Rev.
Debbie Cato
Matthew
2:1-12 and Isaiah 43:16-21
Fairfield
Community Church
January
5, 2025. Epiphany Sunday
God of starlight, we long
to follow you. Like the Magi, we want to pick up the hems of our robes and run
in your direction. Like the Magi, we want to kick up the dust with our feet and
make a joyful ruckus following your guiding star. Unfortunately, the stars can
be hard to see from here. Your still, small voice can be hard to hear. Guide us
as you did the Magi. Reveal what it is you want us to hear today, so that we
can follow you. With hope in our hearts, we pray. Amen.
The Road Isn’t
Straight
Today is Epiphany
Sunday but what does that mean? The word
"epiphaneia"
is Greek for "appearance" or "manifestation".
Epiphany is a
Christian holiday that celebrates the appearance or
manifestation of Jesus
Christ to the world. It’s when the magi, guided
by a new star in the sky, traveled to Bethlehem and found the Christ child. It is celebrated on or around January 6th – the 12th day after the birth of Christ. The end of the Christmas season. Epiphany is also known as Three Kings' Day, Theophany, or the Feast of Epiphany.
Epiphany is
celebrated in diverse ways around the world, including:
1.
Gift-giving – in parts of the world children often receive
small gifts in their shoes in honor of the Magi's gifts to the baby Jesus.
2.
King cakes - yellow, green, and white-frosted desserts are
eaten, and
whoever finds the
baby baked inside is King or Queen for the day.
3.
Parades and fireworks displays are common in Spain &
Latin
America.
4.
Blessing of water - In Eastern traditions, baptisms are
common
during Epiphany. Even
houses may be blessed with holy water.
5. Some people take down Christmas decorations and store them away for the next year.[1]
6. And many churches – like ours, receive Star Words for the next year. Words that we believe represent how God is going to work in us in the coming year.
In their
“Considerations for this week,” Sanctified Art authors wrote the following: “As
we come to the end of our series, we turn to the Magi. This year as we read the
story with fresh ears and eyes, we were struck by how their long and unexpected
journey resembles a core truth for us all:
life will unfold with unexpected turns. At some point, we could be
called to embark on a long journey, in an unknown place. We will surely
encounter barriers, detours, and deterrents along the way. And if we are
listening closely to God’s still, small voice, we may find ourselves stepping
on a new path… Life’s road was never
meant to be a straight line from one point to the next. At best, that concept
is aspirational; at worst, it can induce shame and despair. We believe God is
with us in every twist and turn. We believe life is complicated and nuanced. The
Magi teach us that a faithful path can be one that resists deceptive and
oppressive powers, one that follows God’s light wherever it shines.”
The story of the Magi in Matthew 2 paints a vivid picture of this truth. These wise travelers from the East did not follow a straightforward path to find Jesus.
The Magi were foreigners who came from the East, likely from modern-day Iraq, Iran, or Saudi Arabia. They were probably astrologers who studied the sky for omens and prophecies. Guided by dreams and a star, their journey included an encounter with a king and unexpected detours. Their curiosity about the origin of a new, brilliant star in the sky led them on a journey of somewhere between 500-900 miles, walking & riding camels.
Well, you know how
word gets out of course. King Herod found out about these travelers looking for
a baby boy – but not just any baby. This
baby was being called the King of the Jews. Hearing this, Herod’s jealousy and
insecurity kicked in. He met with the Magi and asked them to return to him
after they found the baby to let him know where he was. He told them he wanted
to worship the child. He tried to manipulate them. The Magi found the Christ
Child and they kneeled down and worshiped him, presenting him with valuable
perfumes.
Then, Matthew writes
“and having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to
their country by another route.” We
don’t know if the dream occurred after they left Herod and continued their
travels to the baby or if they had the dream while they were in Bethlehem. It
does not matter. But the Magi were divinely warned through a dream, not to go
back to Herod and tell him where he could find the Christ Child. God protected
the holy family from King Herod, who’s intentions were not to worship Jesus,
but to harm him. In fact, if we kept reading Matthew 2, we would find Jesus in
extreme danger from Herod. When Jesus was probably 2 years old, God gives
Joseph a dream telling him that King Herod was going to find them and kill the
baby. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus leave immediately and travel to Egypt to hide. They
are refugees. Jesus is an illegal immigrant.
In his jealous rage, Herod orders that all baby boys, in the region, age 2 and under, are to be killed. We call it the slaughter of the innocents.
It seems no one who
is part of the nativity had a straight, smooth path. Mary certainly did not. She did not expect to
become pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph’s road was far from straight.
He did not plan that the woman he was engaged to would become pregnant
by God. He did not plan that their marriage together would begin with a
child. Neither Mary nor Joseph planned
to have to leave their home, their families, their friends, everything they
had, and escape to Egypt as refugees in order to protect the Christ Child from
death by the hands of the reigning king.
They did not expect they would be starting over with nothing in a
foreign land.
The shepherds’ path
was not straight. They were out in the field tending their sheep, preparing to
sleep as they did every night. They were just doing their jobs. They did not
expect to be greeted by angels proclaiming the birth of the Messiah! When they went out to the fields that night
to work, they did not envision they would be leaving their sheep, traveling to
Bethlehem and be the first to see the Christ child. They had not planned to
have their lives changed when they woke up that morning. But they were.
The Magi had not expected a new star in the sky. They had not intended on traveling so far from home – a trip that was long and arduous, and dangerous. They did not expect to get attention from King Herod on their travels. They certainly did not expect to find the Messiah! They did not expect to have God warn them in a dream that they should not go back to Herod. Warn them that they should not go back home on the same road they traveled on to get to the Christ child. They did not expect to protect the Christ child and his family just by taking a different route. Even as an infant, Jesus was already causing twists and turns in people’s paths.
Kayla Craig, in her
commentary for this week said this, “Sometimes, the most profound moments in
life come from taking a courageous turn that leads us away from our
meticulously planned routes. “
“The Magi’s decision
to embrace alternative paths challenges us as we think about our own
journeys. The Magi were willing to have
their assumptions challenged and plans changed.
The same is true for us. We don’t
have to have all the answers or an obstacle-free path because hope is what
empowers our journey. “ [2]
I am so thankful I
was able – with a lot of prodding from God – to let go of my fear of being hurt
by another congregation and come here, live among you, and serve this
church. I was not happy doing what I was
doing but I had let go of my dream, my call really, to pastor. And because God sent me on a detour, my
pastoral ministry is going to end with wonderful memories of all of you and the
way God has worked within this church.
I know my retirement feels like you are thrown off the path God is leading us on. Like there’s a big roadblock lurking that says Stop. Your pastor is gone. But just as God provided a dream to the Magi and then to Joseph to keep His plan in motion, he will provide you dreams and hopes for your future and the future of this church. As Kayla said, “Sometimes, the most profound moments in life come from taking a courageous turn that leads us away from our meticulously planned routes.”
Often, the well-known roads are not the only option. A new path may lead you down twists and turns that take you out of your comfort zones, but it will help you fit within God’s divine plan for this church and this community.
We don’t have to
know where we’re going to know that God is with us. Isaiah 43 testifies to this
truth with a powerful promise: God makes
a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. This prophetic assurance paints a vivid
picture of God’s active presence in our lives, creating paths where none seem
to exist and inviting us to embrace the new things God is doing. It’s a divine invitation to move forward,
learn from the past, and step into new possibilities.[3]
We are never alone
on this journey. In the new year, may
you find comfort knowing that, like the Magi, a light will guide you home. Rest in the hope that you never truly go alone
– the love that knows your name goes alongside you and before you. Let this assurance fill you with peace and
courage, open to the new and unexpected paths that God may reveal in the days and weeks ahead.[4]
Here this blessing: It’s okay if your journey has not looked like you thought it would. As you navigate twists and turns, stay curious and open to where God might be leading. May you find courage to explore new routes and the wisdom to follow the One who will never leave or forsake you. May each new path be a chance to trust God and discover deeper truths about the love that will never let you go. Amen.[5]
[1] List was
found on the internet initiated by AI when “what is Epiphany was typed in the
search bar.
[2] Sanctifiedart.com. Advent Series 2024. Epiphany Sunday. Commentary by Kayla Craig.
[3] Sanctifiedart.com.
Advent Series 2024. Epiphany Sunday.
Commentary by Kayla Craig.
[4] Sanctifiedart.com.
Advent Series 2024. Epiphany Sunday.
Commentary by Kayla Craig.
[5] Sanctifiedart.com.
Advent Series 2024. Epiphany Sunday.
Commentary by Kayla Craig.
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