Arise, Shine

Matthew 2: 1-12; Isaiah 60:1-9

January 6, 2013

 If you drive by this church building between Christmas and January 6, and you are really paying attention, you’ll notice the Moravian star shining in the balcony window at night.  It’s subtle and lovely.

This year I caught sight of it when it was frigidly cold and dark, and I was trying to fill up the car with gas across the street.  The kids were in the back of the car—worn out and cranky from what they described as “being dragged around” all day by me and Charlie.

I pointed the star out to the family, and we turned our eyes away from the cold and dark, and towards this little, beautiful light in the big window of our church.

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and God’s glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 

The Magi saw the light.  These watchers and studiers of the stars noted a new light in the sky, and were compelled to follow it.  The gospel of Matthew does not indicate how these wise people came to know that this star would lead them to the “King of the Jews”, but they knew.  We are only left to assume that God was at work in their traditions, showing them the way through their spiritual and scientific learning.

And being powerful, intelligent people, they went to the leader of the Jews—King Herod—and asked him where this new king was.  And Herod freaked out.

The scripture said he was “frightened, and all of Jerusalem with him.”  Herod and all the people of Jerusalem were terrified by this news for which they had waited and hoped.  They feared he same news that excited the magi.

And yet, Herod gathered his priests and scribes together to find out where the Messiah was to be born.  And they looked at the scripture, which said that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem in the region of Judea.  And, Herod shared this information with the magi.  And the magi went to Bethlehem.

They followed the light—the star—to Bethlehem.  The scripture says that they knew they were in the right place when the star stopped over the house where Jesus and his family were staying.  So they went into the house and they worshipped Jesus.

These wise, perceptive, Gentile magi followed the light of God to the child—God incarnate—and there they were overcome with joy, and they shared their gifts.

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and God glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 

The shepherds were also moved by the light—the light from the angels, from the sky, from the angelic singing—they followed what the angels told them, and there they found that newborn child.  And they worshipped this child.  They followed the light and found the child of God.

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and God’s glory will appear over you. 

Every Friday night, as Shabbat, or Sabbath, begins for the Jewish community, families gather around the table, and welcome the light.  They say a special prayer—a blessing of the candles that they light.

It begins—in Hebrew—like this:  Barukh atah Adonaii, Eloheinu.

The blessing in English is:  Bless are you, Lord our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who sanctifies us with the commandments and commanded us to light the lights of Shabbat.  AMEN.

Every Sabbath, Jews around the world welcome the light by lighting the candle, gesturing for the light to come to them, then they hold their hands over their eyes, to hold the light inside of them.

That light is a symbol of the Source, God.  And it shows all who are open to it, the direction God is calling them to.

Today is Epiphany.  It’s not often that Epiphany falls on a Sunday—it’s always 12 days after Christmas—so sometimes it gets overlooked .  We tend to be over Christmas by the day after Christmas.  We get to the manger—with the full cast of characters—and the story trails off, just as Christmas is beginning.

But Christmas starts on Christmas day and lasts for 12 days.  We have 12 days to focus on the beauty of this newborn child, this son of the most high God.  And then we focus our time and attention at Epiphany on the life of Jesus.  We move from baby adoration to discipleship .  We are—during this time between Epiphany and Lent, being shown the way to Jesus.

In truth, this happened during Christmastide too.  The shepherds were shown the way to Jesus, when they listened to the angels.  The magi were shown the star for years before they encountered Jesus.  This happened just as the prophet Isaiah said it would.  The glory of the Lord appeared over them, the light rose and in the darkness.

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 

Today—on Epiphany—we welcome the light.  We embrace it and hold it.  The light shines within us, and it leads us in the coming months to follow in the way of Jesus, God incarnate, the word made flesh.

Let us use this Epiphany to see Jesus.  Let’s use this time between now and Lent to let the light shine on the life of Jesus, to be inspired by his words, his actions, his questions, his trials.

May the epiphany light—the one that guided the shepherds and magi, the one that shines here in the darkness of winter, guide you to Christ, our example.

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. AMEN.