‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.’ (Ps. 19:14) Amen.
‘Grace, mercy and peace will be with you, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.’ (2 John 3) Amen.
‘Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem’. (V. 1)
In an old “Peanuts” cartoon by Charles M. Schulz, little Lucy throws up her hands in utter despair and shrieks, “For months we looked forward to Christmas. We couldn’t wait till it came, and now it’s all over!”
Even Christmas is a fraud, it would seem. For a few brief moments there is a special glow in the air. Life is softer, more joyful, more exciting somehow. For a few breathless moments the world is a magic land where everybody loves everybody and problems melt away.
But then the magic moment is past. The tinsel wasn’t silver after all, only aluminum foil. The problems all return, and the gaiety and laughter turn out to be only whistling in the dark. The warm glow of friendship disappears, and people become strangers again. They pass each other by, unknown and unrecognized[1].
When we read or hear this passage, it really does seem this way. After all, this past Thursday night, New Year’s Eve, we heard the previous verses at the end of chapter one. Those verses told us about Jesus’ birth and the angel’s appearing to Joseph to reassure him. Joseph is finally given “top secret clearance” so to speak. Before this time, Mary had not told him what was going on. It seemed so fantastic to her that she did not believe that she had any right to expect him to believe her statement that she was pregnant by the Spirit of the Living God.
Once Joseph received the word of the angel that what was done in Mary was of the Holy Spirit, he not only stopped considering putting her away, but he also took her home as his wife. So, Jesus was born in wedlock. Joseph proved himself worthy of his name, his name means “upright”, showing that he was an upright man in a most difficult situation.
Yet, the whole account here in Matthew seems a bit cut short. We are used to hearing Luke’s account and so this seems to brush off the great story of the Nativity of our Lord too quickly. So, when we hear the first words of this Gospel for Epiphany, it seems as if Christmas was only a bit of whistling in the dark.
Think about it again, Matthew himself only appears to be passing over the birth of Christ to get to the appearance of the Magi. The evangelist spends more time on this event than he did retelling the birth of the Savior. So, glory of the whole Christmas event seems over and done in a matter of moments.
‘Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”’ (Vv. 1, 2)
This account of the coming of the Magi to worship Jesus is an interesting one. In contrast to Luke’s account of the shepherds, there is silence for these men. With the shepherds, there is the angel giving the remarkable proclamation of God come down to men. Those lowly men watching their sheep heard the heavenly soldiers pausing from their ongoing war with the fallen angels who remain in open rebellion against God that they could go and sing the praises of the newborn God-Man to these simple Jewish men.
The scene is a glorious one. It was probably the highlight of their lives, something they spoke of for years to all that would listen. Here in Matthew, we have nothing of that. There is no scene of heaven being rent open. There are not angelic legions singing praises. There is not mention of even the one angel. All these men were given was a sign. Hence St. Paul’s words, ‘prophecy has been given for believers not for unbelievers, but signs have been given for unbelievers and not for believers’ (1 Cor. 14:22).
So, Joseph had the words of the angel to him. These men only had the sign of a star. The ancients placed a lot of importance on the movements of the planets and stars. It was said that at the birth or death of great men a star would appear. So, for these gentile wise men, it was only natural that a star should be given at the appearance of the Messiah. Possibly they had heard the prophets words about the coming Messiah from the Jews exiled to their city. At any rate, they would have been traveling to where the star led to see a man such as the philosopher Plato or the great conqueror Alexander.[2]
At the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, both the angelic proclamation was given and the very creation itself showed forth His arrival. The reason that the Jews heard from an angel was, as people who had been given faith, they could again use their reason and so a reasoning being, an angel, appeared to them. The magi were likely not believing, and so a sign, a star, was given to them. Without faith, they could not yet make full use of their reason to know the Lord.[3]
This is what the Apostle meant by saying that prophecy is for believers but unbelievers will only be given signs. Wordless proclamation of the Gospel message.
‘And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.’ (Vv. 11-12)
As these truly wise men arrive they come bearing gifts, for they recognized the coming of our Savior when so many others did not. So also it is for you and for me.
At our second birth at Baptism, Jesus, the wise man of so many Old Testament prophecies comes bearing gifts for you and for me. Jesus was given gold, frankincense and myrrh. You and I are given new life, you are rescued out of your spiritual bondage from the devil and you are given a seat at the heavenly banquet table with Jesus and the Father as the Father’s adopted son.
It is to this promise of sonship with Jesus that we cling to throughout our lives in faith. This word of God promise and prayer are our weapons against the lies Satan whispers in our ears. Ours is a defensive struggle. We are called to stand firm in faith until the end. No matter what.
In this word of promise you have been given a truth that should be clung to and believed no matter what comes our way. God does not abandon or desert us. God does not and will not abandon His people. God’s love is there when a treasured loved one dies. God’s love is there when worldly affairs do not go our way; no matter what that may include. God’s love is there when we weep and mourn and His love is there when we rejoice and sing. His love was there when Jesus was arrested accused and crucified. That love was there in the garden when Jesus was in great spiritual agony and when He died for your sins.
We are encouraged by this Epiphany Gospel to remember that God’s love is there even when He does not seem to be. At those times when it appears we have only been given a silent sign and no spoken prophecy.
It is then that we trust and cling all the tighter to the truth of God’s Word that Jesus is still your Savior. He is still there beside you. He will lead you through pain, fear, worry, and even persecution to peace. In this we remember the words of our Introit Psalm:
‘For he delivers the needy when he calls,
the poor and him who has no helper.
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
and precious is their blood in his sight. …
May his name endure forever’.
(Ps. 72:12-14, 17a)
In Jesus’+ Name. Amen.
[1] Encyclopedia of Sermon Illustrations, CPH, p. 39, entry #133.
[2] Word Pictures in the New Testament, Robertson, vol. I Matthew and Mark pp. 16-17.
[3] ACCS NT vol. I p. 22. Gregory the Great Forty Gospel Homilies 10.1.
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