"Our Response" - Matthew 2: 1 - 12

A Sermon by Alex Evans, Pastor

Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA

Text: Matthew 2:1-12 - “Our Response”

December 26, 2021 

            Listen now to the story - just after the birth of Jesus - from Matthew’s gospel, chapter 2: 

            In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 7Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

            9When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

            This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

            I want to focus today - this day after Christmas - on these “wise men from the east” - the Magi. 

            Just to refresh your memory - on this day after Christmas - Matthew, chapter 1 gives us the good news of Jesus’ birth. Matthew’s gospel does not include shepherds in the fields, or angels singing “glory to God in the highest.” All of that is only in Luke’s gospel. Matthew’s birth story is direct and to the point: Mary, who had been engaged to Joseph, as the angel said, gave birth to a Son, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Mary gave birth; his name was Jesus, for he will save the people from their sins. And, as the prophet had said, he shall be called Emmanuel - which means “God-with-us.” 

            Then we get to chapter 2 of Matthew - and you just heard the first 12 verses. 

            Chapter 1 is about the birth of the Savior, Emmanuel, God-with-us. 

            Chapter 2 in Matthew is what happens to people when they learn of this news - the birth of the Savior. 

            In fact, right in the first verse of Matthew 2, there are three main characters. It says this: “in the time of King Herod (1), after Jesus was born (2) in Bethlehem, wise men (3) came to Jerusalem asking “where is this king of the Jews?” 

            What happens to us when we learn of the Savior birth? What happens to us when we hear the good news of God with us - Emmanuel? This is what Matthew 2 is about. And that is the thought for today - what is OUR RESPONSE to the Savior’s birth?

            Soren Kierkegaard is someone whose thoughts and writings have spoken deeply to my heart. You may have heard me speak of Kierkegaard before. He was a Danish philosopher, theologian, and very critical thinker who lived from 1813-1855 in Copenhagen. Kierkegaard was drawn deeply to the Christian faith, but often wrote very critically of Christians. He recognized that the gospel - the good news of God - the steadfast faithfulness of God - the ways of Jesus, the Word made flesh - proved so compelling and world changing. Yet Kierkegaard noted often how the gospel - and even Jesus - seemed to have very little or minimal impact on Christians. He would be one of those who might say he was inspired by Christ, but not so much by Christians. 

            In a short piece on our text for today - Matthew 2 - Kierkegaard recognizes and celebrates the amazing response of the Magi to the news of Christ’s birth. The three kings had only “a rumor” to go on. But that rumor moved them to make a long journey in search of this Savior. Kierkegaard notes that the Magi are in stark contrast in this passage to the scribes in Jerusalem. The scribes - think about them: they were much better informed.  They were experts on the Scriptures. They were near where all of this happened. They had the promises that it was going to happen. But none of that made them even move. The scribes just sat there with all this access, knowledge, proximity, and more. 

            Yet the Magi - who only had a rumor to go on - a rumor that a Savior had been born in Jerusalem - made the journey. The Magi, with open-ness and attentiveness in their hearts, with gifts in their hands, with worship as their motive - made the journey - came asking and seeking to see and greet the Savior of the world.

            This is part of Kierkegaard’s way - so taken with the gospel - and so critical of how so many of us respond - more like the scribes. 

            Kierkegaard says, “what an atrocious self-contradiction that the scribes should have all the knowledge and yet remain still. This is as bad as if a person knows all about Christ and his teachings, and his own life expresses the opposite.” (See S. Kierkegaard, “Only A Rumor” in Watch for the Light - readings for Advent and Christmas, p. 289) This is as bad as if we celebrate Christmas . . . . and then we fail to live in a way that reflects Christmas - and God’s love, forgiveness, intentions and peace!

            This becomes for me - for all of us - on this first day after Christmas this year - somewhat of a direct challenge: what will OUR RESPONSE be to the Savior who comes? 

            We get another chance to answer this question again this year. We get another opportunity to hear the story of the Savior’s birth, to think about what it might mean for our lives, our church, our city, our world. Will be just stay still like the scribes? Or will we move like the Magi - with open-hearts, attentive lives, with a worshipful and purposeful re-commitment? And we might even ask a more daring question - will we be like Herod - whose response to the Savior was fearful and aggressive, even violent and destructive? We have the capacity to be like that too. And so much of our culture feels violent and destructive. 

            What is OUR RESPONSE to the Savior?

            Here is the real truth - the birth of Jesus is God’s supreme gift, God’s wonderful effort to free us from selfishness and allow us to discover a life worth living, a purpose worth serving, and a hope worth waiting for. 

            When you think about your life, especially on this day after Christmas - what are you really living for? Are you living to please others, or to please God? God gives us life and God calls us always to love God and love others. We can easily be pulled into lots of priorities and purposes that might not align with God’s best plans for us - to love God and love others, to work for God’s peace and healing in the world, to promote justice and joy toward the reign of God. 

            Are the things that get our attention really worth serving? We have to always assess this, evaluate this. 

            Do we live everyday with a hope worth waiting for?

            Once we celebrate Christmas, and move back into the rhythms of our lives, it is so easy to be drawn away from the impact of this story - and our response. It is so easy to let the ho-hum of life - especially in the midst of COVID and continuing challenges everywhere - distract us from our response - which, like the Magi - intends to be faithful, worshipful, serving. 

            Howard Thurman - such a gifted and thoughtful writer and theologian - wrote a poem that you may have heard. It is called “The Work of Christmas” and it goes like this -

            When the song of the angels is stilled,
            When the star in the sky is gone,
            When the kings and the princes are home,
            When the shepherds are back with their flock,
            The work of Christmas begins:
            To find the lost,           to heal the broken,
            To feed the hungry,   to release the prisoner,
            To rebuild the nations,  to bring peace among brothers,
            To make music in the heart.

            Let’s each think afresh about OUR RESPONSE - what are we living for - and how might our lives be more in line with God’s loving purposes in the world? Are our daily endeavors bringing forth the best from us and aligning with what God intends for us in worship and service? Are we working for God’s broad hopes for the world - a world of justice and delight for all people? 

            This is indeed what Christmas calls forth from us. May it be so. Amen.

Prayer of Commitment: Holy God, you cover us with love and faithfulness. You come among us in Jesus Christ - the Word made flesh, the gift of Christmas. And you keep calling forth the very best from us. By your Spirit, strengthen us and guide us in deep commitment toward justice and peace following Christ our Lord. Amen

Alex W. Evans, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA preached this sermon during Sunday morning worship on December 26, 2021. This is a rough manuscript.