"Following the Star"

An Epiphany sermon (with acknowledgement and thanks to the Rev. Frank Fisher.)by The Rev. Keenan Kelsey
Noe Valley Ministry, Presbyterian Church (USA)
January 8, 2006

Text: Matthew 1:1-12

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.

Let us Pray: Dear God - open to us the way of this new year, the way to you. Help us follow the light you have placed in our hearts, give us courage to go on despite the dangers, despite the uncertainties, despite the doubts. In times of ease - help us not to forget your purpose for our lives. In times of darkness - give us encouragement. When others question us - build us in our resolve to follow in your path When others attack us - defend us with your spirit. Bring us to the joy, the hope, the peace, and the love, you have promised. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen

(a Roman centurion writing a letter)

Hail Marcus!

Greetings to you most favored one who enjoys the gentle sun of our mother Roma, while I bake in this accursed and dirty place! I have not gotten used to the infernal sun, nor the constant dirt, of this insignificant corner of Rome's great empire, this town of Jerusalem.

I write because I have news to tell, a story of an amazing journey. It started last week. Of course you know my century has drawn guard duty at the fortress gates. Normally that job's pretty horrible .You have to stay alert enough to be sure a zealot won't decide to use your guts to sheath his sword. And there really isn't enough going on to keep your mind occupied. Lately we've even taken to betting on the expected life span of Herod's sons. Caesar was so right when he remarked it was safer to be Herod's pig than Herod's child. I'd drawn the morning watch at the fortress gates. when an unscheduled caravan appeared out of the twists and turns of the city streets At first I thought it was the usual group of merchants who'd banded together to ward off the bandits. Or maybe, I thought, it was yet another group of pilgrims here for some obscure local religious holiday.

But this caravan was nothing of the usual sort. For in its midst were three strange looking men whose clothes literally shimmered with golden thread and precious stones. Not only was their presence unexpected, normally folk dressed like that, with such an entourage, wouldn't ever bother with an ordinary legionary like me. But they stopped right in front of the gates, and all started to talk at once! It was quite awhile before I could make out their story! When they'd taken a deep breath, they began to tell me, the strangest tale I've ever heard.

They were scholars, astrologers, learned, and important men in the courts of their kings. It had taken them many years of study to earn their current positions. They studied and advised and provided proper celestial readings; readings which reinforced their monarch's power and might.

Then, the day came when they each recognized something different in the sky. It was a brilliant light, a star, brightly shining where no star had ever been before. One remembered the Zoroastrian writings which foretold the coming of a special king by the appearance of a star. Another looked up an Egyptian prophesy that said a star would herald a divinity. And the third read in the Hebrew books of Numbers and of Isaiah, a message about a new king to be proclaimed; by a star, one who would rule over the nation of Judea.

They told me how they reported all this to their monarchs: one was quite skeptical, another was awed and excited , the third was politically wary. But they each agreed, it was a sign. Each ordered their astrologers to gather rich gifts to offer in hope of alliance with the new king.

The magi each set forth, finding one another along the way. The travel was long and difficult, with delays and uncertainties, danger and confusion.

There were times when they could not move onward, the sky would be obscured by clouds -- How do you follow a star on starless nights?

But they would set up camp wherever they found themselves and wait.

They worried, they told me, that they were chasing a ghost star. Perhaps they were fools on a fool's errand. Then there were the real dangers from thieves and murderers. But the worst thing was the doubting and derision. Fellow travelers thought they were crazy to travel by such an obscure light, crazy to have left behind the safety of their own land, and the security of their jobs in the Shah's court. They would suggest, without actually saying so, that perhaps they were not as wise as those others who had seen the star, but not followed it. "So, a king has be born" they would say, "This happens every day - so what is so special about this king that you would undertake this journey. What possible difference can it make to you? Right now you could be making a handsome profit casting charts for businessmen or telling your nation's generals when to make war and when to make peace, and instead here you are wandering the world looking for someone or something that may not even exist."

But then night would come and they would look up and see the star, and it would seem to outshine the others in the sky, and realizing just how special it was and how important the new king had to be, they would once again mount their camels and set forth to find him.

And they ended up here Jerusalem. "Where else," they said to me "would one come to offer gifts to the new born king of Judea?" Now Marcus, of course you know how I responded to this idea. "You're going to talk to Herod, about a king who if he exists will replace him on the throne," I asked in bewilderment? "Oh, now that's a good idea. Why don't I simply show you the way to prison now? That way at least you'll save some time." But the three astrologers were adamant. They were going to see Herod. After all, they said, one must go through the proper channels about these things.

I was sure I'd never see them again. But as soon as I reached the barracks, my centurion called me over to give me some new orders. Herod wanted someone to go with the astrologers as their honor guard. And since I'd spoken to them already, I was elected. I was to travel with them, find out the identity of the new king and then return to report. Herod, the centurion said, wanted to deliver his own gift to the new-born king.

I wasn't too certain I wanted to be any part of the type of gift Herod would want to offer. But orders are orders. So the next morning, away I went in the company of my new companions. For instead of ignoring me, they spent the trip telling me all about their mission. They showed me the star that guided them on their way.

You see Marcus, they weren't simply coming to offer gifts to a new king in the hope of an alliance. They intended to offer themselves, all they had and all they were. "But how can you do that," I asked? "You're pledged to other kings already. And what makes you think a Judean king, would accept gentile vassals? After all, Judeans consider everyone else to be unclean and lower than camel spit!"

They tried to explain. "The light of this star transcends human boundaries. We are convinced that this king will be a different type of king. Under this king's rule their will be no clean or unclean, no rich or poor. It will be an aristocracy... not an aristocracy of power, based on rank and influence, but an aristocracy of the sensitive, the considerate, and the courageous. Its members are to be found in all nations and classes, and through all the ages, and there will be a secret understanding between them when they meet. They represent the true human tradition, a victory over cruelty and chaos."

At first I though they were joking. But they were really serious Marcus. "We believe," they said, "and that is enough to keep us going." The star led to a little village called Bethlehem, to a small house. There was no sign of royal wealth in the house -no expensive oils to sooth the skin, no costly furs or linens upon the sleeping pads to bring easy sleep to the baby. There was nothing in fact to indicate that the babe was anything but the child of a poor peasant, of a man, who by the few tools and pieces of wood stacked in a corner seemed to be a carpenter. For a moment the seekers doubted that they had found the great king, for though the star shone through the chimney hole so that its light seemed to rest upon the child's face - everything else seemed to be all wrong.

Yet - there was a feeling in the room, a feeling that seemed to radiate from both the mother and the child, and the star light seemed to cast a halo around them.

So he had explained to the woman why he was there with the others, and in return she had told him of a dream she had, a dream in which her God had told her she would bear a child to rule his people and to bring light to the gentiles.

And then I looked again at the child, and at his mother, and thought about the light she had mentioned, and how the star had brought us to this very place, and a feeling of joy overcame me and I saw it had overcome the wisdom men as well. Without a word to each other, they had knelt, and paid homage to the new king. They prayed that God his father would bless him in all his days, and make him greater even than the star that had led them to him. Then they gave the child those things that they had brought, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

I felt too a peace that I had never felt before. I realized that I would never feel incomplete again, for he was a king who would look after all those who were like him: the poor, the weak, and the humble. This was a king who would conquer with love, and rule with compassion. Somehow the God that Mary spoke of seemed to be the only God that mattered, and that this God was in the child we had seen. I prayed that I might be one of those loved by that child, one of those loved by that God, and that I might always see the light of the star and follow the way of the new king.

Were those astrologers disappointed at the poor baby in rags? No, it was Herod who would be disappointed, unsatisfied, not the magi.

This will be the last letter you get from me for quite a while Marcus. The astrologers were warned in a dream about the gift Herod wanted to bring to this child. They said they are going on by another way. They said, "We have come by the Star to the end of one quest and the beginning of another. We go to discover how to be truthful, to discover how to be living now, to discover how to beloving now, I'm going on another way too. Joseph, the child's earthly father, has asked me to help them all head off to Egypt to escape Herod. So I'm traveling on with my new king.

I think the amazing truth is that God's Light and God's Love are not limited to the chosen people, but that God's Light shines even on astrologers and magicians and Roman guards. The prophesy says this child will lead Israel, but I think this gift has come from God to be at work in all cultures, in all peoples.

Peace to you and yours Marcus. Do not miss me too much, for I'm sure that at some point my king will lead me back to Roma. And in the meantime, I'll be off following my shining Star. I will grow in love. I have found my purpose. May it be so.