January 4, 2015: May God’s words alone be spoken, may God’s words alone be heard. Amen.
[singing] “On the 11th day of Christmas my TV gave to me…the premier of Downton Abbey!” Season 5 – that is. Yes, this is still Christmas, and yes, I still can’t sing…but today, on this 11th day of Christmas, we celebrate Christmas some more. And it is at this time that “we tell the story of the 3 Magi who travel from the East to bring gifts to the Christ Child. […]“Tradition loves these three gift givers. It turns them into Kings riding on camels. It gives them star billing in every Christmas pageant. It even gives them names: Belthazar, Melchoir and Casper.”[1] Otherwise known as the three wise guys…I mean Wise men.
“Of course, we do not know if there are 3 visitors or 13. The Bible never tells us. It only tells us that they leave home and everything they know to travel half way across their [known] world. They follow a star, looking for something that gives life meaning and direction. They are looking for something that must be of God. On the outside chance they are to find what they are looking for, they bring gifts fit for a king: gold, frankincense and myrrh.”[2] Now, leave it men not to bring something more appropriate- you know, like diapers or a crib or something? Not only that, they took way long to get there – I mean, Jesus is living in a house by then. If only they had stopped to ask for directions – men.
Still, while we do not know what really happened, truth, as found in scripture, is not about the literal, but about the far more transformative spiritual truth. What I call the Big T truth of what is found in our sacred texts. “The power of such stories from the Bible is not about events from the past as much as it is about what is possible today [that springs forward from these beautiful narratives as found in our bible].”[3]
Loud Knock Heard From The Back
Ceremonial Music Plays As King Approaches
King 1 presents Diana with gift.
Diana opens the box, inside is a star, and a scroll. Diana reads the scroll aloud –
“This is a symbol of the star that guided us on our way to meet God incarnate. We did not know what we would find on our journey, but we knew that this star – His star – would guide us.
This star is not a one time thing. If you open your eyes, follow your heart, and let go – you too can begin a journey that will change your life. Christ – will always be there to guide you on your way, you need only say “Yes” to the journey – a journey of hope for you, and for the world.
The choice is yours to take the first step – to follow the star wherever it leads.”
Diana rolls up the scroll and says,
“…what an interesting gift, thank you great sage! Now, as I was saying…”
Loud Knock Heard From The Back
Ceremonial Music Plays As King Approaches
King 2 presents Diana with gift.
Diana opens the box, inside is a heart, and another scroll. Diana reads the scroll aloud –
“To journey, we must first, as my honored friend said, follow our heart. This is journey, not of the mind, but of the heart. It is one that will lead us to the greatest love imaginable – the love of God for each of us. Everyone is a beloved child of God, and this love, the love of God for us, is like a mother for her children, but beyond even that…it is immeasurable, all abiding, and unconditional.
But the journey does not end there –your heart will be only partially filled if it only receives that love. The journey is only truly lived when you offer that love to God, to others, and to yourself. It is this very way that he has given hope to the world. His light shines in the darkest and meanest of places, and our lives, our journey, calls us to do the same.
The choice is yours – to offer your heart on this journey, and sharing his love with the world.”
Diana rolls up the scroll and says,
“…thank you great sage for this most insightful gift.”
Loud Knock Heard From The Back
Ceremonial Music Plays As King Approaches
King 3 presents Diana with gift.
Diana opens the box, inside is a mirror, and another scroll. Diana reads the scroll aloud –
“Look into this mirror, my friend. What is it you see? The journey to Christ is one of inward reflection. Your eyes must be open to seeing the world in a new way, yes, but you must also look deeply inward, to see what God sees in you. When you look in this mirror, do you not see a child of God, loved beyond measure? If you do not, then you must journey onward until you do.
But equally important is not just what is reflected back at you, but what you reflect to the world? Do they see in your eyes Christ – the one whose star we follow? Do you see that reflected in theirs? What we believe of ourselves we reflect back to ourselves, and to others.
The choice is yours – what do you wish to see in the mirror…what do you want others to see reflected in your eyes?”
Diana rolls up the scroll and says,
“…thank you great sage for this gift. I suppose now that all three are here, perhaps it is time to…”
Loud Knock Heard From The Back
Ceremonial Music Plays As King Approaches
King 4 presents Diana with gift. This king is not dressed as the others. This king is in a woolen cloak with a cloth for his head. Diana remarks about his appearance, then opens the box, inside is a mirror, and another scroll. Diana reads the scroll aloud –
“I am privileged beyond measure, though my outward appearance may not be so grand. But isn’t that the point of it all, my friend? Did the child we found at the end of our journey wear a crown? Was he covered in jewels and expensive cloth? Or like me, was he wearing simple wool from sheep and cloth to cover his head?
Jesus was born in humble means because grand and glittery things are only a distraction. It is not the material, but the spiritual, that is our life work. I am no less a sage, a magi, for my humble appearance, and perhaps more so – as I am not distracted by worldly goods.
The journey to Jesus, and with him, is one of faith – belief that there is more to who we are, and what life is all about, than earthly powers would have us believe. Faith is not a journey of material riches, but of spiritual ones. Faith is not about certainty – the tangible – but about doubt and the intangible gifts that God freely gives.
The choice is yours – are you willing to step forward on a journey that is not always certain, filled with faith intertwined with doubt, towards rewards that stand against all that the world would have us pursue?”
Diana rolls up the scroll and continues the sermon…
A star, a heart, a mirror, and the baby Jesus… these gifts that have been given by these magi are better than any under the tree. They are the very gifts that God gave to us – the gift of hope, of love, of call, and of faith.
Their gifts, their wisdom, their journey present us all with a choice.
Will we follow the star with an open heart?
Will we embark on this inward journey towards a new understanding of who we are in the eyes of God?
Will we choose to follow God’s call, to step boldly forward in faith?
The choice is truly ours – what will you decide?
Amen.
This sermon is based upon a concept by the Rev. Phillip Dana Wilson – Used with permission
[1] From a sermon by the Rev. Phillip Dana Wilson. Used with permission.
[2] Ibid.
[3] From a sermon by the Rev. Phillip Dana Wilson. Used with permission.
The sermon as written may not be as delivered on any given Sunday.
Rev. Diana L. Wilcox
Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge
January 4, 2015
Christmas II
1st Reading – Jeremiah 31:7-14
Psalm 84:1-8
2nd Reading – Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a
Gospel – Luke 2:41-52
