The Epiphany of Our Lord
Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12
In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Imagine the disappointment. Having waited ages for the Messiah, knowing the prophecy from Scripture that a star would signal His birth, having traveled a long distance, bringing their treasures, the star isn’t still shining in the sky, but they press on because they “have come to worship Him” (Matt. 2:2), and yet, when the Magi arrive in Jerusalem, the place where Kings are born in Judea, no one is celebrating. No one’s rejoicing. No one even knows about the star. No one knows about the Child. Everyone’s shocked to hear about a newborn King of the Jews, and not shocked in a good way. Because even after the Chief Priests and Scribes learn about this, after they discover from the Scriptures that the Christ Child is, at that very moment, in Bethlehem, just a short distance away, even then, they are unwilling to go. Not one person joins the Magi.
Imagine the confusion. We’re not told any specifics about the Magi’s confusion, but they must have questioned themselves. They must have been terribly baffled, thinking, “Maybe we got it wrong. Maybe it was just a star. Or maybe the prophecy of the star was supposed to be symbolic. Maybe the star is spiritual.” That’s what I’d think. They must have imagined themselves fools. Because not only does no one want to join them to find the Christ, but now the Scriptures are pointing the Magi to Bethlehem of all places.
That’s a nothing town. When the text says “you, O Bethlehem… are by no means least among the rulers of Judah” (Matt. 2:6), it says that because they are the least. Of all the towns, the least is Bethlehem. It’s the most unlikely. There are no comforts there for a king, no royal velvet cushions. So the Magi are confronted with the notion of leaving the palace, leaving the Temple, leaving the place of Kings and Priests, and instead going to the cow stall.
Do you see how God has let them fall into such great confusion and disappointment? So that begs the question. If our Lord allowed these Magi to fall into confusion and disappointment, Magi who were willing to make such great sacrifices to worship the Christ, why should we think He wouldn’t allow the same in our own lives? Should we be surprised to find ourselves confused over the circumstances we’re given in this life? Should we be shocked to discover that we’re disappointed with the Church, with our fellow Christians, maybe even disappointed with God?
At this point, the famous Lutheran Pastor, Johann Gerhard, called this “an exquisite scandal of faith.” It’s certainly a scandal for the Magi who’ve been led into such disappointment, but a scandal of faith because they went to Bethlehem anyway. After all the dismay they had in Jerusalem, all the confusion, the text simply says, “After listening to the king, they went on their way” (Matt. 2:9). The Magi simply believed what they had not seen. They don’t go home with their tails between their legs. They say to themselves, “If we’re the only ones to worship Him, then so be it. If we must find the Christ in some lowly disgraceful town, then let’s go.” So against all reason, despite their own confusion and disappointment, they go. They simply held fast to the Word.
We should greatly praise this, you and I. And I suspect you understand why. Maybe you know how difficult it is. After all, your sin is great. There are shocking things you’ve said and done that if they were spoken aloud in this place, you would leave with your tail between your legs. And yet you’re called to trust the Word of God from the pastor that says those sins of yours are forgiven. You’re not to give those sins a second thought. They’re gone. Removed from you. You may still see the consequences of your sin, you might feel them, but you hold to the Word that says otherwise.
Or you see your suffering, you see the broken world breaking upon your world, and it feels as if God Himself is against you. There’s a great amount of disappointment and confusion in your own heart. You’ve been given that to bear. And yet, you’re called to trust the Word that points you to your baptism and says, “See, you belong to God, you’re made God’s own child.” How can you wonder if God is against you when you remember your baptism? Has the water not hit your forehead?
So you see, faith does this. Faith does what the Magi did. Faith pays no attention to what it sees and feels, but only clings to the Word. And that Word led them to their Savior.
And then, their disappointment lifts. This is how we know they were greatly disappointed, because as soon as they depart for Bethlehem, they rejoice over the star. “Behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was” (Matt. 2:9). The star appears for a second time. It wasn’t there before. Now it is. Their faith has not been in vain. So they rejoice. The Magi haven’t even seen Jesus yet, but they know He’s there because God’s Word said He’s there.
And notice their reaction. It’s a bit awkward, but Matthew, writing this, goes out of his way to pile on the emphasis. The English translators try to smooth it out for us, but it would be better to maintain some of the awkwardness in the text. It should say something like, “they rejoiced a joy, exceedingly, very much” (Matt. 2:10).
That’s not the sort of rejoicing you have when you simply get better directions. Not only do they know that the newborn King of the Jews is over there in Bethlehem, they know that this is their King. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world comes to take away their sin, to sunder them from the darkness of sin and death, to graft them into His everlasting Kingdom. The Child who is to satisfy every longing in this fallen world is for them. That’s why they rejoice.
Of course, they don’t know how Jesus will save. They have no clue how He’ll end the curse, pay for sin, and destroy death. They have no knowledge of Good Friday and Easter. They certainly can’t imagine how a Child so young, so poor, and lowly, could possibly be the greatest gift in all the world. They don’t know. But it doesn’t matter, because they trust the Word.
So upon seeing Him, the Magi press their faces into the dust of the earth. They bow before the greater Holy of Holies. Gentiles shouldn’t even have this kind of access to worship God, but that’s the mystery St. Paul speaks of, that “the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph. 3:6).
The same Word that led them to find our Lord in Bethlehem has led you here. Maybe you’re filled with confusion. You might have a great many disappointments you carry around with you. Not much has changed. Still, very few who follow the Word, pointing to the place where Christ is found. The world pays no attention. You could grab everyone you see on the way to Church and tell them their King is here, but they’re not likely to follow you. Even when you come, you find your Lord in lowly, simple bread and wine, which looks like nothing at all. But the scandal of faith is that you come anyway. Your faith clings only to the Word. The Word says, “This is my body, this is my blood, given shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” So you say “Amen,” and your faith rejoices like the Magi!
Sure, you don’t always feel like rejoicing. None of us always wants to attend Church. Don’t piously pretend otherwise. Our sinful flesh rebels against us, against praying and reading Scripture and sitting through a long service. But, do not let the old Adam have its way with you. That part of you loves to complain. Don’t give in to it. Practice this in the New Year. Practice gratefulness. Practice a little wonder over what goes on here, as heaven comes down to earth to impart to you forgiveness, life, and salvation. And join in on the exceeding joy of the Magi. Because that’s how we should enter this holy space. We don’t come into this room the same way we enter a theater, as if a show is about to start so we quiet our voices. We quiet our voices out of awe. This is the place where Christ comes for you. Not only should we let nothing keep us from God’s Word and Sacrament, not only should we be undeterred by our own disappointments, but upon entering this sacred place, we too should rejoice a joy, exceedingly, very much. That’s how we look upon the sanctuary, because the Christ who is there on the altar is there for you.
In ☩ Jesus’ name. Amen.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.
"If God is for us, who is against us?" 