Epiphany of Our Lord

Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The wise men embark on their journey, encouraged by the light of a bright star. They know this star means something and can lead them to a special encounter. So they follow it to see where it would lead them. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

These wise men didn’t have a map. They had no idea where this journey would take them, how long it was going to take, how far they would have to travel, what it was going to cost them, how safe it was going to be – nothing. All they had was the light of the star and the intense feeling that it meant something; that this star was going to reveal something to them if they would just follow it.

In his Christmas Book, Martin Luther wrote a lovely devotion on these wise men. He points out that they follow the star until they get to Judah. Then they see the capital city Jerusalem and think they know where this journey is taking them. A king is born. Of course that would take place in the capital, in the palace. Where else are kings born?

And so the wise men drop the star out of sight and follow their own wisdom. They get to Jerusalem, Luther writes, and nobody knows a thing about this newborn king. The wise men are confounded and disappointed.

What gets them back on track is their meeting with the scribes. They search God’s word, and that word reveals where the newborn king can be found. God’s word reveals that human wisdom only goes so far and can lead us astray if we lose the bright light out of sight. Following our own assumptions can bring despair and disappointment.

Reading and discussing God’s word with other seekers and believers redirects and reenergizes the wise men’s journey. Reading and discussing God’s word with other seekers and believers – that is Bible study. Just saying, you all. We have three of those on offer tomorrow morning and evening.

Bible study in community reconnects the wise men with the star. They keep going. They follow it all the way to Bethlehem, where they find the Christ child. They are overwhelmed with joy. They bow down in deep homage. They worship the newborn king. They are moved to enormous generosity, presenting gold, frankincense, and myrrh, all of which are costly gifts.

Their lives are changed. They are changed. The revelation of God’s grace has shined upon them, and they rejoice.

This experience of God’s grace has immediate impact on their actions. King Herod had asked them to come back to him once they find the baby and tell him where it is, supposedly so Herod can pay homage himself. And when a king makes such a suggestion, it isn’t a suggestion, it is an order.

But the wise men smell a rat and refuse to obey the order. They go home by a different way. The revelation of God’s grace in Christ has opened their eyes to an authority higher than that of King Herod. They refuse to aid in his power-hungry, political schemes even if it means a detour. Encountering the newborn king has changed their priorities, their travel routes, their vision for life according to God’s grace.

We are setting out into a new year. The light of God’s grace shines on us. Pastor Jan Richardson points out in her blog that the wise men follow the star because the star’s light has shined on them. Light starts their journey, and light brightens and directs their journey.

Christ’s light has shined on us, as well. We just celebrated the good news of our newborn Savior. Every Sunday we are reminded of the grace Christ brought into the world and, on the day of our baptism, into our very own lives. God’s grace is shining on us as we begin the journey that is the year of our Lord 2025.

To guide us on our journey, God offers you what the wise men had: a group of fellow seekers and God’s word. That’s what church is all about.

This Sunday, we offer you an additional gift: A Star Word. Each one of you will receive a star word to guide and illumine your journey through the next year. After you have received communion, pick a word out of the basket. Don’t peak. These words are totally random.

Place your star word where you will see it daily: on the bathroom mirror, on the kitchen fridge, on your dashboard, on the frame of your house door, on your computer screen. Read the word, ponder the word, and let it be a guiding light for the year.

As we were preparing this worship activity, we read about the experiences of people and congregations who had used it. In fact, one of our members had done this at a previous church and loved it. Here are a few testimonials:

One woman in my congregation received JOY last year. Her middle name is JOY. She admits, though, that she had lost her JOY, forgotten how to live with JOY. The star word reminded her throughout the year about the gift of JOY in all circumstances of life; a JOY that comes from the simple affirmation that we belong to God. Another member received COURAGE. She was in the midst of cancer treatments when this word was given to her. She took that paper star with her to every doctor’s appointment. She kept the word by her side as she entered hospice care and as she passed from this life to the next.

One Pastor writes: Often the words seem very timely, as if they were indeed designated for the recipient. It is this sense of serendipity and wondering how God might be working through this simple process that keeps people engaged. A woman whose husband recently passed away receives the word perseverance; a student off to college turns over her star to read responsibility; our music director receives the word harmony, much to the delight of the choir.

Another woman wrote: My first word was RESTRAINT. I wanted to throw it back. What was that supposed to mean? RESTRAINT made me think about being held back or being bound. These words were supposed to be a gift, but this did not feel like one to me. And yet, over time the word continued to work on my heart and mind. I started practicing RESTRAINT at church coffee hours by forgoing doughnuts. I used RESTRAINT to stop myself from getting second helpings at potlucks. RESTRAINT gave me permission to look at how unhealthy I had become and do something about it. When I began to see RESTRAINT as a gift instead of a curse, it freed me to change my eating habits without apology, to leave work earlier to exercise and to focus not just on my spiritual health but my physical health.

In my year of RESTRAINT I lost 90 pounds and, for the first time I could remember, achieved a healthy weight. I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions because – let’s be honest ­– they always seem to fail. Instead, these star words have become my practice for the New Year. Instead of making a resolution that I’ll feel guilty about a week later, I take a star word as a gift and keep my eyes open. The stars have allowed me to see God in unexpected ways and places. They’ve been challenging, life-giving and transformative.

The wise men followed the invitation and guidance of the star; it led them to an epiphany: to the revelation of God’s grace active in this world, to the knowledge that a Savior had been born for them, to deep worship and incredible joy, and to the willingness to change their path for the sake of the gospel.

My hope is that your star words will lead you on a journey just like that. Surrounded by fellow believers and seekers, encouraged by God’s word, shone upon by God’s grace, may you also find the gifts the magi received that day: An Epiphany of joy and hope. Amen.