The Epiphany of Our Lord
Text: Matthew 2:1-12
Pastor Jean M. Hansen
It’s the day of the Magi; I’ve often wondered what they looked like, having seen so many artistic depictions of them. I’m sure the scene wasn’t like what is described in a song I often find myself singing this time of year, to a regal, march-worthy tune. “One fine day, I met the grand array, of three great kings upon a journey going. The jewels bright in the morning light, with shields all shinning and banners proudly blowing. The kings’ procession was a noble sight!” Somehow, I think it wasn’t quite like that, but who knows?
Here’s what we do know: they were not royalty, but Magi, that is, astrologers, philosophers, advisors to the court, probably of Persia. So, they were not kings, and we don’t know if there were three of them, the passage does not tell us how many made the trip. They were Gentiles, non-Jews, who believed the appearance of a new star in the night sky indicated that royalty had been born.
Knowing the Jews were anticipating a king (Messiah), they followed the star to Jerusalem, since where else would a kingly infant be but in the royal palace? Soon, though, they learned they were nine miles off the mark, the intended destination being Bethlehem. This mix-up alerted the tyrant King, Herod, to his potential competition. He was troubled; their arrival makes it clear that this infant had already attracted foreign dignitaries with cosmic signs. Who knew what else might happen to impact his reign? Unfortunately, a troubled King Herod was a dangerous King Herod.
Lately, I’ve wondered if the Magi were being too logical, and that’s why they ended up in Jerusalem at the palace of Herod. If they had set aside what seemed to make sense, and kept their eyes on the star, would they have gone directly to Bethlehem? Had that been the case, it would have prevented a great deal of pain and suffering. When Herod realized he had been duped by the Magi, who did not return to report Jesus’ location, he ordered the murder of boys, age two and under, in and round Bethlehem in the hope that one of them was the king whom the Magi sought. This necessitated Mary, Joseph and Jesus fleeing to Egypt where they were refugees until Herod died and it was safe to return.
I think that nine miles between Jerusalem and Bethlehem represents the very human desire to do what makes sense or seems easiest rather than that which is the direction God is leading. And, yet, God’s way is, in the end, the best direction even if it doesn’t make sense or is not logical. The Magi got close to finding Jesus, but they let their own ideas lead them rather than keeping their eyes on the star and their hearts open to the Spirit’s guidance.
Last Sunday I mentioned the concept of Holy Spirit Moments in my sermon. At the 10:30 a.m. service we sat around tables and, after I spoke of Jesus’ and his mother Mary’s Holy Spirit Moments in the temple in Jerusalem when he was only 12 years old, Melissa Johnson shared a Holy Spirit Moment she had experienced. Then, the worshippers were encouraged to share their Holy Spirit moments with one another. Often the theme of this sharing was how the Holy Spirit directed people in ways that either didn’t make sense or they would not have chosen or were unexpected.
The story I told at my table was Parts 1 and 2 of the story of my call to be a pastor (it has multiple chapters). The first one is short, at the age of 16 or so I felt as if God was directing me toward being a pastor; my response was to think that either I was crazy or God was crazy. End of Part 1. So, fast forward about 4 years, times of difficulty, stress and loss. It was winter break of my sophomore year of college and I was on a ski trip which qualified as a interim class. (If you’ve heard this story before, I apologize … at least it’s short … and I won’t tell parts 3 and 4 of the saga today.)
Anyway, as a part of the class, a ski instructor who also was a Lutheran pastor had us ski blindfolded, downhill, directed by his voice. It was, of course, a trust exercise. I was a fairly good skier at that point, having grown up just four hours from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and having gone skiing for multiple days at least once a year. BUT, skiing blindfolded was an altogether different proposition, and I was really afraid.
Yet, as I cautiously headed down the mountain, I had a strong sense not only of Jesus being with me, but of having his cloak brush against my hand and receiving a promise of eternal guidance. Somehow I knew that this was a message not just for that challenging ski run, but for life, and specifically for the question of whether or not I would be a pastor one day. It was a Holy Spirit Moment; neither the blindfolded skiing nor my becoming a pastor made sense, nor were they things I would have chosen or expected to happen, but it was the direction God was leading.
None of us can perfectly respond to or understand God’s leading; maybe that’s why Holy Spirit Moments are often a surprise or only understood in hindsight. When the world’s imperfection gets in the way, God is a guiding presence.
Look again at today’s Gospel reading. It was by logic that the Magi ended up at Herod’s palace in Jerusalem, asking the question, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?” of the current King who was a terrible combination of insecure and jealous.
Some would say that the Magi needed to go there, to learn from the religious leaders where the Messiah was to be born, but that seems unlikely given Herod’s response. Even after they knew Bethlehem was the likely place of the child’s birth, the star was still in the sky to guide them to the very house where Mary and Jesus were found. And, God was guiding them in another way unexpected way.
Had it not been for a dream, which they took seriously, they would have returned to Herod who would have sought out his rival. Instead, the Magi went home by another way, giving the Holy Family time to flee to Egypt. You’ll notice, of course, that the end of the story is not perfect, given Herod’s murderous actions. This is a prime example of imperfect people in an imperfect world misusing freewill to make treacherous choices. Herod certainly was not being guided by God, but thankfully, other people in the story were listening more closely. They experienced Holy Spirit moments.
So, let me say again, none of us can perfectly respond to or understand God’s leading; maybe that’s why Holy Spirit Moments are often a surprise or only understood in hindsight. But never forget that when the world’s imperfection gets in the way (as was the case this week in New Orleans) God is a guiding, comforting presence. We simply need to be willing to be led … sometimes for our own sakes and often for the sake of others. AMEN