God stirs our Faith – Sermon by Chris Bedford
Epiphany Sunday, 3 January 2016, 10am communion at St Lawrence
Exploring the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2, verses 1-12 and Jeremiah, chapter 31
Life must go on”
Even after the celebration of Christmas, faith has to go on. Our faith has to be
continually stirred into action. What has happened, in the events of the
Christmas story is that God has made himself known to the whole of humanity,
and to the whole of creation.
This is progressed further with the Church’s celebration of ‘The Epiphany’ which
incidentally the Church officially celebrates on the 6th January.
In our Gospel Reading we heard St. Matthew:
“Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking,
“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?”
For we observed his star at its rising,
and have come to pay him homage.’
On entering the house,
they saw the child with Mary his mother;
and they knelt down and paid him homage.
Then, opening their treasure-chests,
they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh”.
Today, being the nearest Sunday to the 6th January, the Church can celebrate the
feast of The Epiphany with its story of the visit of the wise men to Bethlehem with
their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. However, a word of caution about this
story is that the New Testament nowhere calls them ‘Kings’ nor does it say there
were three of them. So, an unknown number of wise men, or magi, who were
Persian astrologers, came and paid homage to baby Jesus, and offered him three
gifts. It’s through Christian legend that they’ve become three Kings, even been
given names: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. It makes a good story, whether it’s
accurate or not. Importantly though, it brings out the point of what St Matthew
was saying.
Let me explain:
For the magi, coming from Persia, were Gentiles, non-Jews. It’s quite striking
though, that Matthew, the most Jewish of the four Gospels, is the only one to report
that non-Jews were among the first to worship Jesus. That’s because Matthew was
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fascinated by the fulfilment of the prophecy, and never loses an opportunity to draw
our attention to it. And although in the history of the Jews, the Gentiles were often
their enemies, the Old Testament again and again holds out a vision of reconciliation
as we heard in our First Reading where Jeremiah says:
‘Save O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.’
And says the LORD:
‘See I am going to bring them from the land of the north
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, …’
God’s servants – in this case Jeremiah – are to be a ‘Light to lighten the Gentiles.’
Because of God’s goodness to Israel in returning the people from exile to the holy
city: Jerusalem is seen as the centre of the earth – the focus of God’s attentions in
the world. Kings are not only the rulers of their people, they also represent them.
Thus, if Kings come to visit and pay honour, then whole nations acknowledge God’s
worth. No longer will foreign kings laud it over God’s people, they’ll bring gifts to the
Messiah. That’s perfectly symbolized by transforming the Gentile magi into Kings,
and to three of them because of the three gifts.
So the story confirms for us that Jesus really was the Messiah; and that He is
the Saviour of the world. Not just for his fellow Jews, but for us as Gentiles also.
He is above all earthly powers, and stands in judgement on the leaders of the
nations.
Those Wise men from the East who’d come to visit the infant Jesus came in response
to something disclosed to them. It’s a common feature of religious understanding
that it is God himself who reveals himself to us. This can be by various means and
ways:
Through the Holy Spirit guiding our minds and thoughts.

Through signs and wonders such as the star leading those Wise men.

Through the people who live around us.
God himself is revealed to us, as a means of encouragement, so that our God can be
continually stirred into action.
‘Life must go on’.
Amen
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