Sermon – 01-07-24 – Epiphany 1 – Cycle B
This service includes the Wise Men and the Baptism of Christ with the Theme of Light
Scriptures (not the designated ones): Isaiah 9:2; John 1:1-18; Mark 1:4-11
Sermon Title: “Are We Children of Light?”

Plod. Plod. Plod. The camels of the obviously rich men move slowly across the long stretch of terrain from somewhere east of the Holy Land. These rich and educated men have seen a star. It is not that they have nothing else to do and just happen to see this star – a strong star.

They are learn-ed men. They know that a Messiah is expected and that there will be a sign in the sky. So they have been watching. Now, there it is in the sky. Now, waiting is ended. But, oh my, the star does not bear a sign like our GPS does. The star does not tell the wise men how many miles and how many minutes until the destination is reached. “Never mind,” say the wise men. “We will pack as much as we can, fasten it to the camels, and off we slowly go, following the star.”

Apparently, this is not an entourage of 3 men and three camels. The true number of men and camels is not recorded. We probably think three because the Bible mentions that the wise men brought 3 gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Despite our seeing manger scenes with the wise men sharing space with the shepherds, it is not the reality scene. Slow camels coming from the east are not in competition with the shepherds coming from the hillsides of Bethlehem.

In fact, there is no manger scene which the wise men can find! It is estimated that the trip may have taken 2 years or so. So where does the star take them if not to the manger scene in the stable? It takes them to a house in Bethlehem where Mary and Joseph have made a home for themselves and little Jesus. You may be thinking that the wise men don’t seem to be very wise by making a stop in Jerusalem where the king is sitting on a throne.

Of course, to be fair to the wise men, they are following the star, so we must assume that the star stopped at the palace. It must have been in God’s plan for mighty King Herod to know about this little Jesus. King Herod is not a balanced-mind king. He becomes very jealous of this little baby who shall be called “King of the Jews.” Herod orders the massacre of all male children, two-years old.and younger who were born in a large area around Bethlehem. God tells Joseph and Mary to escape to Egypt with Jesus so that Jesus will not be killed.

And you are saying, “What does this information have to do with the title of this sermon – “Thrilled and Excited?” Well, for one thing, the Wise Men do not know about the massacres – at least not at the time when the star leads them to two-year-old Jesus. So that is helpful! It seems that the massacres do not happen until the Wise Men have worshiped Jesus, given their gifts, and are on their way home.

The “Thrilled and Excited” emotions happen when the star leads the the Wise Men from the king to the very house – the house where two-year-old Jesus is living in or near Bethlehem. Various versions of Holy Scripture give these phrases for this moment in time: 1) overwhelmed with joy 2) rejoiced with exceeding great joy 3) how happy they were, what joy was theirs! 4) Their joy knew no bounds! 5) ecstatic with joy 6) They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!

Now, since I know about the massacre, how can I reconcile that horror with the joy part? We are faced with these dilemmas today. Our hearts are pierced by the massacre of human lives happening at this very moment in the very place where the wise men found this two-year-old child and were filled with exceeding joy. Should we wear sackcloth and wail? If that would end the killings, then that is what we should do. But before I put on sackcloth, I remember that each day of my life God gives some kind of joy to me. I need to be thanking God for this joy and this protection and guidance. I feel the presence of Jesus. I can hardly contain myself. Every time God solves a problem for me, I rejoice. But is this not selfish? I am happy for myself when the world is in turmoil! I need to balance my personal joy with prayer for the next person and for the world. We need to be urging the world to be in prayer. Followers of this baby Jesus who became the longed-for Messiah – that is Christians – are not the only people who have a direct line to God. People of many faiths can be praying to God for killing to stop. Let us get connected with each other and pray without ceasing until we find ourselves in the peace of heaven.

Meanwhile, the light of the star that led the Wise Men is still shining. In some situations it is hard to find that light. We have shades of darkness moving from faint gray to moonless midnight black. The light is Jesus. The darkness of the world is evil. We are given the freedom to dwell in the light or to dwell in the darkness. It has to do with the personalities that came as a package deal with our birth and it has to do with the family and environment in which we were raised. It has to do with the classmates who supported us or shamed us. It has to do with our teachers and their level of compassion. How is life working for you? Do you seek light and stay in it or do you allow yourself to be sucked into darkness?

Jesus has drawing power. The power that drew the Wise Men can pull us. The minute we feel ourselves being drawn into the darkness we must halt, stop! Can you picture yourself with one foot in the darkness and one foot in the light? Which foot will join the other foot? The only safe, sensible action is for the foot in the darkness to join the foot in the light! Since when are we 100% sensible? Sometimes the darkness is irresistible. But there is no good there. If we think there are friends there, we are being fooled.

Instead, Jesus is the one, true friend. Jesus is the one who shines. Jesus has incomparable connections. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is the cousin of John the Baptist. John the Baptist was created by God to announce to the world that the real Messiah was coming. These two men are only nine months apart in age. John first, then Jesus. John’s key word is “Repent.” Jesus’ key word is “Light!” John baptized people with water. But when John the Baptist baptized Jesus, God the Father’s voice boomed from the skies, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased.” A strong affirmation indeed! But there is more. The heavens opened and the Holy Spirit came zooming to the person of Jesus. We read, “like a dove.” So forevermore we use the dove as one of the symbols for the Holy Spirit.

Have you caught on that Jesus was not baptized as a child? We think Jesus was 30 years old. It was the catapult into ministry – into spreading the light, into spreading life eternal. Have we heard that Jesus was baptized indoors by water in a font? No, that is not the story, John and Jesus were in the Jordan River which runs south through the Sea of Gallilee and into the Dead Sea.

Why do we baptize babies when Jesus was baptized as an adult? In the United Church of Christ and in similar Christian denominations, we practice infant or child baptism because we believe there is power in baptism. Why wait to connect a child strongly to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? This Holy Spirit, which descended on Jesus immediately after John baptized Jesus, led Jesus directly into the wilderness for forty days to be tempted by Satan. Jesus was able to withstand the temptation and after forty days was released by Satan. We want our children to be more fully engaged with this same Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, we baptize adults who were never baptized and have become believers. We even baptize in strong streams or in gentle rivers. It is the words combined with water that count for a mighty baptism. May we claim our baptisms and be drawn closer and closer into relationship with Jesus.