Because its Epiphany! 1-4-08 Isaiah 60 1-6 Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12 Rev. Michael A. Trask
“To each his own.” “Do your own thing” “Have it your way.” “Whatever floats your boat.” “To thine own self be true.” These are all different ways of saying pretty much the same thing. They are expressions of the complete sovereignty of the individual over all things in his life. We say these kinds of things when we consider the different stuff that people do and think and believe. Instead of making a substantive comment, we throw up our hands and pay homage to the rights and authority and the sovereignty of the individual. Even if what the individual is doing to is just plain stupid. “Oh well”, we say “to each his own.” We refrain from remarking on the rightness or wrongness of almost anything anymore. We avoid the issue altogether and bow to the will of the almighty individual. Must not offend the absolute sovereignty of the individual. Whatever the individual wants to do or say or think must be seen as acceptable by everyone. This is relativism... The idea that the truth is relative to the individual; the the individual decides what is true for himself. And whatever he decides, no matter how ridiculous, obtuse, or onerous it might be we are to give our honor There is one notable exception to this wide open relativistic way of thinking that is so prevalent in our time: Every individual’s thoughts and opinions will be honored and respected unless the individual in question dares to suggest that not all thoughts and opinions should be honored. Ever want to see a relativist become what he claims to despise? Disagree with him and out of his mouth will come a string of jingoistic slurs and denunciations that will make your ears bleed. The strongest; most virulent hate speech that you ever here in our day comes out of the mouths of cultural relativists attacking those who express something different than what they believe. Why am I telling you on this day of Epiphany? Because it is Epiphany! Because God has made known the truth about himself and his love for the world. He did it through the sending of his Son who came to redeem us from our sins and give us life! This is the truth; truth for all people in all places and in all times. Up goes the finger of the relativist “exuse me” he blurts out in somewhat self-righteous voice “there is no such thing as truth for all people....each person must decide the truth for himself” Do you see? God has revealed salvation to the world and the is setting up a philosophical system to reject him. I find this frustrating and sad at one and the same time. What’s even more frustrating and sad is when Christians who are smitten by this teaching start thinking the same way! Many Christians of today are saying to themselves “Who am I to insist that Jesus is Lord?” “Who am I to say that he is Only Savior of the World?” “Who am I to say that what I believe is right and what others believe is wrong?” Admit it! Thoughts like this have crossed your mind from time to time! Who are you? You are part of the nations that have come into the light that Isaiah talks about in today’s Old Testament lesson. He describes the situation in the world before Christ in this way “Darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples” He then goes on to describe the Advent of Christ by saying “the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you..Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” You have come to the light that God has given to the WORLD in his Son. Jesus would describe it in this way in the 3rd chapter of John (3:19-21) “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” A perfect description of our situation! We’re in the light! We were brought into the light by God himself! Yes our deeds are exposed in the light, but they’re forgiven by Christ Jesus death on the cross and so we live in the light. And others do not. Others love darkness. Who are you? Most of you are the non Jews that Paul talked about in the Ephesians text. Yes, Jesus was a Jew. And he came into the world as descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. God specifically chose to save the world through Jesus “Salvation is from the jews” (John 4:22) Jesus would tell the Samaritan woman. But it was not for the Jews alone! It was for everybody! Everybody in the world....For all nations. Paul refers to this as a mystery that was kept hidden in the past.... He says “This was God’s plan for all of history which he carried out through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Eph. 3:12) Who are you? You are like the magi who were given a star and followed it. The Magi are the one’s who kind of stick out in the whole account of Christ’s coming. Mary and Joseph were Jewish. Jesus was Jewish. The town he was born in was Jewish. The shepherds were Jewish. The Magi? They were SO not Jewish. They came from a completely different culture and worldview. And yet, the Lord wanted them; called them. Brought them to the Savior. Brought them to worship by means of odd star in the heavens. What’s the meaning of this? That baby, born in the stable, was not just a local God. Not just the Savior of the Jews....but the Universal Savior, the cross-cultural savior. The Savior for everyone; the savior of the world. And like the magi, you were led to worship him too! Not by a star, but maybe your parents or your grandparents or a friend. In one way or another God the Holy Spirit called you and brought to the Messiah and Savior of your soul. How often I have heard people dismissively say “I only believe in Jesus because my parents taught me too.” As if that were a bad thing! As if that was all the proof you needed that what you believe might not be true! What’s that matter with you?! Thank God your parents led you to Jesus! They are the stars that he gave you to follow and they led you to the Savior of your souls. You should rejoice with what he has provided you! I can tell you one thing: the Magi did not say disparaging things about the star that led them! They didn’t say “Well the only reason we found Jesus is because of that star!” And there’s is no record of them saying “What about all the other people in the world that didn’t see the star!” “It’s just not fair that God would reveal it to us alone! This is bogus! Maybe we ought to turn around and stop looking for him who is born king of the jews! ” No, no they didn’t say any of that. The Gospel lesson says they were “overjoyed” (Matt. 2:10) when they saw the star. And when they got to the manger and saw the Lord Jesus for themselves they “Bowed down to worship him and opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of Gold Frankincense and Myrrh” (Matt. 2:11) And so should you! You who have been led to him by the stars in your life! Now there was a time, the time that Isaiah describes as thick darkness over the peoples, when the gods they worshipped were extremely local and tailor made for them personally. They had household gods; pantry gods; water gods; gods that lived in trees; gods of a particular city; gods of war and gods of love. Every place in the world was different. And everybody seemed to create whatever god it was that suited their fancy and they worshipped it. This was the period that God refers to as the the time when thick darkness reigned over the peoples. They had lots of little g gods, But they did not have the Lord. They did not know him and did not worship him. “Thick darkness was over the peoples.” (Is. 60:2) With the coming of Jesus this would change. “Arise, shine, your light has come!” (Is. 60:1) declares the prophet Isaiah. The darkness would be lifted! It will be lifted with the coming of Christ! The nations will come, the Lord would go global! The same nations that used to have their own personal gods will come and see that there is but one God and that Christ Jesus is how he introduces himself to us; that Christ Jesus is the way the truth and the life! “The People that in Darkness Sat a glorious light have seen.” (Hymn 412) This is the Epiphany! God revealing himself to the world in Christ Jesus the Savior from Sin! God revealing himself to you in Christ Jesus! Should we back away from this? Should we do as our culture demands and give honor to whatever anybody believes about god? Should we say what they want us to say: that Jesus is not the Savior for everybody in the world? No, of course not! For that would be like going back in time; back before the light; back to the days of local gods, tribalism, and “thick darkness” covering the peoples. We can’t do that! That’s not you! That’s not me! You know who you are? Jesus tells you: “You are the light of the world....people do not light a lamp and put it under bushel basket. Instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Matt 5:14-15). You have the truth. Live in the truth. Act in the truth. Speak in the truth. AMEN |
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