Welcome to the New Year! I am so thankful that God has given us another year to love one another, to pray for each other, and to grow together more and more into the people He wants us to be.

In this New Year as always, we followers of Christ ought to continually learn and grow in our faith. As I was engaging with the Scriptures over the Christmas season, one of the stories about Jesus’ birth from the Gospel of Matthew struck me as somewhat odd. I am speaking in particular of the story of the Wise Men visiting Jesus in Matthew 2:1-12.

It is fortuitous, then, that I can bring this story to you all as yesterday was Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. Epiphany is a holiday that many Christians celebrate as the day when Jesus was visited by the Wise Men, or Magi, among other important events in His life. Here’s how the story of the Magi’s visit to Jesus goes:

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
  are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
  who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Matthew 2:1-12

What an interesting and somewhat strange story, though one that is very familiar to us. This story has so many interesting elements, from the “wise men from the east” who are of unknown origin, to the response of Herod and all Jerusalem, that they were “troubled” at the news of a Jewish king’s birth. 

I also find it interesting and a little counter-intuitive, that Matthew, a devout Christian with a deep understanding of the Jewish scriptures, would include this story in his Gospel. Not only does it focus on foreigners, strangers to the Jewish people, it also revolves around the use of stars to provide answers and information which was not a Jewish practice.

Ultimately, the story of the Wise Men is meaningful, in part, because it shows that God was not merely sending Jesus to the Jewish people. Rather, Jesus came to die for the sins of the whole world, Gentiles included. The story of the Magi points to God’s love for the Wise Men and their people as He sent a star to let them know, in their own cultural way, that Jesus was born. What a testament to God’s unending love for us.

I pray that this year we will all individually and as a church dive deeper into the Word of God. I pray that we will study it not for its own sake, but so that we might know our God better and that we might be more like Him. Let us all seek that together. Now let us pray together for each other, and for those we love.

God’s Love and Blessings be with you all, 
Noah