Epiphany

City Harbor Church – Hampden, Baltimore, MD

Matthew 2:1-12

3 kings “magi” – men of wisdom who studied the stars, a person noted for unusual capacity of understanding, combining both the secular and religious, one with special wisdom about the meaning of the course of the stars and its interconnection with world events. Most likely from Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia

The “magi” Greek word also used in other books as: a. Persian priest, b. one with supernatural knowledge and ability, c. magician or missionary of a new religion, d. wielding power to convince

“Later tellings of the story identified the magi by name and identified their lands of origin: Melchior hailed from Persia, Gaspar from India, and Balthazar from Arabia.” – National Geographic

How do the magi interact with Jesus? 1. Seek 2. Find 3. Worship 4. Rejoice

1. Seek

“search diligently” – careful search to discover, diligent effort to discover, accurate, both detail and completeness

“Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars.” – Psalms 148:3

2. Find

Epiphany – “3 Kings Day” Christian feast day (in January) “The story of the wise men, or “Magi” as Matthew calls them, has a special sense of mystery and joy to it and has long been celebrated by Christians on a special feast day called Epiphany.” – Malcome Guite

Epiphany (Greek) – “shining out” or “revealing” manifestation of a divine/supernatural being, sudden revelation or insight

Examples: Moses meets God through a burning bush, Isaiah’s vision in chapter 6 of “the Lord lifted up”, the heavens opening at Jesus’ baptism,

The story of the 3 kings is particularly important to those of us who are of Gentile descent. The moment the 3 Gentile kings see baby Jesus, suddenly and mysteriously they realize that his birth is good news for them too. “Here is the epiphany, a revelation, that birth of Christ is not one small step for a local religion but a great leap for all mankind. Jesus is for all of us, Gentile and Jew alike!” – Malcome Guite

3. Worship

Worship – bowing in adoration of God, laying down before, kiss reverently, outward gesture of wholehearted inward attitude of adoration, to serve (humility before the Divine regardless of one’s personal prestige) All rulers will bow to Jesus Christ, the King above all kings.

4. Rejoice

They “search diligently,” but they rejoice “with exceeding great joy,” – Matthew 2:8, 10

“It might have been just someone else’s story. Some chosen people get a special king. We leave them to their own peculiar glory, We don’t belong, it doesn’t mean a thing. But when these three arrive they bring us with them, Gentiles like us, their wisdom might be ours; a steady step that finds an inner rhythm, a pilgrim’s eye that sees beyond the stars. They did not know his name but they still sought him, They came from otherwhere but still they found; in temples they found those who sold and bought him, but in the filthy stable, hallowed ground. Their courage gives our questing hearts a voice to seek, to find, to worship, to rejoice.” – Epiphany from Sounding the Seasons by Malcome Guite Repeat

What should we do?

1. Seek

2. Find

3. Worship

4. Rejoice