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 Sermon for 01/06/08
(First time visitors: Please read the notes HERE about these sermons first!)

Epiphany 1 – GOD’S PLAN: Mystery or Marching Orders?
Matthew 2:1-12, (RW)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN

Bottom Line: God’s Plan’s for humanity’s salvation was revealed in Jesus Christ. Up until that time, His plan remained a mystery. But once revealed, those plans were meant to “rouse the troops” and “hand out the marching orders”. While His revealed plans startled many (Grace over law, and all people included) those in His “Spiritual Army” must now joyously obey God’s plan, or pretend they are still secret and ignore their marching orders. What are those orders? To be a “guiding star” – to lead all who are seeking truth, to the one who was sent to save us! The Epiphany of God’s plan will either thrill us and move us into a new lifestyle of sacrificial and compassionate outreach, or we will turn our back on the plan, and refuse our marching orders. Will God’s plan offend us and cause us to claim it remains a mystery, or will it excite us and be welcomed as our marching orders? Whatever our response – we cannot read our Gospel lesson without realizing God’s plans have been revealed in Jesus Christ – all that remains is our response! Praise God AMEN

1) TOP SECRET! My father-in-law was an officer in the Air Force, and once worked at the Pentagon in the “War-Plans” department. You may not know this, but even in peaceful times, the High Command is creating battle plans for all occasions. Every day the world situation is being re-evaluated, battle plans are constantly undated, labeled “top-secret”, and hidden until the day the strategy must be revealed. When the word goes out that marching orders are about to be revealed, any vet can tell you, there is a lot of speculation among the troops who are waiting to be activated. Finally, at the appropriate time, the battle plans arrive, the seal is broken, and the mystery fades as supplies, weapons, and foot-soldiers are carefully and purposefully mobilized. Those soldiers, who had been left in the dark for so long, NOW are privy to the thinking of the high command. No longer “top secret” - the plans await a quick and obedient response.

2) REVEALED! RESPONSE? In the Gospel lesson for today, Matthew reveals to his readers some startling information! God’s “Top Secret” plans for the redemption of the world have just been revealed to the troops, so to speak. And despite all the generations of speculation – the scope of His plan encompasses far more than ever imagined! It would not begin with a mass invasion of angels or armed troops – but with …the birth of a baby! No, this was no ordinary baby – it was the Son of God! And surprisingly, He was not born in a palace, but in a stable. And He would not be immediately recognized and worshipped by millions… this baby would simply catch the attention of a few shepherds, a few wise-men, and one dysfunctional and evil King, Herod. So 1) God’s Top Secret Plan has been revealed, 2) Marching Orders have been handed out, and all that was left was a quick and obedient response. Yeh, right!

3) SHOCK! The manger scene, and the story of the three wise-men from the East is a familiar and pleasant one for us today – there is no shock value attached to story. But to the ancient Jews in Matthew’s audience, this story surely made some of them gasp! And it left them in shock. Why? This was story about gentiles, Magi, (which most believe to be Babylonian astronomers)! Why would God reveal Himself and His plan to foreigners, to unclean strangers? Why would God allow them to come and worship first THEIR long awaited Messiah? This made as much sense as telling our American troops that we were about to invade Iraq with hula-hoops and grass skirts. God’s Marching orders didn’t make any sense to the ancient Hebrews! The paralyzing shock many were afflicted with helped explain their failure to provide a quick and obedient response to God’s plan. Why did this revelation shock and numb them? Let’s remind ourselves of their perceived reality!

4) EVERYONE!?! For centuries the ancient Jews had been teaching each other that SALVATION could only be obtained by Jewish bloodline and good works! The Jews lived by keeping the LAW! Gentiles, outsiders, could ONLY enter into relationship with Israel’s God AFTER they had achieved righteousness under the law. To be “saved” depended on your actions, based on your decisions, and was a REWARD! But never an unearned gift! And if what Matthew was saying was true… and if Gentiles, who had never earned their way into the covenant, were suddenly able to worship God… then only one unbelievable conclusion was possible: It would mean that God’s plan for redemption included EVERYONE! It was a UNIVERSAL PLAN – for everyone! And the Christ, the Messiah, was to be a UNIVERSAL SAVIOR! And therefore, salvation was a free UNCONDITIONAL GIFT! For everyone!?! Is it any wonder that many Jews were appalled by and resistant to Jesus?! Can you imagine opening top secret plans and discovering the high command had just declared it’s love for the enemy, and asked you to put down your weapons and cross over to embrace the enemy as equals?! Many would refuse to believe the orders were real. Especially if this plan for redemption included everyone!

5) MYSTERY! In hindsight, it is understandable – that when the High Command’s plans were Top Secret, when His future actions remained a mystery to the Jews, the people of God inevitably began to speculate as to what they thought His redemptive plans would look like – according to their limited understanding of the universe. But when those human attempts to predict God’s mystery suddenly collided with the actual revelation (which was so opposite of their expectations), it’s easy to see why a quick and obedient response may not occur. Their speculative conclusions concerning God’s mystery, and God’s actual plan don’t line up. Makes you wonder why God left His plans a mystery to begin with! The Apostle Paul talks about the mystery of God’s plan in Ephesians 3 (vs 2-6) “Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me …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. 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.” Hmmm… the mystery of God’s grace was not made known to people in previous generations; did you ever wonder why? Why didn’t God make His entire plan of redemption known to humankind from the beginning? Why did He leave it a mystery for so long?

6) STRUGGLE FIRST - THEN THE ANSWER! Well, let’s see if this helps; say I was your math teacher and I said to you “144!” You’d probably wonder what I was talking about. You may not have realized it, but I just gave you the answer to today’s math problem. Are you smarter now? Has your knowledge increased? Hardly! What good is the answer if you have no idea of what the question is? What benefit is there in memorizing all the answers if you have never worked through the problems? The answers ONLY make sense AFTER you have first struggled with the topic matter. Likewise, God knew humanity must first come to see and experience the problems over time; to which Christ in the Gospel is the answer! We have to seek and struggle first, and then and only then, can the answer make sense.

7) IT ALL MADE SENSE! God knew WHEN the “time was right” to present “the answer” – His answer in Christ – to the world. Though many would still resist, He knew that there were some, many in fact, who were now ready, even thrilled to have His redemptive plan revealed in full and joyfully accepted it. Those who began to make up the early Christian church looked back on humankind’s historic struggle and now realized it all made sense! As they reflected on the law, the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the hard words of the prophets, the exile, and our inability to live according to God’s will… it all began to click! Suddenly, it all made sense! God had to lead His people through the discipline of the law and prophets, before the grace and unconditional love of Christ could take on real meaning! Until we had struggled long enough with the problem of sin, the life-giving answer in Jesus would have little meaning. But to an increasing number of broken people who looked upon the cross – it all made sense!

8) AFTER! Think about your own life: why is it your prayer life increases dramatically during times of struggle and pain? Because it is during difficult times like these, (when we’re forced to ask the “hard questions”, when our own answers and idols fail us), that we suddenly remember that Jesus, is the only one who can truly save and bless us! Only AFTER we “crash and burn”, do we see the need for the divine doctor! True or false: “Most adult conversions occur during the good, comfortable, and secure times in their lives.” FALSE! Our openness to Christ generally only comes after times of deep stress, conflict, crisis, desperation, or after we have hit rock bottom! Most of us have to struggle with the problem and consequences of our sin before we are open to the answer. We too often have to be stripped of our false securities, idols, and illusions of self reliance, before Christ’s love and power take on a whole new meaning! For those not raised in the church, the ultimate spiritual “Ah-ha” doesn’t come until AFTER we have struggled long and hard with the problem of our sin, weakness, and brokenness.

9) ILLUSIONS! That’s why it’s tough developing a deep faith in America – the land of comfort and wealth! The loss of so many baby-boomers and ex-gens from our churches in recent decades isn’t because they haven’t heard of Jesus – it’s because the answer doesn’t make sense yet. They are too comfortable, too spoiled, too self-reliant… so… who needs God? Especially when so many other little gods, material gods, and entertainment gods appear more attractive. They are too busy and too comfortable to seriously seek or worry about “the meaning of life.” The illusions of successful careers, self-improvement, material possessions, power; all promise to fill the void in their hearts. And until time passes and they begin to suspect that the promises of the material world are lies and empty illusions, they won’t be ready for “the answer.”

10) JESUS! Do you know why I don’t go out with my soapbox and preach on the corner “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” to the busy masses that pass by? It would be like yelling out “144, 144, 144!” The answer is meaningless to people who have not yet struggled long enough with the problem of sin and brokenness. Oh sure, there are rare occasions when soapbox preaching and knocking on doors just so happens to stumble upon someone whose life struggles have made them ready to seek, hear, and accept Jesus, but for the most part – it is not good stewardship of your time and gifts. Only spiritually “hungry sheep” will eat from the green pastures that the Lord offers. So we love all sheep, but we recognize that not all are ready yet to receive “the answer” – who is Jesus Christ. That’s why we Christians keep our eyes especially pealed for those who ARE struggling in life and who ARE only now beginning to ask the right questions. Adults must often be humbled dropped to their knees, discard their material crutches, abandon their man-made solutions and illusions - before God’s revelation in Jesus can reach their heart. Jesus, as the answer, is only meaningful to adults who have struggled with the problem of sin and brokenness!

11) A GUIDING STAR! Naturally, it takes some guts and courage on our part to get involved in someone else’s struggles today, but God eagerly provides that brave backbone through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us! Yes, it’s risky joining someone in their desperate search for truth, but empowered by the Holy Spirit, that is what we are called to do! You see, once God’s Top Secret Plans are revealed to the troops, it’s time to take action and obediently respond to the calling. Which is what? Be a guiding star! You see, the reason the Magi ended up worshipping the child in the manger is because they were searching the stars for some cosmic truth. And so God used a bright star to lead them across the desert to the truth in a humble manger. And there, having found their answer, they did what is the essence of Christian worship; they glorified and adored the Christ child and gave their offering. They gave their best! But it would not have happened had there not been a guiding star to lead them to Christ! The Holy Spirit comes today to bring you the courage and guts to be a guiding star; IF that is what you want? DO YOU?

12) MARCHING ORDERS! Probably no question plagues me more than this: Why do so many who claim to be God’s troops, refuse to accept their marching orders!?! Which is… what? To be a guiding star! …reflect the light of Christ so brightly that others are led to Jesus! If you agree that God’s redemptive plan for salvation in Jesus Christ is good news and meant for everyone – then why do so many of us continue to live as though God’s redemptive plan is still “top secret” – keeping our faith quiet, and guiding no one to the manger or the cross to meet Jesus? Why are there so many empty seats in this church? Do none of us know anyone whose life is falling apart? Do none of us know of anyone dealing with brokenness, addictions, broken relationships, depression, loneliness, financial woes, life-threatening diseases, unemployment, abuse, or anxiety? Because these are the people living in darkness who are potentially ready in their life to follow a guiding star! Before we criticize the ancient Jews who were not ready to follow Jesus, and sent Him to the cross, we have to ask ourselves: Are we any different from them, if the Lord’s marching orders are heard and we do not act upon them? Our marching orders are to be guiding stars!

13) EPIPHANY! Today is called the Epiphany of our Lord! An epiphany is a sudden revelation, appearance, or manifestation – it’s the “ah-ha” moment when some great mystery is uncovered or disclosed. And today’s Gospel text fits perfectly because it discloses God’s redemptive plan in the baby Jesus – and because of the Magi and gentile shepherds, that this Messiah is for everyone! The previous MYSTERY of God’s plan has been made clear in Jesus! It is no longer “Top Secret!” This epiphany declares: If you accept Jesus as God’s plan, if Jesus is living in your heart, if you believe this Messiah is meant for everyone – then as His faithful troops, you also accept His marching orders! You accept the call to be a guiding star! It does not just become “a” priority or “another” priority in your life – it becomes the “THE” priority in your life! Please don’t buy into that awful concept that “faith is a private affair!” That goes against our marching orders! We are called to echo His life-giving words like canyon walls! We are called to reflect His light like a mirror! You and I are called to be guiding stars! …to lead others, EVERYONE, to the life-giving shepherd who loves, saves, forgives, heals, and renews lost sheep! Will we react joyfully to this “epiphany” with a quick and faithful response? Will God’s redemptive plan become our priority in life?

14) CRAZY! Now the Gospel lesson says there are two things we do know about this “master plan”: 1) We will always encounter modern day Herod’s who will wish to silence the Good News. But “God’s will” WILL be done, and they are powerless and helpless in the long run to silence the plan. And secondly 2) The Master plan is Crazy! Absolutely crazy! Because our God is absolutely crazy in love with us; creatures of His own making, who were given the freedom to turn our back on Him, our Creator. Which is also crazy! But it’s crazier yet for that God to woo and court such rebels back into a relationship of love and obedience! …and to create a community of broken believers based on mutual love and forgiveness! It’s an incredible craziness! Imagine, to love a sinner BEFORE he or she has earned the status of deserving love! …to forgive evil and sin, not just once or twice, but continually! God’s crazy “master plan” goes BEYOND any earthly understanding of justice. It is a divine miracle! This love of sinners, unheard of in the ancient world, is the basis of our salvation today! The Master’s Plan is crazy, and wonderful, and reeks of unconditional love and grace! It’s a kind of crazy the world needs now more than ever!

15) A STAR! Friends, the Magi followed a star that led them to the Christ Child! And there isn’t one of you here today, who didn’t have one or two guiding stars! Someone, (family member, fellow student, co-worker, neighbor, relative or friend), reflected Christ’s light… and it touched your life and brought you into a loving relationship with Jesus! It is not unfair to say that everyone who points to Jesus is a star! And so I say to you on behalf of Christ this morning: BE A GUIDING STAR! God is empowering you to help someone find the right questions, so that the divine answer makes sense! BE A SHARING STAR! …and consciously pray for and look for someone in need of God grace this week! BE A REVEALING STAR! …and proclaim to all who are ready but haven’t yet heard – that God’s universal master plan has been revealed and is no longer TOP SECRET!

16) GOD’S PLAN! What did the Apostle Paul mean when he talked about our Creator’s mystery being revealed? By mystery, he meant God’s plan. A “plan” says the dictionary, is “a scheme or program for making doing, or arranging something – a method of proceeding!” But God’s plan is not a scheme, nor a program, nor a method. Nor is God’s plan a mystery any longer! God’s plan is unconditional love for sinners, all sinners, for everyone! God’s plan is no longer a secret, and our marching orders are to be guiding stars! God’s plan is revealed in the story of wise-men, shepherds, and a baby! God’s plan is Jesus Christ! Praise God, AMEN

Confessional Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we confess that too often we take the epiphany, that is, the disclosure of your redemptive plan in Jesus for granted, and do not joyfully respond in appropriate ways! Though we profess to be your troops, we do not eagerly accept our marching orders to be a guiding star - to lead others to you! Forgive us, and empower us with overwhelming amounts of unconditional love that we may respond to your master plan – by seeking and guiding your lost sheep into your gracious and protective embrace!

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