Who is Jesus?

January 27^th, 2013      “Who is Jesus?”           Rev. Heather Jepsen

Luke 4:14-21

          In this morning’s passage we find Jesus at the beginning of his ministry.  He has just returned from his forty days in the wilderness.  He has spent time alone and with the devil, discovering for himself who he is and what his mission entails.  He returns from the desert to his hometown of Nazareth to announce to those who know him best just who he is and what he is up to.  That is what we will explore this morning.  Just who is Jesus and what is his ministry?  And in turn how does that relate to us as modern Christians? 

          Jesus tells those in the synagogue in Nazareth who he is using the words of the prophet Isaiah.  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 

First of all Jesus’ ministry is a ministry “in the Spirit”.  We know that the author of Luke is especially concerned with the role of the Spirit in Jesus’ life.  Jesus is conceived by the Spirit, the Spirit descends on him at his baptism, and from his baptism forward Jesus is empowered by the Spirit.  We will later read in Luke that Jesus rejoices in the Spirit as well.  When the author of Luke uses Spirit language he is not using a divine metaphor, rather the Spirit functions as a divine reality that is behind Jesus’ life and mission.  With his ministry in the Spirit, Jesus’ words and deeds are connected to the fullness of God’s presence and activity.

What does that mean for us as modern Christians?  We know that in the book of Acts, which is also by the Lukan author, the Spirit will be given to those who carry out Jesus’ ministry in the world.  That means that, as followers of Jesus, our very own ministries are in the Spirit as well.  The Spirit is a divine reality for us.  When we are carrying out our ministry, the work of Christ through the church, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we do it.  It is a ministry that is connected to God.  And it is the Spirit who gives us our gifts for ministry and makes us all unique individuals in one body of the church.

Next Jesus tells us that he will bring good news to the poor.  We see this in Luke as Jesus helps the widow whose son has died, and the woman who spent all her money in vain on physicians.  Jesus and his ministry are an expression of God’s intention to reverse the appearances of the world.  The good news of God is directed specifically at the poor.  Jesus has come to change the fortunes of those in the world that have very little or even nothing.

As modern Christians how do we bring good news to the poor?  We will come face to face with this teaching a lot this year as we walk through Luke, and it is a difficult lesson.  In Luke we will hear a lot about God’s preferential option for the poor.  This means that God favors the poor over other people.  You could say, and the Lukan author would, that the poor are God’s favorite.  We face this challenge in the stories of the rich man and Lazarus, and the laborers in the vineyard to name a few.  Luke is where we find out that the first will be last and the last will be first.  Our mission as a church is to bring good news to the poor in whatever way we can.  One clear way that we are doing this now is through our support of the Food Center.  But what else can we do?  I would challenge us through this next year to think of other ways we can bring good news to the poor.

Next, Jesus tells us that his ministry is to bring release to the captives.  Some examples of this in Luke are the man held captive by a demon, the paralyzed man, the ten lepers, and Zacheaus the tax collector who was captive to his own greed and to an unjust financial system.  Jesus works to shatter the chains and break the bonds that keep humanity from being truly free.  We know also that Jesus will release those who are captive to the bondage of sin and evil through his life, death, and resurrection.

What does the release of captives mean for us today?  I think the easiest connection is to identify ourselves as those held captive by sin and death who are now freed by the saving acts of Christ.  A more challenging interpretation is to ask how we might work on behalf of Christ to release others that are held more literally captive in our world.  How can we help those held unjustly in prison, those wrongly accused, those who have not had a fair trial, those who suffer torture and degradation?  How can we help those who are held captive by other things like drugs and alcohol, abusive relationships, or insurmountable debt?  Perhaps we should spend time considering what we are doing to seek the release of everyone held captive around the world?

Next, Jesus tells us that his ministry is about recovery of sight to the blind.  In Luke we read that he heals the blind man on the road to Jericho among others, and we know that the restoration of sight is among the signs of the Messiah.  Not only does Jesus literally heal those that are blind, Jesus enables people to see God aright, to possess a vision, and to better understand the will of God.

The experience of modern Christianity is also about the recovery of sight.  I think that sometimes it is we who need to be healed; we need to let Jesus heal us of our blindness.  We need to let Jesus open our eyes to better see the world we live in and how we can be of service.  We need Jesus to open our eyes to the people we have left out in the cold, the people we have excluded, those we have let go away empty handed.  We need to want to be healed.  We need the scales to drop from our eyes so we can more clearly see who God is, and how God wants us to work in the world on behalf of God’s reconciling love.

Next Jesus tells us that he has come to bring freedom to the oppressed.  We read many times of those on the fringes of society who have encounters with Jesus and leave as freed people.  The literal meaning for the word oppressed that is used here means “broken in pieces”, which would suggest that Jesus has come to heal those that are broken or a broken system like social injustice.  But we also know that as the Messiah, Jesus brings release to those trapped under the burden of sin through his gospel of forgiveness.

I think that in this matter, the church needs to heed the call to also be aware of those who are oppressed.  If we are to be like Christ, what are we doing to help bring freedom to the oppressed?  One way is by sharing the gospel message with people, to free them from the oppression of sin.  Another way is to speak as a voice against social oppression and corporate sin.  It is our responsibility as Christians to continue to seek freedom for the all of those who are oppressed.

Finally, Jesus says that he has come to proclaim the “year of the Lord’s favor.”  The year of the Lord’s favor refers to the Old Testament concept of the Jubilee year, an every-fifty-year sabbatical of sabbaticals when property was returned to its original owners, slaves were released, and debts cancelled.  Jesus is a traveling Jubilee, proclaiming “liberty throughout the land.”  Jesus is bringing the good news that the kingdom of God is at hand.

What does this last one mean for us?  We know that a Jubilee year did not occur during Jesus’ lifetime, and many scholars wonder if it ever really happened in ancient Israel either.  It is hard to determine.  But, it is easy to imagine that those in power would not be in favor of the freedom of slaves and the cancellation of all debts.  I am sure that they would fight against any such changes, for they would stand to lose the most if such a radical act were to take place.

I think our job as Christians is to look to the Jubilee year as perhaps the way God would intend for us to live.  No slavery, instead everyone holds equal status.  And no debts, instead everyone shares freely of what they have.  The year of Jubilee sums up the kingdom of God for it is all about good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and freedom for the oppressed.  This is the work of the Spirit, and should therefore be the work of the church. 

My challenge to us this morning is to consider who Jesus is.  Not who we want him to be, but who he actually tells us he is.  And then to ask ourselves what does that mean for us.  How can we follow him as Christians if we are not willing to carry out his mission in the world?  What are we at First Presbyterian Church doing to bring about the Jubilee of the Lord?  These are things I would like us to ponder as a community as we enter into another year in the service of our Lord.  Amen.

Abundant Love

January 20^th, 2013          “Abundant Love”      Rev. Heather Jepsen

Psalm 36:5-10 with John 2:1-11

          We begin this morning with our reading from the Psalms.  Psalm 36 provides us with a beautiful image of the love of God.  God’s steadfast love extends from the mysteries of the deepest oceans to the heights of the highest heaven.  The vastness of God’s love is beyond measure and comprehension. 

So too is the vastness of creatures upon whom God showers this love.  God’s love isn’t just for people, it is for animals too.  This is a good psalm to remember when people ask that inevitable question, “Will my beloved dog or cat go to heaven?”  Does God care about all the little creatures of the earth?  The writer of Psalm 36 sure thinks so.

In fact, the writer of Psalm 36 seems to think that God’s love is for everybody; not just Jews, not just Christians, but everybody.  “All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings” the Psalmist writes.  One cannot help but remember the words of Jesus calling Jerusalem to him as a mother hen calls her chicks.  God longs to watch over us as a mother watches over her babies.

As an expression of God’ love, God provides for us with great bounty.  The Psalmist writes of the feast of abundance in the house of the Lord and the river of delights from which we are offered drink.  This is the fountain of life, this is the source of light, this is the place of salvation.  What an image of blessing, what a wonderful world!

Of course, like us, the psalmist is no fool.  The love of God may be vast and deep, but we still live in a world of sin and pain.  The psalmist does not sing as a naïve one with the wool pulled over the eyes.  No, the psalmist pens these words of hope in the midst of the same broken world you and I live in.

In the verses before our reading, the Psalmist speaks of the wicked of the world; those who don’t fear God, those who work for their own benefit only.  The Psalmist knows those people who spend their nights plotting evil and use their tongues to slander the good folks around them.  Even after our verses of hope and beauty, the psalmist speaks of the arrogant and the wicked. 

As in our own world, blessing and pain stand side by side in this Psalm.  Personally, in this comparison I find hope.  If the psalmist only spoke of the pure love of God, the writer would not speak of the world that I know.  But to speak of the abundant love of God in the midst of a sinful world, is to speak of the life that I live.  It is to speak of grace and mercy.  It is to speak of a God who persists in loving a people, in welcoming all to the feast, even as some turn away.  Just as the psalmist writes of those who are evil, the psalmist writes of a God who welcomes all people in love.  This is the abundant, extravagant love of our Lord.

Shifting to our reading from the gospel of John, we find one of my favorite Bible stories.  The wedding at Cana is all about the abundant love of God.  Jesus, his disciples, and family have been invited to a wedding and as the festivities continue the group discovers they are out of wine.  We can all relate to not only the embarrassment this would cause the host but also the shame and anxiety.  Mary asks Jesus to do something about it, but at first he brushes her off.  Later though, he tells the servants to fill the water jars and to draw from them and give it to the wine steward.  The wine steward rejoices, for the wine he has received is the best ever.

Now lots of people, scholars and laymen alike, have a problem with this story.  This is one of those miracles people like to explain away.  First of all, people don’t like this story because it is about wine and celebration.  I’ve had plenty of people tell me that Jesus didn’t really make wine, but made lemonade or grape juice instead.  Frankly, I think the wine steward would have called him out on that.  But that then begs the question; why would Jesus make wine?  And more problematic, why would Jesus make wine when the party has already gotten to the point where as the wine steward puts it, “the guests have become drunk.”  Wouldn’t this be the appropriate time for our Lord to batten down the hatches and send everyone home with an Alka-Seltzer?  That is certainly what the church would do.

The other reason that people really don’t like this story; is because it seems like a waste of a miracle.  Making wine does not seem like a holy miracle and it certainly is not a proper good life changing miracle.  This can’t possibly be the first of Jesus’ signs as John calls it.  No one was healed of blindness, no one had their daughter restored to life, no storms were calmed; this is not an appropriate miracle to read about, let alone believe in. 

          Now I understand where people are coming from in their discomfort.  Imagine the discomfort of the Jewish religious leaders as the water for purification, the holy water, is turned into the liquid of Bacchus.  As a religious leader, this is precisely why I love this miracle.  Who is Jesus if not the one who re-energizes and shakes up the stodgy religious order?  Who is Jesus if not the one that embodies the abundant love of God the psalmist writes about?  Who is Jesus if not the living God who calls us to “drink from the river of delights”? 

I love this story, (and not just because I happen to love wine) I love this story because it is such a beautiful and powerful illustration.  Jesus doesn’t just turn a glass of water into wine, he doesn’t just fill a wine bottle, this isn’t a “limited release”; rather Jesus creates a whopping 150 gallons of wine.  It’s more than the party could drink.  And though it is in jugs, this is no jug wine; this is the good stuff, the best ever.  I’ve got to tell you, if I could transport myself to a bible story, this would be the one.

The water into wine at Cana was a miracle of abundance, a miracle of celebration, and a miracle of love.  It was a wasteful miracle; more than they needed of something they really didn’t need.  But Jesus decided that it was worth a miracle to keep the party going.  It was worth a miracle to continue the festivities.  John says that this was the first of the signs, and this sign points us to who God is.  Jesus’ actions point to a loving God who wants us to enjoy life.  This sign points to a God who loves to hear the laughter and joy of people celebrating.  This sign gives us permission to be happy.  It is OK, if not even holy, to enjoy the blessings in the world around us.

          Like the writer of Psalm 36, I may be high on the abundance of God, but I am no fool.  I know as much as you that the world is not one big wedding party.  There is a lot of pain of hardship in our world.  There are a lot of folks who need water, not wine.  I find hope for the world in the voice of Jesus’ mother in this story.  She is the one to nudge Jesus to action. 

          The way that John tells things, it appears that Jesus had not considered such a miracle.  In fact, he seems to brush his mother’s request aside at first and then later changes his mind.  That’s OK, for we know that Jesus is human.  There are other times in the gospels where he seems to change his mind.  In fact, in all those instances Jesus seems to move toward showing a greater abundance of love and mercy, rather than less.  With a little nudging, Jesus seems to move toward what some might consider wastefulness, rather than prudence. 

          If Mary can nudge Jesus to act, then maybe we can too.  Maybe we can continue to petition on behalf of those who need water, and shelter, safety and peace.  Though the hour of God’s kingdom has not yet fully come, perhaps God will respond with abundance to our nudging.  Perhaps God will create a wasteful, love filled, miracle of blessing in our world.  Perhaps God will even move us to share more fully, and be more wasteful, with the abundance we have been given.

          At the wedding party, when the servants bring the wine to the steward, he gives thanks to the groom for the wine, for he does not recognize where it comes from.  How often do we do the same thing?  God has given us an abundance of blessings, an abundance of good things, 150 gallons of goodness to keep the party going, but often we don’t see it.  Either we assume that such things are not from God, or we assume that God would not want us to enjoy such things.  Perhaps we are like the guests of the party, already drunk on the mediocre wine of the world, so that we don’t even notice that the good stuff has been brought out.  We don’t even notice the abundance of blessings around us. 

          Yes, the world is a difficult and sad place.  And yet when the time comes to celebrate, there is much to rejoice in.  I believe that God wants us to celebrate.  The church should be a place of joyous celebration, a place of love and abundance, not a place of rules and regulations.  The people of God should rejoice in God’s goodness and blessings, rather than become trapped by ritual, purity, and prudence.  I am of the opinion that God does not want us to be so holy that we cannot be happy.

          The writer of Psalm 36 praises a God who is full of abundant love.  A God who calls us to feast at the table and drink from the river of delights.  A God who welcomes all people, even in the midst of a broken world, to take shelter in the shadow of God’s wings.  In John’s gospel Jesus models that abundant love of God by changing his mind, by transforming the holy water into holy wine, and by giving it in such abundance that it cannot possibly all be consumed.  Jesus invited the wedding guests to drink wine, in the midst of a broken world, simply because God loves them.  Should we not, also freely celebrate the abundant love of God?  Amen.

Infinite Value

January 13^th, 2013        “Infinite Value”       Rev. Heather Jepsen         

Isaiah 43:1-7 and Luke 3:15-22

          A new student arrives to her first day of school and looks out upon the crowded cafeteria.  Where should I sit she wonders.  Which group of tables will welcome me?  Where do I belong?

          A woman walks down the hall to her son’s empty bedroom.  He is away at college for his first year.  She surveys the space filled with memories but empty of life and she wonders what lies ahead.  How will her life move forward as her son moves farther away from her?  After 18 years together, how will she find meaning apart from her connection to him?

          After over 40 years of hard work a man retires from his career.  His days suddenly stretch before him, an abundance of free time and little to do.  He is happy for the rest, but he wonders where he will find meaning in his life.  Who am I now that I am no longer someone’s boss he asks himself.  Where will I find meaning in my life again?  He fears wasting away into old age.

          Who am I?  Where do I belong?  What makes me worthy?  These questions that we begin to ask ourselves in adolescence never really go away.  Often we attempt to find meaning in the wrong places, like our job, our relationships, or our accomplishments.  The prophet Isaiah presents us with a different way to find meaning; what makes us of value, he says, is that we are of value to God.*

          In our reading from this morning, Isaiah is speaking to the wounded people of Israel.  Theirs has been a hard road.  They were once the nation of God, but they wanted to be more like the other nations around them.  They asked the Lord to give them a king; but through the years of monarchy the nation of Israel became broken and corrupt.  They split into two kingdoms and eventually were broken down even further as neighboring countries began to invade and take over.  Finally, because of Israel’s sin the people’s hearts turned toward other gods.  The Babylonians invaded and the nation of Israel was no more.  At the time that the prophet Isaiah speaks these words, the Israelites are exiles in Babylon.  They are a bruised and broken people, wondering if God even remembers their name, and it is into this situation that Isaiah speaks his words of comfort and hope.

          Isaiah reminds the people of Israel who they are.  When they examine themselves they simply see a broken band of lost people.  Isaiah speaks words of hope to them instead.  Speaking with the voice of God he says, “Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.”  Isaiah reminds the people of who they are, a people valued and honored by God.

          Isaiah reminds the people that it is to God that they belong.  “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”  Though they may be captive to the Babylonians, the truth is that the people of Israel belong to God alone.  God claims them and holds them; so they need not fear as they pass through the trials of fire and water. 

          The prophet reminds the people of Israel who they are and to whom they belong.  They are of value because they are God’s own people.  God promises to be with them, even in times of hardship and suffering.  And most importantly, God has named them and marked them as God’s very own.

          In Luke’s account of the baptism of Jesus, the issue of identity is also at the forefront.  In all of the gospel writers’ varying accounts of Jesus’ baptism, the issue of Jesus’ identity is of great importance because of the troublesome questions surrounding the story.  If Jesus was the Son of God then why did he need to be baptized?  And if Jesus was the Messiah and not John then why did John baptize Jesus and not the other way around?

          In Luke’s telling of the event, he adjusts the timeline a bit, and tells us of John’s imprisonment before he tells us of Jesus’ baptism.  There is no way we could mistake which man is greater in this reading.  In Luke’s account, Jesus’ baptism is not a major event, set apart and separate.  Instead, Jesus comes with the crowds.  He lines up with the sinners and waits his turn to be baptized like the rest.  It is after his baptism while in prayer that the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends upon him.  Jesus hears a voice from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  It is at his baptism that Jesus is ordained as the Messiah by a God who loves him and tells him so.  “You are my dear Son and I’m proud of you” God seems to say.  It is these words and this moment that will give Jesus strength through his temptation in the wilderness and the joys and trials of his ministry. 

          It is of no coincidence that the church has kept the ministry and sacrament of baptism through the ages.  It is at the moment of baptism that we too are marked as God’s own.  We are reminded that we belong to God, that God loves us, and that God alone gives us our name.  It is no coincidence or mere chance that we occupy the spaces in our lives that we do.  Rather, we are exactly where God has ordained us to be.

          Presbyterian professor and theologian John Leith sees baptism as the marker that every human life is rooted in the will and intention of God.  He writes,

In baptism the child’s name is called because our faith is that God thought of this child before the child was, that God gave to this child an identity, an individuality, a name, and a dignity that no one should dare abuse.  Human existence has its origin not in the accidents of history and biology, but in the will and the intention of the Lord God, creator of heaven and earth.

It is in our baptism that we are marked as God’s own, and we remember that it is God who has placed us here, called us by name, and gave our life purpose and meaning.  It is God who has ordained our path thus far, and it is God who will lead us on the roads to come.

          As we celebrate around the communion table we remember this as well.  This blessing of God is not just for us but for all people.  Isaiah writes “Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth – everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” 

          As we gather at the table we remember that God will call people from east and west, from north and south, and that it is with the multitude that we will sit in the kingdom of heaven.  All of us have been called by God, all of us have been named and chosen, and all of us are loved and are of great value to our Lord.  It is because of this great love that Christ came to our world as God’s own suffering servant.

          Who am I?  Where do I belong?  What makes me worthy?  When we ask these questions in our lives, we find the answer in God.  Like Jesus at his baptism, God says to each of us, “You are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”  All of us need to hear these words.  Like the people of Israel, when we are in the wilderness of the world we need to be reminded of just who is in charge.  We may be a lost and broken people but we are not alone.  God is with us in suffering and hardship.  And God always holds us in God’s arms. 

          When Jesus heard the loving words of God at his baptism, his life was forever changed.  It was at that moment that he was filled with the Holy Spirit and his ministry began.  These words change our lives as well.  We don’t need to look for our worth in the world around us.  Rather, we are of infinite value to our Creator who lovingly made and named each one of us.

          Today not only are we going to gather at the communion table, we are going to gather at the baptismal font.  As we sing our hymn of response, “You are Mine” I invite those who feel so moved to come forward and touch the waters of Baptism.  Today I invite you to remember your baptism.  As God marked you once with water, so the mark of God remains in your life today.

And as you leave this place this morning I want you to carry these words out into the world with you; repeat them in your head, imprint them on your heart, and know them to be true to the very core of your soul.  God says to you this day and everyday, “You are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”  Amen.

 

*The opening of this sermon borrows heavily from W. Carter Lester's comments in Feasting on the Word Year C Vol. 1 page 218

Follow the Light

January 6^th, 2013       “Follow the Light”       Rev. Heather Jepsen

Isaiah 60:1-6 and Matthew 2:1-12

Yesterday was the 12^th day of Christmas.  We all know the 12 days of Christmas song and in the past people used to give each other gifts on each of the 12 days after Christmas.  Imagine having to buy 12 gifts for each person!  I know that some families in this church continue to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas.  Today is the 13^th day of Christmas, a day we celebrate in the church as Epiphany.  This is the day we celebrate the arrival of the Magi to worship the baby Jesus and that’s what our Scripture readings for this morning are about.

          Let’s take a moment and review a bit about those wise guys.  There are a lot of ideas about the Magi that have been passed down in story and tradition.  I know that I like to imagine the Wise Men in the nativity scene.  When I set my Nativity up at home, I set out the shepherds, the wise men, and Mary and Joseph, and then have them all wait during the Advent season like me.  I used to hide the baby Jesus somewhere and then put him out on Christmas Eve, but Olivia was asking for him early this year and I caved.      

Though I set everyone in the nativity at the same time, and through this is the way I like to think of things in my imagination and in my heart, in my mind I know that the wise men probably weren’t present at the birth of Christ in the manger.  The shepherds probably did come to the manger soon after Jesus’ birth but historically the Magi probably arrived sometime later.  Perhaps even when Jesus was one or two, as the text says that the Magi found Jesus in a house which was probably the house Mary and Joseph had together.  In fact, someone reminded me on Christmas Eve that when the wise men got to Jesus’ house he probably looked a lot more like Henry does today, running around and making noise, then like a quiet little babe in swaddling.

          How about some wise men facts?  Our term Magi comes from the Greek word used to describe them, magoi.  They were probably from a caste of Persian priests who were known to be able to read the stars and interpret dreams.  So, again they were not really what we might imagine, they were probably not kings like we sing about.  The Magi were more like astronomers or astrologers, who could read the signs in the heavens.  We often think that there were three of them, I know there are three in my nativity set, but the truth is that we only get that idea because they bring three gifts.  The Bible never says how many of them there are.  There could have been two of them with three gifts or maybe 10 of them with three gifts.  We really don’t know.  As time has passed, people have added meaning to the gifts, especially since myrrh is used in burial and that seems to foreshadow Christ’s death, but factually it seems as if these were simply gifts that were fit for a king.

          If we are talking facts here, we have to mention that scholars have also wondered for years about that star the wise men followed.  Some have thought it was a rare combination of planets in the sky, some have thought it was a comet, and believe it or not some have even thought it was a UFO.  The simple answer appears to be that it was none other than a unique God ordained phenomenon.  No comet, planet, or star could come to rest over the place where the baby was as the text says, unless of course it was a miracle of God’s doing.  The point is that God could direct the Magi directly to the right house, and that seems to be the emphasis that Matthew was looking for.

          So examining the facts about the wise men versus the way they exist in our imagination can actually be pretty cool.  One of the neatest things about the wise men is that they were not traditional believers in the Messiah.  They were from a foreign country and they were followers of a different religion.  The Magi were definitely not Jews who had been watching for signs of the Messiah as foretold in scripture.  The Magi were people from outside the realms of Jewish culture, and yet they came seeking the Christ.  They searched for the Christ with purpose and God guided them on their path.  More importantly, when these outsiders to the faith find the real King of the Jews, they worship him.  That is what the gifts are about.  They pay him homage with gifts, they kneel down before him, and they give him the honor due his title, King.

          As I mentioned earlier, the official name for this celebration is Epiphany.  Webster’s dictionary defines Epiphany as an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being.  Today we celebrate the appearance of Christ to the Gentiles and to the world.  Epiphany is also defined as a sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something, an intuitive grasp of reality through something simple and striking, or an illuminating discovery, realization, disclosure, an “Ah Ha!” moment.  So, an epiphany can be two things, the appearance of the Christ and the “ah ha” moment of discovery.

          Our companion reading from Isaiah is all about this, the appearance of the Messiah and the moment of discovery.  Isaiah writes one of my favorite lines in scripture, “Arise, shine; for your light has come”.  He goes on to say “Nations shall come to your light.”  He is writing about other nations coming to the light of Israel and here we find a real connection to the wise men who were Persians coming to see the baby Jesus.  They are having an “ah ha” moment.

          So today we are all about finding Jesus and “ah ha” moments.  This is good news to us in what can sometimes be a let down time of the year.  The season after Christmas can be one of the darkest seasons of all.  Everyone has gone home, we will soon be putting our cheery decorations away, and there is nothing left for us but the long wait until spring.  The days are grey and the nights are dark.  The world around us is quiet.  This can be a difficult time.

          What better time then, for us to celebrate this story of light?  This is a great time to think about the wise men following that star to see Jesus.  The star is a symbol of Christ’s guiding light in our lives.  It is the path we follow when we seek to grow in the Lord.  To save the story of the wise men for after the New Year gives us a chance to stretch out our Christmas dreams and wonderings into this season of darkness.

          Of course, this is the first Sunday of the New Year and the time when some of us are thinking about New Year’s resolutions.  We might plan to quit smoking, to exercise more, or to lose weight.  We look at the year ahead and imagine that anything could be possible.  This is a great time for us to look to the light as well.

          Why not turn from the goals of the world around us, turn from the darkness of January, and follow the light of Christ instead?  Now is a great time to seek the babe in the manger, especially since the loud voice of consumer Christmas is finally silent.  Now is a great time to open your hearts to an “ah ha” moment, to an epiphany.  Remember, the wise men probably got to the manger two years late, so we don’t need to worry that it’s too late for us.  You and I both know that the light of Christ will continue to shine until we find our way through the wilderness.

          So, on this morning of Epiphany, I invite you back to the manger scene.  It’s not too late to look for the Christ child.  It’s not too late to have an “ah ha” about God’s love.  And it’s definitely not too late to start following that star.  As Isaiah tells us “Arise, shine; for your light has come!”  Let us go out into the world and follow the light into our New Year.  Amen.