Rev. Mary Whittaker (with Scott, her hearing dog) preached the following sermon on Epiphany Sunday – 03 January 2016 – at St James’  Church:

The carol ‘We Three Kings’ and today’s bible reading (Matthew 2: 1 – 12) mark the key theme for the New Year.

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 worshipped 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.

We know that the gifts of gold (for kingship), frankincense (for divinity) and myrrh (for suffering) telling us about what kind of king that has come among us and the kind of kingdom He will establish.

This is the beginning of the journey – go in faith.

The faith of the Magi

The Magi left their home to go to places they didn’t know. Of course, we don’t know who they were actually, how many of them there were, how they travelled (no camels mentioned in the Bible), or from which country or countries in ‘the east’ they came.

We make assumptions about the Magi / Wise Men / kings but we do know 2 things:

• They were guided by the stars to Christ-child, meaning they were skilled in both astronomy (for direction) and astrology (for revelation) – which, in that day, were closely associated.

• When they arrived in Jerusalem, they had to ask around the city “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” They assumed that everyone would know of this special baby’s whereabouts. They must have been shocked to find out that no-one seemed to know what they were talking about. Eventually, they were told to go to Bethlehem.

The faith of the disciples

Similarly, about 30 years later, 12 different men were called from their old ways of life to follow Christ.

Naturally, as we see from the Gospels, they were asking questions, assuming that they were with the Messiah. They assumed he would become a political leader:

• Luke 19: 1 – ‘the people thought that the Kingdom of God was going to appear at once’
• Luke 24: 21 – “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel”
• Acts 1: 6 – “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the Kingdom to Israel?”

They were shocked, when Jesus died on the Cross.

Eventually, they were told to go to Jerusalem, where they received the Holy Spirit. They were called to go in faith into a new adventure.

Our journey of faith

2,000 years later, we are called to go in faith to take the life of Christ into the world.

We all know there have been some times when our commitment to Christ has not been easy and we tend to question a lot.

This is natural. It was the same for the Magi and the disciples. There is nothing wrong in asking questions.

Like them, we have many assumptions on how and what we should say and do. Some of us don’t like the idea of the Great Commission – “go out and make disciples, baptising them….and teaching them…” (Matthew 28: 19-20) Eeeeek! “I don’t feel comfortable about that…”

Dinnae worry.  If we look at what Paul said in 1 Cor 12: 28 “And in the church God has appointed…apostles…prophets…teachers…

…those able to help others, those with gift of administration…”

Hmmm, what we have may seem small: such as singing in the choir, visiting the sick, baby-sitting, helping with the laptop or even making tea – but nothing is too small for the church and for God.

We are made for each other in the church, outside the church and our neighbours.

Your minister, Rev. Graham Crawford, is called to go in faith to leave Lossiemouth.

You may think of many questions – why, who, when, where?

Again, it’s natural, but we should focus on our faith in God in whatever this church is doing and wherever this church is going.

Now is the time to consider our call and evaluate what we have to offer in service both to God and other people as well as to your church’s deferred linkage and the minister, Rev. Geoff McKee, called by both churches.

So let us help each other and go in faith into this New Year 2016!