels, or even that there were three of them—could have been more or less. They are not called wise, nor are they called kings. The word Matthew u...

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. Today the cycle of the church year begins anew, with the First Sunday in Advent. We renew a journey of sorts, a journey that lasts us one year—a journey along the places and paths that Jesus followed, from the time He was anticipated as Savior, to His birth in Bethlehem, through His ministry, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. This first half of the church year, we call the “Festival Season.” It wraps up with Pentecost, when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, and follows with the part of the church year that we just finished, is the long “non-festival” season of the church year, or “ordinary time”. Sundays that review the rest of Jesus’ teachings, leading up again to the anticipation of His return. Along the journey, we get to know Jesus better and better, not as a friend who joins us occasionally, but as our constant companion who leads us and has finished the jour...

Grace, mercy, and peace to you, from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. Something new that I learned about the Gospel of Luke, in preparing for this sermon, was how much of Luke’s Gospel focuses on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. For 9 chapters Luke describes Jesus’ birth, childhood, baptism, and early Galilean ministry. The next major chunk of the Gospel of Luke focuses on Jesus’ movement toward Jerusalem—a shift toward His ultimate goal and mission. And then, like all the Gospels, the last major section focuses on Jesus’ Passion, in Jerusalem. But today’s reading introduces that major “travel section” or the beginning of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. And the things that Jesus encounters in this reading today, become recurring themes along this journey building up to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Themes of rejection, and instruction in the cost of discipleship. Warnings of the things that would hinder or prevent us from following Jesus or en...