Matthew 2:1-12
Today is Epiphany Sunday.
Now, what do we mean by that?
Epiphany really is that same word as in, “Wow, I just realized something I had never thought of before!
I’ve had an epiphany.”
It’s a revelation, a moment of insight, when what was previously muddy or confusing becomes crystal clear.
And in Christian-Speak, an Epiphany is a divine manifestation in the midst of human history.
That’s what the magi experience in our Gospel Lesson for this morning.
But who are the magi?
What image comes to your mind when you think of these guys?
Having sat through a number of Christmas plays, it may be difficult for us not to think of children wearing bathrobes and Burger King Crowns, trying to look as important as possible.
Or we might think of men in long flowing robes, beards and big turbans.
Every year, I get at least one Christmas card with this kind of picture on it.
In nativity sets they rub elbows with shepherds.
But in reality, we don’t know much about them.
Scholars tell us that they weren’t kings, there weren’t necessarily three of them, and they didn’t come on the night of Jesus’ birth, or even 12 days after Jesus’ birth.
They also were not Jewish.
They were Gentiles, which means anyone who is not a Jew.
They were most likely something like astrologers, and something in the sky told them that the cosmos were changing.
The star is a symbol of this new thing, this new change, this new birth.
And so, they follow the light of this star.
They are on a journey to find truth.
That’s why they study the stars in the first place.
When you live in the city it can be easy to forget what it’s like to get away from streetlights, big buildings, bright restaurant signs, car headlights and all the rest.
I was out in the country a few months ago.
It was a pitch-dark night, but the sky was clear and so it wasn’t so pitch-dark after-all because the stars and the moon were brilliant—in focus—and they lit up the night as far as my eyes could see.
You know what I’m talking about; it’s a breath-taking sight, is it not?
And it brings us closer to God in some way.
At least it does for me.
It helps to remind me how vast this eternal universe is, and the mystery which surrounds me and it causes me to wonder what it all means.
Artificial lights can sometimes cause us to forget about God—to get off track, and to spend more time on human stuff, worldly stuff rather than godly stuff.
The ancient world didn’t have street lights.
I think they may have been more in-touch with the divine than we are.
In any case, it does seem a bit odd that these magi, these non-Jewish or Gentile astrologers would follow a star, for probably about two years, in order to find the new King of the Jews.
But an interesting thing is that, just about the time Jesus was born, there was a strange feeling in the air—an expectation about the coming of a King.
Even the Roman historians of the time felt this and wrote about it.
The magi had experienced this strange feeling.
They had heard the buzz going around.
Then they saw a sign in the sky and they went for it.
They started their journey to find Jesus which is a great metaphor for all people of faith.
We are all on this journey, are we not?
We are on this journey together; to find Jesus, to worship him and make him known.
United Methodist Pastor James Howell once said, “God seems to have put some unquenchable hankering into all of us for…yes, for God.
We think we’re looking for the next big thing, the big deal, the perfect person, the ultimate experience, our favorite song, or painting we have to hang on the wall.
When we say, ‘Oooh, yes, I dig that,’ God says, ‘You’re getting warmer, keep coming, it’s me you are really after.’”
You may be familiar with the quote from Pascal: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing.
It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.”
I have found this to be true in my life, how about you?
Sadly, we do live in a world filled with artificial light and it’s very easy to get off track.
But that longing for God continues to exist, and God uses this longing to bring us closer to the God we were created to be in relationship with.
(Pause)
But before we go too far, let’s not underestimate the Gentile symbolism in our Gospel Lesson for this morning.
Judaism always struggled with being a separate “Holy People” with strict religious laws on one hand, and yet the belief in One Holy God of the universe, the God of all, on the other.
Jesus, in his ministry reached out to the Gentiles.
There was the demon possessed man who lived in Gentile territory, the poor widow in Nain whose son had died, even the Roman soldier at the foot of the cross.
Jesus’ most familiar parable, the Parable of the Good Samaritan, honors a person whose people were despised by the Jews and were considered to be Gentiles.
The magi didn’t seem to know the Jewish Scriptures fully—for instance they did not know that the prophet Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
But they did know that Herod had rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem—so beautiful, so magnificent, that it was known throughout the civilized world.
So, they came, on their journey or quest to find the newborn King of the Jews to the center of Judaism, Jerusalem.
No wonder they are referred to as Wise Men.
Most likely, they were men of wealth and prominence.
They must have had an entourage of servants, drivers and animals.
There gifts were extravagant.
But then, their words, “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?” struck fear in Herod’s heart.
Herod was known to be paranoid and obsessed with power.
He is said to have killed his own wife and son because he thought they were plotting against him.
What would he do if he were to find the one who was being hailed as the new King?
So, Herod called the religious scholars together to ask them where the Messiah was to be born.
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written.”
And when they arrived in Bethlehem, they saw that this is where the star was leading them, and they were overjoyed.
I think it’s important to take notice that these wealthy magi were not put-off when they found Jesus with a young peasant mother and a blue-collar father living in what must have been a very modest house at best.
For they humbly and prayerfully gave them the precious gifts they had carried with them for hundreds of miles.
“They bowed down and worshiped this, no doubt, dirt-stained toddler.”
Humility is so very important for our journey in finding God.
Jesus mentions humility almost as much as he talks about love.
And there is a reason for this.
In order for us to love, to truly love we must be willing to humble ourselves before the one we love.
We must be willing to get out of the way, forget about self and give everything over to Jesus.
We must be willing to serve others, not repay evil for evil, and surround ourselves with anyone and everyone.
This is what it means to follow Christ—the be a disciple—a Christian—a person who loves God and loves other people first and foremost.
And it is hard to be humble, for greed, selfishness, temptations all pull us in the opposite direction.
That is why we need the church, why we need one another.
We must not get off course by following the artificial lights of the world.
We need to remind ourselves again and again who and what is the true light, and this is what church, Bible study, Christian small groups, and serving others help us to do.
The magi, after they had bowed before the Savior, after they had given their well-traveled gifts, went to sleep.
In verse 12 we are told, “And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
A true spiritual message resides here, like a gold coin under a rock.
When we give our hearts to Jesus Christ, we go home “by another way.”
Our lives are forever different.
Recently I got a phone call from a brilliant man.
He is sophisticated, articulate and well-educated.
He had also been released after serving two five-year prison sentences for selling drugs.
In prison, he had started to pray, take part in a Bible study and attend worship services and eventually he knelt down before Jesus, like the magi of old.
When he was released he called me to say that he is now directing an organization called “Second Blessing.”
It’s a store of used clothing, used furniture, children’s toys, and bedding for people who are in need.
He is filled with joy.
He told me that he has a ministry.
He has met Jesus, and he is going home a different way.
The magi in our Gospel Lesson who traveled for nearly two years following the light of Christ’s star teach us that no one is so far away that they can’t travel in faith to Bethlehem and have an Epiphany, a revelation when they meet God’s divine manifestation in human history—Jesus, the Word made flesh.
We all need a Savior.
And even the wealthy magi from the Middle East can bow in humility before the Lord, rise up and then serve him in faithfulness.
Let’s all seek to do this in 2026.
As the saying goes, “Wise people still seek him.”
May it be so with us.
Will you pray with me?
Almighty God,
We thank you that you have come into this dark world as the True light.
We thank you that you call us to yourself through that God-shaped vacuum that can only be filled by you.
Help us to turn away from those things that do not truly satisfy and instead, bow down and give our lives every day to serving and loving you and all people humbly in your name.
Amen.
