January 3, 2016 – Epiphany                                                 Text:  Matthew 2:1-12

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

“Star light, star bright/ First star I see tonight,/ I wish I may, I wish I might,/Have this wish I wish tonight.”  And then there’s the Jiminy Cricket version:  “When you wish upon a star/Makes no difference who you are/Anything your heart desires/Will come to you.”

Stars.  There are numerous poems about them.  But the one star that always stands out most for us is the one in our text:  “For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  His star?  Jupiter?  Venus?  A comet?  And the speculation goes on every year.  How about supernatural?  How about miraculous?  How about a question . . .

“WHAT STAR DO YOU FOLLOW?”

Today we celebrate “Epiphany”.  The word comes from a Greek word meaning, “to show, to reveal, to make manifest.”  It’s the time we celebrate the wonderful news that Christ reveals Himself to the Gentiles, the non-Jews.

So the Wise Men see his star and rise to go worship.  In this section of Scripture we always get caught up in the periphery of the story than the importance of the story.  Were there three wise men?  Nobody knows – only God.  There could have been thirty-three.  What is important is that they are Gentiles and God has guided them to that place and time.

“When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.” (v. 3)  Disturbed at God’s presence?  Why?  Because God’s presence says something about sin, death, and judgment.  That would mess up Herod’s little heaven on earth.  He wants to be the star and somebody is pushing their way past.  Herod is a picture of many in the world.  They focus so much on themselves that they miss the Word in the flesh – Christ the Savior.  They excuse themselves from any judgment because they can do what they want – just like Herod.  How often are we guilty if this offense?  Looking out for #1.  “Hey, I’m the star here, don’t close the curtain.  Lord, I’ll do better next time.”

What comes next is down right fascinating.  We’re told, “…assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.” (v. 4)  Wow!  Herod knew enough and had enough confidence in the Old Testament Word of God to believe it contained information about the birth of Christ.  He knew the Messiah was coming into the world but wanted no part of it.  He knew- He had knowledge!

Herod is like so many today; those in the church and those outside the church who hear the Word of God and somehow conclude it doesn’t apply to them.  It’s post-modern math:  2 plus 2 equals 5.  They kick at the word.  They hate the word.  Why do atheists fight so hard to remove God’s Word from everything if they don’t believe anything about that Word?  Because down deep in places they don’t want to talk about at parties they are just like Herod.  They know the truth is there.  They know who the real star is.

So do the Magi.  Our text again, “After listening to the king, they went on their way.  And behold, the star they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.  And going into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. (vs. 9-11a)

There is that star again.  God is pulling the heartstrings of the Magi.  Nothing must get in the way of their journey.  Most people around them could care less about the star.  The fact that the Kings of kings is born in this backwater town does not stop them or cause them to doubt.

Today people are fascinated with stars.  Why are many Internet sights so popular?  Because they deal with the famous.  They deal with the important.  We have made stars out of people who otherwise would not have been noticed.  We love to watch TMZ and read “People” magazine.  We follow them on Twitter.

And if we are not getting caught up in that mess, then we must be following the latest rash explanation for the star.  Let’s see, now, is it the History Channel or the Discovery Channel which always wants to explain it rationally?  Isn’t the star really a reminder that no matter how long and rough and sin struggling the road of life is, God is always there directing and guiding His people?  Isn’t that it?  Word and Sacrament.  God coming to us over and over again, guiding and directing us to the place where God says, “Your sin is forgiven.  You belong to me.”

This star we follow – this Star of Jesus – is not just for us, it is for others.  Those caught up in the wrong type of star gazing.  Those with no hope.  The Light of Christ – The Star – that will finally lift all who believe to eternal life and Light!

Amen.

December 31, 2015 – New Year’s Eve                                 Text:  Luke 2:21-40

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

Life is full of surprises.  Some we enjoy, some we could do without.  You be the judge:  “The doctor would like to discuss your x-rays.”  “Class, take out a sheet of paper.  We are having a pop quiz!”  “Congratulations!  You made the team.”  “The tumor we feared was malignant is actually benign.”  “Would you like to go to the winter dance with me?”  “Sure, I’d love too.”  “The boss wants to see you.  No need to take off your coat.”

Life is full of surprises, good and bad.  What will happen in the New Year?  What will be good?  What will be bad?  The thing is, we don’t know.  Except…right here.  There is one sure thing in all the universe, and it is given to us.

“THE SURE THING OF JESUS”

For centuries, Hebrew parents had brought their infant to be circumcised and named on the eighth day of life.  So Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple as the Law required.  The name Jesus means “Savior” or “the Lord saves!”  That was also a confession of faith for his parents.  Remember the angel of the Lord had announced what his name would be because he would “save his people from their sins.”  God’s people were expecting someone to come with impressive power; instead, God comes in weakness, in a baby, laid in a manger.

Simeon confessed Jesus as his Savior from sin.  The Lord told him he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  So the Lord made sure Simeon was in the temple that day.  Right there, before Simeon’s eyes, Jesus was beginning the work of saving us, even while only an infant.

Consider all your failures, all your mistakes, all your shortcomings.  Consider all those words and all those actions of the past year that you’d love to take back.  Right there in the temple, as an infant, Jesus began to make up for them.  Right there, Jesus began to be what his name says he is, our Savior from sin.

Yes, life is full of surprises, both good and bad.  But the one sure thing is this:  Jesus means “Savior”, and that name applied to us brings blessings.  Eternal blessings!

With that blessing God surprised an old woman named Anna.  She had been waiting and hoping and waiting.  And just when it seemed as if she should give up, God came through.  God showed her the Savior.  God brought her the blessing.  She gave thanks to God and told everyone that God had come for his people.

We have the surprise also for us.  Sometimes when we least expect it.  When things look their worst.  When we think that life has dealt us a bad hand, God comes through with a big surprise.  In fact, the whole nature of the Gospel is a big surprise.  We normally expect that nothing is free, everything has to be earned, worked for.  And that’s absolutely true…of all except this:  God’s free gift of eternal life in Jesus.  Blessed surprise!

Think about all the surprises in the Bible.  When Noah’s neighbors realized that it was beginning to rain.  When the up in years Sarah told her husband Abraham that she was going to have a baby.  When Moses saw a burning bush and the voice of God coming out of it.  When the walls of Jericho came tumbling down.  When the angel came to Mary, and then to Joseph to tell them they would have a baby, conceived by the Holy Spirit.  When Jesus grew up to be nailed to a cross and the one whom his disciples had believed in now lay stone-cold dead in a grave.

But soon followed that great and grand surprise when Mary saw him again in the resurrection.  He was alive!  Wonderfully and gloriously alive.

And there is the surprise of our guilty lives when we hear the Lord Jesus tell us again and again, “Your sins are forgiven.  You didn’t earn it, you can’t earn it, but I give it to you.  You are free.  Go in peace!”

There will be one more surprise that comes to us who confess Jesus to be our Savior, who live under his blessing.  This will be a big one.  He’s coming back!  It didn’t happen last year, but he could come this year.  And when he does, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, he will raise us to life, to gather us together to meet him and to be with him forever.

That will be the greatest surprise of all, saved for last.  For those of us who know Jesus it will be the greatest occasion to celebrate.  The greatest miracle of all is that I will be there rejoicing.  You will be their rejoicing.  All who believe in him will be there rejoicing.  It is a sure thing.

What is coming for you in this New Year?  What surprises are in store?  The only sure thing we have is this:  the name of Jesus.  That name we confess, the name placed on us at our Baptism.  He is our Savior from sin.

Amen.

Dec. 25, 2015 – Christmas                                                                Text:  Luke 2:19

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

Doesn’t it seem like Mary has gotten it all wrong?  Isn’t Christmas – this glorious day – a time for celebration?  And St. Luke tells us that “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  What a contrast.  We live in a time when Christmas is an intense affair.  The hype to shop for the perfect gift.  The gatherings that are more numerous than other times of the year.  But if we look to the first Christmas it was not an intense affair at all.  In comparison to today it was quite calm and quiet.

You can’t blame people for wanting to make a buck.  Ethel Merman belted it out a long time ago:  “There’s no business like show business.”  Show business is fine it it’s place but it has no business in God’s business.  Christmas does have its entertainment and retail side but we have not come here today to be entertained.  We are here on God’s business.  And God’s business calls a halt to all the busy-ness of our hectic lives and this hectic season so that we might discover anew the good news of great joy that was proclaimed to shepherds on Bethlehem’s plain:  “Today…a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)  Let’s discover again . . .

“THE MYSTERY IN THE MANGER”

What did Mary “ponder” in her heart?  Was she expecting extravagant gifts?  Was she looking for a new donkey to travel back on to Nazareth?  Surely, as a woman, she wanted a new pair of sandals.  I mean you can never have too many of them, can you ladies?  Maybe, being poor, she was hoping that the newborn would have some of the nice things in life.

Mary’s enchantment was not found in any of that.  She pondered that which had been spoken by the angel of the Lord to the rugged shepherds concerning her baby boy, “Christ the Lord.”

As a parent we have all had that moment when we look down at our newborn in amazement and think of the blessing and joy and responsibility.  Mary looks at her child – could it really be the Lord, the God of hosts, who feeds all creation, who opens up his hand to satisfy the desire of every living thing.  Could he come so small in a virgin womb, be born a helpless infant boy, and be suckled at her breast?  “Good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10), the angel had announced to the shepherds.  This was no pipe dream or human speculation:  these words were from the very mouth of God.  Her firstborn Son was none other than the Messiah, the promised Redeemer, and God in human flesh and bone.  Mary kept all these words and pondered them in her heart.

You and I can do no less this holy day.  There is nothing we can do to add to the luster of this day.  No musical interlude or mind-boggling light display can hold a candle to the simple wonder of a gracious God who loved the world so that He gave his only begotten Son.  When we could not go to him, he has come to us wrapped in swaddling clothes.  This is the mystery in the manger; God in diapers, here among us.  God in a crib – and then some 30 years later, God on a cross, made to be sin for us that he might remove forever the curse of sin and the sting of death.  This is Christmas.

We have experienced this over and over throughout the years, the glitz and glitter and the knick knacks around our house will be packed in our basement crawl space or our attic or our garage not to be seen until another Advent.  The happy glow of this festive day is illusive and fleeting.  But not this.  Treasure in your heart the mystery of God made flesh for our salvation.

In faith, set aside the show business and get down to God’s business.  Today the Christ child has been born.  He comes wrapped in the swaddling clothes of the Word of His Gospel.  He comes for every soul distressed and lonely and grieving.  He comes for every wounded heart and mind.  He comes for peace that passes all understanding, for forgiveness, for life, and our salvation.  He comes for you and you and you this day.  The mystery in the manger has been revealed – He is Christ the Lord!  Merry Christmas!

Amen.