Rev. Debbie Cato
Fairfield Community Church
Matthew 2:1-12
Epiphany Sunday January 7, 2024
Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light
we may see light, in your truth find wisdom, and in your will discover your
peace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Shine
Your Star Bright
Epiphany
reminds us of how the light of Jesus Christ continues to guide our lives every
day —even after we put away the bright and cheery Christmas lights. Epiphany is
a Christian holiday celebrated in the West on January 6. The word “Epiphany”
originates from the Greek word epiphaneia, meaning “manifestation” or
“appearance.”[1]
The Western church celebrates the visit of the three Magi to the newly-born Jesus in Bethlehem that is detailed in Matthew 2:1-12. More broadly, the day of Epiphany commemorates the revelation of Christ as the eternal Savior of all humankind. Not only did Christ reveal himself as the Son of God to the three Magi, but also through his baptism as well as through his first miracle in the turning of the water to wine at Cana. The liturgical season of Epiphany officially ends the 12 Days of Christmas and stretches from January 6 through Ash Wednesday. It highlights all these “epiphanies” or appearances of Christ’s divinity to the world.[2]
Within the New Testament, the story of the wise men is found only in the Gospel of Matthew. It spans 12 short verses. The wise men arrive in Jerusalem from an unnamed location “in the East,” led by a star and in search of a new king. They make their way to Bethlehem, where they bow before Jesus and offer gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then, they return home by a different route.[3]
One of the keys to understanding them lies in what Matthew calls them: “magi.” “Magi” is a Greek word that is difficult to translate. Some versions of the New Testament render it as “wise men” and others say “astrologers.” But neither of these captures the full sense of the term.[4]
“Magi” is where the English word “magic” derives from, and just as magic can have both positive and negative connotations today, so too did magi have a range of meanings and uses in the ancient world. Some ancient authors speak positively of individuals they describe as magi, while others consider the label to be more of an insult.[5]
Who, then, are the magi who visit Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew? The answer, it turns out, is complicated. Matthew doesn’t tell his readers exactly what he means when he refers to his visitors in this way, and so it is up to us to figure it out.
Biblical scholars often argue that Matthew intended for the magi in his Gospel to be understood as gentiles or non-Jews who come to Bethlehem to worship Jesus. They surmise that this story is meant to foreshadow the fact that Christianity would eventually become a gentile religious movement instead of a Jewish one.[6]
The argument that the magi are meant to be understood as gentiles is based in part on the fact that they come to Jerusalem and Bethlehem “from the East,” which could suggest that they are “outsiders.”
One of the spiritual rituals we practice on Epiphany is receiving star words. Passing out “star words” has been a practice in Protestant churches for nearly a decade and continues to flourish in congregations. The annual ritual derives from the story of the brilliant star that led the three Magi to the Christ Child. It was the new star in the sky that drew the Magi’s attention and it was the star they followed until they found the Christ child.
“Star words” are intention words that are printed or written out on paper stars. Each year, during Epiphany worship, members of churches – both small and large, are invited to take a paper star. Without knowing the word written on their paper star ahead of time, worshippers are invited to place their trust in the word they have drawn and to allow that word to reflectively guide them. The word we choose helps us prayerfully set our intentions for the coming year. Star words are a lovely liturgical practice that encapsulates so well the spirit of Epiphany: our ever-present hope that God is an illuminating presence in our daily lives, calling us, loving us, and leading us forth into our world together.
When you choose your star word, you will likely have an immediate reaction to the word. But don’t settle there. That is not God speaking to you yet. Take the word and pray over it. Listen. Mull it over. The word may very well mean much more than you think. Watch for it to show up unexpectedly in your life in the days and months ahead. Put it somewhere you will see it on a regular basis. How is God using your star word in your life? It could change the year ahead for you. This small, ordinary word could have life-changing implications when God gets a hold of it. You don’t dare put limits on God!
I encourage you to talk about your star words. Listen to what other people say. Listen to what they see in your life. Hear how they understand the word. Allow the word to be an active part of your year ahead.
God chose unlikely characters to reveal the Christ child to. Motely shepherds and strange men from the East. They all left praising God and worshiping the newborn King. They left changed. Surely God can and will use these simple words to change us. To deepen our relationship with him. A relationship that he treasures and desires. Let’s make this a year of growth and adventure as we allow God to use our star words in our lives.
Like the star shining
bright over the new born Christ, lighting the way for
the Magi, let’s let our
stars shine bright during 2024. Whether
we are at
work, at appointments, eating
out or celebrating somewhere, or out in the
community, let your star shine. Whether things are going well or you are in
crises, let your star
shine. Give people a reason to say, “What is that light
about? I want to follow it
and see where it leads.” Let’s be the
song, “This
Little Light of Mine, I’m
going to let it shine.” The world needs
it. And so
do we. Amen.
[1] What is Epiphany? Presbyterian Outlook. Katy Sheval.
January 6, 2023. Updated
December 23, 2023.
[2] What is Epiphany?
Presbyterian Outlook. Katy
Sheval. January 6, 2023. Updated December 23, 2023
[3] Who were the Three Wisemen
that Visited Jesus? Presbyterian Outlook.
Eric Vanden Eykel, associate professor of religious studies, Ferrum
College. January 2, 2023. Updated janaruy 9, 2023.
[4] Who were the Three Wisemen that Visited Jesus?
Presbyterian Outlook. Eric Vanden Eykel,
associate professor of religious studies, Ferrum College. January 2, 2023. Updated janaruy 9, 2023
[5] Who were the Three Wisemen that Visited Jesus?
Presbyterian Outlook. Eric Vanden Eykel,
associate professor of religious studies, Ferrum College. January 2, 2023. Updated janaruy 9, 2023
[6] Who were the Three Wisemen that Visited Jesus?
Presbyterian Outlook. Eric Vanden Eykel,
associate professor of religious studies, Ferrum College. January 2, 2023. Updated janaruy 9, 2023
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