Text: Ephesians 3:1-12 and Matthew 2:1-6<\/p>\n
A group of astrologers looked up into the night sky and saw something that caught their eye.
\nA new star had appeared.
\nA king had been born.
\nPreparations for a journey to the west, towards Jerusalem, began. <\/p>\n
Today, we find ourselves on the 12th day of Christmas, the Day of Epiphany.
\nThis day reminds us that some of the first to recognize the good news of the birth of Christ were not religious leaders or rulers, but Gentiles from far off.
\nThat star in the sky, that manifestation of light, drew them from their homes and set them on a journey to find the truth for themselves.
\nAs Pope Leo the Great wrote in the fifth century,
\n\u201cA start with new brilliance appeared to three wise men in the East\u201d that \u201cwas brighter and more beautiful than others\u201d attracting the \u201ceyes and hearts of those looking on.\u201d The determination of the magi to \u201cfollow the lead of this heavenly light\u201d expressed a willingness to be \u201cled by the splendor of grace to knowledge of the truth.\u201d (As recounted by William J. Danaher Jr. \u2013 Feasting on the Word \u2013 Epiphany C) <\/p>\n
A star shone in the sky.
\nSomething had changed in the world.
\nAnd these magi, these wise men, these astrologers wanted to find out what it meant. <\/p>\n
The story that we follow in the gospel of Matthew takes them to the doorstep of Herod in Jerusalem.
\nHe listens intently to their story and his first response is to feel threatened.
\nHe is the King of the Jews and as far as he knows, there is no child that has been born or that is expected within his court.
\nBut there was prophecy about God\u2019s anointed one, the Messiah, and so he calls together the religious experts of his court, the Sanhedrin, and to ask them what this might mean.
\nIn turn, they turn to the scrolls of their faith\u2026 to the writings and teachings of their ancestors\u2026 to make sense out of this epiphany, this revelation, this new truth in the world.
\nThey return with a few sentences of scripture that appear to speak about the Christ, from the prophet Micah and the history of 2 Samuel.
\nHerod sends the magi away with this information, to seek this child, but his intent is not worship or homage or truth\u2026 rather, he seeks to stop this revelation before it makes an impact on the world\u2026 HIS world.
\nAnd he will do everything in his power to stop it. <\/p>\n
What we know is that while Herod turned his rage and fury upon the region and massacred all of the little ones who were under the age of two, he ultimately was unsuccessful.
\nThe magi find the child, but are warned in a dream not to return and reveal the location.
\nMary and Joseph and the Christ Child become aware of the danger posed to them and flee to the land of Egypt.
\nJesus is saved, he grows up, and becomes an epiphany all of us:
\nHe is the Truth.
\nHe is the Light.
\nAnd because the Word was made flesh among us, everything has changed. <\/p>\n
In Christ, in the good news, in this mysterious and awesome collection of texts, something new is happening in the world.
\nAnd, Paul writes, we have access to that truth.
\nGod\u2019s great Epiphany was not just something that happened long ago.
\nNo, the mystery of God\u2019s plan, the good news of God, is being revealed right here and right now through you and me, through this household of God, through the church present in the world.
\nPaul believes, as is evident in this selection from Ephesians, that through the church the wisdom of God is now being made known to the world.
\nWhat was begun in the promises to Abraham,
\nwhat has been confirmed through the prophets to the people of Israel,
\nwhat is now being revealed through the life of Jesus,
\nis that God has a plan to bless the whole world\u2026 and you and me are now part of that blessing. <\/p>\n
Like Paul, like the religious scholars in Herod\u2019s temple, like the astrologers from the east, we want to know what it all means.
\nWe want to know how to make sense of the things that are happening all around us.
\nWe want to know what difference it should make in our lives.
\nWe want to know when we are supposed to drop everything and follow.
\nWe want to know what is really and truly important enough that it will turn our world upside down. <\/p>\n
Or\u2026 maybe we are afraid of precisely those things.
\nAfter all, as Flannery O\u2019Conner paraphrased, \u201cYou shall know the truth, and the truth will make you odd.\u201d
\nOr as another put it, \u201cyou shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free. But first it will make you miserable.\u201d <\/p>\n
I think sometimes we are content with ignorance because we don\u2019t have to change.
\nWe don\u2019t want to dive into the truths of scripture, because we are afraid something we have always relied upon might be inaccurate or wrong.
\nOr perhaps, we are ashamed after a lifetime of being a part of the church of how little we know of these holy words.
\nThis book\u2026
\nThis wonderful, holy, inspired collection of texts, is itself an Epiphany.
\nIt is a revelation.
\nEvery time we open its pages and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we discover new truths about who we are supposed to be and how we are supposed to live in this world.
\nAnd so as we start a new year, I want to invite you to let go of your fears.
\nLet go of your shame.
\nLet go of your hesitation. <\/p>\n
Over the next seven weeks of this series, I want to invite us to be like those ancient astrologers.
\nThey did not yet know what that star in the sky meant.
\nThey were unaware of how that child would change the world\u2026 would change their world.
\nBut they were curious.
\nThey were interested.
\nAnd they opened themselves up to the possibility.
\nThey didn\u2019t stay at home and wonder, \u201cwhat if?\u201d
\nNo!
\nThey did the work.
\nThey made the journey.
\nAnd they discovered something amazing. <\/p>\n
That is what I want for each of us in this church over these next two months.
\nI want us to be curious.
\nI want us to ask lots of questions.
\nI want us to be open to new insights.
\nI want us to do the work of opening up this scripture and allowing it to be a part of our lives. <\/p>\n
And here is what I promise you along the way\u2026
\nLike Paul, who felt called to share the teachings of Christ with others, to help make plain the mystery, I promise to walk with you.
\nIn the coming weeks, we\u2019ll learn together about context and language and interpretation. We\u2019ll dive into words like hermeneutic and exegesis. I\u2019ll give you tools each week that will help you to better understand these texts and how they relate to one another.
\nAnd what I promise at the end of this journey is not that we will all be experts, but that we will know that in spite of our questions, in spite of all we have left to learn, in spite of the depths of the mystery that is before us\u2026 that God truly is with us and that God is present in these texts.
\nAnd\u2026 that God is present in this church.
\nAnd through you\u2026 and through me\u2026 God is going to change this world.
\nMay it be so.
\nAmen. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Text: Ephesians 3:1-12 and Matthew 2:1-6 A group of astrologers looked up into the night sky and saw something that caught their eye. A new star had appeared. A king had been born. Preparations for a journey to the west, towards Jerusalem, began. Today, we find ourselves on the 12th day of Christmas, the Day…<\/span><\/p>\n