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Searching for God [Read Matthew 2:1-12 NIV] 1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Opening Image One of my all-time favorite movies is Raiders of the Lost Ark. The main character is Dr. Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford. Dr. Jones is on a quest to find a treasure, the long-lost Ark of the Covenant. The opening sequence of the movie is filled with adventure, suspense, and high-speed action. Dr. Jones uses many clues to help find his treasure. These clues take him all over the world. He encounters many old friends and foes along the way. One of his friends is an old girlfriend named Marion. She wears an amulet around her neck that is an important clue to find the Ark. She agrees to give the amulet to Dr. Jones if she can tag along. Another old friend cautions Dr. Jones about what he will find. The friend says that he is not searching for any old ancient artifact, but he is really searching for God. Search for God Finding buried treasure would be great. But the truth is buried treasure is not what any of us really needs. There are other treasures that are much more important in our lives. Some of the treasures we have are all around us in the forms of family and friends. And of course, the most important treasure is our relationship with God. And today we can learn something about that treasure from the Magi and their search to find the King of the Jews. Narrative Intro Our scripture lesson today is about the Magi and their search for the “King of the Jews.” They think they are on a quest to find a political ruler or an earthly king. In reality they are on a journey to meet God in the flesh. Just like Indiana Jones, they were really searching for God. And, just like Indy, they had several clues to help them find their treasure—except, in this case, the clues were provided directly by God. God gave the magi three clues to guide their search: (1) Reason-God’s good creation, (2) Holy scripture, and (3) Experience-personal encounter. Reason-Observing Creation Clue number one: Reason. We know from the book of Genesis that God created everything in the heavens and on the earth. The magi observe a special star in the sky. This is the first clue they receive. They reason from their years of observation that something special is taking place. Creation has always been a sign that God does exist. Many theologians throughout history have given the example of the Watch and the Watch Maker. If someone found a watch while walking on the beach they would be amazed. This complex device could not have appeared out of nowhere. It could not have created itself. It could not come together randomly. Therefore, there must be a watch maker. The same can be said about the universe. The complexity of the universe is amazing. Reason tells us that this complex collection of matter and energy could not have appeared out of nowhere. It could not have created itself. It could not come together randomly. Therefore, there must be a creator. God has made us rational creatures. God has given us minds to think. God wants us to use our reasoning powers, because reason can be a clue to finding God. Holy Scripture Clue number two: Holy Scripture. The magi follow the star for 900 miles on a journey that would have taken several months to find the new king. They travel to Jerusalem thinking that the king would be born in a palace in the holy city. This is where they get their next clue. Jerusalem When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem they ask the current king, Herod, and his attendants where they can find the one born “King of the Jews.” The king and his attendants were greatly disturbed. The chief priests and teachers of the law are summoned by Herod who asked them, “Where will the Messiah be born?” Holy Scripture And so, the chief priests and teachers of the law turned to the Holy Scriptures for direction and said, “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel'” (Mt 2:5-6). Secret Meeting After hearing this, Herod called the Magi and met with them secretly. He met with them secretly because he did not want anyone to know that the long-awaited Messiah had been born. Herod told the Magi what he had just found out—that according to Scripture, the child would be born in Bethlehem. He asked the Magi to search for the child and report back to him—not so that he could worship him, of course, but so that he could kill him. But despite Herod’s cynical plans, the Scriptures had spoken to the Magi. Not even Herod’s power-hungry manipulation could stop God’s Word from accomplishing its purpose. The Magi had heard the Word of God, and now they had their second clue. Experience And then clue number three: Experience. The Magi departed Jerusalem and continued to follow the star. The star stopped in Bethlehem over a house where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped they were overwhelmed with joy. They were at the end of their long journey. When they looked at that child sitting on Mary’s lap, they experienced something. They realized that their long journey was over. They had found the treasure they were looking for. Not an earthly king. Not a political ruler. But Jesus—God in the flesh! Looking at that tiny child, sitting on the lap of a poor peasant girl, they experienced the very presence of God. And it changed them. Finding Jesus And so they honored Jesus by bowing down and worshipping him. They opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Why those three gifts? Gold signified that Jesus was indeed a king. Frankincense signified that Jesus was God and was worthy of worship. Myrrh signified that Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice to save us from our sins. When the Magi finished greeting the new king they were warned in a dream to avoid Herod and they took a different route to return home. Transformation When these Gentile wise men started on their journey they were looking for a king in a palace in the royal city of Jerusalem. What they encountered was a mother and child. What they found was life changing. They did not go back to Herod. Matthew says, “They returned home by a different way.” In other words, they did not go back the way they came. They were changed by their experience of the presence of God. Summary And so the Magi found their treasure—not earthly treasure, not buried treasure, but the most important treasure of all—the presence of God in Jesus Christ. And God gave them three clues to find the treasure: Reason, Scripture, and Experience. Good News The Good News is that God still does the same thing today! Today’s Scripture tells us that God sent his only Son into the world to transform and to save God’s people. The Magi, who were Gentiles, were some of the first people that received this gift of love by welcoming God’s Son to earth. God revealed his Son, Jesus to them through a star, through scripture, and through personal encounter. They responded by: travelling great distances to seek Jesus, worshipping him, giving him gifts, and returning home changed. Our Response So, here’s the question for you and me: How do we respond to this Good News? Are we willing, like the Magi, to go out of our way to seek Jesus? Are we willing to worship him with our whole hearts? Are we willing to give to him, generously and extravagantly? When we leave worship, do we go home changed? Actions Today I urge you to join the Magi and seek the most important treasure of all. Be open to the clues God puts in your life. Seek God by using your reason—your mind—to reflect on the awesomeness of God in creation. Seek God in the pages of Holy Scripture. Seek God in experiences like baptism—yours or someone else’s—and through prayer, worship, serving, and Holy Communion. Intro to Covenant Prayer And one more way to seek God is to Pray the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer. In a few moments we will be praying the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer. In this prayer we seek to be God’s humble servants. As we pray, help us to have the mind of Christ. Help us to reflect on Scripture. Finally, help us to experience your love. Wesleyan Covenant Prayer Let us pray together the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer. I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt; Put me to doing, put me to suffering; Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen. Selected Bibliography Boring, M. Eugene. “Matthew,” The New Interpreter’s Bible Volume VIII. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995. France, R. T. The Gospel of Matthew. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007. Wilkins, Michael J. Matthew. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004. Matthew 2:1-12 The Magi Visit the Messiah 2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]” 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
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Današnji datum: 25. svibnja 2018. Bogojavljenje je blagdan sveopćeg poslanja Crkve. Dolazak Mudraca u Jeruzalem je znak okupljanja svih rasa i naroda oko Krista u jedan te isti narod, Božji narod. Čitanje svetog Evanđelja po Mateju Kad se Isus rodio u Betlehemu judejskome u dane Heroda kralja, gle, mudraci se s istoka pojaviše u Jeruzalemu raspitujući se: "Gdje je taj novorođeni kralj židovski? Vidjesmo gdje izlazi zvijezda njegova pa mu se dođosmo pokloniti." Kada to doču kralj Herod, uznemiri se on i sav Jeruzalem s njime. Sazva sve glavare svećeničke i pismoznance narodne pa ih ispitivaše gdje se Krist ima roditi. Oni mu odgovoriše: "U Betlehemu judejskome jer ovako piše prorok: A ti, Betleheme, zemljo Judina! Nipošto nisi najmanji među kneževstvima Judinim jer iz tebe će izaći vladalac koji će pasti narod moj - Izraela! Tada Herod potajno dozva mudrace i razazna od njih vrijeme kad se pojavila zvijezda. Zatim ih posla u Betlehem: "Pođite, reče, i pomno se raspitajte za dijete. Kad ga nađete, javite mi da i ja pođem te mu se poklonim." Oni saslušavši kralja, pođoše. I gle, zvijezda kojoj vidješe izlazak iđaše pred njima sve dok ne stiže i zaustavi se povrh mjesta gdje bijaše dijete. Kad ugledaše zvijezdu, obradovaše se radošću veoma velikom. Uđu u kuću, ugledaju dijete s Marijom, majkom njegovom, padnu ničice i poklone mu se. Otvore zatim svoje blago i prinesu mu darove: zlato, tamjan i smirnu. Upućeni zatim u snu da se ne vraćaju Herodu, otiđoše drugim putem u svoju zemlju (Mt 2,1-12). Bogojavljenje je blagdan sveopćeg poslanja Crkve. Dolazak Mudraca u Jeruzalem je znak okupljanja svih rasa i naroda oko Krista u jedan te isti narod, Božji narod. Na današnji dan je Bog po zvijezdi prethodnici objavio rođenje svoga Sina Jedinorođenca, a mi smo ga upoznali svjetlom vjere. Na ovaj blagdan događa se otajstvo rođenja Sina Božjega u Betlehemu, on izlazi iz svoje skrivnosti. Samo je mali broj ljudi do tada bio na neki način uvučen u ta buduća zbivanja: Marija i Josip, kao i pastiri. Taj veliki događaj koji se dogodio na Zemlji, mnogima nije bilo dano upoznati , tek su anđeli u nebu o tome znali, slavili i veličali Boga zbog njegove Ljubavi i Milosti prema ljudima. U jednom izvjesnom vremenu dogodilo se da su mudri, bogati i moćni ljudi s Istoka, dakle «Sveta tri kralja» , odlučili potražiti dijete Isusa. I bili su vođeni ka Djetetu jednim čudesnim nebeskim znakom – jednom zvijezdom koja im se pojavila. I budući da su bili učeni i s iskustvom u promatranju kretanja nebeskih tijela, mogli su taj znak i protumačiti ispravno: Kraljevsko dijete se rodilo na spas svijeta, i to je moralo biti u židovskoj zemlji. I nisu žalili niti truda, niti vremena ovi plemeniti ljudi i uputiše se sa svojom pratnjom u pravcu Jeruzalema. Nadali su se tamo pronaći Novorođenoga Kralja židovskog. A iznenađenje je bilo veliko kad su saznali da tamo nitko ništa nezna o novorođenom Djetetu Mesiji. Niti Herod, silnik, od Rima podržavani vladar, također ništa nije znao. I zato je bio silno uzbuđen kad je saznao za taj događaj i odmah je naredio da se ispita točno mjesto Isusovog rođenja. I kad je saznao da se mjesto zove Betlehem, s prikrivenom zlom namejrom poslao je mudrace u tom smjeru. Oni su ga trebali informirati čim pronađu Dijete. I on sam bi rado došao i poklonio se pred Djetetom. A zapravo je namjeravao ubiti mogućeg rivala. Kako je dojmljiva vjera ovih mudraca sa Istoka! Na svom putu nisu imali nikakvu sigurnost, osim zvijezde koja je u njihovim srcima održavala nadu. Nisu se dali zaslijepiti sjajem Herodovog dvora, nego su nastavili dalje dok nisu našli Dijete kako leži povijeno u jaslicama. I njihova vjera niti jednim trenom nije bila poljuljana, nego se baciše na koljena i iskazaše počest Bogu i Kralju koji pred njima ležaše. Donijeli su mu najdragocjenije što su imali: zlato za Kralja, tamjan za pravog Boga i mirnu kao znak njegove ljudskosti, predznak njegovog ukopa. Ovim darovima darovaše mudraci same sebe, svoje srce, svoj život ovom čudesnom Djetetu, koje je došlo promijeniti tok povijesti. Bili su spremni vratiti se s Radosnom viješću da su pronašli onog kojeg su čitav život tražili. Svoju nadu ubuduće će upravljati u nebo, jer savršenstvo dolazi od Boga koji će ih nakon njihove smrti primiti k sebi. Nemogu li i nas ovi mudri kraljevi potkanuti da i sami u svim previranjima našeg života nikada ne zaboravimo tražiti Dijete Isusa? Oni nas upućuju da i sami svoju zvijezdu slijedimo, onako kako nam u našoj savjesti osvjetljuje pravi put. Za nas traba biti jedino važno: Tražiti Istinu o Bogu i Spasitelju i nje se pridržavati. Boga i Kralja tamo moliti gdje ga možemo naći. Na poseban način nam je čovjekom postali Sin Božji prisutan u svojoj Riječi i u svome Sakramentu svete Euharistije. Dođimo i tamo mu se zajedno s Marijom i Josipom i pastirima pomolimo. Pokleknimo zajedno s mudracima s Istoka koji sve donesoše što imadoše. Darujmo i mi sami Isusu sve što imamo – naše svakodnevne patnje i grijehe!