Naylor
Community Christian Church
I. Introduction
-- turn
in Bibles to Matthew 2:1-12
Matthew 2:1 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.
-- on
the news this week, the US Mint announced that they were launching three new
coins to commemorate the bicentennial of Harriet Tubman’s birth, and that they
were continuing to research the potential for reissuing $20 bills with Tubman
replacing Andrew Jackson
-- the
coins are quite striking and include a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin, and a
half-dollar coin1
-- the one that really stood out
to me was the $1 silver coin -- on the front, there is an engraving of a young
Harriet Tubman standing with her hand out, representative of her reaching out
to the slaves to lead them to freedom -- and, on the back, you see another hand
grasping hers, and above that is an engraving showing Tubman leading a group of
slaves to freedom underneath the Big Dipper constellation
-- how fitting is that depiction
as a summary of Tubman’s life?
-- to
refresh your memory of her, Harriet Tubman was born into slavery on a Maryland
plantation in 1822 -- growing up, she watched as several members of her family
were sold to other plantations, never to be seen again -- eventually, she found
herself alone on the plantation with only her mother left as part of her
immediate family
-- When Harriet was about 26
years old, she learned that she might be sold away from her family, too -- and
she made the decision that the time had come for her to try to escape to
freedom
-- the Underground Railroad --
the people who sought to help escaped slaves along a secret path of safe houses
and refuges -- was active already -- but to flee the plantation -- to try to
escape slavery and immigrate to safety north of the Mason-Dixon Line -- was
extremely hazardous -- escaped slaves faced death or extradition back to their
masters, where they would be severely punished for their escape -- but Harriet
decided the risk was worth it -- sometimes, you have to leave the place where
you are living in order to find safety and freedom elsewhere
-- leaving Maryland in the dead
of the night, Harriet made her way some ninety miles along the Underground
Railroad -- she traveled at night to avoid slave catchers -- finding her way in
the darkness by following the North Star until she reached Pennsylvania and
freedom
-- but once she made it there,
she came to the realization that she could not just live out her life in
freedom while so many still suffered under the bondage and yoke of slavery --
so, risking her own life and freedom, Harriet traveled back into the south,
leading scores of slaves north to freedom
-- She gave all the credit to
God, explaining, "'Twant me, 'twas the Lord. I always told him, 'I trusts
to you. I don't know where to go or what to do, but I expect you to lead me,'
and he always did." Her faith deeply impressed others. As abolitionist
Thomas Garrett put it, "I never met with any person of any color who had
more confidence in the voice of God, as spoken direct to her soul."
-- as
Harriet led the slaves towards the north, she would tell them, “If we get
separated -- if you get lost -- just look for the North Star -- and let that be
your guide”2
II. The Star of
Christmas
-- just
as the North Star stood as a beacon of salvation and freedom for all the slaves
escaping from captivity, we read here in this passage from Matthew of an
earlier star that meant the same thing -- not just for escaped slaves -- but
for all Creation and for those held in the chains of sin and death
-- since
the birth of Christ, the star of Christmas has stood as a guiding light for all
who seek freedom and release from captivity -- for all who seek forgiveness of
their sins and who look forward to the coming Kingdom of God on earth
-- the
story of the Magi seeking the newborn King of Israel is such a familiar story
to us -- we revisit it each Christmas season -- and even though it’s not
biblically correct, it is common to find the three wisemen portrayed in our
nativity sets -- gathered before the manger of Christ, along with the shepherds
and all the animals that were in the stable on that first Christmas Day
-- just so you know, the Magi
weren’t there on Christmas Day -- they didn’t show up until a few years later, when
they found Mary and Jesus living in a house in Bethlehem -- which is one reason
why we celebrate the visit of the Magi on January 6 -- the first day after the
Christmas season, which ends on January 5, the 12th day of Christmas
-- January
6 is the Christian holiday called Epiphany -- epiphany means "to
show" -- "to make known" -- or "to reveal"
-- when someone says that
they've had an epiphany, what they are saying is that they've had some
revelation in their life -- some new idea or some new realization or
understanding of something that is going to change the way they've been living
or the way they've been doing things
-- our
epiphany -- the Epiphany that we celebrate in the church commemorates the revealing
of Christ to the world through the visit of the Magi to Jesus
-- like
I said, we are all so familiar with the story of the Magi that I’m not going to
dive into this passage in any great depth this morning -- to sum up what we
read together, some time after the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, these pagan
Magi showed up in Jerusalem and came to the court of Herod the Great -- this
would have been around 4 BC or just a little earlier, because Herod the Great
died in 4 BC, and the kingdom passed to his son Archelaus
-- they
made their way to the throne room of Herod, and told him they were seeking the
one who was born King of the Jews -- this disturbed Herod greatly -- no pun
intended -- because Herod was not fully Jewish -- nor was he the true King of
the Jews -- he had been appointed into this position by the Roman Senate around
40 BC, so he had ruled in Judea and Jerusalem for about 35 years at the time
the Magi came calling
-- Herod
is disturbed because he knows he has no real claim to the throne apart from his
appointment by the Romans -- and if a true descendant of David and the royal
lineage had been born, that child would stand as the true king of Israel and
could cause the people to revolt against him
-- nobody
in Herod’s court knew anything about a King of the Jews being born -- they
asked the Magi where they came upon this information -- and the Magi tell Herod
in verse 2 that they had “seen His star in the East” and they had followed it
all the way to Judea -- and now they were here to worship Him
-- Herod
and the priests figured out the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, so they
sent the Magi on their way and told them to go to Bethlehem and find the baby
-- and to report back to Herod when they found Him, so that Herod could go and
“worship” Him also
-- which
brings us to verse 9 -- look back at that with me
Matthew 2:9 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.
--
leaving Herod, the Magi went out and looked up and they saw the star again --
the same star that they had followed from their eastern home to Judea -- and
the sight of that beacon filled them with great joy -- they continued on,
following the star, until they found Jesus and Mary at the house where they
were living in Bethlehem
-- and,
as we all know, after seeing the child, they were warned in a dream to not go
back to Herod, so in verse 12 we read that they departed for their own country
another way
-- the
main thing I want us to focus on this morning is the star -- the beacon which
led the Magi from their country to the east all the way across the desert and
the wilderness until they made it to Judea -- this same star continued to lead
them to the very place where Jesus lay -- guiding them -- beckoning them --
directing their paths to the Messiah
-- look
back at verse 12
Matthew 2:12 And having been warned in a dream not
to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
-- did you notice anything there? -- the star is gone --
it’s not mentioned -- the star doesn’t lead the Magi back home, because that
was not the purpose of the star
-- the
star of Christmas was sent by God for one reason -- to announce the coming of
His Son Christ Jesus and to show the world the way to find Him -- and, if the
Magi were to look back over their shoulders as they left Judea, they would have
seen that star continuing to shine over the place where Jesus was
III. Shining
Stars for Jesus
-- my
hope this morning is that we all leave knowing that this same star that led the
Magi to Jesus on the first Day of Epiphany continues to shine brightly today --
we see it shining in this very sanctuary -- we see it shining in every person
who knows Jesus as their Lord and Savior
-- for
our job -- our mission -- our calling -- is to be that star for the world today
-- to shine bright in this dark world and to lead others to where they might
find Jesus
-- it’s
just like Earth, Wind, and Fire sang: “You're a shining star -- No matter who
you are -- Shining bright to see -- What you could truly be”
-- we
are the shining stars for Jesus
-- in
Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations --
baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you to do”
-- we
fulfill this command -- the Great Commission -- when we fully embrace our roles
as shining stars for Jesus -- guiding others to Him through the light He has
placed within us
-- Jesus
reiterated this calling in His Sermon on the Mount -- if you would, turn over
to Matthew 5:13-16
Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if
the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer
good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a
bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may
see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
-- here
Jesus doesn’t call us His shining stars, but He tells us that we are the salt
of the earth -- we are the light of the world -- meaning that we are to fulfill
the same role as the star that led the Magi to Him by seasoning this world with
our Spirit-filled lives and letting our light guide the world to Him
-- in
order to fulfill this calling, we have to be both salt and light
-- think
about salt for a moment -- what does salt do?
-- in our day, we use salt
primarily as a seasoning -- to enhance the flavor of the food we eat -- to
bring out the quality of the food -- salt just makes things taste better -- and
you know the truth of that if you’ve ever tried to eat grits without salt --
it’s nigh to impossible to choke them down without salt as a seasoning
-- but salt was even more
valuable and necessary in Jesus’ day than it is in our own day --
in Jesus' day, salt was necessary for life -- in a time
without refrigeration, the people depended on salt to preserve food and to
store it for long periods of time
-- we still use salt in the same
way, to some extent today -- it’s not uncommon to find salt-cured ham or
pickles that have been preserved with salt -- but that’s not our primary method
of food preservation -- we use refrigeration or freezing or canning to keep our
food preserved for long periods of time
-- but in Jesus' day, salt was
the main way people preserved food -- if you didn't have salt, you had no way
to store food for winter or to keep food in your pantry during the lean times
of the year
-- salt
was a necessary ingredient for life -- and the people in the first century AD
used salt for a variety of purposes, beyond just preserving food and enhancing
flavor -- salt was used to purify and cleanse wounds -- it was used to line the
bottom of their clay ovens to keep mold and mildew and germs from growing
inside -- and farmers would add salt to their soil as a type of fertilizer
-- but,
regardless of how it was used, the main purpose of salt was defensive -- it was
to preserve and purify from germs and bacteria and other microorganisms -- it
was how the people of Jesus’ day fought against infection and disease
-- and,
when Jesus tells us here that we are the salt of the earth, He is calling for
us to do the same -- the Scriptures tell us that apart from Christ, this world
and the people of this world are rotting and decaying -- they have no life --
they have no hope -- they are on a path that is leading them straight to Hell
and eternal separation from God
-- it is
our job -- as Christians -- as the salt of the earth filled with His purifying
Spirit -- to preserve and flavor the world -- we are to be for them the very
presence of Christ -- we are to be His hands and His feet -- reaching out and
pointing the world around us to freedom -- to life and salvation and eternity
through Jesus
-- we
are to carry the good news of the death and resurrection of Christ to this
world -- to let them know that there is hope -- that there is salvation -- that
there is forgiveness of sins and restoration of the soul through the body and
blood of Jesus
-- as
Christians, we are to live in such a way that we have an impact on our world
and flavor it with the presence of God
-- I
heard someone quip one time that trying to lead people to Christ is like trying
to get a horse to drink -- you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it
drink -- and in the same way, you can lead a person to Christ, but you can’t
make them believe or receive Jesus as their Savior
-- but here’s the thing -- it’s
not our job to save people -- but it is our job to be salt for them -- and if
you feed them enough salt -- if you live your life in such a way that you make
everything salty around you, then that salt is going to make them thirsty and
they’ll want to drink from the well of Living Water
-- that’s our calling as the
disciples of Christ -- we are to be so salty that people begin to thirst for
the very presence of Jesus -- we are to be so like Jesus in this world today
that people are drawn to Him as the deer pants for water
-- that
is what it means for us when Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth
-- and
what about Jesus’ other statement here, that we are the light of the world? -- that
ties directly in with our calling to be His shining star
-- I’ve
mentioned before that I’ve found myself in total darkness a couple of times when
I’ve been underground in caves, cut off from all light -- it’s scary to be in
such a place -- where the darkness feels so thick and all encompassing -- you
can literally feel it closing in on you
-- but
when you’re in a place like that, all it takes is a tiny spark -- a tiny glow
-- and the darkness begins to flee
-- we
live in a dark world -- you can see it -- you can feel it -- just watch the
news -- just watch the people -- see how they live -- see what their lives are
like -- see how their fears surround them and suffocate them
-- but
in that darkness, we are called to be the light -- to the people who are lost
and stumbling in the dark, Jesus says we are to be the light of the world -- we
are to be a city set on a hill -- shining brightly before all -- a beacon of
light and hope and love that will lead the world to Him
-- He
cautions us here to not keep our light hidden -- to not put our lamps under a
basket, but to put our lamps on a lampstand, so that it can give light to
everyone who is the house
-- He
tells us to let our light shine before men, so that they will see our good
works and glorify our Father in Heaven
-- that
means that we can’t turn our churches into closed communities of faith -- we
have to open the doors and open the windows and let our light shine -- we have
to go out into the darkness where the people are and carry the light with us so
that we can show them the way to Jesus
-- we must become a beacon to
those wandering lost -- to those seeking freedom and salvation and true life --
we have to be the light that leads them to Christ -- just as the star led the
Magi to the place where Jesus was -- just as the slaves followed the North Star
to freedom along the Underground Railroad
-- that
is our calling -- that is our mission -- that is our purpose here in this new
year -- to be shining stars -- to be the salt of the earth -- to be the light
of the world -- leading and pointing people to our Lord and Savior, Christ
Jesus
IV. Closing
-- I saw
a bumper sticker one time that I really liked -- it read, "Lost? Follow
Me. I know the Way." -- with “Way” being in all caps -- meaning the way to
salvation -- the way to forgiveness of sins -- the way to eternal life in Jesus
--
Epiphany is about finding the way -- when all was dark in the world -- when it
looked like all hope had been lost -- a Savior was born and a star shone in the
night, beckoning all to “Come”
-- it was that star that led the
Magi to Jesus -- and that same star still shines in His disciples who fulfill
the Great Commission -- who fulfill their purpose in Christ by shining as
beacons of hope and salvation for people lost in the darkness of this world
-- as
Jesus’ shining stars -- as salt in the earth -- as the light of the world -- we
are to show those around us the Way -- to guide them to the place where they
might find Jesus today
-- it’s kind
of like the guy who went to Egypt to see the pyramids -- when he got there, he
hired a guide and the guide led him down this road to the desert -- but when
they got to the desert, the road ended -- there was nothing but wind-swept sand
as far as the eye could see
-- the man asked the guide,
"where's the road?" -- the guide looked at him and said, "I'm
the road"
-- the guide knew the way -- and
if this man wanted to see the pyramids, all he had to do was follow the guide
and the guide would show him where to find what he was seeking
-- as we leave here this
morning, may you be the Way for others to follow -- may you be their road --
their guides -- their beacon of light -- may you be the star that shines in the
darkness -- and may our church -- this community of faith that God has planted
here -- shine brightly and be a guiding star for those who need Jesus
-- let us pray
1 Chandelis Duster, CNN, US Mint releases coins honoring
Harriet Tubman https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/04/us/us-mint-harriet-tubman-coins-reaj/index.html
2 Adapted from Eric Metaxas, "Harriet Tubman, on the
Money," Breakpoint (5-6-16)
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