Pastor Quinn • December 25, 2022

Epiphany Festival Worship

The twelve days of Christmas culminate with the celebration of the Epiphany of our Lord. We commemorate the day when magi from afar worshiped the Christ Child. Before that day, Jesus had been worshiped by individuals of Jewish descent: the shepherds, elderly Simeon, the prophetess Anna. But Scripture said the coming Savior would be God’s gift to all nations. Epiphany proves that God keeps his promises, as he miraculously led foreigners to worship their Savior. Thus, Epiphany is sometimes called the Gentile Christmas. (The celebration of Epiphany likely precedes that of Christmas. Evidence of the Festival of Epiphany dates to Clement of Alexandria at the end of the second century.)


Epiphany continues to play out to this very day. God worked through a special star to bring the magi into the presence of their Savior—for Christ’s glory and the magi’s blessing. Likewise, God has controlled time and space to bring you into the presence of your Savior—for Christ’s glory and your blessing. Thus, the magi were only the first in a long line of Gentiles who would join Israel in worshiping Jesus as King. Indeed, a Savior is born for all the nations! Come, let us adore him!

Promises/Prayer

By Pastor Quinn • October 19, 2025
Disciples of Jesus need to learn how to pray. And learning to pray is not like many of the other things we learn to do in our lives. Once we know how to write our name, tie our shoes, or ride a bike, the learning is done. There is virtually no danger we will forget how to do those things. Not so with prayer. Learning to pray consists of a lifetime of persistence. So, what is the cause of persistent prayer? The precious promises of God. “God is not human, that he should lie. . . . Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19). God cannot lie. So, we know every promise he makes us—to forgive, to provide, to help, to be with us—he must keep. When we persistently go to God in prayer and press him to keep his promises, God does not view that as nagging. He loves it! Because it demonstrates that our faith grasps not only that he can do what we ask, but that he will . . . because he promised.

Generosity/Gratitude

By Pastor Quinn • October 12, 2025
Gratitude is the appreciation we feel when someone does something kind to us or for us. There are two factors that effect the intensity of gratitude. First, there is the deservedness factor. Say you do a favor for your neighbor. A month later, your neighbor does a favor for you. You are grateful, but not overwhelmingly so, because you deserved his help to some degree. However, if you have been an unkind or selfish neighbor, and yet your neighbor provides help when you are in need, you are extremely grateful precisely because you know you are undeserving. Second, there is the generosity factor. Imagine you pick up the mail for your neighbor for the three days he is out of town. When he gets back, he gives you a hundred-dollar bill. You might protest, “This is too generous!” He insists, and so you are very grateful. Apply this to God. Deservedness. How deserving are we of his blessing? What does God owe us? Generosity. What has God done for us? What blessings has he given us now? What blessings has he promised us in eternity? As we answer those questions, we are stunned by the undeserved generosity our God has shown us. The effect? We overflow with gratitude.

Increased Faith Increases Duty

By Pastor Quinn • October 5, 2025
As someone rises through the ranks at work, there are typically benefits: higher salary, more authority, better benefits. However, there is often a corresponding increase in responsibility: longer hours, more meetings, raised expectations. So, if someone is offered a promotion, they might ask, “Is this worth it?” It is similar in God’s kingdom. As our faith grows, there are obvious benefits: the comfort of knowing you are a redeemed and loved child of God, the peace of knowing your eternity is secure. However, increased faith also increases duty. There are ever more opportunities for service. This week, Jesus has sharp words for those who want the benefits of being Christian but would shirk those responsibilities. However, to lead us to take up those responsibilities, our Savior doesn’t threaten or cajole. He helps us see that while increased faith increases duty, increased duty increases delight. The believer knows he serves the One who came to serve us first. Just as Christ’s service brought him great joy, so does our service to others.
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