This Week At Mt. Olive

Good evening, fellow redeemed, and Happy New Year!

Coming this week, following Christmas, is the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus - the appearing or manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The traditional Gospel for Epiphany is the account of the Magi from Matthew 2. Many times, the focus of this text is the devotion of the Magi - the journey from the East, presumably the region of Persia, the persistence in seeing the one born King of the Jews, the presentation of gifts. But, these all pale in comparison to the great significance of the presence of the Magi, the GENTILE Magi.

Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, did not appear solely for a small region of the Middle East. No, with the presence of the Magi, Christ our Lord shows that He has come for all people. As John tells us in 1 John 2, Jesus' sacrificial death was for the sins of the whole world - Jews and Gentiles. Only in Christ is there deliverance from sin, death, and the power of the devil, and He brings this about in His innocent suffering and death in which He shed His holy, precious blood.

A few weeks ago, I listened to an interview with a popular contemporary Christian author and composer. When asked what moved him to write the songs he wrote, he said that the greatness of God moved him. While God may indeed be great, the greatest message of Epiphany is that our Lord Christ has come into this world, condescending Himself and hiding His greatness behind the form of a servant, enduring even the death of the cross for sinners.

This week at Mt. Olive, a mark of the shift from Christmas to Epiphany is the packing away of Christmas decorations. The Altar Guild asks for your help in taking down Christmas decorations this coming Saturday at 9 a.m.

Prayer Concerns:
Those who serve in our armed forces and their families: Rob Vadney (Afghanistan), Richard Rhode (North Carolina), John Sorensen, Dru Blanc, Ryan Radtke (Corpus Christi)
The teachers in our Sunday School as they continue to teach young people the truths of the faith
The family of Jean Lindermann, at the death of her husband, Pastor Jim Lindermann (former Texas District President)
Those who are hospitalized: Walter Theiss
The students of our community, their teachers, and the schools they attend, as Christmas break concludes tomorrow

This Week at Mt. Olive:
Monday, 3 JAN
6 p.m.
Zumba

Wednesday, 5 JAN
8:30 a.m.
School Chapel

9:30 a.m.
Bible Study

6 p.m.
Zumba

Saturday, 8 JAN
9 a.m.
Christmas undecorating

God bless!
PKJ