After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:

"`But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. [NIV]

“We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” This is what the Magi said to King Herod upon arriving in Jerusalem from lands far away. Theirs is a clear, strong confession of faith in Jesus. These men are the first Gentiles— the first of non- Jewish descent— that Scripture records making such a confession in the Christ child. Historically, the church has remembered the Magi’s arrival in Bethlehem on Epiphany, the twelfth day after Christmas. Epiphany, which means, “to make known,” begins the church season in which Christ is made known to us as our Savior who is both God and man. During this season, he is the twelve year old who amazes the “learned” in his knowledge of Scripture (Luke 2: 41- 47). We watch him get baptized to begin his ministry to save us (Mark 1: 4- 11). We see him perform his first miracle (John 2: 1- 11). Today we find him a mere two years old, and yet the Magi worship him as God , and bring him gifts of gold and incense and myrrh.

So what do we learn from this Epiphany lesson? First and most importantly, we learn that God wants all men to be saved. Christ came as “king of the Jews” because He was God, born of a Jewish bloodline. But even more, Jesus was born as Savior of the world —God wants all men to be saved! Christ, the Son of God, was born for all people, to die for all people’s sins, and to rise for all people. The Magi, possibly traveling from Babylon or Persia, come to worship the “King of the Jews.” But they knew He was more than a regional king of a regional people. He was Savior and God! They believed that!

Because they believed in Christ, you know the spirit in which they had come. Their worship was not filled with fear and dread as if God’s hammer was going to come down on their heads if they didn’t bow down the right way, or didn’t give the right gifts; it was happy worship. It was happy because they knew this little child was their Savior who had come to win their salvation from their sins.

Of course, we don’t know which sins were particular to these Magi. Did they have a problem with pride, since they no doubt came from the upper crust of their society? Were they selfish with their obvious wealth? Were these Magi, also known as the “wise men,” inclined to revel more in their accumulated human wisdom than in the true wisdom of God’s word? We don’t know, yet we do know. While Scripture doesn’t indicate that they suffered from the sins of pride, selfishness, and reliance of human knowledge— rather we find them bowing down in humble worship of Christ, giving Him rich gifts, trusting in what the Scriptures had said about Him— surely they suffered these sins as we all do. Their sins were just like ours. (Though we are not among the upper crust of American society, we still can be very prideful. While we are not rich, we can be very selfish. Of course, we often doubt God’s Word.) But God had moved them to acknowledge those sins, turn away from them, and turn to Christ in happy trust, even as the happy star led them to His childhood home in Bethlehem!

But Epiphany is a happy celebration not only because of the Magi’s joy in finding the Christ after long days of travel from their home. We also have been led to Christ in happy worship, being led by the guiding star of God’s Word.

We know stars are bright and glorious on a clear night— a wonder of God’s hand. Ancient sailors guided their ships by them. But God’s word is brighter and more glorious, a better guide, because it reflects the glory of Jesus, the little child, the King, our Savior. He is true God, who is worshipped by believers in keeping with the first commandment: “You shall have no others gods before me.” He came to do wondrous things for us, wondrous in their difficulty that Christ would love us— each of us— so completely that He would die for us, suffering hell’s punishment on the cross as a criminal, to cleanse us from all sin. The Father now sees us as perfect and holy as Christ himself because of what Christ has done to save us. We rejoice that God’s Word appeared to lead us to faith in Christ that we may receive His holiness and cleansing for salvation. Truly we are happy to be in this faith.

This happiness is what leads us to bring the guiding star of God’s Word to all people around us, starting with those nearest and dearest in the family. Rev. Nils Laache, a Lutheran pastor in Norway, late 1800’s, had this to say about the Word of God first shining brightly in the home, parent to child. “Tell the children about Jesus, about His birth, childhood, obedience, love, suffering, death, and resurrection, about heaven’s glory. Teach them the Ten Commandments, the Articles of the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and other prayers. Don’t leave this to the school. Let the home be the Lord’s temple, and let this instruction in God’s Word be the parents’ sacred privilege. O what shall become of the unfortunate children who do not learn God’s Word in their home?” As this happens within the family, the Word will also shine outside the home for others to see! What a wonderful light God has placed in our hands to hold up like a beacon to guide all people. Just as a lighthouse guides ships away from the rocky shore and into the safe harbor, God’s Word guides all people to turn away from sin, Satan, and temptation and into the safe harbor of Christ Jesus. This harbor of Christ the Magi entered long ago, and which we have also entered today.

Concerning how we hold up God’s Word as a beacon for all to see and follow, our congregation’s evangelism committee met recently to discuss our 2003 outreach plan. We talked about taking our efforts from last year a step further, to do more this year than last, to hold up the Light of His Word higher and more often, to give people around us more guidance into the safe harbor of Christ, in all his forgiving and saving mercy! We talked of purchasing time on a local radio station for a weekly broadcast. We talked about sending out a special invitation to all the households of our zip code inviting them to a special event which we would hold at our church. We talked about the beginning phase of Hispanic outreach in our city. I am excited to begin these efforts, even while maintaining what we have done in the past— the Easter Sunrise Service, the Christmas for Kids Program, the canvassing, even improving how we have done each of these. Though much of this planning goes on behind the scenes, you all have a part in it. Your prayers, abilities and offerings help to bring people God’s Word to guide them to Jesus, as it has guided us.

Now certainly, we will find those who oppose the message just as King Herod did. (Remember he tried to use the Magi to discover the location of the Christ child to kill him.) But we must not let this daunt us as we hold out the beacon of the Word. If we become daunted and douse the light, how many will be lost? Out of love for Christ and our neighbor we do not want this to happen. God will strengthen us to do his work. He is the powerful one. He protected His Son from being killed by the plots of Herod and others. He guided the Magi so that they would not fall for Herod’s deception. He will guide us also. As we reach out, we remember on this Epiphany Sunday: God wants all men to be saved— those who oppose him just as much as any. (We remember that we also opposed him from our conception and birth. Our sins oppose him still, which is why we do not carry on as zealously as we should. But Jesus went to the cross for these troubling sins of ours; we are saved from these troubling sins. We know it, and are happy.) As the Magi did, we give our gifts gladly to Christ for use in service of His Word. We pray that many hearts will be led to Christ this year for salvation— here in San Antonio, and throughout the world! SOLI DEO GLORIA

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU WITH HAPPY HEARTS TO THANK YOU FOR THE LIGHT OF YOUR WORD WHICH HAS GUIDED US TO FAITH IN CHRIST. MAY WE HOLD UP YOUR WORD FOR OTHERS TO SEE— STARTING WITH OUR OWN FAMILIES— THAT ALL MAY BE GUIDED TO FAITH IN CHRIST. AMEN.

[NIV] New International Version used throughout.