The Unfathomable Riches of Christ--1-6-13

The Reading-Ephesians 3:1-12 For I, Paul—a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you, Gentiles—am sure that you have heard of God’s grace, of which I was made a steward on your behalf; this mystery, as I have briefly described it, was given to me by revelation. When you read this, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was unknown to the people of former ages, but is now revealed by the Spirit to the holy apostles and prophets. That mystery is that the Gentles are heirs, as are we; members of the Body, as are we; and partakers of the promise of Jesus the Messiah through the Good News, as are we. I became a minister of the Good News by the gift of divine grace given me through the working of God’s power. To me, the least of all believers, was given the grace to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ and to enlighten all people on the mysterious design which for ages was hidden in God, the Creator of all. Now, therefore, through the church, God’s manifold wisdom is made known to the rulers and powers of heaven in accord with the age-old design, carried out in Christ Jesus our Savior, in whom we have boldness and confident access to God through our faith in Christ. The Middle Reading-“Balancing Act” by Robert Schnase The practice of attentiveness involves noticing what God notices and seeing the world through God’s eyes. It takes a passionate attentiveness rather than a groggy indifference to notice the movement of the Spirit, to hear whimpers of God’s grace, to discern the presence and power of God among us, to identify the calling of God. It takes discipline and an intentional practicing of attentiveness for us to develop the interior life, the life of the Spirit, the life of love, grace, forgiveness, mercy, justice hope. As we practice spiritual attentiveness, we begin to see the world differently. We stay awake, we become alive, we practice resurrection. Through the eyes of faith, we fathom such questions as “Where is God in this? What might God be trying to alert me to? What does the world look like through God’s eyes?” The Gospel-Matthew 2:1-12 After Jesus’ birth—which happened in Bethlehem of Judea, during the reign of Herod—astrologers from the East arrived in Jerusalem and asked, “where is the newborn ruler of the Jews” We observed his star at its rising and have come to pay homage. At this news Herod became greatly disturbed, as did all of Jerusalem. Summoning all the chief priests and religious scholars of the people, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they informed him. “here is what the prophet has written: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, since from you will come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” Herod called the astrologers aside and found out from them the exact time of the star’s appearance. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, after having instructed them, “Go and get detailed information about the child. When you have found him, report back to me—so that I may go and offer homage, too.” After their audience with the ruler, they set out. The star which they had observed at its rising when ahead of them until it came to a standstill over the place where the child lay. They were overjoyed at seeing the star and, upon entering the house, found the child with Mary, his mother. They prostrated themselves and paid homage. Then they opened their coffers and presented the child with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they went back to their own country by another route. The Unfathomable Riches of Christ 1-6-13 God, you continue to bless us with your presence. Lead us to the manger one more time and enable us to grasp the Truth that lies sleeping in that trough of fresh hay. Give us voices to glorify you and knowledge to take the wisdom of the ages into our hearts. In the name of the one who came to us as a child. Amen I love a good mystery. I devour them—I like the psychological aspects—trying to figure out the why and the how and I enjoy trying to outsmart the author—figuring out the “who done it” before I’m supposed to. Mysteries are my very favorite kind of “down time” reading. Matthew has given us a great mystery in the story of the three Magi—those exotic kings who travelled from afar to worship this baby, led by the light of a very unusual star. Those of you who used to have the pleasure of having children in Christmas pageants, or, perhaps directed them will know this well—all the kids wanted to be kings. Why, the costumes are wonderful; and, you get to wear a crown. Who in the world would want to be a shepherd in a lowly bathrobe, when you could be a king? Of course, we know as adults that the kings and the shepherds weren’t at the manger at the same time, but it makes our nativity scenes so much more interesting when the kings arrive just behind the shepherds and sorta upstage those lowly adoring sheep herders. There’s a little bit of royal, mysterious king and humble, ordinary shepherd in all of us. And, today, in our last trip to the manger this year, we want to see how the mystery of this great Epiphany—the time when God’s light was revealed—informs and inspires our lives here in 2013. Let’s first review the mystery that Matthew tells us about those kings. We almost always focus on their journey, their gifts, and their worship of the new-born (well, perhaps several weeks old) baby. But before we get to the manger, we must unravel the first part of their journey. We simply don’t know how those astrologers knew that the bright star that they saw in the East heralded the birth of the Messiah. Somehow, it was revealed to them and they began to follow that star. They arrived in Jerusalem; and, as foreign royalty, they were given an audience with King Herod. With apparent innocence, they announce the purpose of their journey, and Herod secretly starts to stew. Calling all the teachers and priests together, he asks where the Messiah is supposed to be born. Using the same prophecies that we have listened to throughout Advent, the priests tell Herod that the Messiah is supposed to be born in Bethlehem. Coming up with a plan, Herod calls the three astrologers aside and says, “Go and see the child and find out all that you can about him. Then come tell me so that I can worship him, too.” Now, from the outside, we know that Herod’s charge to the kings is not on the up and up. The intrigue grows. Will the kings do as Herod has asked and risk putting this tiny infant at risk? And for a while, we do not know and must live with our question. Enter the Magi, stage left. Here they come, on camels taller than the kings themselves and dismount and bow in honor of the tiny babe. Gold, frankincense and myrrh are laid before him and his mother. We do not know what the astrologers told Mary and Joseph or how they explained their presence. But they worshipped and responded to the new Messiah by giving wonderful gifts of great value in that day. As they leave, we are still unsure of the outcome. Then we learn that they were warned in a dream not to take the information back to Herod, and they returned home by a route that did not take them through Jerusalem. And, so we know, that the evil Herod will not get any help from these three visitors and we breathe a sigh of relief. Many sermons preached world-wide today will focus on these gifts brought by the Magi and make the connection between those gifts and the gifts that we lay at the manger. And those will be good sermons. But, Matthew gives us a second story, one that we should also hear as we ponder the meaning of this day. Matthew shows us that not everyone will rejoice at the coming of this new King. Herod, and all of Jerusalem, are reported to be concerned, ill at ease, afraid. History gives us the answer to “why?” Herod and his followers are powerful and we know that those who are in power rarely want that power challenged. This new King—the prophesied Messiah, is to be a servant leader. Herod wants none of that. So this tiny baby, even in his birth, sends ripples of fear and anger through the ranks of the rulers of the day and is seen as a rival. Herod knew, through his familiarity with the Jewish scriptures and through the wisdom of the priests, that the Messiah would turn the world upside down; and, more particularly, turn his world upside down—threatening his power and control. And, in the darkest part of the story, we learn that when the three kings do not return and give him details about the Messiah, Herod retaliates and orders the death of all male children under the age of two. We stay away from this part of the story, wanting no part of death and destruction that came in direct retribution to the birth of this baby we call ‘Jesus’. But, there is more, these three kings come from afar, signaling that God’s message of radical justice and peace has spread far and wide. The distinctions between those in power or those “in the know” and humble, ordinary folk are already beginning to break down in the presence of this tiny baby. If this continues, who knows what may happen next? We know of the life this child lived, of his teachings and of his dismantling the wall between the “have’s” and the “have nots”. And yet, we are still left with mystery—the great mystery that unfolds in the teaching and preaching of this child—the mystery of God’s inclusion of everyone in the invitation to the reign of justice, well-being, wholeness, and peace after all those centuries of favoring only the Hebrew people. Thirty years of growth and preparation readies Jesus to unlock the keys to the truth that Herod suspects at the time of his birth. For the answers to this mystery we look to Paul, an apostle of the adult Christ, who understood this mystery well. Paul was in prison for preaching exactly the same message that ignited fear in Herod’s heart at the time of the birth of the Christ child. Paul, through truth given to him in revelation, announces that he has insight into the mystery that formerly was hidden from all people of earlier times. This mystery, now revealed by the Holy Spirit to spiritual people everywhere is that Gentiles, and that would include everyone who is not Jewish, are welcome to receive this same miraculous news and become members of the Body of Christ along with the Jews. Paul is grateful that he has been given the gift and grace of being called to preach the “unfathomable riches of Christ” as well as the “mysterious design” that was formerly hidden in God. It is through the church—the Body of Christ—that this great mystery is now to be shared. And this is where the two stories within the story of the Journey of the Magi come together—precisely when we need them to. The bright star leads us to Christ and through His Church to the ministry we are compelled to accept through the gifts and grace of the Holy Spirit. We, just as the Magi, bring our gifts and lay them at the altar of the sleeping babe. And, in those gifts—given in love and adoration of the Messiah—the mystery of how the Church is to spread the Good News of this new kind of justice and peace. We bring all our gifts to God to share with those who need them the most—the tired neighbor, the hopeless gay teen, or the troubled, broken-hearted individuals who have not yet discovered truth of this great mystery. Christmas isn’t very merry at all if you think the story is only about God choosing to enter the world as a baby in a messy stall destined to become a king with no palace or throne. Perhaps the Wise Men missed their target and ended up in Jerusalem because it would have been almost impossible to believe that the new King would be born in a town like Bethlehem. The palace is where this baby should be. Perhaps, when the baby was not there, they trusted what they heard from the priests or Herod himself and travelled that extra nine miles to Bethlehem—or, perhaps, disappointed in not finding the child in Jerusalem, they simply continued their travel. Either way, they followed a sign that led them to where God, come as a baby, could be found. Are we not signs as well—signs that lead people to this God who waits to welcome them into the sacred family. This God, who loves us with an irresistible love, longs to use us to bring about a vision of a perfect and just peace in the name of the one who we worship this day. Amen and amen.