Sermon synopsis for January 6, 2008

“Heavenly Lights” Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-23

Today is Kings Day (Epiphany). The three kings are known as the most famous trio to attend a baby shower. They brought expensive gifts too.

Do know what would have happened if they had been three wise WOMEN instead of men?
They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought disposable diapers (practical items) as gifts!

I asked the children how the wise men know where to look for Jesus?
Of course, it was the star.

The star reminds us …
… that God is in control of the universe.
… that God wants everyone to know about Jesus
… that God uses lights to be bring people to Jesus.

I reminded them that God wants us to be lights to bring people to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world.”
Ephesians 5:8: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”

WHO WERE THE WISE MEN?
The wise men weren’t really kings.
Magi, or Wise Men, were more interested in science, astronomy & astrology than in politics. They were: foreigners, pagans (not believers in God), wealthy and most likely backed by their government.

They appeared on the scene about 2 years after Jesus was born. Most likely they brought with them a large caravan of camels and equipment for a long journey. Most notably they brought troubling news to the Jewish government, specifically to Herod, King of the Jews.

THE PROPHET SAID THEY WOULD COME
About 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah had a message from God to God’s people.

It was a difficult time. Syria (King Rezin) and Israel (King Pekah) attacked Jerusalem, Capital of Judah. Judah entered into a pact with Assyria (King Tiglath-Pileser III), Israel was conquered, destroyed and the people deported to be assimilated into other lands. Judah was betrayed and became a vassal state of Assyria. Isaiah told king Hezekiah of Judah that trusting in Assyria rather than God wasn’t a good idea and that when Assyria was conquered (all powerful nations are eventually conquered by others), by Babylonia, Jerusalem would be conquered as well. A dismal message … because people trusted in political alliances and earthly kings rather than trusting in God.

Isaiah was a prophet of hope. When things looked their darkest, God gave him a message that God was going to do great things, and that the people shouldn’t give up hope.

In Isaiah’s time, foreigners were coming to conquer and destroy.
Isaiah sees a time when God will bring foreigners to bless and build.

Isaiah was speaking of the wise men, and more generally of all the gentiles (non Jews) who would come to Jesus.

THE STORY
Today’s story is found in Matthew chapter 2.

Members of the congregation helped bring the scripture passage alive. They acted out the different parts and interacted with each other.

There was the Holy Family (Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus) who had lived in Bethlehem for about 2 years. Joseph probably found odd jobs. Maybe they even thought about settling down there. They had presented Jesus at the Temple, which was only about 5 miles away.

There was the angel who spoke to Mary and Joseph on various occasions. In this story he told them to go to Egypt and then, a few years later, to go to Nazareth.

There were the Magi. They came bearing gifts. The looked for the recently born King of the Jews in the logical place – Jerusalem, in the palace of the king.

King Herod was getting along in years, probably worried about his legacy. And who would carry-on his policies. He’d built one of the largest and most impressive temples in the Roman Empire – the temple in Jerusalem, many times larger and much more impressive than the temple built when the Jews returned from Babylon. He used slave labor and high taxes to make Israel into one of the places to be in the Roman Empire. He moved a mountain just 2 miles south of Bethlehem to build it into a fortress that a place to retreat when he was under attach and also as his burial place. You could see Herodian, his fortress, from Bethlehem.

There were the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law. These were people firmly based in the Bible, who advised Herod correctly about the prophecy. They were also fiercely loyal to Herod; he had built them a wonderful temple and put an emphasis on religious things.

There were the citizens of Jerusalem. For the most part, they liked Herod and appreciated all the public works and improvements he brought to the city. Herod put their city on the map!

Of course, there is the Star of the story, … the star. It was some sort of natural phenomenon that pushed the wise men to seek for Jesus and eventually led them to Bethlehem.

WHAT DID WE LEARN

Even when it appears that things are going wrong …
God is in Control

Herod (King of God’s people – irony noted) wanted to manipulate history. When God wants to do something – nobody can stop it. Herod, who made a major remodeling of the Temple in Jerusalem, is the same one who ordered the slaughter of all the boy babies in the Bethlehem area.

The story calls us to be in tune with God …
In the story we find people who were …
In tune with God:
Mary / Joseph
Wise men
Herod’s Advisors

In the story we find people who were ...
Not in tune with God:
Herod (the one with the apparent power)

A QUESTION FOR US
How can we be people who are in tune with God?

1. By watching for God – God’s signs (natural and supernatural)

Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found.”

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

2. By listening for God – God’s message (angel = messenger / Herod’s advisors – the scripture)

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

3. By acting on what you have seen and heard.

James 1:22 “Be doers of the word, not hearers only.”

We transform from those who look for the lights and we become lights ourselves.
We become heavenly lights to those who need to find Jesus.