In the Name of the Father, and of the +
Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Like many of the events surrounding the birth of our Lord,
it is too easy to assume the visit of the Magi is a bygone fact of history.[1]
This account of our Lord is certainly true history and happened as it is
recorded by the Holy Spirit, however, if that is the only meaning in this text,
then there is no point beyond historical curiosity for us to read it. We, too,
ought to share in the elation experienced in the hearts of the Magi as they
worshipped the One True God made flesh. We, too, come this night to worship the
Triune God and to give thanks that He has not only taken our flesh and redeemed
us from our sins, but that He has brought this salvation to the nations, to the
Gentiles.
It is nothing short of a miracle that these Magi recognized
the birth of a foreign king in the appearance of a star. It is no less of a
miracle that when they found that king, they knew to worship Him. Despite the
lowly state of His birth—the condition of the cattle shed or even shack in which
they found Him—the Magi knew this to be a great king. They had even conferred
with the nominal king in the land, Herod, yet recognized this child to be
greater still.
We are no better off than these Magi except that we have a
clearer description of the Son of God. We have the words of the prophets and
the fathers, who named Bethlehem great among the cities of Judah;[2]
we have the promise of the virgin birth;[3]
the promise of the incarnation;[4]
and the promise of a Redeemer Kinsman, who will save us from the kingdom of
Satan.[5]
And yet, these Magi, who were without the Word of God, came to know the Son of
God, we are put to shame by their reverence and worship.
We believe that because Christ has died for us, what we
wear, how we speak, how we act, and how we conduct ourselves during worship
don’t matter. We believe that because these things do not affect our salvation,
we may abuse Christian freedom to do whatever we want. Yet these pagan Magi, when
coming into the presence of the Almighty God, forsake the falsity of their
learning and worldly wisdom. They bow before an infant, proclaiming Him to be
God. They offer to Him not what they can afford, not what they can spare, not
even the nicest things they can find. They offer gifts to Him that are greater
than what they would bestow upon anyone else.
‘In this we see men devoted to worldly wisdom and far from
belief in Jesus Christ brought out of the depth of their error and called to an
acknowledgment of the true Light. Undoubtedly it is the brightness of Divine
Grace at work and when that new light illumines the darkness of their hearts, the
same brightness comes this night to illumine yours. That same star, the Light
of Life given to men in the flesh of a child, illumines your hearts just as it
illumines theirs so that it should move both with wonder and lead both to the
adoration of God in the splendor of that True Light. So then, with careful
thought, we might see how the threefold gifts of the Magi are also offered by
all who come to Christ in faith. He that acknowledges Christ the King of the
universe brings gold from the treasure of his heart. He that believes the Only-Begotten
of God to have united man’s true nature to Himself, offers myrrh. He that
confesses Him to be of the same substance of the Father, in no way inferior to
the Father’s majesty, worships Him with incense.’[6]
While we share in the worship of Jesus with the Magi, we
also find ourselves in very different times. Herod is actively plotting to kill
the infant Jesus. The Church has undergone centuries of open persecution. Today,
there are all kinds of attacks on the Church yet even now, our faith is not
illegal. We are not at a point where we must meet in secret.
Yet these differences do not mean that Herod, or his
coconspirator, Satan, have ceased to work against the Church. They have simply
changed tactics. Why make it illegal to go to church when you can simply
convince people not to read the Scriptures? Or, why arrest Christian preachers
when you can simply convince people not to listen to them? Herod was outraged
that someone else would be called ‘king’ in his land, especially one who would
claim the title ‘God.’ Such outrage and spite are understandable when people are
seeking the Messiah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
But when even Christians are not worried about seeking the
Messiah, Herod has no need to rage. Satan can replace the blow of affliction
with the stumbling block of pleasure. Instead of threatening to seize your
belongings, Satan tempts you with more. Instead of throwing you into prison for
your faith, Satan changes your home into a prison by telling you it is unsafe
to leave. Rather than destroy families by putting the father to death, Satan
makes sure you can stay connected by never speaking to your family in
person—only via screens. Why listen to the Scriptures when you can “follow
along”? Why read a book when you can watch the movie? Why listen to the
preacher when you can listen to the radio? Why bring up a child in the faith
when you can send him to confirmation?
The tumult of our world threatens our pleasure but only by
threatening to remove our pleasure. The tumult of our world threatens to make
our lives difficult so that we will cling to the relative ease we have come to
love. The love of ease is dangerous for it plays into the hands of Satan. The
faith and hearts of men are shown in works. They are shown in how we engage
with the world. This is godliness. This is piety. There are some, as St. Paul
says, “who profess that they know God, but deny Him by their deeds.”[7]
Denial and hypocrisy are true accusations when the sound of the voice does not
match the voice of the conscience. The frailty of man easily leads into faults
and because no sin with without its attractiveness, deceptive pleasure is
easily fallen into.
But we should run away from satisfying the desire of the
flesh and the mind that has knowledge of God should turn away from any evil
suggestion of the enemy. In flight from the temptations of sin, turn instead to
the steadfast love of God. His mercy endures forever. No matter what sin and no
matter how long you’ve found yourself captive to it, God’s love and mercy
endure forever. Do not persist in cherishing your sin no put off repentance
because you enjoy your sin. Turn and repent at once, that you too might partake
of the love and mercy of the Father. Turn and repent because while His mercy
endures forever, your life does not. Your life is in the hand of the Father and
it is not for you to decide the days of your life.
But for the one who strives against sin, who experiences the
restlessness of enduring the sinful flesh while awaiting the joyful release of
heaven, receive the mercy of God and pray incessantly that the burden of sin and
the chains of evil habit be removed. The prayer of one that confesses will not
be in vain since the merciful God “will grant the desire of those that fear Him,”
and will give what is asked.[8]
In + Jesus’
name. Amen.
[1]
This sermon is based on the sixth Epiphany sermon of St. Leo the Great as found
at http://www.lectionarycentral.com/epiphany/LeotheGreat%204.html.
[2]
Micah 5:2.
[3]
Isaiah 7:14.
[4]
Psalm 8.
[5]
Genesis 3:15.
[6]
This paragraph is a loose quotation of St. Leo’s sermon, the end of the first
paragraph.
[7]
Titus 1:16.
[8]
Psalm 145:14, 19; St. Matthew 7:7-8.
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