EPIPHANY
January 8/9, 2012
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Matthew 2:1-12

“LOOK WHAT ELSE GOD DID!”
1. He made sure others knew about their Savior.
2. He protected the Savior we need.
3. He provided for the needs of the Savior.

Matthew 2:1-12 (NIV 1984) “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 in the east 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 Christ 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 be the shepherd of 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 make a careful search 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 in the east 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 worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

This past summer for the first time since we have been here my family took in the lakefront fireworks on the 3rd of July. We don’t really like crowds. Don’t like getting stuck in traffic. Finally we decided to at least try. We are glad we did. The fireworks display was great. You kept wondering what would come next. It was exciting all the way to the grand finale. We find a similar thing happening as we follow along the history of God’s delivery of the Christmas gift of a Savior to the world. We hear the prophecies. Ooh, what’s next? Then the birth, the angels, the shepherds. What will God do next? Epiphany. That’s the festival we celebrate today. As the wise men come from the East we look at what else God did with our Savior.
First we see how God made sure others knew they had a Savior. Jesus, according to His human nature, was born a Jew. The news that the world’s Savior was born was given fittingly, first to Jewish people, the shepherds and all they told. But they weren’t the only ones to find out. “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 in the east and have come to worship him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ 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 be the shepherd of my people Israel.” We will probably have more questions here than answers. We don’t know for sure who these magi, these wise men, were, or where east of Jerusalem that they came from. Our best guess based off their title and the Bible history we do know is that these were wise men from the area of Babylon. Remember how God’s people were carried off into captivity to Babylon? Remember how God worked it out that a Jewish believer named Daniel was raised to be the head of all the magi and had influence over two separate empires? Remember what God’s people take with them wherever they go? The word. The promise. A Savior. Whether our guess is right or not really makes no difference. What does make a difference is what else God did. He made sure non Jews knew that a Savior was born. He put people into different places so that non Jews would know they needed a Savior and He was coming. God broke the laws of nature using a special star to alert these diligent watchers and to lead them to Jerusalem where they found the Bible prophecy that would lead them to Bethlehem and their Savior. And then these people would go back to the East and take a message with them. The Savior is born!
But that’s not all, look what else God did! He protected the Savior we need. “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 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 make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” Jesus had an enemy. No surprise. He has always had an enemy. The Devil who has been fighting God from the beginning. Ever since Jesus came into the world the attacks are against Him. We see it today. This whole Tim Tebow thing is so far out of proportion. Why is he such a lightning rod for criticism? He talks about Jesus. Herod was an enemy of Jesus. He did not understand that the newborn King had no desire for a puny earthly kingdom. He was after true treasure. He had come to win the hearts and souls of people. Herod couldn’t grasp that and so he made plans to kill Jesus. All Jerusalem was disturbed because they knew what Herod did when he felt threatened. Killings were coming. But look what else God did. He protected the Savior that we needed. If Jesus does not live a perfect life as our substitute and sacrifice Is life to pay for sin we are doomed to Hell. Salvation was at stake. God went into action. “ And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” While Herod thought to use the wise men as unwitting spies, God used them as willing messengers. He warned them against Herod’s misuse. He protected the Savior we need.
But that’s not all. Look what else God did. He provided for the needs of the Savior. Joseph and Mary would have to flee from Bethlehem. They would have to live as ex-patriots in Egypt for a while. Herod in his rage would later kill all the baby boys of Bethlehem. Moving to a new country. Living in a new country. That’s going to take some money. Where would Mary and Joseph get that? After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east 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 worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” Gold, costly incense and myrrh. Joseph and Mary, no worries. God provided for the needs of the Savior.
Now of course you know that this is not where the story ends. For the same God who worked wisely and powerfully before Jesus completed His mission as Savior continues to work wisely and powerfully today. He still makes sure people know they have a Savior. Look at us. How is it that you know and I know we need Savior from our sins and Jesus is that Savior? God did that. It may not have been wise men or a miraculous star. It may have been mom, dad or both and the miracle of Baptism. But God made sure we knew we needed a Savior and He does that for others too. He still protects the Savior too. You know your Bible history and world history. You know how Satan has tried to stamp out the message of what Jesus has done. The Bible still is the most banned book in the world. You know how the Devil tried to corrupt the message through constant introduction of false teaching in the church. The anti-Christian sentiments we see in our country may be new to us but they are nothing new. And still the simple pure message of salvation in Jesus Christ continues. And the earthly needs of the Savior are provided for as well. He does not need food and clothing and shelter, but wise men and women and children who desire to make Christ known continue to bring Him gifts through the church. All this is God’s doing.
But did you notice something? Something really neat that involves you and me? God used people to do His work. You know there’s this phrase today. It might sound a little elitist. “I’ve got people for that.” Whether it’s the lawn or detailing the car. I’ve got people for that. Did you notice how God works? How He gives meaning to the lives of people. When it’s something important, He’s got people for that. He’s got you. When others need to know about the Savior, God has people for that. When the truth of the Savior are there. God has people for that. Whether you realize it or not God has been using you to tell others of the Savior they need. God has been using you to man the walls, stand in the breach of the Devil’s attacks against Jesus and His word. God has been using you to provide for the Savior’s earthly needs. There will be more opportunities in the future because God’s got people for that and we are His. You just have to wonder what God will do next for us and with us. Amen.