Following the Wise Men

Adoration of the Magi by Jocopo and Francesco Bassano

Here is my sermon from this morning Dec 30, 2012

slides for sermon available here

Following the Wise Men

[slide 1]

Preparing a sermon is a strange and wondrous journey. This one has been particularly interesting because the story is so familiar and yet I had never really studied it before. So let’s look together at the text – found in Matthew 2 (this story only appears in Matthew’s gospel) – the first 12 verses

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Let’s pray……

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are Yours.
You change times and seasons; You depose kings and raise up others.
You give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
You reveal deep and hidden things; You know what lies in darkness,
    and light dwells with You.  I thank and praise You, God of my ancestors:
    Please give us wisdom and power and reveal Your Word to us today.

This prayer is based on the one Daniel prayed when he was up against the magi of his time – the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers that could not understand the dream of the king. As we look at the story of the Magi who visited Jesus, we see a turnabout of events. In the Daniel story, the magi were the ones excluded from the revelation and now as we look at this familiar story; we see the complete opposite phenomenon: the people of the Book – the scribes – were not the ones with the inside scoop but instead God reveals Himself to these outsiders (something He has been doing all along).  As I studied this familiar story, I found so many theories about the star – a convergence of planets, a super nova, a comet, an angel? So many descriptions of the Magi –, Indian, Arabic, Persian, descendants of Seth, there were 3, no 12, they were many in number, Zoroastrian, kings, astronomers, astrologers? It is amazing how many stories have come from these 12 verses in Matthew. If we were to explore them all we could be here a long time. And yet, no matter how deeply we search, much of it will still remain hidden. This mystery was a gift to me, because I stopped trying to figure out the details of the story and started looking at what God was trying to tell me through it. The result was 3 questions.

The first question is: What are you looking for?

[slide 2]

The Magi didn’t happen by the sign of the star by chance. They were studiers of the night sky – experts who looked at the stars probably every night – trying to interpret the signs: the movement of the planets, the shooting stars, the phases of the moon.  So, I am not an astronomer, and I don’t think that this story is telling us to look for signs in the sky – but where do we look for revelation from God? What should we be studying intently?

In the bible, we find the answer to these questions: Joshua 1:8 says, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” And Psalm 1 says “Blessed (happy and enviable) is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water…”
 

Astronomy magazine has a sky-studying guide for new astronomers. I found their advice could also be applied to studying God’s Word.  You will find these in your Rev Rag – and they are mostly self-explanatory but I want to explore a few with you.

[slide 3]1. Get to know the sky in a general sense – find a central point and go from there. In the Northern hemisphere, the North Star can orient you to find all the other constellations you are looking for. In the south, it is the Pole star. [slide 4] What is your orienting point in studying the scriptures? God’s love? Justice? Caring for the poor? Holiness? These can give you a starting point to study God’s Word.

[slide 5]2. Immerse yourself in the subject – not just a cursory glance but a deep and purposeful study. The Magi were able to see the star because they were experts – they observed subtle differences, convergences. This is the same with God’s word – it is living and active. You could study the same passage every day and see new things each time. Jesus describes it this way “bringing out of the storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

[slide 6]3. Pick your observing site carefully – if you want to see the moon or the North Star, you can probably just look out of your window. If you want to see the Milky Way, you need to be somewhere away from the light pollution of the city. [slide 7]When we study God’s Word, sometimes we need to get rid of the distractions before we can really see what He is trying to reveal.

[slide 8] 4. Comfort is everything

[slide 9] 5. Keep a log

[slide 10] 6. Become a social astronomer

[slide 11] 7. Observe everything! – not only does God reveal Himself to us in His word – but in nature, in others, in books, in everything – if we are looking.

[slide 12]This leads us to the second question: How far would you go?

Now, with all the theories about where they came from, it is hard to say exactly how far the Magi traveled, but it is safe to say that they covered a considerable distance on their journey – probably well over 500 miles. The Scribes, on the other hand, did not bother to go from Jerusalem to Bethlehem – it was only 5 miles. Imagine an event of amazing significance – it is hard to do in our celebrity saturated culture – but imagine that all of your favorite bands or all of your favorite speakers or great leaders of the world are all converging in Joliet, IL. A group of royalty from Saudi Arabia comes all the way over here with all of their attendants and security guards and motorcades (all of Chicago is being disturbed) and asks you “where is that big event happening? – we heard it was today!” You calmly consult your calendar and answer, “It’s over in Joliet. I’ll print you out a google map.” I think they would be amazed that you weren’t grabbing your coat, dropping your plans and coming along. [slide 13] Soren Kirekegaard says it this way, “Although the scribes could explain where the Messiah should be born, they remained quite unperturbed in Jerusalem. They did not accompany the Wise Men to seek him. //  Similarly we may know the whole of Christianity, yet make no movement. The power that moved heaven and earth leaves us completely unmoved.”

In my research for this sermon, I came across a beautiful poem written by the 13^th century Muslim mystic, Rumi. An unlikely source, but that’s where God always seems to be turning up. [slide 14]

Gamble everything for love
if you are a true human being.
If not, leave this gathering.

Half-heartedness doesn't reach into majesty.
You set out to find God,
but then you keep stopping for long periods

at mean-spirited roadhouses.

Surely we don’t know what we could have? Or we would stop at nothing to have it. Think about all the things we go out of our way to get. The things that occupy our time and our efforts. We set out to find God and stop at the roadhouse of pleasure or the comfort hotel, the looking-out-for-number-1 truck stop or the apathy rest area. God came all the way into our world – made Himself nothing to be with us.
The ultimate romance story of a king disguising himself as a pauper to win the love of the peasant girl.
[slide 15] Frederick Buechner describes it this way “The Word become flesh. Ultimate Mystery born with a skull you could crush one-handed. Incarnation. It is not tame. It is not touching. It is not beautiful. It is uninhabitable terror. It is unthinkable darkness riven with unbearable light.”
Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
 “Half-heartedness doesn't reach into majesty.” God wants our whole hearts.
[slide 16] Which leads to the third and last question: What gifts will you bring?

Another unlikely place to find inspiration was from Brendan Francis Behan, an Irish novelist and playwright. [slide 17] He has this to say about gifts: “If you have a talent, use it in every which way possible. Don’t hoard it. Don’t dole it out like a miser. Spend it lavishly like a millionaire intent on going broke.”

Whenever I think of gifts I think of the song the “Little Drummer Boy”. Wherever I am when this song is playing – I cry. No matter who is singing it: David Bowie & Bing Crosby, Bob Dylan, the Glee cast, ABBA, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, well maybe not ABBA.  What is it about this song? Such a simple message and such a good reminder:

[slide 18] Our finest gifts we bring to lay before the King so to honor Him, when we come.

I am a poor boy too. I have no gift to bring that's fit to give a King. Shall I play for Him on my drum? I played my drum for Him – I played my best for Him on my drum.

This is exactly how God wants us to come to Him. He knows our need, to our weakness He is no stranger. In all our trials, born to be our Friend. Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

[slide 19]
The King of the Universe is here.

Are you looking for Him?

How far would you go ?

What gifts will you bring?

Let us pray…..

God of the Universe, guide us as we look intently for You in Your Word, in each other and in our own hearts. Help us to go farther than we think possible in our pursuit of You, in our service to others and in living lives pleasing to You. Help us to bring You gifts that honor Your majesty, worship Your presence and proclaim Your death until You come again. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen

[slide 20]

Benediction:

Since we have the word of God undeniably revealed to us  - give that word your closest attention, for it shines like a lamp amidst all the dirt and darkness of the world. And it will continue to shine until the day dawns, and the morning star rises in our hearts.