A very Happy New Year to you all!

The first Sunday of the New Year – 03 January 2021 – is the Epiphany of the Lord: the Magi’s visit to Jesus, the Messiah.

The Lectionary readings are: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; and Matthew 2:1-12. The main reading is from Matthew.

“Can we trust the science?” is an ever-relevant question. The Magi were the scientists of their age. In seeking out the Messiah, they trusted in their scientific observations and interpretations. By comparing and contrasting their apporach with that of King Herod, we reveal a cautionary tale which reminds us always to ensure that we are open to God and his purposes for us.

Below, you will find the prayers, readings, audio sermon and a musical selection.

Lectionary readings

Isaiah 60:1-6 (New International Version)
The Glory of Zion
60 “Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you:
All assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters are carried on the hip.
5 Then you will look and be radiant,
your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and incense
and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

Psalm 72:1-7
Of Solomon.
1 Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.

3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.
5 May he endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

Psalm 72:10-14
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts.
11 May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.

12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.

Ephesians 3:1-12
God’s Marvellous Plan for the Gentiles
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Matthew 2:1-12
The Magi Visit the Messiah
2 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.

Scripture Sentence

On you the Lord shines and over you his glory will appear; nations will journey to your light and kings to your radiance. Isaiah 60: 2a-3

Opening Prayer

God of every nation, by the light of a wondrous star you led wandering magi to the humble infant Jesus, revealing to them your salvation for the world. In the miraculous and the mundane, in union with all who have glimpsed the light of your grace, lead us to Christ, that we may offer our worship and serve him with sincerity of heart; for he lives with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.

Merciful God, Light of the world, we confess that we have not resisted the darkness of sin. You deliver the poor and the helpless, but we have ignored their cry. You take pity on the weak and the destitute, but our hearts are hard in the face of their need. You heal the wounded and save the oppressed but we have placed our trust in the callous violence of war.

Forgive us, we pray. Awaken in us sincere repentance that we may shine with the light of your saving grace.

Loving God, do not let our good intentions become a means of evil. Do not let our trust become cooperation with sin. Do not let our naiveté become an opportunity for wickedness. Make us prudent in acts of mercy, firm in our resistance to evil, and wise in our discernment of wrong, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Sermon

NOTE: The above audio is in mp3 format and is also downloadable, if you wish to listen at a time when you may not have a reliable internet connection. Other devices are available but, on a PC, for example, if you right-click on the 3 vertical dots at the right side of the audio player, the drop-down menu should offer the option to “Save as…”

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

Loving God, we give you thanks for the light of the world, Jesus Christ, through whom we have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in your promise. Receive the gifts we offer in union with Jesus our brother, and help us to live to the honour and glory of your name.

Loving God, in Christ you embrace people of every nation and make them members of the same body, sharers in the promise of the gospel.

For the holy church of God, that through its faithful witness the wisdom of God in its rich variety be known in heaven and earth,
Gracious God, Lord of Light, hear our prayer.

Loving God, you judge the people with righteousness and the poor with justice.
For nations, rulers, and authorities to forsake violence and be guided by the light of truth, that righteousness may flourish and justice abound in every land,
Gracious God, Lord of Light, hear our prayer.

Loving God, wise men from afar came to visit the holy family and found a place of rest and worship.
For our town and for all who live here, that we may be a community of hospitality, welcoming the stranger and sheltering the refugee,
Gracious God, Lord of Light, hear our prayer.

Loving God, in your providence, the land yields prosperity for the people that righteousness may prevail in the land.
For our planet earth, that we may dwell peacefully with nature, be good stewards of its resources, and share its abundance for the sake of human flourishing,
Gracious God, Lord of Light, hear our prayer.

Loving God, you defend the cause of the poor, give deliverance to the needy, and save those who are oppressed.
For those who suffer the cruelty of poverty, and all who endeavour to transform systems of economic injustice,
Gracious God, Lord of Light, hear our prayer.

Loving God, you take pity on the weak.
For those whose bodies are enfeebled by disease or whose spirits are debilitated by illness, that they may be restored to wholeness of life,
Gracious God, Lord of Light, hear our prayer.

Loving God, your servant Paul was imprisoned for preaching the good news of Jesus.
For any who are wrongly incarcerated that they may be liberated, and for those whose guilt is valid and imprisonment warranted that they may know genuine repentance of their sin and reconciliation with their community,
Gracious God, Lord of Light, hear our prayer.

Gracious God, because you have called us your children, we are bold to ask for what we need, confident in your goodness through faith in our Lord and brother, Jesus Christ who taught us to pray…

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever.

Amen

Prayers of intercession reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion. Copyright 2014 (adapted)

Musical Selection

Rev. John Henry Hopkins wrote “The Quest of the Magi” in 1857, which is better known as We Three Kings of Orient Are.

Perhaps this carol makes us think more deeply – “What can I give to Jesus?”