Matthew 2:1-12 * January 4, 2004 * Epiphany * Pastor Leyrer

Dear Friends in Christ,

I don’t know that we hear the term used real often, but on occasion people will still speak of themselves or others as having had a personal epiphany. What they mean by this is that in one unmistakable way or another something that at one time may have seemed complex or hard to understand suddenly became very clear to them – almost as if it had been revealed to them in a supernatural way.

This definition can be useful to us as we consider where we are in the Church Year. Although the fixed date is actually January 6, today we are observing that yearly church festival known as “Epiphany” – or as it sometimes put in a more complete way, “the Epiphany of our Lord.” The term “Epiphany” comes from a Greek word which means “revealing” or “appearing,” and the Epiphany message is, in essence, two fold: 1) Jesus Christ by His words and actions (as well as others’ actions toward Him) reveals Himself as True God, and 2) Jesus Christ reveals Himself as the Savior of all people.

Before us as our text is the familiar account of the Wise Men (or “Magi”). This has always been the traditional, historical Epiphany text because both elements of the Epiphany message come through so greatly. But within this account and attached to the cast of characters are a number of lesser “epiphanies” as well. These we’d also like to develop, because each one reveals some important truth about our lives as Christians…

This morning, then, let us turn our attention to both the

EPIPHANY AND EPIPHANIES

found within our text. This we will do by simply

1. Reviewing the account, and then

2. Applying it to our lives

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Who, or even how many these “Magi” or “wise men” were, we cannot say for sure. Many Bible scholars feel they were learned men from Persia or Babylon or Arabia, and that they must have been well versed in the study of astronomy. Scripture gives us no number and simply says they came “from the east.”

Like lots of things that we don’t know much about, various legends have grown up around these Wise Men. In the course of time they’ve been assigned a distinct number, three, and sometime around the Sixth Century were even given names: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. One legend tells us that their ages were 20, 40 and 60…

Further legend has it that they were kings who individually came from the lands of India, Egypt and Greece; and that later in life they were all baptized by the Disciple Thomas. Even wilder legends say that through the years Christians kept track of where the Wise Men were buried and eventually laid their bones to rest under one of the great cathedrals of Europe. Such legends, though interesting, are just that – legends.

What we do know for sure is the reason for their journey. They came looking for the one “born king of the Jews.” How did these people from a far-off land know about the Savior? We can assume that in one way or another they must have been familiar with the Old Testament and its many prophecies of the coming Messiah. We’ll remember that God’s Old Testament people spent a period of 70 years as captives in that part of the world. Perhaps these “wise men” had been exposed to the Scriptures and the promise of the Savior during that time, making them even wiser…

But in addition to that, God communicated to them in a very special way. A star indicated that the King had come. As a result of this special heavenly revelation a fire of inquisitiveness burned within them and they headed for Jerusalem, the religious capital of the Jews, where they felt they would surely be filled in on the details.

When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written, ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” We are told that after hearing this request from the Wise Men, King Herod became disturbed – as well as all Jerusalem. Herod was disturbed because he thought his throne was being challenged; Jerusalem was disturbed because they knew what an angry Herod could do. He was ruthless and deadly when he felt he had been crossed, which was often, because he was intensely paranoid. History tells us that his capacity for cruelty was limitless. And the people of Jerusalem had experienced this firsthand, many times over. It’s no wonder they shuddered when these Magi wandered into town…

In order to find out more about this disturbing new king, Herod consults those who were learned in the Scriptures. From them he learns that the Christ child was to be born in Bethlehem, so he passes this information on to his foreign visitors: Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

As crafty as he was cruel, we know Herod had no intention of worshiping Jesus. What he wanted to do, of course, was eliminate Him. This would soon lead him to engage in an act of barbarism unparalleled even for an accomplished barbarian like himself – the slaughter of the babies of Bethlehem.

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. Having located Jesus – and we’ll note they found Him in a house, for this was well past Christmas Eve – these grown men bow down before Him and worship Him. After this show of honor, they offer their treasures to Him…

As one early church father put it, they gave Him gold as to a KING; they gave Him incense, as to GOD; and they gave Him myrrh, as to ONE WHO IS MORTAL (myrrh was a spice used to anoint the dead before burial). Then, in opposition to the king’s wishes, our text concludes: And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

And so ends our familiar Epiphany account. Let’s take a look at some additional “epiphanies” through the main figures in this account and see what each reveals to us…

First, there is an epiphany from the star. It was the guide. It led the way to Jesus Christ. It’s not difficult to find a parallel here. In the Book of Psalms we read: “Your Word [O Lord] is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” It is God’s Word and God’s Word alone that leads us to a knowledge of and faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, if we wish to draw into an even closer relationship than we already have, we must study the Word just as the Wise Men studied the star. Because they both lead to the same place.

It is also interesting to note that a number of early Christian writers comment on the silent witness of the star to the Gentile Wise Men as opposed to the verbal witness of the angels to the Jewish Shepherds. The lesson to be learned – and applied to our lives as Christ’s ambassadors – is that at different times God uses both silence and speech to proclaim the truth. And we are reminded that we bear witness for Christ before a watching world by both our actions and our words…

Secondly, there is an epiphany from the Wise Men. It is this: Worship the King, for there is nothing more important. Think of what these Wise Men did. First, they left everything to seek Christ. For them, this was job #1, and in that way they were living examples of Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount: “Seek first [the kingdom of God] and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Next, they worshiped Jesus. They recognized who they were and who He was and is. Try to picture the scene. There is something profoundly moving about grown men in rich adornment and with precious cargo in hand bowing down before the Baby of Bethlehem. With the eyes of their body they saw a child; with the eyes of their mind they saw their Savior.

Finally, they brought Him gifts. And what they gave Him was their best. No afterthoughts as they were loading up the camels. No blue-light specials. No re-gifting of duplicates they had already received or had on hand. But treasures.

As with them, so with us: Jesus Christ is worthy of being our number one priority. He is worthy of our worship. He is worthy of whatever efforts we go through to stay close to Him. He is worthy of our treasures. The Wise Men understood that no matter how great the gifts, what they received from Christ was far greater than what they expended for Christ. Consequently, wise men and women still seek Him on a daily basis and recognize that any treasures we lay at His feet are but the smallest token of the riches He gave us: the treasure of eternal life in heaven, and until that time comes, the treasure of a fulfilled life here on earth.

Thirdly, there is an epiphany from King Herod. It is this: allegiance to Jesus Christ often draws fire and brings adverse reactions from people. Herod felt threatened by Jesus Christ. There was no reason to be, but he did. In the same way, people often feel threatened by believers in Jesus Christ today. Not in the physical sense, but in the sense that they feel we are trying to make moral judgments on them; that we are somehow trying to challenge them by our very existence. And it often irritates them. We must expect this. If we are living for our Lord and devoting ourselves to our Christianity, there will always be those who react in a negative way, just like Herod did toward Baby Jesus. In fact, just being who we are – and whose we are – will bother them.

Herod provides us with another lesson. He was a wicked man. He was also a powerful man. The two form a deadly combination. His treachery and actions remind us that there are times when evil seems to have the upper hand. But in the end, Herod failed. He could not detain Christ from His mission of redemption. Herod reminds us that the forces of evil may have their day on this sin-stained planet, but they will not prevail. In Romans 8 Paul asks, “if God is for us who, can be against us?” and goes on to assure us that whatever the temporary landscape may be, “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us…”

Finally, there is an epiphany from Baby Jesus. It is this: Jesus Christ is Lord of all. He came for those Wise Men. He came for Herod as well, although Herod rejected Him. And He came for all of us. He came to live for us all the perfect, sinless life which God demands of us, but which we can’t give Him. He came to die for us all the death that we as sinners deserve. He came as the world’s substitute in His perfect life and sacrificial death. He came to rise from the grave so that He can live for us and in us, and so that we can live for Him and in Him.

Jesus Christ, the sinless, crucified, but risen almighty Son of God is the world’s Redeemer. He is the Lord of our lives and Lord of all lives, even though many may not know it. That’s the message and meaning of Epiphany. And that’s the note we’ll close on…

Therefore, today and throughout this Epiphany season let us simply bask in the light of the Savior who has been revealed to us. And may the lesser epiphanies gleaned from the star, the Wise Men, King Herod, and Baby Jesus – provide us with daily comfort and direction. Amen.