Four Epiphany Questions

On the church calendar, we celebrated Epiphany this previous Monday night. What some don’t know, however, is that Epiphany is celebrated in many churches as a season much like Lent and Advent. The Epiphany season, for us, lasts from January 6th until Ash Wednesday.

And, like all parts of the church calendar, there are deep invitations that God invites us to lean into as we learn to let the biblical story become the shape of our lives. Rather than being shaped by whatever dominant cultural narrative we find ourselves within — which, this time of year, is usually around self-centered New Year’s resolutions goals, and plans — we submit ourselves to and learn to live within the story of Jesus.

And, as I wrote about in my New Year’s questions last week, in the story of Jesus, the primary question we should be asking ourselves is Where is Jesus leading me, and how do I follow him there?

Epiphany happens to celebrate a profound story about following the leadership of the Spirit. In the life of Jesus, Epiphany commemorates the wise men’s arrival at the scene of the birth of Christ and includes several elements of supernatural guidance. I’d love to invite us to reflect a little bit this morning. If you have a moment, I’d love to encourage you to read again the story of the Wise Men arriving at the manger scene or at least recall the major events to mind:

There are at least four themes that Matthew 2 invites us to reflect on in this story and this time of year. I’d love to briefly present them, and ask us to carve out some space to reflect on these themes. Or, if you're short on time, perhaps pick one that jumps out to you!

1. Beholding Christ // How are we making space to behold God this year?

This is the first moment in the Gospel of Matthew where Christ is worshipped. What strikes me about this story is that Christ is worshipped before he has done anything, but rather he is worshipped simply for who he is. In some ways, this is a foreshadowing of the throne room in Revelation where the angels simply behold the beauty of God and sing “Holy.” As I reflect on the worship songs I sing and the prayers that I pray, are they primarily about me or God’s gifts to me? Or are they primarily about him and beholding him simply for who he is? Are we making space in our life to simply behold him and worship him for who he is, apart from any of the gifts he can give us?

2. King Herod’s Opposition // What is the assault of the enemy against the new thing that is being born in my life?

In our New Year’s reflection questions, we asked What new things were born, re-born, or resurrected in 2024? This week, we look at the opposition of King Herod against the birth of Christ. We cannot be ignorant of the reality that there is an enemy who seeks to oppose the new thing that God wants to give birth to in our lives. In 2 Corinthians, Paul characterizes Satan as a sort of strategic adversary, who has the potential to “outwit” the church, yet Paul encourages them that they are “not unaware of his schemes” (2 Cor 2:11). Many of us, however, might find ourselves in the opposite position — we are often unaware of the schemes of the enemy in our lives!

Trauma therapist Dr. Dan Allender, who specializes in helping people take a deeper look at the story God is writing in their lives, encourages anyone seeking to live into their calling to reflect on the question: How has evil assaulted me? This is a bold question, but this Epiphany I find myself drawn once again to look at my story and see how there has been an enemy at work opposing the things that God has wanted to give birth to. Whether it is through anxiety, fear, my own sin, destructive patterns, or through negative words that have continually been spoken over me by others, this sober reflection has given me clarity about evil’s assault against me. The result is that I am filled with confidence to take the next steps that God is giving me, even in the face of this opposition. So I’d invite us all to reflect a little bit: Where are the patterns in my story where evil has tried to come against me? What is the assault of the enemy this year against the new thing being born in my life?

3. The Wise Men from the East // What nation, neighborhood, or neighbor is God sending me to?

This is the first moment in the whole storyline of Scripture where Gentiles (aka non-Jews) worship Jesus. Given the trajectory of Genesis to Revelation, of God’s desire for all nations to come to know him and for the whole earth to be filled with his glory, this is a profound turning point in the story. As a testimony to this, many liturgical churches give money to foreign missions specifically during the Epiphany season.

The Epiphany season invites us to reflect again on where we find ourselves in this missional storyline. There is a pervasive “sent-ness” in the New Testament, where God’s people are continually sent outside of their comfort zones to communicate the love, grace, and good news of God to new people and groups. One of the dangers of living in a Christian community is that we can forget, if we’re not careful, the big picture storyline we find ourselves in that will culminate with people from every tribe, tongue, and nation singing to Jesus (Revelation 7:9). Instead, we can find ourselves only gathering with people who look and think like us. We all have a part to play in carrying the gospel message to the nations of the earth. Epiphany is a time to reflect: What’s my part in this story? What nation, neighborhood, or neighbor is God sending me to? How does the new thing God is doing in my life connect to this bigger storyline?

4. Following the Star // What is the next step I sense the Holy Spirit prompting me to take?

The Epiphany story in Matthew 2 is also rich with a testimony of what it looks like to follow the supernatural leadership of the Holy Spirit. The wise men follow the external sign of the star, and there are quite a few prophetic dreams that God gives to guide the players in Matthew 2. Epiphany is a time to reflect on how God is leading us in our own life. Whether through our discernment, the voice of God through trusted mentors, or more supernatural occurrences of dreams and prophetic words, Epiphany is a time to ask: What is the next step I sense the Holy Spirit prompting me to take?

This year in particular, I find myself prompted again to pray for the gift of prophetic dreams as a key component of God’s leadership in my life. Dreams are a key yet often neglected or misunderstood way that the Holy Spirit can lead us (I wrote a bit more about that here). I pray for you this morning for a release of fresh prophetic dreams in your life that can lead you straight to the next step that God is inviting you to take!

So, to summarize, the Epiphany questions are:

1. How am I making space to behold God this year?

2. What is the assault of the enemy against the new thing being born in my life?

3. What nation, neighborhood, or neighbor is God sending me to?

4. What is the next step?

Thank you for joining me in this Epiphany reflection. My inbox is always open if there is any way that I can serve you in prayer. I am praying for you today!

-Ryan

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