Sermon Based on : Matthew 2. 1-12; Isaiah 60. 1-6; Ephesians 3. 1-12
Preached on: Epiphany 05.01.2020
Even though today is the Second Sunday of the Christmas season. And, tomorrow is the Feast of the Epiphany, the lectionary does allow us to celebrate the coming of the Wise Men to see the infant Jesus, one day early. The gospel reading invites us to ponder one more account surrounding the birth of Jesus – the journey of the Magi – the wise men – to worship the baby Jesus in the manger. The word “Epiphany” means “to be made manifest” so the essence of today’s feast is the revelation of Christ to the whole world. We celebrate God’s “showing up in our midst” in the person of Jesus Christ; and because the wise men were Gentiles rather than Jews, this day announces that Christ is for everyone, not just the people of Israel.
Of all the characters in the Christmas story, the wise men are the most enigmatic. We know very little about them. They appear out of nowhere, from an unnamed country. How many were there? We don’t know. And there is no reason to think there were only three of them, even though only three gifts are mentioned. They seem to just show up mysteriously – and just as mysteriously they are gone. But one thing I am certain about is that the number of wise men and women increases in every generation as people continue to seek the Christ, the Son of God.
The “magi” first appeared in the seventh century B.C. in the Median Empire, which is Iran today.
How
did the magi first learn of the only one true God and of the Old
Testament Scriptures that foretold His coming? From the book of
Daniel we see, the magi were advisers to the rulers of Babylon, and
later Medo-Persia. As such, they were in existence in Babylon when
Daniel and the other Jewish exiles were captured and brought to
Babylon. You may recall that when King Nebuchadnezzar had that dream
that the magi could not interpret, he was so angry he was going to
kill the magi.
But Daniel, whom God gave the ability to
interpret the dream, begged the king not to kill the magi. As such,
Daniel became their hero and no doubt used his influence to teach
them the truths of God’s word about the coming Messiah.
Thus,
there were some magi who had knowledge of the coming Messiah.
Because
of their knowledge of astronomy, agriculture, mathematics, and
history, they became the most influential advisors in their part of
the world. They were the kingmakers of the day, which explains
Herod’s reaction to their arrival. Some of the Biblical scholars call
them scientific theologians or Theological scientiests. Because they
were making deductions concerning divinity itself. They were; I would
say, sincere
individuals trying to figure things out. A sincere, a serious soul concerns to
follow where the evidence lead. These individuals were deadly
serious. If they form Persia, if they came from Babylon; the journey
from Babylon to Jerusalem by the normal trade route which they would
have taken, it is distance of more than 800 miles. I don’t know how
fast you can go on a camel let us say 20 miles a day that would take
you 40 days.
When they arrived, these men went around
everywhere asking “Where is the one who has been born king of
the Jews?” (Matthew
2:2)
“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
These wise men had come to the conviction that a significant King has been born. That this king is directly related to the Jewish people and this King has been born in Judea.
What did they discover? First of all that they discovered that they are in the wrong place. They were wise, they were megi, they thought when they would put their heads together they would make a wise deduction. And, they said, well, if it is a king presumably the capital of Judea- Jerusalem. And if we are looking for a king we go the palace. That is not how any body come to Jesus on the basis of deductions. So, they discovered they were on a wrong place. Secondly they discovered that the religious peoples the scribes those who were able to give them the answer that those people didn’t actually care. Our Gospel reading says “When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.” They give the Answer – of course the prophesy of Micah. Is not incredable they were scholars, they were completely aware of what had been prophesyed. Yet, they wouldn’t make a journey of 6 miles to go and worship the king of the Jews.
Thirdly, what they discovered was that they actually needed the scripture to point them to the right direction, they had gone wrong. And how were they going to go right. Whatever extra uses or extraordinary uses God may employ, He always brings us to His word the Bible in order that we might meet the living word His son. There is no way to God except through the Christ of God, who is given to us in the word of God. So, they discovered they were in the wrong place, they discovered that the religious people didn’t care, they discovered that they needed the scripture in order to get where they needed to be.
And,
finally they also discovered and realized that worship was then their
only sensible realistic response. They were wise enough to worship
the King.
When they found Jesus, Matthew does not say that the
magi studied Him, debated about Him, or postponed deciding what to do
about Him until a more convenient time. The Bible says they fell down
and worshipped Him.
That is the only rational response. If
Jesus is who God says He is, our Savior as well as our King, then we
owe our unconditional allegiance to Him and to His commands. Our
proper position is on our face before Him.
They fell down and worship Him, it didn’t say that they fell down and worship them. Mary worshipped him too..my soul rejoices in God my saviour. Jesus the only mediator between God and man.
What was true two thousand years ago is still true today. Wise men and women still seek Him, and when they find Him, they worship Him.
In
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen