Sermon: Epiphany - 2020

5 January 2020

Text: Matt 2:1-12

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

One of the most beloved verses of Scripture is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Jesus Himself spoke these words to Nicodemus, who came to Him by night, so as not to be seen by others.

Just three verses later, our Lord mentions the darkness to Nicodemus: “The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest His works should be exposed.”

As is always the case, Jesus is teaching Nicodemus (and us) about Himself.  For ever since the fall in the Garden of Eden, our world has been shrouded in darkness.  But in the fullness of time, God brought light – the light of forgiveness and life – back into our world – by sending His only begotten Son.  But of course, not everyone wants the light.  For it is in darkness that we poor miserable sinners love to commit “wicked deeds.”  And darkness and light cannot coexist.

When our Lord was still an infant, we see this clash between the light of Christ and the darkness of men.  And that is what the Epiphany is all about.  The word “Epiphany” means “to show.”  For what was hidden in the darkness now comes to light.  And so God uses the light of a star to guide Gentile “wise men from the east” to come and see the showing of this Jewish Messiah, this boy King who is to save the world by enlightening it and chasing away the darkness of sin and death.  They were led to the Light of the World by the light of a star.

This sign in the heavens was so powerful that it impelled the Magi to set out on a very long journey from the east, from the land where the sun rises, to see the coming of the Son of God.  For it was not only the Jews who were waiting for the Savior to come, but also the Gentiles, that is, all of the nations of the world, who according to God’s Word spoken two thousand years earlier to Abraham, they too would be blessed by Abraham’s promised descendant.  

And now, with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem of Judea, that time has come.  The light was shining, and could not be contained.  The light was being shown forth in a great epiphany that drew men from beyond the borders of Jerusalem, of Judea and Samaria, and of the ends of the earth – to come and see, to behold the light, to announce to the world that the darkness has been conquered!

But let us not forget, men love the darkness because their deeds are wicked.  Wicked King Herod was a fraudulent King, a pretender to the throne who only sat there by currying favor with the Romans.  Herod benefitted from the darkness of Roman rule, and the last thing he wanted was the light of the True King of Israel to expose his dark deeds as a traitor to his own people.  And so hearing about the light, Herod tried to snuff it out.  

When it had been revealed to the wise men that the light was shining in Bethlehem, Herod was “troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”  And it was only with this troubled mind that the lawless man of darkness consults the Scriptures – not to learn from God, not to repent of his wickedness, not to submit to the rule of the true King – but to try to extinguish the light of the hope of all mankind.  

And so Herod resorted to a lie to cover up his attempted murder of the King, saying to the wise men: “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found Him, bring me Word, that I too may come and worship Him.”

After meeting with Herod, the wise men continue to follow the starry guidepost in the heavens, directing them to the epiphany of the Lord Jesus Christ “over the place where the child was.”  And “when they saw the star, the rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.”

The light in the sky led them to the Light of the World.  These wise men, sometimes depicted as three kings, rejoiced to see the King of kings, the One who is the incarnate God – the Son from the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – the epiphany, that is, the manifestation, the showing, of God in the flesh.  The rule of darkness has come to an end with the epiphany of the Light of the World in the flesh.  And not even the scheming of Herod could empower the darkness to overcome the light!

It is little wonder that the Magi rejoiced!  Truly great men are joyful to submit to the rule of “God in man, made manifest.” 

And even as Herod lied about worshiping the Child, these wise men did indeed worship Him.  Worship is something reserved to God alone.  And unlike the pagan myths about various gods that they were taught to worship in the east, these wise men were now in the presence of the True God, a God who is not a myth, not a story, not a character in an unbelievable tale – but rather a baby, a flesh and blood child, a boy who has a mother.  

For the Light of the One who said “Let there be light” when all of the universe was created, now manifests Himself as the Light of the World in the flesh of this boy King.  And even as we do today, out of joy and gratitude, they offer Him gifts.  They are not buying His favor, the way they would a wicked fraudulent king of darkness, like Herod.  Rather they offer Him gifts given in the spirit of worship, of love, of joy, of thankfulness and praise.  They bring Him the kingly gold that men like Herod lust after.  They bring Him priestly incense, which was offered in the temple as a reminder of the prayers that ascend to heaven that God receives as a sweet aroma that pleases Him.  They bring Him myrrh – an aromatic spice used in embalming that would some thirty years later be brought to His tomb – His empty tomb.  

For though these gifts are offered with the spirit of gratitude and right sacrifice, ultimately Jesus doesn’t need them.  For God doesn’t need or lack anything.  Jesus is the Creator of all the gold.  Jesus is the fulfillment of all the incense.  And Jesus is the One who makes embalming myrrh obsolete.  Rather than being things that are needed, in the New Creation that Jesus brings to the world, these things are luxuries to be enjoyed for their beauty, objects used in worship that remind us of Jesus and His epiphany, of the wise men, and of the inextinguishable Light of the World.

And as much as Herod schemed to get to the Christ Child to snuff out His young life, his dark plan was foiled by God, who simply warned the magi to avoid Herod, and to “depart” and go back home “by another way.”

Jesus is that other way, dear friends.  We do not need to wallow in darkness and be harassed by death.  We do not need to fear the Herods of this world, or be consumed by deeds of wickedness.  Jesus calls us to repent, and He teaches us – even in the lingering darkness, even as He taught Nicodemus.  

And we too worship Him.  We too bring Him our treasures.  But what is even greater than what we bring Him is what He brings us: forgiveness, life, and salvation.  Jesus conquers the darkness as the uncreated and unconquerable Light! 

As the ancient prayer of the church confesses: “Jesus Christ is the Light of the World, the Light no darkness can overcome!”  Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.