How many of you love Christmas?
How about new years? Maybe we should do a countdown, my girls really love to do this. 10, 9, 8..... happy new year For many people New Years is it. Watch a little football and Christmas is over. But in other cultures the story and the celebration of Christmas are considered incomplete without the full festivities to remember the day when the Magi arrived from the East to meet Jesus. Matthew's story is read in celebrations around the world. It's read widely on Epiphany.
In Latin America it is la Día de los Tres Reyes Magos.
In Eastern Europe it is a day for gift giving.
In North America churches and recent immigrants hold on to Epiphany as a day for celebration. Wal-mart and K-Mart and other national chains market to Hispanics and others who celebrate the arrival of the Magi.
The story has taken on a life of its own in each culture. But in our culture it doesn't seem to get very much attention beyond the church; that's all right because it gives us a real chance to get through the commercial baggage and celebrate the birth of the King.
Lets look at this story and see how it has taken on a life of its own beyond scripture. Look on at Matthew 2:1. How many Magi μάγοι came from the East following a star to visit the new born king of the Jews. Matthew doesn't say three he just says that astronomers came from the east. As a kid maybe you heard that they were named Caspar, Balthazar, and Melchior. Matthew doesn't say anything about names but imaginations run fast with a story that's this good to tell.
The plot twists; their first stop in Judah wasn't to see Jesus. They met first with king Herod the man who had the title, king of the Jews. They came bearing gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh, χρυσὸν καὶ λίβανον καὶ σμύρναν, to offer the new king of the Jews. Only after meeting Herod and agreeing to return and tell him about the one they found did they head on to meet the future king. Matthew says they fell down and worshiped him, πεσόντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῳ̂.
Herod wanted the visitors from the East to come back and tell him when and more importantly where they met this would be king of the Jews. He said he wanted to go and worship. No he didn't Herod didn't want to bow down to Jesus or anyone. Herod wanted to eliminate this infant threat to his power. The Romans had granted him, Herod, the title King of the Jews and no one would take it from him. Herod was ready to cut off this threat to his reigh at the root. A angel came in a dream to the Magi telling them to stay away from Herod. They headed back in a different direction staying away from Herod. Joseph learned in a dream that he and his family were to leave Bethlehem to protect Jesus from Herod's wrath.
Artists have imagined the different scenes in the Christmas story for years. Matthew doesn't say the race, nationality, creed or even the number of those who came to meet Jesus and family. He says that they were Magi from the east who followed a star and he tells us what they brought. The possibilities for what we do with the rest of this story are wide open. Each of us can easily interpret this story and provide our answer to the question: Who would come to bow down and worship this child?
Elephant and an African
Horse and a European
Camel and an Asian
The whole world was represented by these kings who came to worship. But who else will come and worship this child born to be king.
This question is part of what drives me to be a pastor today. Many of you know that we have a real challenge is the church today; that's sharing Jesus story with an increasingly complex post-Christendom culture. In Christendom everyone was assumed to be part of the church. Everyone was assumed to know the basic story about who Jesus was and what it means to follow him. Years ago it was assumed that everyone had church family and that everyone, especially in a place like Minnesota that is so dominated by Lutherans and Catholics, had a church and a connection to Jesus.
We are engaged in a marketplace of ideas like never before
Our 7th grader class, every year that I have been here as a pastor, have included many who come sent by parents for confirmation not even knowing the Lord's Prayer. Sometimes as many as 2 in 3 start out having attended church less than monthly.
Our 8th graders, just this past week, invited 2 of their classmates who came to our Wednesday night worship service curious if they could come and be part of our church. If you've ever wondered how to be engaged in the post-Christendom world just look at our 7th and 8th graders because they are living in it every single day. Jesus came to be light and we are sent to carry that light just as they are doing into the world as it is.
Herod feared this infant. Those who love power more than other people always fear Jesus. In the story we find ourselves and others from different cultures worshiping the same God revealed in Jesus. Danger and darkness are real. Herod was ready to unleash death; but Jesus came to bring light and life. And this is our moment as church to share the light and life that he has brought to each of us.
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