Where Is The Baby Jesus Now?
Good Morning Friends,
Most people have put up their Christmas tree decorations and the nativity scenes have been packed away. We fast forward to Jesus’ baptism or to the coming of the wise men or other passages, perhaps forgetting the Jesus had to grow up like other humans. Where Is The Baby Jesus Now?
Scripture: I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:3-11 (NRSV)
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
Isaiah 60:1-6 (NRSV)
for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 (NRSV)
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “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.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘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.'” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then 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.” When 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. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On 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. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Matthew 2:1-12 (NRSV)
Message: Today is Epiphany and I hope God’s love in manifested in the celebration for you. In the days when Epiphany was a great church feast, it also celebrated the revelation of Jesus in his first miracle–changing water into wine at Cana–and the manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God at his baptism. Those three things–the Wise Men, Cana, and the Baptism were all lumped together to symbolize the revelation of God in Jesus Christ, and such revelation was cause for great celebration. For some of us we must get there the long way around but perhaps that is the safest way to discover that Christ is still with us in all the glorious Spirit of his life, death and resurrection. Maybe we have put the decorations away but we do not have to put Jesus away for he is still growing in us. The ambience of sacrifice and salvation present in the gifts the wise men brought to honor Jesus, has now been translated into love in our lives. And this season of love, is as for a parent missing children, and is so necessary for a child’s growth…for anyone’s growth. It is about the love that is the very seed of knowledge and discernment. Friends, the Christian journey is about growing in the knowledge of truth and increasing understanding of the things of God. It is attaining the right thinking and action that when put into practice yields a life full of the best of everything. So, as we wind our way from Epiphany through the Lenten season to Easter, let God epiph in your life. Make space in your life to have a real encounter with God. Expect that it will happen. Get up in the morning wondering where it will come and go to sleep listening for God’s voice in dreams. Read your Bible expecting to hear God and come to Communion open to receive. God will epiph for that is promised so you might grow in love and bear fruit for the Kingdom.
Pray that we be as wise men and wise women still seeking Jesus. Pray that the love of Christmas lives on in our lives as we share the blessings of the season in Communion with others. Pray the hope of Christmas holds us up and gives us patience as the season gets busier. Pray the joy of Christmas fills our hearts and overflows into all our relationships. Pray the peace of Christmas soothe our fragile spirits and keeps us calm within. Pray the light of Christmas brighten our paths and help us find our way. Pray the love of Christmas helps us grow into the purpose God has envisioned for us. Pray we are baptized in the Spirit of Christmas and share in the ongoing miracle of God’s appearance in creation.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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