Sermons for the Month
Jesus - The One For Everyone
DATE: January 5th, 2003
SERVICE: The Epiphany of Our Lord
TEXT: Matthew 2:1-12“To all of you Saints here this morning, grace and peace to you from God our Father, from His Son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. AMEN
Whether he was coming, or going, the proclamation of Jesus was unchanged. Think about it; at the very end of the Gospel of Matthew the resurrected Jesus is giving final instructions to his disciples before he ascends into heaven. He tells them, "Go make disciples of ALL nations…." In other words, as he goes Jesus reminds his followers that his message is for ALL people. The Good News of Jesus is for us … for ALL of us. That's obvious not only in his going, but also in his coming. How many times have we heard this very thing proclaimed during recent weeks? The angel of the Lord who so frightened theshepherds said, "Do not be afraid for I am bringing you good news of great joy which will be for ALL people…", and then proclaimed the birth of Jesus. A month or so later the devout Simeon took the infant Jesus in his arms and proclaimed that he had seen the salvation that God had prepared in the presence of ALL people. And today we read of the Magi who come from the east to worship the newborn king in spite of the fact that they are Gentiles, non-believers, thus making it clear that Jesus has come for them as well, that is for ALL PEOPLE. That, I believe, is the point of today's Gospel lesson. Jesus has come for ALL people. We may miss that, though, because the story is often romanticized. We have in our minds an image of three royally dressed kings who kneel in the hay on the night Jesus was born, bringing him expensive gifts. However, closer study will show us that these travelers came from far away, probably ancient Persia, and had a long journey. It was some time after the birth of Jesus that they arrived, while Mary and Joseph were still in Bethlehem living in a house, as is clearly stated in verse 11 of today's text. Did you notice that only Mary is mentioned as being present when the Magi arrived? The Bible does not say how many Magi there were, although we assume that there were three because they brought three gifts. And, they were not kings. We are not sure who they were except that the Greek word used for them is magoi. It's interesting to note that that word is used elsewhere in the New Testament and is translated magician or sorcerer. We usually think of them as astrologers because they are observing the stars. It also has been said that they were skilled in philosophy, medicine and were interpreters of dreams. The point is that they were far from the Kingdom of God. All this is conjecture, what we do know, though, is that when the unvarying order of the heavens was broken by the appearance of a brilliant star at the time of Jesus' birth, they believed that God was announcing something special. They knew the Jews were waiting for a Messiah, a King, so they set out to find him and do the politically correct thing by honoring the child with gifts. The most significant thing about these details, though, is that the Magi were Gentiles who not only came, but were also touched by the experience. It became more than a diplomatic trip, it seems. Scripture tells us that they were filled with joy when they arrived at the house and they worshipped Jesus. Then, the Magi - these non-believers - listened to God's leading and went home by another way, so as not to betray the child to King Herod, who had every intention of killing him. We suppose that the story of their journey, of the Messiah, was told back in Persia. Could it be that Jesus had come for them as well? Yes, he did! That is why this event came to be called the Epiphany Of Our Lord. The word epiphany means manifestation or revelation; in the Magi's visit Jesus Christ was revealed beyond Bethlehem, beyond the Jews, to ALL people. In fact, the Christian church celebrated Epiphany long before it celebrated Christmas. There's a reason for that; it's because in this event the on-going proclamation of Jesus was affirmed - that barriers that separate humans from humans do not separate humans from God's love. Let me say that again. The barriers that separate humans from humans do not separate humans from God's love. Last Sunday afternoon I missed the Flashlight Band's rehearsal to attend the Christmas concert of the Cleveland Lutheran A Capella Choir. It was at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is on West 30th street, south of Loraine Avenue. I tell you that only to note it is an area of town into which many of us would not usually venture. The church is old in its beauty, having been built in 1873. The need for repairs was obvious, surrounded as we were with cracked walls and moldy ceilings. But, the pews were new and the organ had obviously been restored, so I assumed that positive things are happening there. The church was full, a very Lutheran-looking crowd, mostly people over age 50 with fair complexions and dress coats buttoned up against the chill. The concert was beautiful, a real joy to attend. But, I have to admit, there was one organ solo that went on a bit longer than I found helpful. (I'll have to give the name of that piece to Bob so that he can avoid it.) In any case, I found myself thinking about today's Gospel lesson, and as I did so I asked a good sermon-writing question. "What is the point?" I gazed at the decorated trees, the lighted candles, the abundant art and symbolism in that church, and wondered, "What is the point of those three kings?" It didn't come to me until I walked across the churchyard into another building for the reception. From the front it looked like a big, old house also in need of attention. But, there was a gym hidden within, complete with a wooden floor and falling ceiling tiles. I was among the first people in, and as my eyes adjusted to the bright light, I noticed almost immediately a table filled with people who did not look like typical Lutherans. They were all ages, with skin of various hues, and there was not a new, warm coat among them. They were quietly eating the refreshments, eyes darting around to see the crowd that was beginning to gather. As I stood in line some of the tattered-looking children darted in front of me to grab a cookie or pretzel. I thought, "Oh, people from the neighborhood, they must have seen the lights on and the open door." I'm sorry to say that I noted in myself a bit of annoyance. Then I glanced up and saw an Easter banner hanging crookedly on one wall. I think it said, "He is risen!", and the point of the Magi's visit came to me. It's so simple, and yet so profound. The risen Jesus, the Bethlehem babe came for ALL of us, not just for the people, or to the settings, with which I am comfortable. The church was more fully gathered in that gym than it had been in the sanctuary. Today the season of Christmas ends on the calendar, but perhaps it is only beginning as we, like Jesus, proclaim the same message whether we are coming or going - He has come for us ALL. AMEN