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Creekside Church
Sermon of January
6, 2008
"When
God Brings Out Our Best"
Matthew
2:1-12
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Rev.
David Bibbee
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On
Epiphany Sunday the wise men are the focus of attention, and when
we think of them, we see what is not there. Matthew does not say there
were three wise men, just "wise men." Maybe there were three,
or thirteen-we don't know. They did not go to the manger. They did
not hear choirs of angels. They did not meet the shepherds running
to or from Bethlehem. Matthew does not say they rode camels. We do
not know where they were from-only the direction-from the East, perhaps
Persia. We do not know how long it took them to get to Bethlehem.
We can conjecture that if they had ridden on dromedaries, the months
of bobbing and swaying probably made them camel sick.
Someone suggested
that things would have been different if the wise men had been wise
women. They would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped
deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, brought
"practical gifts" and there would be peace on earth.
For our purposes
we'll assume they were men. They may have been wise men but
it is more accurate to call them, magi. They were probably magicians,
astrologers, sooth-sayers, fortune tellers, or perhaps a mix all
of the above.
Our picture
of the magi has more to do with legend and Christmas card pictures
than scripture. But despite the insertions and the mixing of Matthew
and Luke's very different versions of Christmas, the magi's journey
draws attention to our journey to Jesus and what happens (or doesn't
happen) as a result.
The magi scanned
the stars for signs. "When the moon is in the seventh house
and Jupiter aligns with Mars, buy groceries in bulk." A major
celestial sign meant something great was about to happen on earth.
A new star appeared on the horizon-bigger and brighter than any
they had ever seen. They had been looking for a reason to leave
town, and this was it. They packed provisions; their astrological
charts, some strange expensive gifts, and began their long journey.
They were looking for a king, and Jerusalem was the logical place
to find one.
When they arrived
they asked, "Where's the new king? We've seen his star and
have come to worship him." There is no quicker way to get a
king's attention than to tell him another king has appeared. "A
new king? Who? Where?" That's what Herod wanted to know.
When relating
a Biblical story to children who hear it for the first time, interesting
connections are drawn. For example, a Sunday school teacher said
to her class, "We've been learning how powerful kings and queens
were in Bible times. But there is a higher power. Can anyone tell
me what it is?" A boy's hand shot up and he exclaimed, "Aces!"
Herod wasn't
a real king -- he was a prop put on the throne by Rome to help keep
an eye on their Jewish subjects. In his own mind he was a king,
although a paranoid one. Matthew says Herod was "troubled"
and all of Jerusalem with him. He summoned the chief priests and
the Old Testament scholars to find out where the trouble was brewing.
"Its nothing to get worked up about," they told him, "Just
an ancient, obscure reference in Micah that the Messiah would be
born in Bethlehem." Next, Herod brought in the head of Homeland
Security and ordered the security alert raised to level orange.
The magi were
summoned to Herod. All it took was one look at him to know he wasn't
the king they were after. "Go search for the child," he
told them. "When you find him, come back and let me know where
he is so I can worship him, too." The magi were wise enough
to know that a king never bows down to another king. "Of course
we'll let you know. We don't want to keep something this good to
ourselves." This was what they said, but only because Herod
gave them the creeps, and they wanted to get away from him.
The magi went
on their way following the star until it led them to the One who
inspired their journey. By the time they arrived, Jesus was no longer
a baby nor was he in a manger. Matthew says he was a child
living with his family in a house. When they saw him they
were filled with joy. The offered their gifts, were warned in a
dream not to return to Herod, and went back home another way.
This story presents
two responses to Jesus' birth. One full of joy. One full of fear.
One inspired a journey. One beat a retreat. One said, "New
and wonderful things are possible." One said, "Clutch
what you've got because it is all there is." One led to bowed
heads and bent knees. One led to a desperate attempt to hold on
to power. One led to life. One led to death. One brought out the
best. One brought out the worst.
The magi were
open to realities they knew nothing about, save for the longing
they had for something greater than could be absorbed with their
senses. They were not going to let any obstacles deter them, whether
it was leaving home and livelihood, or a trip of a few thousand
miles on camel back.
Some people
love to travel. I know a family that doesn't plan vacations. They
load their van, pick a direction and go. They don't have a specific
destination in mind. Their goal is to enjoy the journey as it unfolds
with all its surprises, unknowns and risks.
My parents were
not travelers. Adventure to them meant a day trip to see a relative
and eat at a restaurant. Visiting their son in Indiana was an "expedition"
for which they packed way too many clothes and brought food in case
they might not have enough to eat. They never took a big trip on
their own. They wouldn't know where to go or where to stay or what
to do once they arrived. Besides, my Dad couldn't sleep in strange
beds. My parents were content with comfort and routine. If you took
a trip, you could never tell what might go wrong.
The magi didn't
just set out to see something. They went because whatever was at
the end of their quest, it meant they were going to "be"
something. Following a star to find a Savior was the start of a
life-long journey. Matthew says they went home another way-it wasn't
just an alternate route to get around Herod. Going home another
way implies returning as different men. There were risks, but the
reward was worth it. They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy, and
their joy led them on another journey inspired by the One they had
worshiped.
Jesus' birth
inspired joy. But it also produced fear. Everything was about to
change. A series of events were taking place that would change people's
understanding of the power of God and the power of humanity. Herod
was already a ruthless man who had ordered the murder of his close
friends, his wife, and three of his sons. There was a saying that
it was better to be Herod's pig than his son because a barnyard
pig had a better chance at survival.
The fear created
by the news of Jesus' birth pushed Herod deeper into depravity.
The magi told him the star had appeared. Herod did the math and
ordered the slaughter of the innocents. In Bethlehem every male
child two years old and under was killed.
Fear is the
root of violence. Instilling fear in people's hearts is the goal
of terrorism. The wars waged across the face of the globe are about
the fear of losing power, privilege and national interests.
Let's put it
on a personal level. Jesus told us not to be anxious about things
like food and clothing and the future. But we are surrounded by
a culture predicated on fear of not having enough -- not enough
friends, not enough respect, not enough love, money, sex appeal,
recognition, security, or enough for retirement. Every time you
turn on the TV or radio or open a magazine you are told you are
no good, ugly, worthless, a nobody. Fear drives our consumer economy.
Fear underlies eating disorders, cosmetic surgery, makeovers and
the quest for the perfect body.
Fear never brings
out our best. So then… what has Jesus' birth inspired in you?
Greater belief? I hope not. Believing in Jesus isn't the issue.
Following him is. Belief apart from obedience doesn't mean a thing.
What has Jesus'
birth inspired in you? The attitude that you have arrived and are
spiritually where you want to be? I hope not. Spiritual stagnation
and death is the result of an "attitude of arrival." Sunday
morning in church is not our destination. Worship is a launching
pad to thrust us forward into a life-long journey of faith.
Life lived in
fear will get you nowhere. Fear cannot be the motivation for being
a Christian. Jesus was born to show us God's perfect love, and the
Bible says perfect love casts out all fear.
What has Jesus'
birth inspired in you? In a way, every Sunday is a small-scale journey
of the magi. We have seen or heard something, or maybe have known
an "unsettledness" that draws us to church and bow down
to worship Jesus. We offer our gifts for his priceless gift, and
we experience the joy that inspires us to follow Jesus through the
journey of life and beyond.
Jayber Crowe
is the central character of a novel by Wendell Berry. Jayber recalls
the day in seminary when he said to his New Testament Greek professor,
old Dr. Ardmire, "I've got lots of questions."
"Perhaps you would like to say what they are, replies the professor.
Jayber has a whole list of questions, and as he asks them he fears
that Dr. Ardmire will act like the other professors and dismiss
his questions. But Dr. Ardmire listens attentively, and after letting
Jayber go on for quite a time he says, "You have been given
questions to which you cannot be given answers. You will have to
live them out-perhaps a little at a time."
"And
how long is that going to take?" Jayber asks. "I don't
know. Perhaps as long as you live." "That could take
a long time," Jayber complains. "I will tell you a
further mystery," Dr. Ardmire says. "It may take longer."
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