Sunday's Message - On a Journey with the Magi

During the Sligo Presbyterian Church worship service on Sunday, we focused on the story of the Magi and considered how their journey might influence how we enter this new year. A recording and text of the sermon is below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (EST). 

Let me ask y’all a couple questions, and feel free to be as honest or dishonest as you want. Question number one: How many of y’all resolved to make some major life-style changes in 2024? OK, question number two: How many of y’all have actually started to make those changes in the last six days? Of course, I realize those questions really aren’t fair. I mean, as to the second one, we’ve been in a new year less than a week. And as to the first one, well, it’s none of my business. That’s really something between you and your God, or maybe more importantly, you and your spouse.

Still, whenever we enter something new or different, it gives us the chance to make some adjustments to our living. In other words, whether we’ve entering a new year or maybe moving to a different place, we have the opportunity to change, don’t we? Of course, some of these changes may be big and dramatic, you know, like to stop smoking or to lose weight or to be more kind and considerate to others; while others may be so personal that there’s no way other folks could understand the reasons. For example, way back in the 70s, I remember a friend of mine telling me how, when his family moved from North Carolina to Virginia, his seven-year-old son said that he wanted to be called something else. You see, the boy’s name was “Edward James” and for seven years they called him Eddie. But since he was living in a new place where, unlike the song from “Cheers,” nobody knew his name, he wanted to be called “James.” Now, I don’t know if I ever really understood why, but that’s exactly what his parents did. And last week, I saw a picture on Facebook of my friend, who’s now in his eighties, with some of his kids and adult grandchildren. And there he was, standing beside his son whom he identified in the little memo underneath as James. Now that’s what he did. And even though I doubt that anybody here is planning on trying out a different name anytime soon, entering the new year certainly offers us the chance to make some changes to the way we live.

And I’ll tell you, that’s going to be our focus this morning. You see, we’re going to talk about some adjustments we might want to make as we move into 2024. And since yesterday was what’s called Epiphany, the day set aside to remember the Magi or the Wise Men coming to Jesus, we’re going to use them as sort of a guide into the new year. You see, we’re going to focus on four qualities that I think they showed as they made their journey from the east to Bethlehem, qualities that I believe we can incorporate into our own lives and that just might help us be more effective and more content as we go about our daily living.

Of course, to do that, we need to hear the story. And remember, we’re focusing on what the magi did and not all the other stuff in the passage. Now, this was what the Evangelist Matthew wrote:

When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem and said, “Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard about this, he was worried, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem. Herod brought together the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them, “Where will the Messiah be born?”

They told him, “He will be born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet wrote,

‘Bethlehem in the land

    of Judea,

you are very important

    among the towns of Judea.

From your town

    will come a leader,

who will be like a shepherd

    for my people Israel.’”

Herod secretly called in the wise men and asked them when they had first seen the star. He told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, let me know. I also want to go and worship him.”

The wise men listened to what the king said and then left. And the star they had seen in the east went on ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. They were thrilled and excited to see the star.

When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him. They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and gave them to him. Later they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they went back home by another road. [Matthew 2:1-12, CEV]

Now, that was what Matthew wrote, and remember, we’re looking at just the Magi, the Wise Men, not Herod and his cronies. 

And I’ll tell you, when we concentrate on who they were and what they did, I believe they demonstrated four qualities that we can claim. For example, first, I think they were really focused. You see, as I read the story, these “wise men from the east” knew exactly where they were going; they were going to see “the child born to be king of the Jews.” And you know, they also knew exactly how they were going to get there; man, they would follow a star. These guys were focused, weren’t they?

And you know, we can be too. I mean, as we enter this new year, like them, we can also be clear about where we’re going. And we can be confident about how we’re going get there. Now that’s focus. And as Christians, man, we’ve really got a leg up on others, because we’ve got a book right here that’s just full of guidance and advice. For example, if you’re talking about our destination, just listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians:

I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. My friends, I don’t feel I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. I run toward the goal, so I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. [Philippians 3:12-14, CEV]

And as to the way we can get there, well, here’s some advice Jesus Christ gave his disciples:

But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. [Matthew 6:33, CEV]

Of course, these are just a couple of examples; there are a whole lot more. The point is this: we can know where we’re going and how to get there, can’t we? Therefore, as we enter this new year, we too can be focused. And I think that’s the first thing we can see in the Magi. But that’s not all.

Because second, when you think about how the Wise Men went about their journey to the king, they were also open. I mean, even though they knew where they wanted to go and the general route they needed to take to get there, they did something truly remarkable, especially for men who considered themselves to be wise. Man, they stopped for directions, for crying out loud. Miracles really are possible. But not only that, they actually listened to what Herod said and followed his advice. Why? Because they were open.

And I’ll tell you, that can also apply to us. I mean, as we move into this new year, we can sort of put aside the assumption that we already know it all, and we can choose to be a little more humble as we look at ourselves and approach others. And if we do, we’ll be in a much better position, and I’m talking about having the right frame of mind, to listen to what others have to say and then, when what they’re saying makes sense, to take their advice. And you know, it’s interesting, when we do that, we’ll be following the direction offered by the writer of the Proverbs in these three little aphorisms:

If you have good sense,

    you will listen and obey;

if all you do is talk foolishly,

    you will destroy yourself. [Proverbs 10:8, CEV]

Children with good sense

    accept correction

    from their parents,

but stubborn children

    ignore it completely. [Proverbs 13:1, CEV]

Fools think they know

    what is best,

but a sensible person

    listens to advice. [Proverbs 12:15, CEV]

On occasion, I’ve said about myself, “Jackie Rudiger didn’t raise a fool.” Well, as I enter a new year, I have a chance to prove it, by following the example left by the Magi and by becoming more open. And for me, that’s the second trait they showed on their journey.

And third, along with being focused and opened, these Wise Men were also prepared. I mean, after they arrived at their destination, they weren’t like me on too many Christmases and too many birthdays and especially too many anniversaries. Man, they weren’t scrambling around trying to buy something at the last minute. Instead, according to Matthew, “when the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him. They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and gave them to him.” [Matthew 2:11, CEV] In other words, they didn’t have to give Jesus a can of motor oil or a bag of chips or anything else you can get at the UK. Why; because the Magi were prepared. 

And I’ll tell you, we can be too. Although we might not know everything that’s there in front of us, we can have a pretty good idea about what we’re going to need to get to where we want to go, and so being prepared is not only possible but makes a lot of sense. But not only that, let’s face it, preparation is really part and parcel about what it means to be a Christian, isn’t it? In other words, being prepared, man, that’s a big deal for believers. I mean, just listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans:

You know what sort of times we live in, and so you should live properly. It is time to wake up. You know that the day when we will be saved is nearer now than when we first put our faith in the Lord. Night is almost over, and day will soon appear. We must stop behaving as people do in the dark and be ready to live in the light. So behave properly, as people do in the day. Don’t go to wild parties or get drunk or be vulgar or indecent. Don’t quarrel or be jealous. Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won’t try to satisfy your selfish desires. [Romans 13:11-14, CEV]

Now, that was what he said to the Romans. And to the Corinthians, he wrote this:

Keep alert. Be firm in your faith. Stay brave and strong. Show love in everything you do. [1 Corinthians 16:13-14, CEV]

You see, the demands of our destination shouldn’t be a surprise. And for that reason, as we move into the new year, we can be prepared just like the Magi, the third quality they showed on their journey.

And finally, fourth, I think it’s pretty clear that these Wise Men were also flexible. I mean, as they returned home, they weren’t bound to a certain schedule or a fixed route. Remember, according to Matthew, “Later they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they went back home by another road.” [Matthew 2:12, CEV] Now, in an age before the GPS, that took a lot of courage and confidence. You see, because the situation changed, they were able to change themselves. Why; because they really were flexible. 

And although flexibility isn’t a trait that a lot of Christians seem to value, I think it just makes sense to be able and willing to change when situations dictate. As a matter of fact, I think it can also show real courage and faith. I mean, although it’s always more comfortable to pretend that things are just the way they’ve always been, only people with inner strength and confidence will step away from their comfort zones. And I also believe it takes genuine faith to trust that not only will God be with us even if we take the less traveled route, he might actually be moving us in that very direction. In other words, a change in orientation might actually be good, something that I think Paul wanted the Romans to understand when he wrote,

Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God. Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him. [Romans 12:1-2, CEV]

And in his letter to the Ephesians, he wrote,

As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. [Ephesians 4:1-3, CEV]

And so as we move forward, we can decide to be sensitive to the options that lie in front of us and to be willing to change course, if that’s what we need to do. In other words, we can show the same kind of flexibility shown by the Magi when they were about to head home. And for me, that’s the fourth quality we can adopt.

And I think remembering all this is important, especially as we enter a new year. You see, right now, we have the opportunity to chart our course into 2024. And even though I doubt that any of us will be changing our names, we can decide that we’re going to claim the example left by the Wise Men. You see, like them, we can choose to be focused and open, prepared and flexible. And I’ll tell you, if we do, if we claim their example, our journey into the new year just might be as successful as their journey to Bethlehem.