Pastor Slaughter
Epiphany Day
January 9, 2022
Theme: A Light for All People
Text: Matthew 2:1-12
I bet you can come up with a million and one different answers to this question but here it is, “What divides people?” Is it someone like location and what country you live in or what side of town you reside? Could it be something as simple as what sports team you cheer for or something as complicated something someone said or did? There are lots of things that can divide us but the thing truly divides people is sin. We live in world where that sin can divide people along so many lines: Ethnicity and race, rich and poor, red states and blue states, and the list could go on and on.
The dividing line that Jesus was born into this world to solve was the line that separated sinful mankind from a holy God. By his death and resurrection, Jesus removed that line and united all believers into his kingdom. In our lesson today we hear about how God guided the Wise Men by a special light from a star to the Light of the World. Over Christmas we asked ourselves the question, “What Child is this?” Today we see that he is a Light for All People!
The season of Epiphany is a celebration of the first time non-Jewish believers worshiped the newborn Savior. We hear about these Wise Men from the east who came to Jerusalem looking for the one who “has been born King of the Jews.” We don’t know how many there were. People guess three because of gifts they gave him, gold, frankness, and myrrh. We don’t know exactly when they came. We know it wasn’t with the shepherd like how many nativity scenes picture it. It was some time after his circumcision and before he was two. These wise men were a class of priests, astronomers, and astrologers and served as advisors of the king. We aren’t exactly sure where they came from, but it is likely from Babylon. During the 70 year Jewish captivity, Daniel the Presiding officer over the wise men and they had opportunities to learn what Israel’s prophets had foretold about the Messiah.
If these Wise men were from Babylon, it would have been roughly a 900-mile journey to Jerusalem. It wasn’t like they could hop in their obnoxious yellow truck and drive there. It would take a lot of time, energy and effort to make that journey. God guided these Wise Men by a special star to the place where Jesus was.
What happened when they saw the light from the star over the place where the child was? They were filled with such joy that the Bible says, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with overwhelming joy.” They weren’t just a little happy, but they were filled with overwhelming joy. Why were they filled with such joy? Was it simply that their long and dangerous journey was done? No, rather it was the reason they went on such a long journey in the first place. If they were from Babylon, the prophecies passed down since the Jewish captivity roughly over 500 years ago were true! That God led them by the Light of a star to show them their Savior. Salvation was meant not only for the Jews, but it was meant for them, for Gentiles. There, that special light pointed to the light of All people.
I think we generally recognize that Jesus is a light for all people. We hear it all the time. But what about that friend, family member, someone in the community that don’t they think are good enough to step into a church. We hear expressions like, “If I ever stop foot in church, God would strike me down.” It’s almost like people make there be a prerequisite for Jesus being a light. “He may be a light for you but there is no way he could be a light for me.”
People may simply use it as an excuse not to go to church. Some people may legitimately think they have to change their lives before they step foot in a church. I think we recognize that Jesus is a Light for all people. But do we create prerequisites for someone to hear about the light?
We might think twice about sharing the gospel that light with someone whose whole arm is covered with tattoos, or because they are obviously Muslim or maybe because this person Is on their third marriage and now living with their boyfriend. And when we do, isn’t it like we create prerequisites for people to hear about the light? Where you almost want to fit people in a box unless you meet certain criteria, the way you look, how you act or think then you shouldn’t be here, you’re not good enough. Then in the back of our minds Jesus becomes the Light of for All if only you look, or do, or think or act a certain way.
Why do we do this? Maybe it’s because it makes us feel good about ourselves when we look down on someone else, almost like we are deserving of this Light. But when we do this, it is dangerous to our faith. Because it downplays God’s grace in our own lives and robs us of the reason to rejoice with overwhelming joy. It robs us of this joy because it puts ourselves on a pedestal. When that happens, it makes it seem like we need Jesus less in our lives. The reason why the Wise men found such joy in seeing Jesus is that God’s grace led them to see their salvation. God’s grace that undeserved love for sinners. If we don’t see that need for grace, then what reason is there to rejoice with overwhelming joy?
How many of us today came to church and rejoiced with overwhelming joy when we stepped in here? Did you come here with a big grin on your face excited to hear about that light? Or did you roll out of bed and come reluctantly? As you worship, are you hoping the service ends soon so you can get on with the rest of your day? When you think about going to Church and Bible study, do you feel like your whole day is shot as opposed to that was the highlight of your day?
It’s almost like there is an apathy towards the gospel. When we grow up in the church, when we have heard the same accounts again and again, when we hear about God’s grace, is it an attitude of, “I know this stuff already, let’s hurry and get this done with so I can go out to eat before the football starts.” My life is so busy I just want downtime and the first thing on the chopping block is time in the God’s Word. I know what I need to know to be saved, why do I have to sacrifice time and energy?
I have a question. If someone is apathetic toward you, after you sacrificed your time, resources. I mean really went out of your way to help them out. And they didn’t care. They wouldn’t give you the time of day. As soon as you started a conversation with them, they are looking at their watch wanting to leave. How would you feel? What would you think? How would you respond? Probably be pretty upset. Maybe not want anything to do with them.
And yet isn’t that what we do to God? Instead of rejoicing with overwhelming joy, we just kind of shrug off the importance of God’s word. And yet what does God do for us? He doesn’t’ just send us away and say I want nothing to do with you. Instead, he points us to that light that came for all people. Even when we were apathetic toward his word, God became man. Even if we downplayed his grace, he shows us what grace truly is, undeserved love for sinners. The message of cross isn’t something we shrug our shoulders at, but lead us to fall to our knees because why would he save a sinner like me? Why would he give me salvation? I can’t even fathom it but yet I will rejoice in it with an overwhelming joy that leads towards something.
Having this overwhelming joy led the Wise men to do something. The Bible says, “After they went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and Myrrh.” Seeing their salvation led them to do two things, 1) worship Jesus, 2) offer him their finest gifts.
What does seeing the light of God’s grace move us to do? It leads us to show our thanks by worshiping him and offering him our finest gifts. Most sermons I have heard about the Wise men focus on the kingly gifts presented to Jesus. But I am not sure if I had heard people focus on the gift that was already offered, their time and effort and energy spent to go to Jesus and worship him. It probably took them several months to make that trip. They gave their time and resources out of thanks for the salvation Jesus gives. We do that too as we make time to worship and study God’s Word. We do that as we help and volunteer. When we get burnt out, when we apathetic towards worship and praise, we need to go back to God’s grace seen in our lives.
Today we see a special light. No…it wasn’t from a special star but it was the light that comes from the Gospel pointing us to God’s grace. God’s grace that leads us to rejoice like the wise men with overwhelming joy that Jesus has done away with the sin that once divided us from him. “What Child is this?” Today we see that he is a Light for All People!