Sharers in the promise

Thought for the parish pew slip - Sunday 4th January 2009
Epipany (transfered from 6th January)

Readings: Isaiah 60: 1-6 Ephesians 3: 1-12 Mathew 2: 1-12

God’s plan for the salvation of humanity started with God’s chosen people, the Jews. Throughout the Old Testament God maintains a strong distinction between the Jews and the other nations, the Gentiles. But then, as Paul explains in our reading from Ephesians, the coming of Christ reveals a new world order; “the Gentiles have become fellow-heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Jesus Christ through the gospel.”
This was a revolutionary change for the Jews who followed Christ, and many of them struggled to believe it. But the story of the wise men visiting the baby Jesus shows us clearly that the baby Jesus was recognised as a blessing not just for the Jews, but for all people, even those who live far away in the East.
In a strange way all this was foreseen by in our reading from Isaiah. This part of the book of Isaiah was written in the sixth century BC. The prophet tells of a great light that will emerge within Israel such that all kings and nations are drawn to the light, and they will come with great wealth and offer valuable gifts, while proclaiming the praise of the Lord.