“Wise men…came to Jerusalem.”
ST ANDREW’S CHURCH
January 2, 2022, Epiphany
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Welcome to this worship service, the first in a new year. Fittingly it is Epiphany Sunday and our prayer is that you may be blessed and filled with hope today and throughout the year ahead. Happy New Year!
Our January Loonie Offering will be going to the Shuswap Volunteer Search and Rescue group who rely on donations to run. See “Recent Posts” for more info.
Thank you to Rev. Shirley Cochrane for leading our worship today, may God bless and keep you even as you have been a blessing to each of us.
We continue to remember Rev. Ena van Zoeren in our prayer as she continues to recover and especially as she returns home this week. May God continue to be your strength and sustain you in the days ahead Ena.
CALL TO WORSHIP
We have life because God created it.
Life had its beginning in God.
We need not fear the end of life.
In God, it will come to completion and
its meaning will be fully revealed.
creation, including us, will find fulfillment in God.
Now we see in part. Then we shall see face to face.
Let us worship God, who is the Creator of
Life and the Victor over death!
HYMN 811 Standing at the portal
Standing at the portal of the opening year,
Words of comfort meet us, hushing every fear;
Spoken through the silence By God’s loving voice,
Tender, strong and faithful, making us rejoice.
Refrain:
Onward, then, and fear not, Children of the day;
For His word shall never, Never pass away.
“I, your God am with you, do not be afraid;
I will help and strengthen, do not be dismayed.
For I will uphold you with My own right hand;
you art called and chosen In My sight to stand.” Refrain:
God will not forsake; us and will never fail
God’s eternal covenant ever will prevail.
Resting on His promise. What have we to fear?
God is all-sufficient For the coming year. Refrain:
PRAYER
God of power and might, God of grace and mercy, heaven and earth are full of your glory. You chose to become one of us in Jesus Christ, sharing our joys and sorrows, displaying your greatness in the child of the manger. We praise you for your amazing love, great enough to embrace the expanding universe, yet close enough to enter our humble hearts. During this time worship, surprise us with your grace once again,
that we, with the whole Church and your precious creation, may praise and honour your holy name, O God, our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Hear now as we confess together….
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of goodness and guidance,
In Christ you sent us light to live by,
yet we seek shadows in which to hide.
In him, you promise new life,
but we prefer with old habits,
nursing grievances and clinging to familiar opinions.
You are generous with your love,
but we reject neighbors and fear strangers who differ from us.
Remake us in the image of your Son with your mercy,
and teach us how to follow him in the year ahead.
In Christ’s name AMEN
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Here is the good news of the Gospel! Jesus Christ is God’s elect, chosen for our salvation. In him we find God’s forgiveness and acceptance. Let us give thanks to God for this gift, and be at peace with ourselves and with one another.
THE PEACE
May the peace of the Christ child be ever with you … and also with you
HYMN 165 O little town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by:
yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.2. For Christ is born of Mary, and, gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King, and peace to all on earth.3. How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings born of heaven.
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.4. O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
oh come to us, abide with us, our Lord, Emmanuel.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 72:1-7. 10-14
Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.
2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
12For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
Matthew 2:1-12
2 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 in the east 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 Christ 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 be the shepherd of 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 in the eastwent 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.
HYMN 170 What Star is this (Video has no Lyrics)
What star is this, with beams so bright,
more lovely than the noonday light?
‘Tis sent to announce a newborn King,
glad tidings of our God to bring.
‘Tis now fulfilled what God decreed,
‘From Jacob shall a star proceed,’
and lo! the Eastern sages stand
to read in heaven the Lord’s command.3. O Jesus, while the star of grace
impels us on to seek your face,
let not our slothful hearts refuse
the guidance of your light to use.4. To God the Father, God the Son,
and Holy Spirit, Three in One,
may every tongue and nation raise
an endless song of thankful praise.
SERMON
I speak in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Welcome to this celebration of the Epiphany of our Lord, marking the time when Jesus is recognized as the Messiah. Of all the elements of the Christmas story, the visit of the magi who follow a star is the most controversial.
The Greek term for these particular folk is “magi.”. In the Greek and Persian societies, magi were persons endowed with special knowledge. Many specialized in astrology, which was the astronomy of their day. Some were known for their ability to interpret dreams and signs. Some practiced magic. Rulers consulted with them for counsel and to predict the success of ventures they were about to take. They were not royalty but were often members of royal courts
We don’t know how many wise men came “from the East.” We usually think there were three of them, but Matthew doesn’t tell us that. He simply says, “Wise men…came to Jerusalem.”. There could have been two. There could have been twenty. Of course, there could have actually been three. I suppose tradition designates three because Matthew mentions three gifts: gold and frankincense, and myrrh. They would be accompanied by servants and others as well although that is never mentioned nor counted. We don’t know their names either, but, according to tradition, they are called Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. The one thing we do know is they are Gentiles.
It seems reasonable to depict them as coming from Persia, the land of Babylon. A sizable community of Jews lived in exile when Babylon conquered them. Daniel, likely the most well-known Jewish exile and great interpreter of dreams surely left his mark and would have been known even centuries later. It is quite likely that these magi knew of him and were well acquainted with the Jewish community and theology of their day.
These magi speak of a star. The translation, by the way, could be “star in the east” or “rising star.” The theories about what the star actually was seem to be as numerous as the stars in the sky! Some believe the story clearly to be fiction because of the common practice in the ancient world of attributing celestial signs to momentous events, such as the birth of kings.
Did they see a star, a planet, a supernova, a special alignment of planets, a comet? Or was it a supernatural phenomenon like the pillar of cloud and fire that led the Israelites through the wilderness? Who knows? Some phenomenon in the night sky has moved them to travel to a foreign land in search of a king. That they identify him as “king of the Jews” is further evidence they likely came from Persia.
Arriving in Jerusalem they come to Herod’s palace which makes sense. They probably have letters of reference from their ruler, and it is a matter of courtesy and prudence to go first to the local ruler. They expect help, if not from Herod himself, at least from his magi. And they get it.
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
Herod truly is one of the great scoundrels of history. When he gets the word from his advisors, he summons the wise men Herod then passes on the news to the magi: He sends them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”
Matthew says that Herod “was frightened The truth is: he wasn’t himself a bona fide king – not at all. He had no noble blood running through his veins. He certainly was no descendant of David. He had gained his throne by buying it. The only power he had was the power Rome allowed him to have, and he could be king only so long as he could convince Rome that it was to their benefit to back him.
So, all Herod could see in this news of a newborn king was…what? — the peril he was in. With the arrival of the magi and their report of a star, he put two and two together and concludes that the newborn king might very well have been born by divine appointment, that he might be the long-awaited Messiah.
The visitors find a poor child in an insignificant town with no special attention given him. Herod is oblivious to him, though certainly will give due attention soon enough. There is no palace, only a poor man’s house. There are no attendants, only the peasant parents Yet they fall down and worship him -they pay him the homage fit for a king. Opening their treasures, they offer him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. It is a wonder that the magi are not disillusioned. Thus, they prove how wise they are.
Hallmark never depicts a nativity scene with four Magi. Nor are they ever kneeling before a toddler. Many still cannot accept that the visit took place maybe up to two years after Jesus’ birth
The Messiah is not to be merely a local ruler of Israel. His kingdom will be one that encompasses all the nations. He is to be a messiah of both Jew and gentile. Here we see in his early life, representatives of the gentiles coming to him. In Christ, Jew and gentile are one.
Our story of the wise men ends with a warning and departure. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
In the Aftermath, a foreboding but a fitting title, the wise men are warned not to return to Herod but to go home by another way. Of course, when they never show up back at the palace, Herod feels betrayed. So, what does he do? He sends his soldiers to kill all the male children two years old and under, “according to the time,” “that he has learned from the wise men
The following text in Mathew tells us the holy family is warned by and angel to pack up and leave. Quickly and as silently as possible they pack up and flee to Egypt. fFollowing the death of Herod about two years later, they return to Nazareth.
Matthew demonstrates that Jesus is not some new imagination, but the one who fulfills the Old Testament Scriptures Matthew shows that Jesus’ birthplace fulfilled prophecy about the Messiah. That verse in Micah that he quotes is located in the middle of scripture that speaks of the “latter days” when the nations will come to Israel to learn of God. Do you see, then, the connection with the wise men who come from another nation or nations?
It’s interesting that Matthew’s Gospel begins with the nations coming to Christ, and it ends with the message of Christ going to the nations. The very last verses of Matthew are what we call the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19).
Our own journeys can be long and tiring, yet the epiphany can lead us to feel a peace that we’ve never felt before, we realize God has come among us as a king unlike all the other kings: a king who would look after all the poor, the weak, and the humble; a king who will conquer with love, and rule with compassion.
If we are wise, we will respond to God’s gift of Jesus by giving God a gift in return – just like the magi did. But our gift will not be gold or frankincense or myrrh. It will be nothing less than ourselves.
Christmas is about the great gift God has sent us. It is also about the gifts we are to offer in return, not because we want to earn his favor, but like the magi it is worth a life’s journey to follow whatever destinations may be given us to worship and to give our treasures to our Savior and our King. AMEN
HYMN 172 As with gladness men of old
As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold;
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright:
so, most gracious Lord, may we
ever more be led to thee.2. As with joyful steps they sped,
Saviour, to thy lowly bed,
there to bend the knee before
thee, whom heaven and earth a dore,
so may we with willing feet
ever seek thy mercy seat.3. As they offered gifts most rare
at thy cradle rude and bare,
so may we with holy joy,
pure and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to thee, our heavenly King.4. Holy Jesus, every day
keep us in the narrow way,
and when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds of glory hide.5. In that heavenly country bright
need they no created light:
thou its light, its joy, its crown,
thou its sun which goes not down;
there forever may we sing
hallelujahs to our King.
OFFERING
The season of Epiphany begins January 6, the day celebrating the journey of the Magi to greet Christ, the new-born king. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. Our gifts are not so exotic, but what we offer today and throughout the year honours Jesus as Lord of our lives and Saviour of the world.
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost
OFFERTORY PRAYER
God of majesty and mystery, we bring our gifts to you, grateful that you are with us in good times and hard times. We do not know what the year ahead will hold but your love shines like a star to guide us. Bless these gifts that they may keep the light of Christ shining through the church to offer the world truth and wisdom, healing and hope in Jesus’ name. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Gracious God, we begin the year in gratitude to you and for your presence with us, we pray for a more just and loving world where all may witness your righteousness, mercy and grace.
God of all time and space, as we gather in prayer, we recognize that our lives are but small details in the vast expanse of your universe. So, we thank you for attending to the details of our lives. We thank you for the year just past, for walking through the good days and the hard days with us. The pandemic has been exhausting in so many ways but we are grateful for your steadfast love. We give thanks for all the ways ministries have been able to adapt and for faithful generosity to support the needs we confront. Thank you for friendships and relationships that sustain us in uncertain times. We ask for your Spirit to guide us into the future, and create new possibilities for ministry and mission through our congregation. In gratitude Our hearts kneel before you, O God; Receive our humble prayers.
God of all people and places, the year just ending has held sorrows for so many in our community and around the world. We remember dear ones who have died and pray for those who look ahead in loneliness or sadness….. A silence is kept.
We pray for those who have faced challenges in health, in their families or at work….. Support each one who needs you close by.
God of light and love, as we face the year ahead, so much around us is still uncertain. We seek your strength and guidance in each challenge we will face. Draw near to each one who must confront illness, loss, economic hardship or changing circumstances. Guide those for whom new opportunities appear and choices must be made
God of community and commitment, we pray for wisdom and courage in the year ahead. Strengthen us as a congregation to be a lively and committed witness to your love. Help us reach out to our community in faithfulness and service. We lift before you our Mayor, City Counsellors, town works and employees, CSRD staff and employees as they work together for the benefit of all who live and work here in Salmon Arm.
Guide leaders in our nation and around the world so that justice and peace may prevail, especially in troubled places and with vulnerable lives.
Source of Wisdom and Creator of the heavens who led the Magi to worship the Christ child, guide us so that we may find our calling and journey’s end in Jesus Christ.
Precious Lord we lift before you all whom we have spoken of this morning ………………
We pray for those in our hearts who we lift to you in silence ……
Show us all how to honour and protect your creation, even when that takes sacrifice on our part. Receive our humble prayers and encourage us onward in the name of Jesus our Christ who taught us to pray together:
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
HYMN 166 Once in royal David’s city
Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle shed
There a mother laid her baby
In a manger for His bed
Mary was that mother mild
Jesus Christ her little child
Christ came down to earth from heaven
Who is God and Lord of all
sheltered by a humble stable
cradled in a cattle stall
With the poor, oppressed and lowly
Lived on earth our Savior holy
And our eyes at last shall see Him
Through His own redeeming love
For that child, so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above
And He leads His children along
To the place where He is gone
Not in that poor lowly stable
With the oxen standing by
We shall see him but in heaven
Set at God’s right hand on high
There God’s children gathered found
Bright like stares with glory crowned
BENEDICTION
In response to what we have heard and to what we know ourselves to be let us begin anew. The Lord has laid upon us the responsibility of the world so let us offer ourselves to Him and to this world May Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you today and always
CLOSING SONG