The Epiphany of our Lord January 4-5, 2025
“The Gifts of the Magi” Matthew 2:1-12
Rev. John R. Larson Ascension Lutheran Church Littleton, Colorado
Getting the right present at Christmas for another person is hard. What do they need? What would they like? Can I find the right size and the right color? Will their eyes be happy when they open it? Or will they ask for the gift receipt so they return it easily? Make it simple, right? Give ‘em cash.
Today we recognize the gifts of the Magi to the infant Jesus. “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 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 and of incense and of myrrh.” (Matthew 2:10-11)
Gold. That is quite a gift. Worth something. But perfume? For a baby? What one preacher said of the gifts that the magi brought was, “What silly, pointless, useless gifts the magi laid before the poor baby.” Then he went on to say, “A more practical gesture toward this new baby and his mother would be food, clothing, tickets out of Bethlehem before Herod finds them, diapers!” (William Willimon, Pulpit Resource, January 1997, Page 4)
But it was well intended. I know it wasn’t too practical but they had the right heart. Do you remember the account of Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus and the gift she gave to Jesus? It was just before the Passover, the one in which Jesus died, and we read, “Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3)
What a waste!! This was not very practical. Judas Iscariot complained about what was done. “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” (John 12:5) At least in this instance Jesus was not very practical. I guess like the gold and the perfume given to a baby. He said about the use of that perfume, “Leave her alone, it was intended that she should save the perfume for the day of my burial.” (John 12:7)
Jesus was the recipient of possible extravagant and excessive gifts. But He is also the recipient of the most practical gifts as well. During December I loved listening to Christmas music on National Public Radio. In addition to some of the best music, they have a piece called “Beyond the Baton by Scott O’Neil.” Scott O’Neil is the former resident conductor of the Colorado Symphony. He tells the story behind the words, or the music, of various musical pieces. He told the story of the piece, “In the Bleak Midwinter”. The words in the final stanza have long meant much to him.
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what can I give Him: give my heart.
O’Neil spoke about the greatest gift that we can give to another, at Christmas, or at any time, is the gift of self. Our time, our compassion, our concern, is the greatest gift we can present to our family and our friends. What can I give Him? Give my heart.
What does God want from you, or from anyone? He wants your heart. He simply wants us to trust in His word, to believe that He has our good in mind. There is quite a step made when someone will put all their trust in God. Do you know Proverbs 3? “Trust in the Lord will all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Verses 5-6) We call that faith. Believing. In the book of Hebrews we read, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Or, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)
But let me tell you something – the gifts from the Magi or from Mary, Martha’s sister, or from you, or me, are not the heart of our Christian faith. If our faith would be about what we do, how we love God, how we follow Him and live for Him then our faith would be all about us. And it’s not. It is all about Him.
Willimon, who I mentioned earlier, chastising the Magi for the useless gifts they brought to Jesus, tells about a parishioner and a gift that he brought God: I remember as a pastor, a man in one of my churches proclaiming in a somewhat bragging way, “Last year I gave a total of $458 to this church, as my tithe.” Well, that was more than most gave that year, and a tithe is a tithe, but I remember someone in the rear of the room muttering, “Great! God gives you his only Son on the cross and you give God $458.”
The account of Christmas and even here, the Epiphany, is about God coming to us, seeking people who need a Savior, coming in humility, dying in poverty, carrying every sin that we did in 2024, and that we will do in 2025, upon Himself and in its place gives us cleansing and forgiveness and faith that Jesus has done everything for our life and souls by His death and resurrection.
I don’t know what you think about all the pardons that the president or the governor gave many people over this past month. You might think that it is not right. Those people committed crimes, and they should pay for them. They shouldn’t just be let out. But I know that you’ve committed some sins that aren’t just nickel and dime stuff. I know that I have committed sins that still bother me, and I wish I had never done, but I have a God who fully and freely lets me step away from my sin and declares me free.
God has gifts, freely given. It is my prayer that all of us grow in the gifts of God. Epiphany, the day we celebrate today, is a day that means illumination, revelation, light, growth. Wouldn’t it be the greatest thing if we would have a better grip on what God has done for us by the end of this year? Wouldn’t it be great to trust God more? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we treasure our Savior more and become bolder in what we believe and what we confess? Peter, in his second letter says, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (II Peter 3:18)
Growing in this faith is God’s divine working in us. After Peter confessed that Jesus was indeed the Christ, Jesus tells him how he received such an epiphany, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17) Jesus speaks about who gets this greater gift, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.” (Matthew 11:25-26)
What gifts should you give Him? How about your sins? It isn’t good to hold onto them. Let Him have them. How about your struggles and worries and things that seem to take over your mind and heart? How about concerns about spending an eternity in hell? That thought is a horrid one. Our “gifts” to Him aren’t very pretty, but His gifts to us are perfect. Jesus knew what we needed when He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Getting the right present for another at Christmas can be hard. Will they like it, or will it sit and gather dust? God gave us the best gift at Christmas and now at the Epiphany. He gave us Jesus, the Savior of the world. He gave us Jesus, our friend, Savior and Lord. Amen!!
