Depending on our point of view, we might feel surprise, bemusement, or even outrage at this story.
In Matthew chapter 1 Jesus’ genealogy includes foreign women of doubtful origin. Then a betrothed virgin was found to be with child. And now these foreigners, astrologers, appear to offer worship.
Questions that arise are:
Who is God?
What is he up to?
Why is this baby significant?
The Gospel starts with Jesus, descended from Abraham, in whom all the nations of the world would be blessed. The Gospel ends with Jesus sending his disciples out into all the world to make disciples of all nations, teaching and baptising, and he is with us!
The wise men appear: what do they say to us?
1. Shift from spectator or speculator to participant
2. Shift from the theoretical and general to the specific.
Lesslie Newbigin has written about the scandal of particularity:
THIS baby, of THESE parents, living in THIS town. God’s love reaching out to the whole world is made real in this happening.
It is not the good life that Jesus lives or his teaching that impresses: initially, we are called to worship this helpless babe, who must be nurtured and protected.
All of the trajectory of human history, Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets, all narrows down to this one individual, in whom is fulfilled the promise and the mission of the nation of Israel.
This uniquely defines our faith in Jesus, that we are anchored to historic occurrences that have a global, timeless significance.
Yes, we face the questions raised in our sermon from last week about why God can allow suffering for some, and choose to bless others.
But we do this in the knowledge that our God has subjected himself to the same limitations, and ultimately ended his earthly life on the cross.
And it was through the Gentiles that God has made this known.
Herod was a foreigner, also from the east, (well, south east actually) but refusing to recognise and acclaim the true King of the Jews.
The wise ones have responded to the summons. Following the star prophesied by Balaam so long before, when he declined to curse the nation of Israel at the invitation of another foreign king, they have come.
We humbly bow before Jesus, acknowledging that we could never have worked this out for ourselves, and that all we can do is receive his grace. We are those who have heard his call and responded. That is the definition of church.
Paul writing to the Ephesians expands this thought. Our shared reaction to the babe of Bethlehem, our decision to devote our lives to him and to live in community with him and with each other, creates another scandal that rocks the heavens.
Through the good news about Christ, the whole of human kind has been invited to join God’s family. Within the company of those who have received him, all barriers have been broken down. We are brothers and sisters. The way that we get on together in love proclaims to the whole cosmos the wisdom and rightness of our God.
This epiphany, what kind of people does God want us to be?
Those who are searching and seeking, questioning, self giving, responding, taking part.
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