Rev. Nick Cheek
Isaiah 60: 1-6 and Matthew 2: 1-12
Over the holidays, our family watched the classic 1983 film “A Christmas Story.” The movie follows the adventures of the Parker family, focusing primarily on their son, Ralphie, and his longing for a specific Christmas gift. Do you remember what that gift is? It’s a Red Ryder BB gun. The interesting thing about this gift is that no one wants him to have it. His mother strongly opposes it, and even when Ralphie visits Santa at the mall, Santa warns him, “You’ll shoot your eye out.” As Christmas Eve approaches, Ralphie feels as though he has given up all hope of receiving the one gift he truly desires. On Christmas Day, the family gathers around the tree to open presents. After each gift, Ralphie does his best to appear grateful, but it’s clear to everyone that he is not very happy. After unwrapping the last present, Ralphie sits on the couch with his parents, looking a bit sad. His father asks, “Did you get everything you wanted, son?” Ralphie replies, “Well, almost.” Unbeknownst to Ralphie’s mom, his dad has one more surprise gift for him. He tells Ralphie to check behind the desk because he sees something wrapped in red paper. Ralphie walks over, pulls it out, and opens it. His eyes widen with excitement as he discovers that it’s the Red Ryder BB gun he has been dreaming about all this time. [Pause]
Looking back on your own Christmases, I’m sure you can recall a special gift that brought you joy, just like Ralphie. Our story today is about gifts. More specifically, our scripture asks a question: What do we offer as a gift to Jesus? What do you wrap up and present to the Messiah?
The Magi were determined to give Jesus wonderful gifts. And they do fairly well. When they arrive in Bethlehem, they present Jesus with Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. These three gifts were selected purposefully and with care. Each one was typically given to a king or a person with high status. The Gold is a sign of kingship, long associated with the gods. Frankincense, a costly incense then and today, which represents wisdom. Myrrh, an extravagant perfume given as a blessing for long life and healing. We all know about these three gifts. We sing about them every year. And though these gifts were appropriate at the time… are these still the gifts that Jesus expects from us today? Costly items fit for a King? If we were to look closer at the story of the Magi, we may notice other gifts they brought along with them. Some not-so-recognizable gifts.
Dr. Bill Fowler, Professor of New Testament and Practical Theology at Yellowstone Theological Institutes, writes about other gifts the Magi have for Jesus. The first gift he recognizes is the Magi’s searching minds. Research shows that the Magi were most likely philosophers or astronomers. They devoured writings on all kinds of topics, including the Torah and Jewish scriptures. Within the Hebrew text, the Magi studied and learned about prophets who spoke of the coming King of the Jews. their fascination with the stars in the heavens and their knowledge of the prophecy is what ended up pointing them towards the Son of God. Dr. Fowler writes, “In their search for truth, they were looking for signs of God’s activity in their world. The rising star over Bethlehem was perceived by their seeking minds as proof that God had broken into their world.” The Magi were people who were paying attention. They had their eyes open… and they were on the lookout for signs of God’s gracious presence around them.
Matthew’s Gospel deliberately juxtaposes Herod’s response to the prophecy with that of the magi. Herod hears the news about this child, and his first instinct is to control the prophecy. He wants to manage the situation, protect his power, and keep the status quo. The Magi hear the same news and respond in a completely different way. They remain curious. Herod responds with fear and might. The Magi respond with wonder. At the turn of a new year, the Magi remind us that faith isn’t about having all the answers to our problems and issues figured out… Instead… It’s about continuing to search; continuing to listen, to learn, and to notice where God’s plan might be unfolding, even when the path ahead isn’t clear. In a world where we usually long for easy answers… and simple faith… the Magi offer us a different way of being faithful, they offer a faith that can live with some ambiguity. They invite us to keep our minds open… to keep our eyes open… expecting that God’s kingdom is still breaking into our lives, even if we don’t fully understand it yet. [Pause]
The first not-so-obvious gift of the Magi was a searching mind, and this searching mind leads us to another gift, the gift of vulnerability. We will notice from our story that the Magi were not content to examine the distant star from afar. They desired to get closer to what God was up to. And so they packed up and went. They set other priorities aside, cleared their calendars, and left their homes. But this was no simple drive across town. There was no GPS. No AAA. Their trek would have lasted anywhere from four or five weeks to a couple of months. It demanded much from them; financially, physically, and emotionally. It was also risky. Ancient travel was never convenient or safe. It meant exposure to weather, illness, exhaustion, conflict with other travelers, or even robbery and violence. In addition, when they finally arrived in Jerusalem and asked about a newborn “king of the Jews,” they also stepped straight into political danger. Herod was looking for the child, too. This matters to our story… it matters because the Magi could have stayed curious from a distance. They could have gathered information and gone home. They could have admired the light without moving toward it. And… They could have also turned back in fear after their encounter with Herod. Instead, they chose to move on.
Barbara Brown Taylor supports this idea in her writings on Epiphany. She writes that remaining distant is often a safer option because, from afar, God can remain an idea, a belief, or even a source of comfort. However, being near is different. Because proximity changes us… when we draw close to God, we not only find joy and peace… we are also invited into surrender… into openness…into vulnerability… into letting God in to change us and mold us. The magi embraced the risk of draining near. Something deep within called them… and drew them toward the light. In this new year… the Magi teach us that faith isn’t just about believing something; it’s about being willing to get close enough to be transformed by it. They give the gift of venerability… and in doing so, the Magi came face to face with the Son of God. [Pause]
The Magi brought with them searching minds and a vulnerable spirit… but the last, not-so-obvious gift is probably the most important. They knelt in reverence and worship. This final act of the Magi completes their journey. In our scripture, the Magi state the purpose of the trip from the very beginning: “They came to Jerusalem searching for the King of the Jews so that they might come to worship him.” And so they did. As they presented their gifts, they bowed down… and paid him homage. This deliberate act is important to Matthew’s Gospel. Through it, the Magi make a bold declaration: That Christ is king, not Herod. Love is central to leadership, not power. In a world shaped by pride, fear, and control, the Magi choose a different kingdom. By kneeling before the Christ child, the Magi publicly announce that a new kind of reign has arrived, not one built on violence or control, but one marked by humility… not one built on self-preservation but on service to others. The Magi most likely knew the prophecy from Isaiah – “For a child has been born for us…and he shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” And so their act of worshiping a child-king… was also a protest against the power-hungry dynamics of the world of their time… and the world of ours. Their final gift is the gift of worship.
One of my favorite Christmas Hymns is “In the Bleak mid-winter”. Written by Christina Georgiana Rossetti in the 1800’s, it pursues our question for today; “what gift could one possibly give to Jesus.” In her poem, Rossetti points to the humble birth of Jesus in a stable, held by a poor and wandering couple.
While shepherds may have provided a lamb for Jesus, and the wise men gold, others worshiped in more intangible ways. For example, mother Mary’s gift, Rossetti suggests, was the natural and loving embrace of a kiss. And for Rossetti, when she wrote this poem, she was without a job, and in poor health. And so, what could she present to the Christ child? She writes in the last stanza about her not-so-obvious gift – “What can I give him, Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man, I would do my part; Yet what I can I give him; Give my heart.
Friends, the gifts of the magi leave us with wondering questions as we enter a new year. Where will we bow? To what will we give our worship… our hearts? Will we bow to our anxiety or our fear? Will we worship our pride, our productivity, our need to stay in control? Will we bow to our work, our success? Or, like the Magi, will we hope for something else, will we search for something more? Like the magi, will our wondering hearts lead us beyond the comfort of watching for Christ through a telescope… and instead bring us to his feet.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen