Worship Service for Sunday, January 29, 2023

We are continuing to use Facebook Live for our worship services for now.  You can catch it at 11:15 Sunday morning or at anytime in the future on my personal Facebook page.

Worship Service for January 29, 2023

Prelude

Announcements:  

Call to Worship

L:      May God be merciful to us and bless us!

P:      Show us the light of Your countenance, O Lord, and come to us.  Let Your ways be known upon earth, Your saving health among all nations.

L:      Let the peoples praise You, O God.

P:      Let all the peoples praise You.

L:      Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the people with equity and guide all the nations upon the earth.

P:      Let the people praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.

L:      May God bless us.

P:      May all the ends of the earth stand in awe of God.

 

Opening Hymn –  O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing  Hymn #466/21

Prayer of Confession

How often, Lord, have we failed to listen for Your voice, or, having heard it, have chosen to ignore it so that we might choose our wills over Your own.  We repent that we so often fail to seek Your holy will and have not come when You call us to follow.  Strengthen us to prefer Your will always to our own.  Give us wise discernment that we might recognize Your words when You speak to us.  Keep us safe from deception and ever walking in Your holy ways.  (Silent prayers are offered)  AMEN.

 

Assurance of Pardon

L:      God’s love is patient and kind, and will not fail you.  The Lord is with you to deliver you.  Through the mercy of Jesus Christ, the Lord has heard you and is reaching out to save you.  Sisters and Brothers in Christ, your sins are forgiven; be at peace.

P:      Alleluia!  AMEN!

 

Gloria Patri

Affirmation of Faith/Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  AMEN

 

Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

It is a good thing to come into your house, O Lord.  O God, we are grateful that there is a place for us to go where we are reminded that life is more than externals, more than food and clothing, more than show and tell, more than physical pleasures, more than passing fancies.  You are eternal and our presence here with the eternal reminds us that we are eternal also.  Help us to live each day in the light of that eternity and the love that you have for us.

          Lord, today we pray for the Universal Church, manifested in various denominations around the world.  We pray that your Church that you established so long ago is faithful to your mission, hopeful in its message and reverent in its love for our fellow sojourners.  We pray that the world-wide Church is filled with peace, mercy, kindness, humility, hope, and love.

          And may this church manifest your grace in all that we do and say to one another.

We also pray for …..

 

Listen also Lord for the burdens of our hearts as we lift them up to you in this time of silence…

 

We offer up these prayers in your Son’s name who taught us to prayer together saying…   

….Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  AMEN.

 

Hymn –  O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go               Hymn #384/606

Scripture Reading(s): 

First Scripture Reading – Micah 6:1-8

Second Scripture Reading – Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon –  A Case of Attitude

God has a complaint—what is sometimes called a covenant lawsuit—with the people of Israel.  Micah becomes the voice through which this charge is brought.  The specific nature of the wrongs committed is not really mentioned here, except in an indirect way: God demands to know and asks the people, through Micah, what God has done wrong.  In other words, God is asking rhetorically, "What have I done to lead you to separate yourselves from me?"

God's question is answered with another question, this time the formulation of the prophet on the people's behalf: "With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high?"  Then follows a list of possibilities, options that had traditionally functioned either to please God in worship or to appease God for sins committed: burnt offerings, calves, rams, oil, and then perhaps in a dramatic gesture, a firstborn child.

So, here in Micah, we have two questions—God's and ours.  This dynamic sets the scene for one or the other to answer in a declarative sentence, something to be spoken definitively rather than asked as a question.  Evidently, the people have no answer to God’s original question, but in verse 8 God has an answer for His people.  God says, This, and only this, is what I’ve required of you.  This, and only this, is what you need to do.  In simple and plain speech, God says, All that is required is for the people to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with (or live in communion with) God.

The word justice is intended to mean more than merely "getting even" or "making others pay for what they did."  The Hebrew word for justice, mishpat, has a far more comprehensive meaning: the restoration of balance, the righting of relationships, the application of fairness to all things.  It is the idea of treating all people with equity, which is not the same is equal.  Mishpat or justice in the Hebrew sense is not merely a transaction, but rather an atmosphere engendered within a community.  And in that sense, it is closely related to the word Shalom meaning peace.  Again, not simply a transaction made between people, but rather an atmosphere that is cultivated within a community.  What does the Lord require?  That we do justice.

Hesed in Hebrew or kindness, also translated as compassion or mercy, is as about as plain and obvious as you can get.  Every single day we have opportunities to show and exercise kindness in some way—big or small.  The kindness of the owner of an auto repair shop who waves some of the costs to allow a family to get their car back on the road might spare them profound difficulties and misery; but the same kindness can be brought by a simple smile to someone who’s had a rough day or a could be brought in the form of a flower in a little child's hand across the street to the widow on the porch swing.  For Micah, the size of the kindness is immaterial; what is essential, though, is that it is cultivating in every act that we do throughout the day whenever it is needed.  And taking it a step further, and this makes all the difference, that kindness be loved.  Not merely the exercise of mercy, but the love of mercy.  Not merely the doing of a kind act, but the appreciation of the deed.  Not merely saying the helpful word, but meaning what we say.

The rare Hebrew word for humble in the phrase "to walk humbly with", “sana” (phonetically pronounced tzaneya) is difficult to translate clearly as it only appears twice in the Old Testament.  But something like "to live in communion with" gets the point across.  To walk humbly with God means to get our minds and hearts around the notion that God is also with us all the time.  God, who creates us, gives us breath, and receives us at our death, also walks with us through every step of life.

Humility, then, is not only about learning to listen more than we speak, but it is also about learning to recognize holy ground or holy moments when we see it until eventually we come to understand that every situation, every encounter, every moment of life is indeed, holy ground or a holy moment.  Why?  Because God is right there with us, at all times.   

Moving to our New Testament reading, we find that God also wants us to be happy.  I once heard a saying that went something like this, "Some people get enough religion to make them happy, while others only get enough to make them miserable." Jesus wants us to be happy.  "Blessed are you," Jesus says.  Ultimately these blessings that Jesus says in his Sermon on the Mount is that "You are blessed with the choice of happiness because you are mine."  This is what we might say "family talk."  Jesus gathered his disciples to teach them while the crowd was allowed to overhear.

This is where a lot of preachers try to put words in Jesus' mouth and fill the air with admonitions of "ought" and "should."  "You ought to be meek!"  "You should be merciful!"  But, that is not what Jesus is saying.  Jesus is simply pronouncing a blessing.  Jesus is saying to his closest disciples, but also anyone else who might be listening, "You, who have responded to my call with your faith are blessed.  Because you are mine, you have the ability to choose a certain kind of life."  When you make this choice, wonderful results can happen.

One commentator boiled it down to a paragraph and explained it, less poetically, this way;

"Blessed is the one who acknowledges the personal need of God, for God shall reign in the heart.  Be happy when you feel deep sorrow over wrong, for God's Spirit will be at your side.  You will know joy as the relinquishment of your life to God's guidance and discipline molds you to receive what God has already promised.  Blessed are you when the dissatisfaction in your life drives you to search after God's nature, for you will be satisfied.  Oh, the blissful joy of the one who gives forgiving and healing love.  You will receive what you have given.  The joyful heart is yours because your singleness of purpose conditions you to see God.  God's children are those who stand in the gap between forces of opposition, making peace to be more than the absence of hostility, but the presence of love."

In his book The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer asks, "Is there any place on earth for such a community?  Clearly there is one place, and only one, and that is where the poorest, meekest and most sorely tried of all men is to be found—on the cross at Golgotha.  The fellowship of the beatitudes is the fellowship of the crucified."

Even when you participate in the fellowship of the crucified, even when you are persecuted, even when you are a victim, you have the choice not to accept a victim mentality.  Jesus has reversed the world's values.  He blesses the so-called unblessed of society.  He blesses the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the prisoners, and the grieving (Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 4:18-19).  As God's child, you have the choice to accept God's blessing and to bless others.  You can take initiative, choose beforehand how to respond in any situation.  And here is where the work of Christmas begins and where our work begins.  It is through us that the world can be blessed.  It is through our cultivating a society of justice, through our acts of kindness, through our acknowledgment and understanding that every moment is a holy moment, that every step we take is holy ground.

It is through this that we create a blessed community where the poor are welcomed and helped, where the brokenhearted are embraced and cared for, where the captives and prisoners are set freed and made to believe they are worthy human beings, and where those who are grieving have a shoulder to cry on and a tissue at the ready.

It is in these moments that we answer God’s question and fulfill God’s request and in doing so are blessed beyond blessed.

Thanks be to God.  AMEN

Offertory –

Doxology –

Prayer of Dedication –

O God,
You bless us in so many areas of our lives—in places we often fail to recognize as blessing.  Help us have eyes to see and hearts to understand
the depth of Your love and blessing.  Today, we give out of that blessedness, dedicating ourselves to lives of justice, mercy, and love,
giving all that we are and all that we have to bring about Your beloved community. Amen.

Closing Hymn – Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing Hymn #538 Blue Hymnal

Benediction –

Go now into the world embracing kingdom values—
love, justice, and truth.  Go now with God’s blessing,
to live those values through the challenging, faithful, and loving presence of our everlasting God.  Amen.

Postlude

Today's Worship Service - Sunday, January 22, 2023

 For the time being, we will be using FaceBook Live for the video of our worship services.  You can find that under my name on Facebook.  We are in the process of revamping our entire on-line presence.

Worship Service for January 22, 2023

Prelude

Announcements:  

Call to Worship

L:      The Lord is our light and our salvation.

P:      Why should we be afraid?

L:      The Lord is the stronghold of our life!

P:      What have we to fear?

L:      Let us shout with joy to God!

P:      Let us sing and make music before our God.

 

Opening Hymn –  Holy, Holy, Holy       Hymn #138/3

Prayer of Confession

All too often, merciful God, we have not recognized Your presence among us.  All too often, we have not seen You in one another, particularly in those we consider different from ourselves.  All too often we have failed in proclaiming You to others through the way we live and act.  Forgive us and open our eyes of faith that we may see You more clearly in the many ways You come to us.  Help us to act toward our brothers and sisters as we would act toward You.  Forgive us when we fail.  May we, by Your wisdom, recognize and learn from our failures that we may serve ever more faithfully day to day.  (Silent prayers are offered)  AMEN.

 

Assurance of Pardon

L:      Anointed with the Holy Spirit, Jesus brings us the good news of salvation – that we are released from the oppression of all our sins.  And so, I declare to you in Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

P:      Thanks be to God!

 

Gloria Patri

Affirmation of Faith/Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  AMEN

 

Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

Stir us, O Lord, when we are too well-pleased with ourselves; when our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little; when we have arrived in safety because we sailed just off the shore.  Stir us, O Lord, when with the abundance of things that we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life; when having fallen in love with time, we have ceased to dream of eternity; and, in our effort to build the new earth, have allowed our vision of heaven to grow dim.  Stir us, O Lord, to dream and to dare more boldly; to venture on wider seas, where storms will show your mastery and, where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.  Lord, we are not perfect people, but we are made perfect in your eyes.  We often lose sight of the ultimate goal and settle for less than perfection – for a lesser prize, for a half-hearted finish.

          Instill in us this day, a yearning for more – not more things, not more personal accolades, not more stuff and not just more happiness.  Instill in us a yearning for more understanding of our purpose in life, more acceptance of the paths you’ve chosen for us, more interest in the journeys of our fellow travelers, more concern for the injustice of the world, for the poor and the homeless. 

          We often pray for our loved ones and the struggles that they are going through, but do we ever stop to pray for our enemies, Lord?  Not a prayer of harm, but a prayer of concern for them.  Do we ever put ourselves in another person’s shoes and show empathy?  Help us, Lord, be more self-conscious of our words and our actions.

          We lift up to You our personal prayers of joy and concern for our loved ones this day.  We especially pray for…

 

In this time of silence, we offer up our personal prayers…

 

Most holy Lord, we now lift our collective voices to you, praying together….Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  AMEN.

 

Hymn –  Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us             Hymn #387/688

Scripture Reading(s): 

First Scripture Reading – Isaiah 9:1-4

Second Scripture Reading – Matthew 4:12-23

Sermon –  A Bigger Ripple

(based on Matthew 4:12-23)

 

          Last week our lectionary passage had us read the story from the gospel of John when Andrew hears that Jesus is the Lamb of God from John the Baptist and decides to go listen to what Jesus has to say and becomes a disciple of Christ.  Andrew told his brother Peter about Jesus.  And then brought two other brothers; James and John to hear Jesus, too. 

Supposedly, Andrew and John, the one known as the beloved disciple, were both disciples of John the Baptist and he directed them to Jesus.  John the Baptist knew that they had difficult, seeking questions.  He knew that these two men were worthy of a new master.  As a teacher, a mentor, you must know when your students have outgrown you and encourage them to move on and find a more advanced teacher.  And that is exactly what John the Baptist did with Andrew and John, the beloved.  They listened to John’s advice, met Jesus and followed him.  Not only did they follow him, but they recruited others; their own brothers, to come and listen to Jesus as well.

          But here in the gospel of Matthew we have Andrew, Peter, James and John all working hard at the seashore, casting out their nets or mending them, going about their daily business.  As if they’d never met, seen, or even heard of Jesus.  So how are these two stories related?  Well, some say they aren’t related at all and others think they are part of the same story.   

Perhaps these brothers were only peripheral disciples of John the Baptist, but not fully dedicated.   On and off again disciples because they really didn’t have time to listen and follow someone who was always shouting about repentance, they had a business to run after all.  But perhaps one day, when they were mending their nets by the seashore, John came preaching and they heard him talk about Jesus.  Questions began to formulate in their minds about their own faith, about all they had been taught and then suddenly this Jesus shows up a few days later.  And now they’re ready to follow.

So, one account says that Andrew and John, the beloved, heard about Jesus through John the Baptist and told their brothers about him and they all followed.  Another account says that Jesus came to them and called all four of them to follow him.

Some scholars say that both stories are true.  Perhaps Jesus met with Andrew and John first, who told their brothers, as it says in the gospel according to John.  But they hadn’t truly made a commitment to following Christ yet.  It isn’t until (as we read in Matthew) when they were still going about their daily business that Jesus sort of ups the ante, so to speak, and says to them, “Okay, you can’t really go back to doing business as usual.  I’ve called you to be one of my disciples, which means that you have to put down your nets and follow me.”

In that way, the stories are sort of justified as both separate and at the same time, related.  The point of the story though is what really matters.  Jesus called them to be disciples, to be fishers, to learn all he had to teach them and then to share that information, knowledge, and faith with others.

Now, I’m going to sort of stretch the subject of fishing, fishermen, and nets for a moment and then we’ll come back to Jesus and the disciples.  Let me tell you about three different fishing experiences ranging from my very first experience to one of my last fishing experiences growing up.

Story about my first catch:  Aunt Marie’s farm and the minnow

          plastic bag and bread

Story about my family going fishing: Deep Sea fishing

          Long pole with multiple hooks and a heavy sinker

          Story about my Salmon fishing in New York:

                   Large net            

Over the years, did I get better at fishing?  Not really.  In all those years between the two, I didn’t really get any better or any worse, in each instance I got exactly what I went fishing for; using the right tools for the right fish.

          Jesus called his first disciples; Peter, Andrew, James and John, from their own fishing nets and told them that he would make them become fishers of men and women.  Likewise, Jesus calls us today to do the same and as we do, a larger net or ripple is cast in the waters.  The question is; How do we do that?

          There are a variety of tools and nets to use; some people feel comfortable going from door to door introducing themselves and sharing their faith.  Some people feel comfortable standing up on a soapbox downtown, proclaiming the gospel to anyone who would listen.  Some people feel comfortable sharing their faith at work, at social situations, at clubs and organizations.  Some people enjoy going to other countries, visiting people around the world and doing missionary work.  Some people would prefer to do missionary work right here at home.  Some volunteer at food banks or soup kitchens distributing food to those who hunger, or build houses for the disadvantaged, demonstrate or protest for the plight of the downtrodden, break bread with children and share the message of the gospel.  Some do ministry in prisons, at nursing homes, at hospitals, in parks.  Some give rides to the elderly, participate in Bible Study with other seekers, listen with an attentive ear to the griefs and sorrows of a friend, pray without ceasing for the needs of the world.

          The most important aspect of our faith, the most important part of being a Christian is sharing Christ’s love and God’s forgiveness with others.  And there are so many ways to do that.  The ones I’ve listed are only the tip of the iceberg of ways people share their faith.

          Pick your audience, then choose your correct tool.  You can’t go fishing for minnows with a rod and reel and you can’t go fishing for salmon with a sandwich bag and large rubber band, or fish for minnows and salmon with a multi-hook rod that’s weighted with sinkers to go done to the depths of the ocean.  It just doesn’t work.

          Likewise, you can’t stand on a soapbox to preach the gospel in front of your friends, and you can’t open up the Bible and tell someone what they are missing if all they can think about is their next meal, a place to live, medicine for their children.  It just doesn’t work.

          God has called you as a disciple.  God has called you to be one of his fishers.  God has called you to be a disciple that shares your faith with others and brings people to an understanding of God’s great love for them, God’s forgiveness of them, and God’s great sacrifice for them.

          However, the world has changed since I began in ministry and since most of you joined the church.  Today, the world connects in entirely different ways.  The world connects through social media, through on-line avenues, and chat groups.  The world connects via Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.  Unfortunately, we’ve only relied on the old standbys and the church simply ages and gets smaller.  We need to figure out how the new connections work. 

Was Jesus a fisherman?  No.  He was actually the son of a carpenter and more than likely learned that trade.  Are there stories in the scriptures about Jesus going to a carpenter’s workshop to recruit people like him?  No.  Jesus went to places that were unfamiliar to him and yet figured it out, like how to connect with fisherman.  We might not be well-versed in the new connections that people make in the world today, but we too can figure it out.

          Certainly, we can continue to make connections the way we’ve always done it and honestly, must continue to make those connections through our ministry and missions and the ripple we make will hopefully be felt by those we come into contact with that way.  But, it’s time for us to make a bigger ripple and learn new tools, too.  Your session at both churches have made a commitment to figure this out.  I hope over the next few months ahead you join us in that effort, as well.

          Let’s make a bigger ripple together and learn some knew tools.  Thanks be to God.  AMEN.

 

 

Offertory –

Doxology –

Prayer of Dedication –

Gracious God, with joyful hearts, we offer You our gifts.  Having heard Your call, we offer You our lives and our service.  Bless them, most precious Savior, and use them to Your glory.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  AMEN. 

Closing Hymn – Be Thou My Vision   Hymn #562

Benediction –

Jesus, the light of the world, calls us to follow.  Go and tell the good news of God’s love.  Cast the news of grace wide, that all may see the glory of God.  Go and shine with God’s light!

Postlude

Worship Service for Sunday, January 8, 2023

You've probably noticed that lately there have not been any YouTube links for our service.  Unfortunately, the app that I was using for the past several years to record the services went to a paid subscription.  On Christmas Eve, I did manage to record the service using Facebook Live, but those who are not on Facebook didn't get to see it.  I'm still working on figuring this out.  Until then, I hope you continue to follow us in print form only, for now.  Blessings!

Worship Service for January 8, 2023

Prelude

Announcements: 

Today, we celebrate Communion together

Joint Session Meeting on Tuesday, Jan 10 at 7pm at Bethesda

Food Bank delivery on Friday, Jan 13 at 9:00am at Olivet

Call to Worship

L:      The magi came from a far-away place, following a star.

P:      We come to worship, and the star sheds light on our lives.

L:      The magi brought gifts to offer the Child.

P:      We too bring gifts – ourselves, our hopes, our dreams.

L:      Shepherds and magi – the meek and the mighty – all were welcome in Bethlehem.

P:      We too come to Bethlehem and then return to our homes rejoicing.

 

Opening Hymn –  The First Noel           Hymn #56/265 verses 3,4,5,6

Prayer of Confession

God of perfect light, lead us as we proceed through life.  Forgive us when, like Herod, selfish ambition makes us willing to hurt others.  Forgive us, when, unlike the magi, we refuse to follow the light You give us.  Shine in our lives through the light of Your Christ, in whose name we pray .  (Silent prayers are offered)  AMEN.

 

Assurance of Pardon

L:      The Guiding Light of all eternity has blessed us with love and peace.  It is in that light that we are forgiven and redeemed.

P:      We give thanks to God for His love and light.

 

Gloria Patri

Affirmation of Faith/Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  AMEN

 

Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

Almighty God, we gather as your people, and we gather as those who live in hope.  Our lives provide us many opportunities to speak words of peace and reconciliation, but often we don’t have the courage.  Draw us together in our Lord Jesus Christ, that we may proclaim the good news of hope and salvation to our communities and world.  Make us bold not only to speak the word, but also to live it. 

          O Great God of Light, we give you thanks that all creation is blessed by your faithful and forgiving love – always overcoming our sins of pride, blindness, and despair.  In times of abundance give us grateful hearts, that we may rejoice in your great kindness.  In times of suffering give us eyes to see your light shining, that we may live in hope and faithful service.

          By your Spirit empower us to reach out to all of your children who are suffering in physical, emotional, or spiritual pain, injustice, living in poverty, or those without hope.  May we work and pray together in the light of your grace.  Hear our prayer requests this morning…

 

And also the desires of our hearts that we lift up to you today in silence….

 

O Lord, you are faithful and true, full of compassion and abounding in steadfast love.  We acknowledge your shining star as it guides our own way to the Christ child and we pray together saying,. 

 

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  AMEN.

 

Hymn –  We Three Kings              Hymn #66/288

Scripture Reading(s): 

First Scripture Reading – Isaiah 60:1-6

Second Scripture Reading – Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon –  Star Words and Gifts of the Magi

(Based on Matthew 2:1-12)

 

          For a number of years, we’ve been handing out Star-Words at the beginning of the new year in relation to Epiphany.  You should have received a new star-word for this year as you entered the sanctuary, or as the envelope was being passed around.  Last year my word was tenderness, this year it is service.  Sometimes our words are immediately recognizable as something we should perhaps “work on” for the year.  Other times it’s a word that seems to be something we’re already good at, or we believe we’re good at.  Your Star-Word doesn’t always mean that you should strive to do it more, that for whatever reason, you are lacking in this skill.  Perhaps it might indicate that you need to delve a bit deeper for what the word means, that perhaps there’s an area that you might need to work on.

          Last year’s word baffled me a bit.  Tenderness.  It’s something that I thought I was relatively good at.  I think I tend to be tender with others, always using my active listening skills to be allow others to share whatever they need to with me and being kind and considerate in my response – tender in nature to others’ needs.  What I learned over the course of the year is that I’m not always tender with myself.  I’m the first one to judge my own actions harshly and am very critical of my own short-comings and failures.  I’m also a pretty independent person, relying on my own set of skills and abilities to accomplish everything and anything that needs to be done.  Over the course of last year, I learned that I needed to be a bit more tender with myself, not as quick to self-judgment and repudiation, but rather to be more forgiving and gentle.  I also learned a great deal in trusting others and their willingness to help.  Especially while I was in foreign territory and among strangers.  I needed to let go of my self-assurance and rely on others often.  Rather than being a disappointment, much if not most of the time, others came through with astounding tenderness toward me.  And I learned to appreciate that.

          So, whatever your word might be this year, look deeper into how it’s meaning might serve you to learn something new about yourself or others.

And speaking of the definition of words – there are three, somewhat unusual ones that come to mind in our reading this morning from Matthew.  Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.  Okay, maybe just two.  We all know the definition and meaning of Gold.  But let’s take a deeper look at the gifts the wisemen from the east brought to baby Jesus.  There are treasure boxes that contain these gifts given to me as a Christmas gift by one of our members – pass them around and touch them, feel them, smell them.

          The primary significance of the gifts lay in their great value—they were indeed gifts fit for a king.  Beyond making it clear that these were great treasures given in an act of worship, Scripture does not directly attach any other symbolic meaning to the gifts.  However, without venturing too far off into wild speculation, it’s reasonable to draw a few possible inferences from the gifts brought by the wisemen. These valuable gifts were clearly intended to honor Jesus, this newborn king, but it’s possible they carried some deeper theological significance as well.

The Gift of Gold

As it is today, gold was a valued commodity in the ancient world. Among the types of assets listed in the Bible (e.g., precious metals, livestock, servants, gemstones, etc.), accumulation of gold was one of the chief measures of wealth.  Because of its scarcity and immense value, gold was particularly associated with royalty and nobility.  By bringing a gift of gold, the wisemen showed that they did indeed consider Jesus a king.

In addition to underscoring the royalty of Jesus, some have noted that the wisemen’s gift of gold may have foreshadowed another aspect of Jesus’ ministry.  Under the Old Covenant, the Most Holy Place, also known as the Holy of Holies, was an inner sanctuary within the Temple where the priest would encounter the presence of God and offer a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.  The Altar within the Holy of Holies was overlaid in gold.  Likewise, the incarnation of Jesus heralded the presence of God—Immanuel – God with us.  Perhaps unbeknownst to the wisemen, their gift of gold represented the same representation of Jesus as the Holy of Holies.

The Gift of Frankincense

Frankincense is an aromatic gum resin that is still widely used in parts of the Middle East and Africa today.  It is produced by scraping the bark of certain native species of trees and then harvesting the beads of resin after they have dried.  When burned as incense, it creates a strong and beautiful aroma.  In the ancient near east, the cost of frankincense precluded it from being used as a common household air freshener.  Rather, the burning of frankincense was closely associated with ceremonial worship of a deity.  In this way, the inclusion of frankincense as a gift for Jesus may have indicated that the wisemen understood that the prophecy of the newborn king carried with it a claim of deity and a connection to their own culture of elevating extraordinary human beings to the status of a deity.

As with gold, frankincense may also have an implied connection with the Temple worship of the Old Covenant.  Burning incense at the altar was a key part of the sacrificial system prescribed by God for use in the Tabernacle and, later, in the Temple itself.  It was the only incense permitted at the altar.  A speculative parallel can be drawn between this and Jesus’ life as a pure and holy offering to the Lord.

The Gift of Myrrh

Myrrh is a fragrant spice derived from the sap of a tree native to the Near East.  Like frankincense, it can be used as incense, but in the ancient world it also had wider usage as a perfume, anointing oil, and was even imbibed as a medicinal tonic.  Most notable with regard to Jesus’ life, myrrh was a key ingredient in the mixture of spices that were used to prepare bodies for burial.  Again, perhaps unbeknownst to the wisemen, but this gift represented an indication of Jesus’ humanity and the manner in which he would save his people—namely, that he would die for them.

Just like the first two gifts, there is a Temple connection with myrrh as well.  Exodus 30 tells us that liquid myrrh was a main ingredient in the anointing oil used to ceremonially prepare the priests, the instruments, the altar, and the Temple itself before sacrifices could be made.  Again, parallels to Jesus’ consecrated life and sacrificial death are immediately noticeable.

All three gifts reveal thought-provoking implications that related to Jesus’ life and his ministry.

Practically speaking, in this case, the gold was likely used to help the family escape to another nation.  As we know from last week’s reading, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream and he was instructed to take refuge in Egypt, a journey of over 100 miles.  For a family of humble means, a trip of this magnitude would be difficult to pull off.  Though we don’t have a record of this, it is reasonable to think that the valuable gifts Mary and Joseph received from the wisemen may have helped finance the family’s flight to Egypt and eased their time and entry into that country.

          Now, let’s talk for a moment about these wisemen or magi.  We can’t really talk about the gifts they brought without asking the question, who were these men that came visiting Jesus bringing these unusual gifts?

With no hint of a backstory, Matthew simply introduces us to the travelers with, “behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem....” But who were these men?  The term wise men (also translated as magi) refers to astronomers or astrologers who served in royal courts throughout the ancient near eastern world.  Within the Medo-Persian Empire, for example, magi were regarded as valuable advisors due to their knowledge of science, agriculture, and sorcery.  Later, during the Babylonian Empire, Daniel encountered—and rescued—a group of prominent wise men that had been called upon to interpret the king’s dream (Daniel 2:2,24).

By the 1st Century AD, magi were more broadly known as men who studied sacred writings and dabbled with occult practices.  As evidenced by the account of Simon Magus in Acts 8, such men who “practiced magic” were contemporaries of Jesus and his disciples in and around Palestine. Though present throughout the region, magi were more commonly associated with the Parthian Empire located to the east of Palestine (present-day Iran).  It’s possible that the wise men who visited Jesus hailed from this area, which would explain their familiarity with the Old Testament prophesy of the “king of the Jews”.  After the Babylonian captivity, remnants of Jewish culture lingered in that region and it’s likely that Hebrew Scriptures were among the sacred writings these wise men studied in their pursuit of wisdom.

 

The wise men and their gifts may also be seen through the lens of global missions.  Israel was never intended to be the stopping point of grace; God called them to be a light for all nations.  One of the clearest examples of this picture is found in Isaiah 60, a scene describing an age to come when the nations would be drawn to the glory of Israel—“nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Isaiah 60:3). The nations would come, but they wouldn’t be empty-handed: “they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord” (v. 6). In the wise men, we see a microcosm of the greater reality that is to come: one day, people from every tribe, tongue, and nation will come before the throne of Jesus in praise and adoration.

          So, what’s the point of reading about these magi and their gifts?  They brought gifts they were familiar with in their day and age.  What gifts do you bring?  Perhaps your Star-Word will allow you to learn a bit more about what you can bring this year to Christ.

 

 

Offertory –

Doxology –

Prayer of Dedication –

God of the nations, long ago the magi brought gifts to Christ, rich and costly gifts, each one a unique expression of the giver.  Help us to bring gifts today that will express our love and dedication, not only gifts of gold, but gifts of talent, time, and energy.  We lay these gifts at your feet, trusting that you will find a use for all that is given in Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

Communion

Invitation: Revelation 3:20 tells us that Jesus stands at the door and knocks; if you hear his voice and open the door, he will come in and eat with you, and you with him.  In our worship today, Christ invites you now to this feast.  Will you come?

Words of Institution and the Partaking of the Elements

Prayer of Thanksgiving:  God Almighty, who is, who was, and who shall ever be, we give You thanks that You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign in this world and in the world to come!  We thank You for this feast of love and victory, which is a foretaste of the day when all shall gather together on Your Holy Mountain, reunited with Christ the Lamb.  Give us courage to serve You in obedience, that Your ways of justice and truth may triumph on this earth.  AMEN.

Closing Hymn – As With Gladness Men of Old             Hymn #63/290

Benediction –

May God’s Heavenly Light and the Inspiration of the Magi’s Gifts guide your

daily living this week.  Go in peace.  AMEN.

 

Postlude