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Epiphany: The manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as seen in the coming of the Magi
*** Image: Camels and Magi. “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (Is 60.3). “They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord” (Is 60.6)
Matthew 2:1 (NRSV)
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem...
Map: Possible routes of the Magi

The Magi look up

*** N/S:The Magi look up for a message from God
*** Night sky
*** Psalm 19.1-4 No slides
Psalm 19:1–4 NRSV
The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
*** N/S there’s something about the heavens, looking up at the sky on a cloudy day as the clouds roll by, looking up at a seemingly endless expanse on a cloudless day, looking up at the Milky Way, at Orion and the Pleiades
Romans 1:20–21 NRSV
Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened.
*** N/S: We ought to be able to look around us and see the greatness of God, the glory of God, the power and strength of God, and instead we’re looking down and not up. We ‘re looking at the ground and not the sky, Twitter and not the horizon, we’ve walled ourselves off in our homes so that we don’t see the beauty and stunning surprises of nature that speak to God’s greatness
I can see how it might be possible to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how one could look into the heavens and say there is no God.
Abraham Lincoln
Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF is in the night sky, at the beginning of next month
*** N/S: The Magi look up, discern a message from God, and stake their lives on the message

The scholars look in scripture

*** Photo: Glasses, scriptures
*** N/S I find it interesting how the chief priests and the scribes find the information quickly but don’t do anything about it.
They don’t take the moment seriously enough to make the very short journey of about 7 miles. They know the answer but they can’t be bothered by letting that answer disturb their day
Matthew 2:5–6 NRSV
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.’ ”
*** Photo: Bible. The chief priests and the scribes know where to find the information, they just don’t want to do anything about it.
*** Photo: Old Bible
Engineer joke:
A man is flying in a hot air balloon and realizes he is lost.
He reduces his height and spots a woman down below.
Lowering the balloon further he shouts, "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?"
"Yes, you're in a hot air balloon, hovering 50 feet above this field" says the woman.
"You must be an engineer," says the balloonist.
"I am," replies the woman. "How did you know?"
"Well," says the balloonist, "everything you have told me is technically correct, but it's of no use to anyone."
"You must be in management," says the woman.
"I am," replies the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
"Well," she says, "you don't know where you are, or where you're going, but you expect me to be able to help. You're in the same position you were before we met, but somehow now it's my fault."
The scholars search and see, but they don’t do anything about it. They answer Herod’s question, let the Magi know, and then they go on about their day without even a modest curiosity about the reason for the question they’ve just answered.

Herod looks out for himself

Matthew 2:8 NRSV
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.”
Photo: Herod. Herod cared nothing for the truth.
Murdered wife and children, the murder of the innocents.
Looks out only for himself
*** N/S: What are you protecting in yourself? I’ll give myself fully to the Lord, all except...
*** Epiphany
The Magi looked up at the sky
The scholars looked into the scriptures
Herod looked out for himself
Where are you
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