2nd January 2022 The epiphany of the Lord

Matthew 2: 1-12  In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ 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 told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
     are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
     who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’ 
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ 
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Reflection:

The theme of the light of God’s love shines brightly in these passages today. Isaiah speaks of the radiance of God’s glory drawing the nations together. The people come with rejoicing, bearing gifts of gold, and frankincense. Matthew tells of the magi, who followed the star to the Christ child, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Paul proclaims the boundless richness of Christ. This good news brings hope to those who despair. And, the psalmist reminds us that the true King will judge God’s people with righteousness, bring justice to the poor, and save the lives of the needy.

The infant in Bethlehem is this true King.

As we turn over into another year, none of us know what it will bring. And yet with God there is a certainty that he will be the true King who judges with righteousness and justice. God will be revealed to all people and all nations. This doesn’t mean that all people will turn to him, but he will be accessible for all.

The opening prayer chosen for today says - God of mystery, in the darkness of our world
your light shines with grace and truth…

This world we live in is dark in many ways. Sin is rife, so many people disrespect God and have no time, or place for him. Rulers, leaders of the world are often corrupt and the tyrants that oppress people is an ongoing distress for many. We suffer from greed, perversion, immoral and violent domination in our societies. The rich get richer and the poor have no place or worth. Mental ill-health and dis-ease are festering and so it goes on. I could fill the page with all the sickness, injustices and horrors and still not touch the tip of the iceberg. 

And yet in the midst of this sad world, our God who is unfathomable, our mysterious God shines his grace and his truth. Trouble is not many bother to look to see or recognise the love of the Father for his creation. As we think of Epiphany today, I suggest that God’s heart is aching for his children to look to him and be saved. I suggest that God is longing for his children, all those with troubled hearts to come to him. And not just to come by themselves but to also bring others with them to the great gift of knowing God. 

An epiphany is a revelation or awakening and comes from a Greek word that is translated most literally as a ‘revealing,’ a manifestation of the divine. We use the word in everyday language to talk about a moment of deep insight or awareness when all the pieces fall together. In Christian use, Epiphany names the day, January 6th, when we celebrate that revelation that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. But, unless you follow the daily ordinances, rather than miss it we have the opportunity to celebrate Epiphany today instead of the 6th. We have the opportunity to come and allow God to reveal himself, to shine into places of darkness and overcome the things of the world.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world – not just part of the world, but of the whole world! That is where the connection between Epiphany and the story of the three magi in Matthew comes. For while Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, Christians confess that through him God seeks to save the whole world. Matthew tells of three magi, or wandering astrologers – the ones we often call the three kings – coming from the East, following a star of illumination, to worship the newborn king, Jesus. Importantly, this scene represents God’s inclusion of Gentiles into the promises made first to Israel. 

So, what does this mean for us as disciples, and for the Church. How do we follow the star and become an inclusive community, welcoming others, bringing others to know Christ, especially in our present world when it’s hard enough to just be church together?

The church is called to be the community where the world still encounters God in human lives. If we are to think about what that looks like, perhaps what we hear in Ephesians 3 is helpful to our understanding. Paul describes himself as a ‘prisoner of Christ,’ which may be a little unclear as to what he actually means. It may mean a prisoner for Christ, though it could also mean captured by Christ. Perhaps we need to reflect on both possibilities. Though the former may be an unlikely experience for many of us, the latter is an energising description of what it means to be the church, caught by God’s grace.

God gave Paul the role of being a servant of grace. He calls us also to bring light and grace to those we meet and to pray for the places of darkness in this world, that the light of Christ will be allowed to shine freely and brightly. And not just shine but be seen by all people. God has placed the treasure of his gospel into our hands. This is not for us to keep for ourselves but to exercise stewardship of God’s grace by giving it away with bold freedom, through our words and through our lives.

Paul in humility says that, ‘this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. This mystery is something that we will never fully grasp, but that is what makes God, God! God has countless facets, beyond our imagination, all sparkling new light so that Jews and Gentiles together in unity, along with all people will know the richness of God’s love.

Through the light of Christ, divisions will be healed. Political and social powers will no longer oppress but instead be guided by the light of God’s wisdom and love. Paul suggests that the mission of the church is to make this wisdom of God known. The church is not called to just survive or to increase membership or to make people feel better. It is called to be a sign, promise and embodiment of what God intends for the whole world, and to do so in the face of, and in witness to, the opposing powers of the world.

I wonder therefore, how does this relate to us in our little niche of the big picture of God’s grace? 

The proclamation of the gospel brings reconciliation. This brings justice, peace and hope. As Christ is born into the world for us, as the Saviour of the world has come, we, like the Magi, are called to movement. We are not to remain as spectators of this amazing life-changing and life-giving action on the part of our God.  “Arise, shine.”  We are to move from the darkness in which we have been dwelling and let the light of God that lives within each of us shine forth brightly.  The glory of God has broken forth and now shines upon us with the divine light of our creator.

As the new year begins, despite of uncertainty, (Realistically every year begins with uncertainty, none of us can ever be sure what a new year will bring), as we embrace whatever God is leading us to, may the light of Christ guide us with wisdom, may the light of Christ, encourage us with hope and may the light of Christ shine in our hearts and through us to bring peace in places of darkness and love in places of despair.