Happy new year! This is the last week of our special series. For the last four weeks, we have focused on Advent. Today we look forward to Epiphany. NMI Central and Kids Kaleidoscope will introduce you to some of the unique traditions that are kept during Epiphany across the global Church of the Nazarene.
Epiphany is a “revelation” or an “awakening.” While the Western Church celebrates Christmas on December 25th, the Eastern Church—the Orthodox Church—celebrates Christmas on January 6th. It commemorates the visitation of the magi who came from the East to worship the Christ child, God’s revelation of himself in human form. It is an awakening to the reality of God’s eternal purposes being enacted in the person of his Son. The gifts of the magi were symbols of worship and adoration, given at the end of a long journey of seeking, and at the beginning of a new reality: Emmanuel is with us!
Let your worshipping heart allow the long journey of the past year to fade and a new realization to dawn. God is with us! Epiphany also marks the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptizer and the revelation from heaven that “This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased.” John’s response was one of humility and recognition: “He must increase, and I must decrease.”
To learn how Epiphany is celebrated in some areas of the world, check out this week’s Kids Kaleidoscope. This week we learn about a special treat called Three Kings Cake that is shared on this day including the similarities and differences around the world. Kids Kaleidoscope is a special NMI Central supplement created to help children, youth, and adults learn more about our Nazarene family around the world.
