Ephesians 3:1-12 and Matthew 2:1-12

Let us Pray: Loving and Gracious God, bless thou the words of my lips and the meditations of our hearts, we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

More than any other characters in the Christmas story the three wise men have been the subject of much good humour - like in the story of the little boy who was setting up a manger scene in the corner of the school room and, puzzled for a moment about what to do, he calls out to the teacher - "And where shall I put the three wise guys..."

We really know very little about the wise men despite the story we tell in plays and songs around Christmas time - you know the one - about how three kings arrived in Bethlehem - fast on the heels of the shepherds - to pay homage to the baby in a manger.

The problem is that the gospels do not confirm this often told story. In fact what we do know is a bit different:

First - the three kings were not kings at all, but rather they were magi, wise men, professional scholars in fact, schooled in the science of astrology.

Second - we do not know if there were three of them or thirty, we only know that there were three gifts given.

Third - there is no mention of the manger in the story of the wise men, in fact just the opposite. The story states that the wise men entered into a house.

Fourth - the last statement is really no surprise if you read the story found in the Gospel of Matthew carefully - because you discover in it that the wise men arrived in Bethlehem close to two years after the birth of Jesus - time enough for Mary and Joseph to have found a house and settle in.

Today, I want to look at the story of the magi - let's call it the story of the three wise men for convenience, and draw four points from it. Each of these points concern the wisdom of the wise men - a wisdom that is available to us if we want it.

First - we discover in the story that the wise men sought for truth and wisdom.

The magi knew that the star that they followed was no ordinary star. These three had apparently been searching the heavens for years for signs of something unique and significant occurring in their world. They were open to new wisdom and truth - more than this - they searched for it. They were not simply content to get along with that which they already knew. So, when they saw a new star in the heavens, they sensed in their hearts that it was a sign from God.

The Bible tells us over and again - that if we seek, we will find, if we knock, the door shall be opened to us, if we ask, we will receive. But how often do we actually seek for wisdom? For new truth? For guidance?

Think of assembling all those new toys and tools that appeared this Christmas. How many people actually looked at the directions before beginning to assemble them? How many tried to put something together relying on the knowledge they already had - only to find that it was not good enough?

The wise men gained their wisdom because they were seekers - they were looking for new things, new insights, new signs. They read their manuals, they searched the heavens for signs and wonders. And so can we.

Second - The Wisemen set forth in faith to find what the star pointed to.

Faith by definition involves the idea of making a journey - of venturing forth - of risking one's very self in a new activity. The living God cannot be found by proxy. That was Herod's mistake - he wanted the magi to go in his place and search for the Christ child. Only then would he come and worship the new born king. By contrast the magi had to travel from a foreign land in search of wisdom and truth. They did not know where the star would lead them, how long it would take, or what the end result would be for them. They only knew that it was important for them to follow that star to wherever it lead. It was a personal quest and the result was an opportunity to worship the one who would be king of kings and Lord of Lords..

This may well be the most important truth for us in the Epiphany story.

A story of faith with Jesus has to be a personal story, a personal quest.

It is not enough to know all kinds of facts about Jesus Christ. One must encounter the wonder of God's grace for sinners and then make a personal decision to receive him into our heart as Lord. One must decide to follow him and then do so. No one else can do that for us. Faith is not inherited like the family jewels - nor can it come from simply knowing what others have said about it..

Faith is like the difference between having read about how to make a cake and actually making one. One may know all there is to know about cooking, one may well have memorized the recipe for the cake that he or she wants to make - but until one actually gets out the ingredients and mixes them together and puts the results in the oven - it means absolutely nothing.

Third - The wise men sought help from other people as they tried to find the king.

We so often try to live our lives without making any demands on others. We try to be independent. To stand alone. To make it by ourselves. Sometimes this comes out of noble motives - we do not want to burden others. Other times it comes out of fear - we are afraid of looking weak or foolish.

When the magi arrived in Jerusalem it seems that they lost sight of the star. They knew they were in the right area, but they were not yet at the right spot. Kind of like us sometimes when we visit a new city to find a friend. We get into the right neighbourhood - but somehow can't quite locate the street we are looking for. Our map may be outdated or in error, whatever the reason may be, we are stuck and remain stuck until we ask someone else for help.

That is what the magi did. The bible says they consulted with the people in Jerusalem. They ask where the new born king is and how they can find him so they can pay homage to him. Because they ask - they receive. Their question is answered by people who are familiar with the Scriptures and prophecies concerning the birth of the Messiah - and they take that answer and set forth with it - and when they do so, once again they see the star going ahead of them - until it takes them to Jesus.

There are many people who can help us on our journey of faith - if we are wise enough to ask them. The question is: are we willing to ask for help when we need it? When we are in the right neighbourhood, but can't quite find our way to our destination will we stop and ask for directions as did the magi?

Fourth - The wise men accepted what God lead them to and believed in it.

In the story of the wise men often much is made of what they gave to the Christ child. But consider what they were given for a minute.

They set forth looking for a king - a king of kings in fact. After a long and hard journey they end up at a simple home in Bethlehem - and there they find a carpenter and his wife and child. There are no costly treasures in the house, no purple robes, no gold rings, nothing in fact to show that they are in the presence of person destined to be a great king. Only the star stood overhead to indicate that anything special at all was going on.

And they accept this. Although all the outward signs, save one, are telling them that they are in the wrong place, they accept that single sign - the sign of God that they have been following for so long - and ignore the rest.

So many of us have a hard time accepting what God has given in the form that he gives it. Because we are waiting for a gift from God - we look for great miracles, instant healings, signs and wonders, trumpet calls and 21 gun salutes.

We may pray to God for a special blessing - and then turn away at our door a homeless person who is looking for a meal, or a neighbour who is dropping by unannounced, or a client who shows up just when we are preparing to leave work for the day.

Louis Cassels tells a story about a man who hated Christmas.

It was late Christmas Eve, but in spite of his wife's pleas he would not accompany her to church. The whole crazy idea of God becoming a human being made no sense to his logical mind. He stood watching the heavy snow at his picture window. He thought of the birds and wondered if they would find the seeds he had put out for them. It was snowing hard enough that the seed holders were quickly covered. He turned on the backyard lights, but both the birds and the seed were lost in the falling snow. Putting on his heavy coat, he went outside and opened his big barn door. Then he spread bird seed just inside the barn, hoping that the birds would see it. They did not! Still hoping to help these little starving creatures, the man tried desperately to shoo the little birds toward the light of his open barn - but they were too frightened. Here they were only inches away from the food and water they needed, and he was helpless. "If only I were a bird", he thought to himself, "I would show them the way to that life-giving food." Just then the church bells began to ring announcing Christmas morning. Suddenly he understood why God's Son came to show us the way to eternal life in the way that he did - as one of us. From that point on he became a believer.

We have this idea fixed in our minds that God does not, or should not, appear to us in the ordinary aspects of our life. We do not expect God to show up while we are at work in our office, or sitting in a classroom, or doing dishes at the kitchen sink.

We have a hard time too considering that God's answers to our questions can be found in a 2000 something year old book, or on the lips of our employees or our friends, or that a dream we have had during a long and troubled night is, in fact, a message from God.

The wisdom of the wise men was and is simply this - they sought wisdom - they were willing to journey in faith to personally discover what God was doing - they did not hesitate to ask for help along the way and finally - they accepted what they found - even though it was plainly dressed - and believed in it.

Simple stuff really - but wisdom normally is simple stuff. Simple - but when used - as the wisemen used it, it leads us to God. May God bless us all with this kind of wisdom. Amen!