Text: Matthew 2:1-12                                                                                   Calvary 010310
Title: “when was your last Epiphany?”

This week is the time of year when the Church all over the world celebrates “Epiphany” and for many of us, we’ve heard the word many times, but perhaps wonder what does it really mean for the Church.

WHAT DOES THE WORD "EPIPHANY" MEAN?
The word epiphany comes from the Greek, which means "shining forth," "manifestation," or "revelation."  In the ancient Greco-Roman world, an epiphany referred to the appearance of one of the gods to mortals.

The Epiphany of our Lord is the Christian festival that celebrates the many ways through signs, miracles, and preaching that Jesus revealed Himself to the world as Christ, God Incarnate, and King of kings. It is usually observed on or around January 6.  It is the oldest of the Christmas.  Epiphany is also a season that lasts until the beginning of Lent.

When was your last “epiphany”?
Think of it as one of those moments in life when something profound is revealed to you.

SNOW STORY
- Eli’s 1st snow storm

We all have epiphanies all the time. Each day we learn new things about ourselves and the world around us. Some might not have as great an impact as others, but they are epiphanies –revelations— none the less.
Today, we read about the Epiphany of the Lord which is HIS GRACE REVEALED to us in the world. And it is show 1) In His Word, and 2) In Our Lives.

1) In His Word
This is a very familiar Bible story about Magi from the East who came bringing gifts. We actually don’t know how many they were. They were probably from Babylon or Persia (modern day Iraq & Iran). The word “magi” literally means “wise man.” The term is also used to describe people who were astrologers, magicians, sorcerers, pagan priests.
So, the question is: how did these foreigners know to look for the Savior? The answer: they probably had God’s Word (Scriptures). Remember, the term “magi” was a word used in ancient Babylon. We know that the Jews were exiled in Babylon. And just as the Jewish people were familiar with the traditions and religions of the Babylonians, those pagan priests must have also been familiar with the beliefs and prophecies of the Jewish people. And so, years had passed, and these particular magi had heard the good news concerning the King of the Jews.

So this desire to find this savior lead them to search, and they start with what they knew which was astrology. It’s always been thought by many, even today, that the starts and universe reveal something about the divine.

Story about people I encountered in South Africa

Psalm 19 “The heavens declare the Glory of God, and the universe proclaims his mighty work.”

If we are truly searching for God in our lives, we’ll recognize that everything around us reveals God’s presence and God’s glory.

God led the Magi to see his great epiphany.
They must have been surprised when they came into the city that the people of the town where in the dark about the birth of Jesus. When it came before King Herod, he called the religions leaders and where do they turn? To scripture, and they quote from the prophet Isaiah, a prophesy written 700 years before their time.

 ‘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.’”

The Lord graciously led the Magi to see the truth. He led them to his Word, to Jesus. God longs to lead us to his Word everyday, so that we can grow in our faith and understanding. The Word of God is an epiphany in itself. It reveals God’s grace to us. It assures us that all our sins were laid on Jesus (Gods Word); Because of Christ we are forgiven children of God. In fact, these are the very words that Jesus praises saying: “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” (John 5:39)
In Scripture, God has revealed his grace to us, so that we might know him. What an epiphany this biblical account offers our lives!

2) In Our Lives
God also reveilles his grace to us, In Our Lives. And when he does, one of two things happens. We either act like Herod or we respond like the Magi. Herod was preoccupied with his own world. He was minding his own business; doing his own thing. He wasn’t seeking the Messiah as the wise men were. It doesn’t appear that he’s given any thought to the Messiah until the Magi appear in the city.

Once it’s brought to his attention, Herod becomes enraged. And you wonder why?
This Messiah would be born the king of the Jews. The long awaited Messiah, who was suppose to make the country strong again, who was suppose to rid their land of these oppressive foreigners, the one everyone in Judea had been waiting for - promised by God, but all Herod could think of, was that this Messiah -- was born to take his place.

Just like King Herod, God’s grace impacts our lives. His grace forces us to deal with our own selfishness. His grace insists we address our own greedy ambitions. God’s grace does battle with our sinful hearts. He forces us to see that deep down, we all want to be kings of our own lives. We all want the praise and adoration.

And when Christ comes and dares to be king in our lives? Our first reaction is to be like King Herod.
We act like a child throwing tantrum. Holding on to a toy and yelling MINEJ.

Still, God keeps coming to us. Again and again, he reveals his grace. He wants your heart. He wants to shine first in your life. And once he has your heart, everything else pales in comparison.

That was the Magi’s epiphany. God had revealed his grace to them. God led them to realize that they had wealth beyond their wildest dreams. It wasn’t the gold, frankincense, or the myrrh. No. Their greatest treasure was Jesus Christ, the light of the world. That treasure moved them to share their other treasures in worship to the Lord.

God’s grace leads us to be more like the Magi. Unlike Herod, the Magi truly wanted to worship the Messiah King. God has revealed his grace in our lives, so that we have that same desire. The gifts we bring to our Lord come from our hearts. We give of ourselves because we know God first gave himself for us. Whether it’s helping provide refreshments on Sunday morning or simply sweeping the sidewalk; whether it’s getting involved with a committee, or praying for someone else – its worship to our King.

And so we open up the treasures of our lives and offer them in humble service to our Savior. It’s been said, “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” God has proven that to us. He gave himself to us because he loves us. God’s love is revealed in his Word, that is Jesus Christ. And his love is reflected in our lives as we worship him with our lives. And that is our epiphany. Amen.