In this 4th Sunday in Epiphany, we have a message from Micah 6:1-8 where we hear about what the Lord requires of us. There are the demands of the Law and the new birth which leads to new obedience. We learn that the Lord desires our hearts.

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On Friday's Lutheran Internet radio show, Issues, Etc. - a listener's question caught my attention as one that would be good to answer in our Lutheran circles. The question revolved around what the church and Christians call themselves. Are we disciples? Are we Christ followers? Is there a difference? Why is the name Lutheran important or is it important?  Pastor Todd Wilken gives a prolonged answer that sheds a great deal of light on the issues surrounding what is in a name and how we label ourselves as Christians.

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This 3rd Sunday in Epiphany we hear from Amos 3:1-8 about walking together with God. We have a special relationship with God and with one another in Christ. God and man cannot walk together, except that we follow the path of God. The same is true of our fellowship with each other as Christians.

Prophet Amos was from the city of Thekoue of the land of Zabulon. He was an uneducated man, a shepherd of goats and sheep, as he testifies concerning himself (Amos 7:14-15). He began to prophesy about the twenty-fifth year of the reign of Ozias, King of Judah, about the year 785 BC (Amos 1:1)

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This 2nd Sunday in Epiphany, we hear from the Bible's text found in Is 61:1-6 about the office of Christ. Christ came to preach and teach good tidings. Tidings from the Old Norse word tithindi meaning 'news of events' and tithr meaning 'occurring'. Christ came to bind up the broken hearted and proclaim freedom from sin.

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