Grace
Lutheran Church, Racine, WI
January
4th, 2015
Epiphany
(Observed)
Matthew
2:1-12
Grace
and peace to you...
Today
we observe Epiphany, and read from Matthew's Gospel concerning the
visit of the Wise Men from the East.
Perhaps
a missionary emphasis is fitting here, not because before you is a
wise guy recently returned from the far east, but because the Wise
Men who visited the Christ child represent the inclusion of the
nations in God's plan of salvation through Jesus. Thus, this is
sometimes called the “Gentile Christmas”.
And
while pop culture blends this event in with the events of the
nativity in Bethlehem, we in the church recognize it as a separate
event – perhaps occurring even when Jesus was 2 years old. You've
probably seen the bumper sticker like I have, or maybe a Christmas
greeting card or sign bearing the message, “Wise Men Still Seek
Him”.
It's
a nice sentiment, if only it were true. For the wise men of old
couldn't take much credit for seeking him. And if you asked them,
they might not claim to be so wise. They come asking a question
because God had sent them a message, through a star. To truly
understand the visit of the wise men, we must acknowledge that God
brought them from their eastern contemplations to see the brighter
visions streaming afar.
Wise
men still seek him. You know it's not even true today, either. For
first of all, who is truly wise? Apart from God, no one. We are
fools, embroiled not in lofty and spiritual concerns, but in the day
to day worries and troubles of life as a sinner, living in a
sin-filled world. Sin is the ultimate foolishness, and you and I
have bought in to it for the full ride. “In the day you eat of it
you will die” “Sounds good to me!” said foolish Adam and Eve.
And their children, even you and I, follow in their foolish
footsteps.
Foolish
sinners like you and me have no interest in seeking a Savior, let
alone one that looks so unimpressive, clad in diapers, down and dirty
in the feed trough. Just as foolish sinners have little regard for a
bloody and suffering savior, dying on a cross, sweaty, humiliated,
helpless and hopeless, mocked by all. There's your God! There's
your savior! Can't even save himself! But the foolishness of God is
far greater than the wisdom of the world. And the weakness of God is
stronger than the strength of men. And the Savior God sends is far
better than any would-be, self-saving sinner. Humble and lowly as he
is, in birth, in life, in death. He's the only Savior we've got, and
the only one we fools need.
And
the wisdom of God is to call us to faith in Christ by the Gospel.
The wisdom of God is that the Holy Spirit brings you to Christ,
points you to Christ, buries you with Christ in baptism, and raises
you with Christ from the dead. The wisdom of God is that you can't
do it, you can't decide to have faith, or by your own reason or
strength come to him. But He does the saving, and we are the pure
recipients of his grace.
Something
for nothing, foolish as it may sound.
Wise
men still seek him? Wise men, by the standards of the world seek
anything but Christ. But wise men who live only by the wisdom
received from God? Now we're talking. We are wise unto salvation
only when we look away from ourselves and to Christ, who has done it
all. We are wise unto salvation when the Spirit brings us to repent,
again and again, and to believe in Christ for forgiveness. We are
wise unto salvation only when we become fools, fools for Christ,
whose foolishness conquers all.
The
Wise Men from the East came a long way to worship the infant king.
You and I travel only a short way down the road. But when God
brings us to himself through Christ, we all travel the infinite
distance from death to life. We go from enemies of God to friends,
even children.
The
Wise Men had to contend with enemies of God, especially Herod.
Weasely-wise Herod employed his worldly wisdom to lie and deceive,
for his own wicked ends. He was an enemy of Christ, and of the
Gospel, wanting no other king but himself.
And
you and I must also contend with enemies of the Gospel. Perhaps our
foes are not as cruel or slick as old Herod, but the ultimate enemy
is the same, the Old Evil Foe who seeks to work us woe. He seeks to
steal the Christ child from you, or you from your Savior. He seeks
to be the only king, but to make you think you are on the throne
instead of God. He lies and deceives, and would make you miserable
any way he can, if God would only let him.
Just
as the wise men could not have stood up to Herod on their own, but
were rescued by the Lord's design, so too is the Lord our only refuge
when Satan seeks to oppose us and the Gospel. We don't turn to
dreams and visions, but instead to the word of God, and the promises
of Christ himself.
And
then the gifts. The Wise Men brought gifts to the Christ child. But
this is not so much to buy his favor, or to bribe him for some
benefit. They bring him gifts to honor him who is born King. It is
a confession of their faith in the word they received concerning this
child.
So
too, with our gifts. We can bring nothing to Christ that isn't
already his. We can give nothing to Christ that he needs or lacks.
We can pay nothing to purchase his favor or mercy. Instead, we who
receive all good things through him – we bring our gifts in
grateful response. We bring our gifts to support the preaching of
his word, the administration of his gifts, and the expansion of his
kingdom of Grace. Not that he needs our gifts, any more than the
Christ child needed gold, frankincense or myrrh. But we do it in joy
and thanksgiving, to honor him who has first served us.
And
our gifts also serve as a confession of our faith that this child who
was born for us, this child who would grow to a man who died for us,
and rose from the dead for us, and lives and reigns to all eternity
for us – is our savior, even Christ the Lord.
The
highest worship isn't to bring him gifts of gold, frankincense or
myrrh. The highest worship isn't even to fall down before him. The
highest worship of Christ is to believe his word concerning himself.
This
day as we observe Epiphany, recall the wise men. Share in their
wisdom and worship the Christ, only by the grace of God who has
called us to such wisdom. So come from afar, bring your gifts, and
rely on the only one who can rescue you from the evil foe. For his
word is sure, and he will not fail to save.
In
Christ our Lord, Amen.
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