Sermon preached at 10am Eucharist at St Helen’s Solihull
Sunday 3rd January 2010 – Epiphany
A shorter version of this sermon was also preached at the 8am.
Readings: Isaiah 60: 1-6 Ephesians 3: 1-12 Matthew 2: 1-12
My son, Thomas, has just turned 17 and we are just getting into all the thrills and spills associated with learning to drive. As much as anything, this reminds me of my own experiences of learning to drive when I was seventeen, which is now 28 years ago.
My first experiences of driving were with my Dad as an instructor on some remote, bleak and lonely roads in the Republic of Ireland. My Dad said that I should learn how to control the car on these isolated roads, and once I had learned control of the car it would be easier for me to make progress on other roads, where it is necessary to interact with other road users.
Well, it was all very easy to say! The truth was that I really struggled to learn how to control the car. The clutch, especially, was a massive problem. I invariably would let the clutch out either too slowly, so that nothing happened, or too fast so that the car would lurch forward in jumps, kangaroo style. It seemed to me to be completely arbitrary. I never really had any idea of what was going to happen as I let the clutch out. It was all rather painful, frustrating and difficult.
Some months later in the UK I had my first proper driving lesson with a proper driving instructor. In the first lesson we only did one thing: learning to use the clutch. The instructor explained to me what a clutch was and how it worked. He set me up on a hill start, holding the vehicle on the clutch, then he taught me to release the pressure very slightly to craw forward, or to increase the pressure very slightly to stop, or to roll back.
Well, this was such a revelation to me! Suddenly, instead of being my worst enemy, the clutch became a tool that I could use! Suddenly I felt that I was controlling the car rather than being intimidated by it. It was a real revelation; a new understanding. It was a transforming moment and a massive step forward in the process of learning to drive.
Well, today we have entered the season of the Epiphany, a season that is all about revelation and new understanding. The word Epiphany means “manifest”. God’s new work in Jesus is being shown to all the world. It is made manifest. Today especially we think about the baby Jesus being shown to the wise men. And the very significant thing about the wise men is that they were not Jews. They were gentiles, or people from “the nations”, as the Jews used to call them. They come from the East, perhaps from Persia, or Iran as we call it today. And they had understood enough from the signs in the heavens to know that something very important was happening, that a king of great significance had been born. And they came looking for him, and with the help of a star he was shown to them; he was made manifest. And they paid homage and gave their famous gifts of Gold and Frankincense and Myrrh.
Now this showing of the baby Jesus to the three kings is symbolic of the showing of Jesus to the whole world. The Jews knew that they were God’s chosen people. They thought their religion was for them much more that it was for other people. But with Jesus there is a new revelation. There is a whole new religion and it is for everybody. It is universal or catholic we say; it means it’s for everyone. We heard St Paul talking about this new revelation in our epistle reading today. He said, “In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed …the Gentiles have become fellow-heirs, members of the same body and sharers in the promise of Jesus Christ through the gospel.”
And this new revelation in Jesus makes all the difference. Just as my getting to know and understanding of the clutch opened up to me the possibility of driving, so getting to know and love Jesus opens up to us the possibility of drawing closer to God. Drawing closer to God is a little bit like learning to drive. There are things that we need to understand. There are some rules we need to follow. We need lots and lots of practice. Above all we need a good teacher. We need someone to say to us turn left, turn right, speed up now, slow down. The Christian life is a journey towards God, towards heaven, but we need someone who knows the way. Now that Jesus has been revealed to us we have the best possible teacher. Not only does he know the way – but he is the way!
So how do we make the most of this new revelation; this wonderful good news that we have received in Jesus, in having Jesus as our teacher? Well first of all let’s give thanks to God for giving us Jesus and for showing him to us. Let’s give thanks to God for all that we have already understood and all the different ways in which it has helped us.
Then let’s try to be very attentive to Jesus our teacher. Let’s try to live out his commandments in our everyday lives. Let’s pay special attention to the commandment which he calls “new” and his own – “love one another, as I have loved you” (John 13: 34, 15: 12). This is the key to everything. Jesus says, “They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me…and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” (John 14: 21). Jesus reveals himself to those who love. So there is a self reinforcing circle here; Jesus is revealed to us, so we grow in love, so jesus is revealed to us more… Love is the key to revelation, the key to Epiphany. So let’s love, and in that way Jesus will reveal himself to us. Amen.
Showing posts with label Epiphany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Epiphany. Show all posts
03 January 2010
11 January 2009
The Holy Spirit at the Baptism of Christ
Sermon preached at St Alphege, Solihull, 11am Eucharist on Sunday 11th January 2009
Epiphany 1 - The Baptism of Christ, Year B.
Readings: Genesis 1: 1-5 Acts 19: 1-7 Mark 1: 4-11
Our readings today make us reflect on the Holy Spirit. They remind us how incredibly important the Holy Spirit is, and how significant his role is in so many crucial moments.
In our reading from Genesis we heard the first five verses of the bible; the beginning of the creation story. And this included, in the second verse of the bible, a reference to the Holy Spirit. You may have missed it because we read from the NRSV of the bible, which translates the Hebrew as, “A wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” But the Authorised Version of the Bible translates this as “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” The NIV translates it as “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”. However it is translated, the point remains the same; the Holy Spirit was present and participating at the very beginning of creation.
In our gospel reading we heard Mark’s very brief account of the ministry of John the Baptist. We heard how people went see John in the wilderness. They confessed their sins and were baptised with a baptism of repentance. And John proclaimed that the one coming after him, was much greater than he was, because John baptised only with water, whereas the one who was coming would baptise with the Holy Spirit.
And is seems that there is some very profound link between Jesus, baptism and the Holy Spirit. This first comes to light when Jesus is baptised by John, and we heard this story at the end of our gospel reading. Jesus came up out of the water and he saw heaven torn open and the spirit descending like a dove upon him. Then there was the voice from heaven. “You are my Son, the beloved, with you I am well pleased.”
This incident is recorded in all four gospels. In Mark’s gospel, which we heard today, it is not very clear that anyone else other that Jesus actually saw the spirit descend or heard the voice. Luke’s account suggests that the incident might have been clearly visible to the many people who were present. In John’s account John the Baptist testifies that he saw the Spirit alight on Jesus and remain there, and that this for him was a clear sign that Jesus was the one to baptise with the Holy Spirit; the Son of God. In the Church we always think of the baptism of Christ as a key “epiphany moment”; a moment when Jesus is revealed to the world as someone very important. In fact this is a particularly significant epiphany moment because the descending Spirit shows Jesus to be the anointed one, the Messiah, and the voice from heaven goes further telling us that he is God’s own son, the beloved.
But the links between Jesus, the Holy Spirit and baptism go well beyond the decent of the Holy Spirit onto Jesus at his own baptism. As John the Baptist explained, the baptism of Jesus is a baptism with the Holy Spirit, whereas John’s baptism with water is a much simpler symbol of repentance. This distinction between the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus became even more important in the life of the early church, after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. This is because of incidents like the one we heard about in our reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Paul arrived in Ephesus and found some followers of Jesus there. However they had been baptised only with the baptism of John, and their baptism was in some way incomplete. But when Paul baptised them in the name of the Lord Jesus they received the Holy Spirit, and suddenly they started to speak in tongues and to prophesise.
Because of incidents like this the early Church quickly resolved to baptise, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. This formulation used in Baptism emerged very early on in the life of the infant Church, several centuries before the doctrine of the Holy Trinity was formulated.
So those of us who have been baptised have received the Holy Spirit in our baptism. Those of us who have been Confirmed have been further strengthened in the Holy Spirit as we give our own ascent to our baptismal promises, and as the bishop lays hands on us.
So what difference does it make for us, that we have received the Holy Spirit in our baptism? Well these are deep mysteries that mystics and theologians continue to dwell upon. But John’s gospel gives us some pointers in the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. As Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3: 5-6). Somehow, in our baptism, the Holy Spirit brings to birth within us a new life in the Spirit, which is also a new life in Christ. With the correct care and nurture this new life in the spirit can grow and develop within us, until we become mature, to the measure of the full stature of Christ (c.f. Eph 4: 13). And this maturity is deeply tied up with our unity with the other people who have been baptized into Christ, with unity in the life of the Church (e.g. Eph 4: 13, Gal 3: 26-28).
So the challenge for us is to nurture ourselves well so that we can grow in the Spirit and grow in Christ. And this is a great challenge because so many things about our contemporary society are very unhelpful to this growth. However there are things we can do. Coming to Mass regularly is a very helpful thing. Confessing our sins is very helpful. Prayer is very helpful. Studying the bible and reflecting on it is very helpful. Seeking to see Jesus in the people around us, and to love Jesus in them is also very, very helpful. It is very helpful if we can share something of our spiritual lives with others, so it becomes not just an individual things that I do on my own, but something I do together with other people, together with the others in the Church.
So today let’s give thanks for the Holy Spirit, let’s praise God for the new life that he gives us through baptism, and let’s pray that the Spirit will help us to grow in that life and to bring it to maturity.
Epiphany 1 - The Baptism of Christ, Year B.
Readings: Genesis 1: 1-5 Acts 19: 1-7 Mark 1: 4-11
Our readings today make us reflect on the Holy Spirit. They remind us how incredibly important the Holy Spirit is, and how significant his role is in so many crucial moments.
In our reading from Genesis we heard the first five verses of the bible; the beginning of the creation story. And this included, in the second verse of the bible, a reference to the Holy Spirit. You may have missed it because we read from the NRSV of the bible, which translates the Hebrew as, “A wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” But the Authorised Version of the Bible translates this as “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” The NIV translates it as “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”. However it is translated, the point remains the same; the Holy Spirit was present and participating at the very beginning of creation.
In our gospel reading we heard Mark’s very brief account of the ministry of John the Baptist. We heard how people went see John in the wilderness. They confessed their sins and were baptised with a baptism of repentance. And John proclaimed that the one coming after him, was much greater than he was, because John baptised only with water, whereas the one who was coming would baptise with the Holy Spirit.
And is seems that there is some very profound link between Jesus, baptism and the Holy Spirit. This first comes to light when Jesus is baptised by John, and we heard this story at the end of our gospel reading. Jesus came up out of the water and he saw heaven torn open and the spirit descending like a dove upon him. Then there was the voice from heaven. “You are my Son, the beloved, with you I am well pleased.”
This incident is recorded in all four gospels. In Mark’s gospel, which we heard today, it is not very clear that anyone else other that Jesus actually saw the spirit descend or heard the voice. Luke’s account suggests that the incident might have been clearly visible to the many people who were present. In John’s account John the Baptist testifies that he saw the Spirit alight on Jesus and remain there, and that this for him was a clear sign that Jesus was the one to baptise with the Holy Spirit; the Son of God. In the Church we always think of the baptism of Christ as a key “epiphany moment”; a moment when Jesus is revealed to the world as someone very important. In fact this is a particularly significant epiphany moment because the descending Spirit shows Jesus to be the anointed one, the Messiah, and the voice from heaven goes further telling us that he is God’s own son, the beloved.
But the links between Jesus, the Holy Spirit and baptism go well beyond the decent of the Holy Spirit onto Jesus at his own baptism. As John the Baptist explained, the baptism of Jesus is a baptism with the Holy Spirit, whereas John’s baptism with water is a much simpler symbol of repentance. This distinction between the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus became even more important in the life of the early church, after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. This is because of incidents like the one we heard about in our reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Paul arrived in Ephesus and found some followers of Jesus there. However they had been baptised only with the baptism of John, and their baptism was in some way incomplete. But when Paul baptised them in the name of the Lord Jesus they received the Holy Spirit, and suddenly they started to speak in tongues and to prophesise.
Because of incidents like this the early Church quickly resolved to baptise, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. This formulation used in Baptism emerged very early on in the life of the infant Church, several centuries before the doctrine of the Holy Trinity was formulated.
So those of us who have been baptised have received the Holy Spirit in our baptism. Those of us who have been Confirmed have been further strengthened in the Holy Spirit as we give our own ascent to our baptismal promises, and as the bishop lays hands on us.
So what difference does it make for us, that we have received the Holy Spirit in our baptism? Well these are deep mysteries that mystics and theologians continue to dwell upon. But John’s gospel gives us some pointers in the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. As Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3: 5-6). Somehow, in our baptism, the Holy Spirit brings to birth within us a new life in the Spirit, which is also a new life in Christ. With the correct care and nurture this new life in the spirit can grow and develop within us, until we become mature, to the measure of the full stature of Christ (c.f. Eph 4: 13). And this maturity is deeply tied up with our unity with the other people who have been baptized into Christ, with unity in the life of the Church (e.g. Eph 4: 13, Gal 3: 26-28).
So the challenge for us is to nurture ourselves well so that we can grow in the Spirit and grow in Christ. And this is a great challenge because so many things about our contemporary society are very unhelpful to this growth. However there are things we can do. Coming to Mass regularly is a very helpful thing. Confessing our sins is very helpful. Prayer is very helpful. Studying the bible and reflecting on it is very helpful. Seeking to see Jesus in the people around us, and to love Jesus in them is also very, very helpful. It is very helpful if we can share something of our spiritual lives with others, so it becomes not just an individual things that I do on my own, but something I do together with other people, together with the others in the Church.
So today let’s give thanks for the Holy Spirit, let’s praise God for the new life that he gives us through baptism, and let’s pray that the Spirit will help us to grow in that life and to bring it to maturity.
06 January 2008
The meaning of "Epiphany"
Preached at St Alphege Solihull at the 9.15am Parish Eucharist
Sunday 6th January 2008 – Year A
Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12
One of the Christmas presents received in our family this year was the Simpson’s movie on DVD. A few days after Christmas we sat down as a family and watched it together. Now I am great fan of the Simpson cartoons and I enjoyed the film. But I was particularly interested because in the middle of the film there is a discussion about the word “Epiphany”. By this point in the film Homer has reached rock bottom; he almost dies a lonely death in the snow and ice of a remote corner of Alaska. Then, inexplicably, he is saved by an old wise native American, mother figure. She tells him that she is going to make him have “an Epiphany”. “An Epiphany!” Homer asks, “What’s that?” “Sudden realisation of great truth,” she tells him. Well Homer is rather pig headed, and his Epiphany is some time in coming. But, eventually he realises that he has to stop thinking about himself and start helping his family and his home town. It is the turning point of the film; from that moment things slowly start to get better again, until, by the end of the film, as always happens in Simpson’s cartoons, everything has been restored to its proper state.
So, according to the Simpson’s movie, Epiphany means a “Suddenly realisation of great truth.” Apparently James Joyce also uses the word Epiphany in this way in his short stories about Dubliners. And I wonder about it. Is this really what Epiphany is all about?
We normally say that word Epiphany comes from the Greek word epiphania, which means "manifestation," or “appearance”. In the Church we associate the Epiphany with the key moments when Jesus was shown to the world. Today, on the feast of the Epiphany itself, we think of the moment when the baby Jesus was shown to the wise men from the East. After the service you might like to take a moment to look at our crib scene in St Thomas’s chapel. If you do, you will see that the shepherds have now left and the wise men have arrived and are offering their gifts to the Holy Family. And certainly this is a moment of “showing” a moment of “manifestation”. The wise men encounter Jesus. They respond by paying homage and by offering gifts. But is this, I wonder, a “Sudden realisation of great truth”?
If Epiphany is the “sudden realisation of great truth”, what is the great truth that is being realised here. Did the wise men recognise Jesus as the son of God, as the Messiah? Well we don’t know quite what they understood, we are not told. But they clearly understood that Jesus was important, worthy of homage, and worthy of the most valuable gifts. And perhaps the gifts tell us something of what they understood. Gold is a gift for a king. Frankincense is a gift for a priest, because it’s used in incense. Myrrh is a gift for one who dies. It is the bitter resin used in embalming and in incense for funerals. So the gifts suggest that the wise men had indeed understood some profound truths about Jesus.
But in the end, it does seem to me, that Epiphany is more about the “manifestation” or “appearance” of the baby Jesus on earth. It is about being shown Jesus and it is about showing Jesus to others. The encounter with Jesus does bring about many great things. It might bring about the sudden realisation of great truth, but in the gospel stories meeting Jesus more commonly brings about healing or joy, reconciliation or forgiveness, new life or new understanding.
So in Epiphany tide it is good for us to ponder “How is Jesus shown to us” and “How do we show Jesus to others.” And in this parish, this very much what our Going for Growth programme is about. Through Going for Growth we hope to grow in our own personal encounter with Jesus, and also to help others to encounter Jesus, so that the church can grow. The next big step in our Going for Growth programme is called Fan the Flame. In a few weeks time we will be inviting you all to take part in Fan the Flame, which will happen on five successive Thursdays, starting on 10th April. Each of the five Fan the Flame events focuses on a different aspect of our Faith, with some teaching and reflection. There will also be lots of music in a “Songs of Praise” format.
As we prepare for the Fan the Flame event we would like to invite every member of the congregations to attend a House Eucharist during Lent 2008. The House Eucharists will give us the opportunity to share in the Eucharist together in a more homely and informal environment. The priest will lead a short reflection during the Eucharist. Afterwards, depending on host, we might have tea and coffee and a discussion about favourite hymns, and this will help us to prepare for the Songs of Praise aspect of Fan the Flame.
Lent comes very early this year. Ash Wednesday is exactly a month away, so now is the right time to start thinking about these House Eucharists during Lent. As you leave church today you will be given a leaflet all about the House Eucharists, so please do take those away and read them and think about how you might like to be involved. In particular you might like to think about hosting one of the House Eucharists. It is a wonderful thing to have the Eucharist celebrated in your home. It is a wonderful opportunity to welcome Jesus into your home; in the scripture readings, in the sacrament, in the people who come (Matt 25: 40) and in the midst of the people gathered in his name (Matt 18:20).
So during this Epiphany tide let’s think about how we encounter Jesus and how we show Jesus to others. And let’s start to think in particular about how we can do this through the House Eucharists and through Fan the Flame. Amen
Sunday 6th January 2008 – Year A
Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12
One of the Christmas presents received in our family this year was the Simpson’s movie on DVD. A few days after Christmas we sat down as a family and watched it together. Now I am great fan of the Simpson cartoons and I enjoyed the film. But I was particularly interested because in the middle of the film there is a discussion about the word “Epiphany”. By this point in the film Homer has reached rock bottom; he almost dies a lonely death in the snow and ice of a remote corner of Alaska. Then, inexplicably, he is saved by an old wise native American, mother figure. She tells him that she is going to make him have “an Epiphany”. “An Epiphany!” Homer asks, “What’s that?” “Sudden realisation of great truth,” she tells him. Well Homer is rather pig headed, and his Epiphany is some time in coming. But, eventually he realises that he has to stop thinking about himself and start helping his family and his home town. It is the turning point of the film; from that moment things slowly start to get better again, until, by the end of the film, as always happens in Simpson’s cartoons, everything has been restored to its proper state.
So, according to the Simpson’s movie, Epiphany means a “Suddenly realisation of great truth.” Apparently James Joyce also uses the word Epiphany in this way in his short stories about Dubliners. And I wonder about it. Is this really what Epiphany is all about?
We normally say that word Epiphany comes from the Greek word epiphania, which means "manifestation," or “appearance”. In the Church we associate the Epiphany with the key moments when Jesus was shown to the world. Today, on the feast of the Epiphany itself, we think of the moment when the baby Jesus was shown to the wise men from the East. After the service you might like to take a moment to look at our crib scene in St Thomas’s chapel. If you do, you will see that the shepherds have now left and the wise men have arrived and are offering their gifts to the Holy Family. And certainly this is a moment of “showing” a moment of “manifestation”. The wise men encounter Jesus. They respond by paying homage and by offering gifts. But is this, I wonder, a “Sudden realisation of great truth”?
If Epiphany is the “sudden realisation of great truth”, what is the great truth that is being realised here. Did the wise men recognise Jesus as the son of God, as the Messiah? Well we don’t know quite what they understood, we are not told. But they clearly understood that Jesus was important, worthy of homage, and worthy of the most valuable gifts. And perhaps the gifts tell us something of what they understood. Gold is a gift for a king. Frankincense is a gift for a priest, because it’s used in incense. Myrrh is a gift for one who dies. It is the bitter resin used in embalming and in incense for funerals. So the gifts suggest that the wise men had indeed understood some profound truths about Jesus.
But in the end, it does seem to me, that Epiphany is more about the “manifestation” or “appearance” of the baby Jesus on earth. It is about being shown Jesus and it is about showing Jesus to others. The encounter with Jesus does bring about many great things. It might bring about the sudden realisation of great truth, but in the gospel stories meeting Jesus more commonly brings about healing or joy, reconciliation or forgiveness, new life or new understanding.
So in Epiphany tide it is good for us to ponder “How is Jesus shown to us” and “How do we show Jesus to others.” And in this parish, this very much what our Going for Growth programme is about. Through Going for Growth we hope to grow in our own personal encounter with Jesus, and also to help others to encounter Jesus, so that the church can grow. The next big step in our Going for Growth programme is called Fan the Flame. In a few weeks time we will be inviting you all to take part in Fan the Flame, which will happen on five successive Thursdays, starting on 10th April. Each of the five Fan the Flame events focuses on a different aspect of our Faith, with some teaching and reflection. There will also be lots of music in a “Songs of Praise” format.
As we prepare for the Fan the Flame event we would like to invite every member of the congregations to attend a House Eucharist during Lent 2008. The House Eucharists will give us the opportunity to share in the Eucharist together in a more homely and informal environment. The priest will lead a short reflection during the Eucharist. Afterwards, depending on host, we might have tea and coffee and a discussion about favourite hymns, and this will help us to prepare for the Songs of Praise aspect of Fan the Flame.
Lent comes very early this year. Ash Wednesday is exactly a month away, so now is the right time to start thinking about these House Eucharists during Lent. As you leave church today you will be given a leaflet all about the House Eucharists, so please do take those away and read them and think about how you might like to be involved. In particular you might like to think about hosting one of the House Eucharists. It is a wonderful thing to have the Eucharist celebrated in your home. It is a wonderful opportunity to welcome Jesus into your home; in the scripture readings, in the sacrament, in the people who come (Matt 25: 40) and in the midst of the people gathered in his name (Matt 18:20).
So during this Epiphany tide let’s think about how we encounter Jesus and how we show Jesus to others. And let’s start to think in particular about how we can do this through the House Eucharists and through Fan the Flame. Amen
07 January 2007
Epiphany - Showing Christ to the World
Thought for Pew Slip - 7th January 2007 – Epiphany (trsfd from 6th Jan)
Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12
Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, when Christ is shown to the world. We think especially of the moment when Jesus is shown to the wise men from the East.
I love to imagine that scene in Bethlehem. I imagine the wise men entering the stable and finding themselves in the midst of the holy family, united in mutual love. I imagine that the presence of the baby Jesus filled them with joy and made their hearts burn within them. They understood that they were in the presence of a great king. They knelt, paid homage and gave gifts suitable for a king.
When we gather together in the name of Jesus, then he is present in the midst of us (Matt 18:20). This is especially true when we gather in worship, putting Jesus in the first place and being united in his love, like the holy family. Let us worship like this, obedient to Christ’s command of mutual love (John 13:34, 15:12), so that visitors to our worship will enter into the presence of Christ, just as the wise men did. If we do this then people will recognise and honour the King. We will be making our own little epiphany; showing Christ to the world.
Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12
Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, when Christ is shown to the world. We think especially of the moment when Jesus is shown to the wise men from the East.
I love to imagine that scene in Bethlehem. I imagine the wise men entering the stable and finding themselves in the midst of the holy family, united in mutual love. I imagine that the presence of the baby Jesus filled them with joy and made their hearts burn within them. They understood that they were in the presence of a great king. They knelt, paid homage and gave gifts suitable for a king.
When we gather together in the name of Jesus, then he is present in the midst of us (Matt 18:20). This is especially true when we gather in worship, putting Jesus in the first place and being united in his love, like the holy family. Let us worship like this, obedient to Christ’s command of mutual love (John 13:34, 15:12), so that visitors to our worship will enter into the presence of Christ, just as the wise men did. If we do this then people will recognise and honour the King. We will be making our own little epiphany; showing Christ to the world.
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