"Becoming a Seeker"
A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Matthew 2:1-12.
I just finished reading William Young’s book entitled: The Shack. The book tells the story of an Oregon man whose young daughter is kidnapped. Her bloody dress is discovered in a shack in the forest, but not her body. Obviously, the girl’s father, Mack, is filled with anger, doubt and questions. God invites Mack to go to the shack where he spends several days with God who shows up in various forms. Mack has many questions for God and, by the end of the book, he has grown at ease with speaking his mind.
I found the book to be both interesting, as well as reassuring in matters of faith. I mean, after all, who among us has not struggled with doubts and questions? And this book invites us to bring those questions to God and, it reassures us, that God welcomes our questions, our doubts, our fears, our uncertainties; for it is in such circumstances that our faith can become stronger and more resilient, as it does for Mack.
But there’s one part of the book that I found very interesting. The opening lines are from Jesus who says: “'Christian? Who said anything about being a Christian? I am not a Christian.’ The idea struck Mack as odd and unexpected, and he couldn’t keep from grinning. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I suppose you aren’t.’ They arrived at the door of the workshop. Again, Jesus stopped. ‘Those who love me,’ he said to Mack, ‘come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans and many of whom don’t even vote or are not a part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions. I have followers who were murderers and many who were self-righteous. Some are bankers and bookies, Americans and Iraqis, Jews and Palestinians. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters…’ ‘Does that mean,’ asked Mack, ‘that all roads lead to you?’ ‘Not at all,’ smiled Jesus as he reached for the door handle to the shop… ‘What it means is that I will travel any road to find you.’” What a powerful reminder for us on this Epiphany Sunday. “I will travel any road to find you.” Those words become real in the story of the Magi.
Now, while it is true that Epiphany isn’t really celebrated until January the 6th, which happens to be on Tuesday this year, many churches will observe it on the Sunday prior, as we are today. Epiphany commemorates the arrival of the Magi to the Christ-child and is the celebration of God’s love reaching out to all people - both Jews and Gentiles.
You know, anyone who has ever done a cross-reference of Matthew and Luke’s birth narratives knows that there is very little in common with these two interpretations. In fact, trying to put the two stories together can be a bit confusing and complicating. While many would claim that they contradict one another, I think it is important to understand that they do offer two different interpretations and perspectives on the birth of Christ. Each gospel writer presents Jesus in a different light, to a different audience.
But no doubt, the shift between Luke and Matthew’s accounts are dramatic: exit shepherds, enter wise men; exit stable, enter palace; exit poverty, enter wealth; exit angels, enter dreams; exit Mary’s lullaby, enter Rachel’s crying. But one of the few things that the two gospel writers do have in common is an emphasis on traveling. The story is about people making trips: from Nazareth to Bethlehem; from the fields to the manger; from Judea to Egypt. And, of course, the best known and longest of these trips, is the journey from Persia to Palestine, a trip for which even MapQuest wouldn’t give directions for.
The Magi were astrologers, likely from the area of modern-day Iraq or Iran. They spent most of their time star-gazing. They were professional scholars, schooled in the science of astrology, not to mention very educated in religion and philosophy. They were rich, respected and wise men. They were on speaking terms with the king.
I think it is interesting to point out that the word “magi” is the root word from which we get our word “magician” from. I love John Welwood’s definition for “magic”. He defines it as: “[the] sudden opening of the mind to the wonder of existence. It is a sense that there is much more to life than we usually recognize… that life contains many dimensions, depths, textures and meanings extending far beyond our familiar beliefs and concepts.” And certainly we see this at play here in the story of the Magi - through the star God opens their eyes, their minds to the wonder of God’s existence in the person of a child.
Certainly, Matthew wants us to see something beyond the familiar. He wants us to open our hearts and our minds to the wonder of God’s love and presence in the person of Jesus Christ. Every one of us has a longing for God deep within us. We don’t always recognize this desire for what it is, but we feel it. Our spirits hunger for meaning, our souls long for hope, and our hearts yearn for love. That’s what compels us to come to church. Sure, we come here with mixed emotions and motives, but at least part of our reason for being here is the faint hope that we will feel God’s presence. We are here in response to a longing. We have been called forth like the magi, led by the light of a star. We have felt the pull of God’s love. The Magi represent that noble spirit of curiosity that is within all of us, that searches for truth and goes the distance to find it - and having found it embraces it.
With the new year, comes reflection. Oftentimes, we find ourselves looking back upon the road they have traveled and looking ahead on where we going. Interestingly enough, the month of January is named for Janus, one of the few Roman gods without a Greek counterpart. Janus was depicted as having a double face. One face looked to the past for wisdom and the other looked ahead to the future.
The Christian faith isn’t a set of beliefs, but a willingness to travel - a willingness to pursue God’s gentle light and presence. Christianity is not a place to stand, but a direction in which we move. God invites us to follow the star, to seek him, to draw near him. And so, let’s seek to find avenues to travel that we draw us closer to God.
As I read Young’s book, The Shack, I couldn’t help but think of Jeremiah, who God called not to a shack but to a potter’s house. It was there that that God reassured Jeremiah that he and all of Israel were in the hands of God - the Master Potter.
And so, on this first Sunday of the New Year, on this Epiphany Sunday and throughout this season, let us seek to truly experience the epiphany, the revelation and manifestation of God’s love and light; let us allow God to shape and mold our lives, our church, and, more importantly, let us also seek to be an epiphany of God’s love to one others.
I found the book to be both interesting, as well as reassuring in matters of faith. I mean, after all, who among us has not struggled with doubts and questions? And this book invites us to bring those questions to God and, it reassures us, that God welcomes our questions, our doubts, our fears, our uncertainties; for it is in such circumstances that our faith can become stronger and more resilient, as it does for Mack.
But there’s one part of the book that I found very interesting. The opening lines are from Jesus who says: “'Christian? Who said anything about being a Christian? I am not a Christian.’ The idea struck Mack as odd and unexpected, and he couldn’t keep from grinning. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I suppose you aren’t.’ They arrived at the door of the workshop. Again, Jesus stopped. ‘Those who love me,’ he said to Mack, ‘come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans and many of whom don’t even vote or are not a part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions. I have followers who were murderers and many who were self-righteous. Some are bankers and bookies, Americans and Iraqis, Jews and Palestinians. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters…’ ‘Does that mean,’ asked Mack, ‘that all roads lead to you?’ ‘Not at all,’ smiled Jesus as he reached for the door handle to the shop… ‘What it means is that I will travel any road to find you.’” What a powerful reminder for us on this Epiphany Sunday. “I will travel any road to find you.” Those words become real in the story of the Magi.
Now, while it is true that Epiphany isn’t really celebrated until January the 6th, which happens to be on Tuesday this year, many churches will observe it on the Sunday prior, as we are today. Epiphany commemorates the arrival of the Magi to the Christ-child and is the celebration of God’s love reaching out to all people - both Jews and Gentiles.
You know, anyone who has ever done a cross-reference of Matthew and Luke’s birth narratives knows that there is very little in common with these two interpretations. In fact, trying to put the two stories together can be a bit confusing and complicating. While many would claim that they contradict one another, I think it is important to understand that they do offer two different interpretations and perspectives on the birth of Christ. Each gospel writer presents Jesus in a different light, to a different audience.
But no doubt, the shift between Luke and Matthew’s accounts are dramatic: exit shepherds, enter wise men; exit stable, enter palace; exit poverty, enter wealth; exit angels, enter dreams; exit Mary’s lullaby, enter Rachel’s crying. But one of the few things that the two gospel writers do have in common is an emphasis on traveling. The story is about people making trips: from Nazareth to Bethlehem; from the fields to the manger; from Judea to Egypt. And, of course, the best known and longest of these trips, is the journey from Persia to Palestine, a trip for which even MapQuest wouldn’t give directions for.
The Magi were astrologers, likely from the area of modern-day Iraq or Iran. They spent most of their time star-gazing. They were professional scholars, schooled in the science of astrology, not to mention very educated in religion and philosophy. They were rich, respected and wise men. They were on speaking terms with the king.
I think it is interesting to point out that the word “magi” is the root word from which we get our word “magician” from. I love John Welwood’s definition for “magic”. He defines it as: “[the] sudden opening of the mind to the wonder of existence. It is a sense that there is much more to life than we usually recognize… that life contains many dimensions, depths, textures and meanings extending far beyond our familiar beliefs and concepts.” And certainly we see this at play here in the story of the Magi - through the star God opens their eyes, their minds to the wonder of God’s existence in the person of a child.
Certainly, Matthew wants us to see something beyond the familiar. He wants us to open our hearts and our minds to the wonder of God’s love and presence in the person of Jesus Christ. Every one of us has a longing for God deep within us. We don’t always recognize this desire for what it is, but we feel it. Our spirits hunger for meaning, our souls long for hope, and our hearts yearn for love. That’s what compels us to come to church. Sure, we come here with mixed emotions and motives, but at least part of our reason for being here is the faint hope that we will feel God’s presence. We are here in response to a longing. We have been called forth like the magi, led by the light of a star. We have felt the pull of God’s love. The Magi represent that noble spirit of curiosity that is within all of us, that searches for truth and goes the distance to find it - and having found it embraces it.
With the new year, comes reflection. Oftentimes, we find ourselves looking back upon the road they have traveled and looking ahead on where we going. Interestingly enough, the month of January is named for Janus, one of the few Roman gods without a Greek counterpart. Janus was depicted as having a double face. One face looked to the past for wisdom and the other looked ahead to the future.
The Christian faith isn’t a set of beliefs, but a willingness to travel - a willingness to pursue God’s gentle light and presence. Christianity is not a place to stand, but a direction in which we move. God invites us to follow the star, to seek him, to draw near him. And so, let’s seek to find avenues to travel that we draw us closer to God.
As I read Young’s book, The Shack, I couldn’t help but think of Jeremiah, who God called not to a shack but to a potter’s house. It was there that that God reassured Jeremiah that he and all of Israel were in the hands of God - the Master Potter.
And so, on this first Sunday of the New Year, on this Epiphany Sunday and throughout this season, let us seek to truly experience the epiphany, the revelation and manifestation of God’s love and light; let us allow God to shape and mold our lives, our church, and, more importantly, let us also seek to be an epiphany of God’s love to one others.
posted by Pastor Christopher @ 11:35 AM
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