Epiphany – Sermon 6 January, 2013

Epiphany

Matthew 2:1-12 Ephesians 3:1-13

On Christmas Eve we looked at the four lessons that the Magi teach us as they follow a star to meet and worship the new King. We said that these Magi/Wise men began a long trip to Israel simply because particular star was in the sky. They travelled several months to meet the Christ child in person. Their story teaches us four lessons:

1. God makes every effort to reach every person who is far away from Him. God used the star to reach pagan Gentile astrologers in order to bring them to Christ.

2. God wants us to diligently seek Him. The magi with only partial information about the Messiah set off on a journey of faith to find the Christ, the King of the Jews, a journey which is estimated to be 1200 kilometres. It may have taken them 3 months perhaps even longer to get to Bethlehem. The journey cost them time, money, and it cost them their precious gifts.

3. God wants us to worship Christ. The wise men offered valuable gifts; once they reached Jesus they worshiped Him just like the shepherds who visited Jesus and worshiped by singing praises to God.

4. We need to continue to be open to God’s Spirit. The wise men obeyed God’s direction by not returning to Herod. The journey to the Christ and their reward of faith had taught them to remain open to God’s leading.

They knew the prophecies and saw the signs. They did not travel kilometres just to meet a new king and bring a gift in hope of favour with the new leader. They came in search of the king of the Jews in order to Worship him. They did not bring the typical gifts a new baby would receive or even the typical gifts one king might bring to another. They brought to Jesus Gold the gift of kings, Frankincense the gift of the High Priest, and Myrrh the gift for those about to die to honour the sacrifice that the Magi saw.

Remember these Non-Christian, Non-Believers had their EPIPHANY and saw that this was not only a king of the Jews but of the Gentiles as well. This is what January 6th celebrates by the Sunday of Epiphany.

According to the Webster’s Dictionary Epiphany is a church festival observed in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ. An appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being and a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something; an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking; and an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure.

Hence Epiphany or Theophany meaning “vision of God” is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ.

Western Christians commemorate principally the visitation of the Magi to the Baby Jesus, and thus Jesus’ physical manifestation to the Gentiles. Eastern Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, seen as his manifestation to the world as the Son of God.

According to the Gospels when Jesus was baptised He was clearly presented to be the Son of God. As the heaven opened, the Spirit descended on him like a dove and a voice came from heaven saying: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased”.

The Magi were wise men who brought gifts to the Baby Jesus in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones. They were willing to sacrifice their safety, time, money, and honour to worship The King.

The Magi were interested in religious findings: and they were searching for what they knew according to prophecy was not just the King to the Jews.

They were Gentiles and more than likely they didn’t fully understand what was happening, but where eagerly searching. They were searching for the One.

They were some of the most educated men of their time but this does not mean they fully understood what they were looking for. They followed the signs to what they hoped would fulfil the prophecies they had read.

They followed their hearts and they allowed themselves to be guided and lead.

They were diligent in their search: They refused to stop and even did the unthinkable and they asked directions and gathered their things and then left.

When they found him they worshiped. Matthew 2:11 says they found the house where the child was and bowed down and worshipped Him.

The question we should ask today is: Have we had our EPIPHANY moment?

Have we found Jesus? Have we sacrificed? Have we worshipped?

The next question is, are we ready to help others find their Epiphany moment?

Jesus was reviled to the world and to all people. Though he was born King of the Jews.

He’s the King of us all.

We are all seeking. How hard we choose to seek and what we choose to do when we find Him, is up to us.

If we have found him then part of the gift is to pass the gift on to others.

A very good example is Paul himself. Paul was in prison when he wrote the letter to the church in Ephesus. He regarded himself to be “the prisoner of Christ”. When he speaks in these terms it makes him think of the universal love of God and of his part in bringing that love to the Gentiles. The love and mercy and grace of God were meant not for the Jews alone but for all mankind.

When Paul had met Christ on the Damascus road there had come to him a sudden flash of revelation. It was to the Gentiles that God had sent him “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:18).

This was completely new discovery. The Jews despised the Gentiles as worthless in the sight of God. Therefore it was incredible that the grace and the glory of God were for the Gentiles. No one had ever dreamed that God’s privileges were for all people.

Paul regarded himself as the recipient of a new revelation and he thought of God having revealed it to him. He saw his task as that of being a channel of God’s grace to men. It is one of the great facts of the Christian life that we have been given the precious things of Christianity in order to share them with others. It is one of the great warnings of the Christian life that if we keep them to ourselves we lose them. Sharing this with others is a privilege which we should be glad to accept humbly. Paul was not proud with this privilege, but on the contrary he saw himself less than the least of God’s people.

The tragic fact is that there are so many who are more concerned with their own prestige than with the prestige of Jesus Christ.

Therefore the lesson is clear:

God has manifested Himself to the Magi many years ago and now manifests Himself to the church today as a gift and it is a privilege to be taken seriously and in our turn pass it on to others.

The Light has come to us; God has revealed Himself to us. Now it is our turn to reveal Him to others.

Krikor Youmshajekian