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. . . As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . . . Joshua 25:15b
Epiphany 2 Yr A
Introduction
Introduction
“Behold the Lamb of God”. Such a declaration from John the Baptist. And it was repeated by John as well as by those who heard him say the words. Even others repeated the declaration and concluded that Jesus is the Messiah. I like to think about how startling this declaration was to hear and even more startling to repeat because it meant the speaker had adopted the statement as fact.
Now, turn your thinking a bit—look into the faces of the impoverished, the downtrodden, the sick, those turned away by society. As you look, say “Behold the Lamb of God”.
Send your thoughts.
John 1:29-42
John 1:29-42
John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! . . .” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. . . . And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. . . . One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). . . .
From sermons4kids: “It is important for you and me to show and tell others about Jesus too. We can show others about Jesus by doing the things that Jesus taught us to do -- things like loving one another and being helpful and kind. Then people will see that we know Jesus and that will give us a chance to tell them about Jesus. ”
Scripture: January 15, 2023—Isaiah 49:1-7 (image); Psalm 40:1-12 (image); 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 (image); and John 1:29-42 (image). A visual/audio journey.
Collect: Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Reflection: Andrew invited his brother Simon Peter to meet Jesus, and Peter’s life was changed forever.
Do you invite others to come and see Jesus?
How do you watch and listen for those who might be seeking Jesus?
Do you trust God to give you gifts for sharing the story of your salvation?
How then do you show the world God’s love made real in Christ?
Excerpted from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 1 © 2013 Westminster John Knox Press
Practice: Ask someone to come to a church event with you.
Ear Worm: “Behold the Lamb of God” from Handel’s Messiah; “Worthy is the lamb” by Pepper Choplin; “Agnus Dei” by Gabriel Faure.
Eye Candy: “Agnus Dei” by Don Bergland; “Agnus dei relief” from side altar of Carmelite church in Austria; “Agnus Dei“, a church banner.
Brain Food: “The Lamb of God” by David Sellery; “Lamb Tales” by Larry Patton; “Dylan’s Lectionary Blog” by Sarah Dylan
Little lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life and bid thee feed, By the stream & o’er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing wooly bright; Making all the vales rejoice!
Little Lamb who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee?
Little Lamb I’ll tell thee, Little Lamb I’ll tell thee!
He is called by thy name, For he calls himself a Lamb;
He is meek & he is mild, He became a little child;
I a child & thou a lamb, We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee. Little Lamb God bless thee
~William Blake
Parables: “Gospel Road: A story of Jesus” (1973), who knew—that Johnny Cash produced a movie about Jesus, this is his tale; “The Messiah” (2007), story of Christ from an Iranian perspective; “The gospel of us“, (2012), a contemporary topsy-turvy tale of “Christ”.
Some eye-candy for Lamb of God:
Lamb of God, Ghent altarpiece by Jan van Eck, 1492
Brass Agnus Dei, altar front from the Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville, Kentucky
Heraldic Lamb of God drawn by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
Brain food:
The Lamb by William Blake: audio reading (scroll down on right and listen), musical interpretation
Agnus Dei by Denise Levertov
Reflection by Alice McKenzie
Listening pleasure
Little Lamb by Libera
The Lamb by John Tavener (dissonant)
Behold the Lamb of God from Handel's Messiah
For families: Study guide and activities (former guide), group activity; snacks, kid video
For children: See family guide/activities above (another activity), bulletin; craft
For middlers: See family guide/activities above (another activity); bulletin; craft
Coloring: Jesus loves you; John
For youth: Read today’s gospel, focusing on the second half. Notice that John sees Jesus walking among the people and calls out “See, the Lamb of God.” Does that have any particular meaning? Yes, it does. John does not point to the heavens, or to a high place on a remote hill, or to a palace. Instead, he points to someone right in the midst of the people—that one is the Lamb of God, that one is God with us (Emmanuel). Such a powerful that the God we worship lives and walks among us. How does that make you feel?
If you wish, share your thoughts.
The liturgy today continues the theme of Epiphany, the manifestation of Jesus as the Christ. Therefore, in today’s Gospel reading we hear the testimony of John the Baptist to Jesus. John recounts the Holy Spirit,s descent at Jesus’ baptism and tells his followers that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Two of John’s disciples then follow Jesus and one of them, Andrew, brings his brother, Simon Peter.
In the first reading, one of the servant songs of Isaiah, God announces that the servant of God will bring not only the people of Israel into God’s household but will be sent to all humankind.
Throughout this Epiphany period, we read from the First Epistle to the Corinthians. This letter of Paul is particularly concerned with the life of the Church as the Body of Christ, for the church is the ongoing manifestation of Christ in the world. The Spirit of God who rested upon Jesus at his baptism dwells in the church and Paul explores the meaning of our membership in Christ’s Body.
Each time we gather to celebrate Eucharist, we are reconstituted as the church. We proclaim the story of God’s salvation, we pray for the church and the world, and in the Eucharistic feast, God reveals our unity with Jesus in the Bread and Wine of Holy Communion. We are revealed by Word and Sacrament to be the Body of Christ in the world.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.
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