Matthew 2:1-12
Introduction
One of the great missionaries of that last century, E. Stanley Jones said, “The Christian faith is not a set of propositions to be accepted — it is a Person to be sought and followed.” I’ll say that again… “The Christian faith is not a set of propositions to be accepted— it is a Person to be sought and followed.”
Now I can’t be certain of course, but I have to wonder, when Jones made this statement, if he had just read Matthew 2:1-12.
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This familiar and beloved story of Christmas is richly layered with tradition, wonder, majesty, and seasonal sentiments. But still woven within this story are layers of atrocity and warning.
And then still, there are layers of visions that show us, undeniably, a faithful path forward—and that sometimes the faithful path forward means going a different way.
Move 1
I know I am a few days late with this text—the Christmas season having just ended on Thursday. But while I may lack perfect “liturgical succinctness” I am still liturgical.
And it’s ok to be a little late because we all love this story… even if much of what we love, and much of what we think we know about this story, comes only from how culture has shaped the story, and not so much what actually was.
Yep, you guessed it. This is the part where I once again ruin the beloved Christmas hymn, “We Three Kings.” I have done it before, and I am not afraid to do it again.
We don’t know how many wise men there were. Church tradition says three, but that’s because of verse eleven, which says: “… they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” It doesn’t say: “A gift of gold was opened, then a gift of incense, and finally a gift of myrrh.” So maybe there were five kings with gold, two with incense, and twenty-seven with myrrh.
We don’t know how many Magi there were. And we don’t know if they were kings, or scholars or astronomers, or astrologers. But though we don’t know exactly how many…we do know how they came, and how they went.
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And since I am ruining beloved Christmas songs, I might as well spoil another and tell you nowhere in any of the Gospels is there a “Little Drummer Boy”.
Move 2
So what do we know for certain about these Magi?
We know they came from a great distance—“Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.” This expression “from the East” means outside of Palestine, way beyond the borders of known travel. “From the East” also means “beyond the arena of God’s truth, beyond the boundaries of God’s people, beyond the Promised Land where people had no idea who God was.”
The Magi were spiritually hungry seekers, searching the stars night after night in hopes of finding answers, in hopes of finding a truth— a truth worth living for. Meaning, the Magi were gentiles, pagans without religious affiliation. And so their long journey gives testimony to who Jesus was: “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to the people Israel.”
And then we can add in, because of the gifts they brought, and because they traveled a long distance—it was likely a huge caravan of servants and camels carrying all the needed supplies—a huge caravan that would have caught a lot of attention. Certainly everyone in Jerusalem knew of their arrival.
Which meant, of course, good ole’ King Herod knew of their arrival too.
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These Magi, these hungry seekers of this profound revelation, entered Jerusalem and ask, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star and have come to worship him.” Even asking this of Herod himself—unaware of what kind of person Herod was.
Which becomes a testimony to the size of their entourage, and the influence Herod must have perceived them to have, because Herod didn’t have them immediately arrested and put to death. Because here’s the thing… we know Herod was a bad guy…but we not might realize just how bad he was. Herod was an egomaniac and a sociopath. He lived a lavish lifestyle and bankrupted Judea with his extravagant building projects. He built shrines to idols and all sorts of gods, not because he believed in them, but rather “just in case” there was favor to be gained. He lived in constant fear of a coupe, which influenced murderous impulses—including toward a wife, sons, and even his mother-in-law. Herod was the declared King of the Jews and expected any worship being offered to the King of the Jews, be offered to him.
All of this is when the Magi don’t return with the information he asked for, Herod began hunting the new born King with reckless and murderous abandon— killing all of the male babies in Bethlehem under the age of two.
Like the Magi who were hungry seekers searching for a truth worth living for, Herod too was a hungry seeker—seeking to stay king. And Herod knew no other way to remain king than by doing so with violence and atrocity.
Move 3
When Herod meets with and then sends these Magi to Bethlehem saying, “Go and search diligently for the child. As soon as you find him, come and tell me where he is so I too may go and worship him” it all becomes an important convergence and divergent that takes place.
Both parties were brought together because both were seeking the exact same thing. Herod of course wasn’t going to worship the newborn King. He wasn’t interested in finding a Savior. Herod was only interesting in eliminating his rival. But the Magi, they were searching—faithfully.
Searching for something that was beyond themselves, something they knew was worth the long journey, worth the costs, worth the risks because they knew this event that was happening— this birth— would change everything.
And the search continued, until finally the Magi found what they were looking for. They found the truth, that for their entire lives, had been absent. And because they had… everything was now different… everything was changed. And what was now most different, and now most changed, was themselves. They got it. And because they got it, God warned them in a dream to avoid Herod—who didn’t get it—and to go home a different way.
Herod sought to destroy his rival. But the Magi were seeking something beyond themselves. And because they were, they did go home a different way. A way that kept a safe distance from Herod, but also a different way because they were leaving as different people from when they arrived.
Move 4
For all of the awful things we can say about King Herod, he offers a great piece of advice for us. He says, “Go and search diligently for the child.” He says this to lifelong seekers on a journey to find the truth. But he could just as easily be saying it to you and me. “Go and search diligently for the child.” Because once you find the child, everything changes. Once you search diligently, find, and then permit the new born King to rule in your heart, to lead you in the path of life…you will undoubtedly be going a different way. The Magi returned home by another way to avoid Herod. But it is symbolic of what meeting Jesus does.
Jesus sends you home different. You go through life in a completely different way. By meeting Jesus, experiencing his glory and power and learning he is going to be the Savior of the world, then there is no other option than going a different way. You are a different person because you met Jesus. You are forever changed because you met Jesus.
Conclusion
I haven’t said anything any of you don’t already know. This story… this message…this truth of meeting Jesus and going a different way—all of it we know. So why read this story again? Why share this message again? Why hold up this truth again?
We hear it all again because we are today’s Magi. And we need to realize this, and embrace its truth. We have been journeying through Advent and Christmas, being led by the Light of the World, to once again receive the gift of Jesus. And because we have, we can’t just box up the tree and ornaments and decorations, and be “through with the holidays.” We can’t just go back. We have to go forward a different way. This is true for us as individuals, but it is especially true for us as a church in 2023. And we are going to get deeper into why this is true for us as a church in 2023 next week.
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- Stanley Jones said, “The Christian faith is not a set of propositions to be accepted — it is a Person to be sought and followed.”
The Magi sought and followed. And by doing so, they had an encounter with the Divine that would have them going a different way—a way that changed them forever. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer 1-8-23
Holy God, weeks ago it was Thanksgiving. The next day we unpacked the holly, the mistletoe, the nativity. And now, if we haven’t already, we’ll repack the baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the stable, the animals, and all the other decorations, and put them all away for another year. We’ve gone back to work. Christmas is over.
But that is not what you would have from us. You would not have us just let it end. You want Christmas to continue, on and on, in us, through us, so the light of Christmas shines on; so the hope, peace, joy, and love of Christmas continues. That is what we want too, so we pray you would bless us again with your grace that we might continue to carry Christmas, not just for a season, not just for twelve days, but all year long. For truly, your son came to be with us, not for a few weeks, but for our entire lives.
Gracious and loving God, as we begin a new year, as individual and especially as a church, help us to discern what calls us and what moves us. Open our eyes to see the needs of our community; open our ears to hear your call, and open our hearts to be filled by the Holy Spirit.
Grant us the courage to use the gifts and talents you have blessed us with to do the work you would have us do. Continue to build this community of faith, strengthening our bonds with one another and with you. Help us to support and encourage one another in our common ministry that is to share the Good News of your Son.
Do that in us and through us, and we are certain this New Year, and the different ways you would have us go, will be a blessing to us and to others.
May you listen now, Holy God, to the prayers of our hearts, offered now, in this time of holy silence.
All this we pray for in the name of the light of the world, Immanuel, the prince of peace, Christ Jesus, the Messiah, who taught us to pray saying, “Our…”