getting out the Word

the 2nd sunday after epiphany

the PRAYER …

Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, most merciful redeemer, for the countless blessings and benefits you give. May we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day praising you, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

the READING …

And [Jesus] said to [Nathanael], “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

John 1:43-51

the DEVOTION …

Truth is, there’s so much of scripture we don’t understand. We’d like to think we do. We pretend we do. But we don’t. Take Nathanael, for instance. We think we know all about him. But this is the only place in the NewTestament he, ever, shows up. Here and in a verse twenty chapters from now! And his name isn’t on any of the lists of disciples. Some say he’s this person. Some that person. Others say he’s someone else entirely. Truth is, we just don’t know. Same with that phrase … “under the fig tree.” We don’t get it. So, most of what we come up with is sheer speculation.

Instead, what caught my attention, this week, was the very last verse. “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” Those angels weren’t descending and ascending, like we expect. But just the opposite. We, naturally, assume angels come from heaven and go back to heaven. Not here. Here, they start with Jesus and they end with Jesus! Kinda makes you wonder if that’s not what’s going to amaze Nathanael … whoever he is … whatever he’s doing under that fig tree …

Midland Lutheran Church
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