Sunday, January 6, 2019

By Another Road




Isaiah 60:1-6
1Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 
2For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. 
3 Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 
4Lift 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. 
5Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, a because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 
6A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.

This is the Word of the LORD
Thanks be to God

Matthew 2:1-12
1In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 
4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

6'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" 

7Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." 

9When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was 10When they saw that the star had stopped, g they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

This is the Word of the LORD
Thanks be to God.


What do you mean, “They left for their own country by another road?”

The messenger in front of me is trembling. I don’t much care. He’s standing before the throne of Kind Herod, and he’s brought me bad news. I am not only the King of the Jews, I also have the support of the Roman Empire keeping me on this throne. This trembling man is wise to fear my fury.

I lean in and narrow my gaze, unwilling to repeat my question. Kings don’t repeat themselves.

This whole thing began a month or so ago. I received word from the Roman authorities that their sentries had seen a caravan traveling from the east. It probably started in Babylon, and although the quickest route was across the desert, most travelers preferred the safer northern route sometimes called the Kings road. Merchants come and go all the time, so I didn’t pay much attention to the report.

Then a messenger arrived, apparently this caravan was diplomatic, rather than economic. They weren’t here to sell their gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they were here to give it away. Diplomatic visitors aren’t all that uncommon here in Jerusalem. I’m a king, and kings sometimes receive visitors and homage from other nations. I granted these wise men who were leading the caravan an audience, and assembled my full court so that the people could see these foreign dignitaries showing proper respect to me, King Herod.

They came into my throne room, my throne room. They came into my presence asking “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”” Immediately my mind flashed with the stories from Judah’s past. King Saul had been removed from the throne by the boy David. Many kings of the old Northern Kingdom of Israel had been deposed in a revolving door of religious and political violence. The men who had sat on my throne, kings of Judah, at the time when Babylon invaded again and again. Here I am, Herod the King of the Jews, supported not only by my own kingdom but also by the might of Rome, and these wise men from the East are telling me that unto us a child is born, who is King of the Jews?

I can read the fear on the faces of my subjects in the room. I tell myself to step up, to quiet their fear. Part of Rome’s support of my rule is because they expect me to keep the peace, to maintain law and order in a way they could not. I feel the fear in my own heart, but cover it up with anger. “There is no child here. I am Herod, the king of the Jews. You may pay me homage.”

The wise men simply replied “We observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” Their certainty was more frightening to me than the history playing in my imagination. This was something new, something different. Word spread throughout the whole city. I was frightened, and all Jerusalem with me.

I wondered if maybe I might avoid the violent fate of other kings in my position, if instead of resisting this change to which the heavens testified, I might join it and maintain an important post as advisor to the new King, much the way I maintained my kingship under Roman authority. I needed to know more. Calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, I inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told me “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.”

The Messiah is at hand? The Christ is born in Bethlehem? God is with us now?
The Messiah is at hand! The Christ is born in Bethlehem! God is with us now!

Change your hearts and lives, God is fulfilling the promise he has made from the beginning. “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 his 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, a because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.”

No more scraping and bowing to Roman governors, no more tribute to foreign kings. No more lives broken by sin and ruled by darkness. We can rise from our grief, our light has come! I won’t have to hold on to every ounce of power I can, I can live in the presence of the LORD and that will be enough. I must greet this child who has come to set all nations free from their bondage!

I secretly called the wise men from the caravan, the ones who were laden with gold, frankincense, and myrrh to pay homage to the child who has been born in Bethlehem. We talked about the signs that brought them here. They told me when the child had been born, or rather, the exact time when the star had appeared. I told them “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” Their excitement grew, and they promised me that they would, and that when they returned we would celebrate together the child who has been born King of the Jews.

We ended the meeting, and I wandered through my grand palace. I remembered the traditions of the kings who have gone before, the way we’ve always done things. This new King would bring changes.

This new King would bring changes, and the Romans supported my rule so that I could keep order, maintain the status quo the way they wanted it. How many people in Jerusalem would suffer if I didn’t maintain the social order. I am a King too, I have responsibility to keep the peace, to make the people happy.

I felt my heart hardening inside me. No, there would be no homage to this newborn king. I had too much to lose. This is the time of King Herod! My time! I will not be changed or put off of the throne I have earned. I will be King, not some pretender from Bethlehem. Jerusalem is the seat of Israel, not some small village, I don’t believe in astrology anyway!

I summoned the wise men again. I made sure I knew all the details, I pretended to be interested in worship, but I mean to control this child so that I can stay in control. I will raise him in the palace and shape this Christ until he meets all my expectations. I will make God in the image of King Herod so that he supports the kingship of Herod in all things. So I sent the wise men to Bethlehem, saying, “God and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

When they had heard me, they set out. Which brings us back to this timid messenger standing in front of me.

“Your majesty, it seems the wise men from the East have tricked you. After they went down to Bethlehem, they left for their own country by another road.”

I decide to let a my rage show just a bit, to remind my court, all those listening, of what happens when someone angers a king. “By another road? They’re crossing the desert to avoid my hospitality? Call my personal guard. They will hear my voice in and around Bethlehem.”

In the quiet after my guards went down to Bethlehem and its surrounding area, I began to wonder.

I wonder what would have happened if I had paid homage, rather than lip service. I wonder what would have happened if I had joined those wise men in their pilgrimage, rather than trying to keep up my own importance. I wonder what would have happened if I had acted in faith, rather than fear. I wonder if I could have served in heaven, rather than ruling here? I wonder, if I had let myself be transformed, rather than trying to justify myself, would I be overwhelmed with joy, instead of consumed by guilt?

My slothful heart refused the guidance of God’s light. I wonder, if I followed the star of grace, and had sought the face of the child who has been born king of the Jews, would I be able to join the endless song thankful praise?

I wonder, could I have travelled by another road?

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