Seeing Differently

Matthew Kilpatrick

January 7, 2024

Yesterday was the day of the Epiphany of the Lord. It is the day that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ being revealed to the Gentiles, mainly a few wise men or kings and their camp who came with gifts to visit Jesus and celebrate his birth. Here's what the Upper Room says about it.

“Epiphany is the day and the season of the church year when we patiently watch and listen as God is quietly revealed before us once again. Sometimes, even when we try hard to do so, we just don't see God in our everyday lives or in the events of our troubled world. Epiphany gives us the time and the resources to watch, wait, listen, look, anticipate, and discern the light, life, and truth of the Lord's presence in our midst.”

 It goes on to say, “Epiphany is the time when the church gathers to remember and reflect on the mighty acts of God and the birth of Jesus Christ. As we watch and wait for the light of Christ to overcome the darkness, we see the Christ child who will become a prophet, healer, teacher, and savior. Much of the story remains to be told, but the Biblical readings for epiphany remind us of the direction in which this one sacred life is moving. Here was life at its purest and best. Life lived as it should be lived. Life that came from God, walked with God in the world, and would one day be fully with God in the world to come (John 13:3).”

 In studying the story of Epiphany this week, I found it interesting how it is a microcosm of the life of Christ. Missed by most, persecuted by some, and recognized, celebrated, and experienced by just a few. In both stories, it is easy to ask the question, “How could they miss that? With all that scripture pointed to, how could people miss this moment?”

But, because so many people did miss it, in so many ways, the question we should be asking is, “What was it about the wise men that helped them to recognize it and to see what everyone else missed?” Because most people missed God, seeing him was the anomaly.

 Even throughout scripture, it is not uncommon for people to miss divine interventions. In Luke 24, two disciples of Christ didn’t recognize Jesus as he walked with them down the road. It reads, “That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all the things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.”

Then, in verse 31, after hanging out with Jesus unaware for a bit, their eyes were opened. They said, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?”

In our passage, in the rest of the Bible, and even in our own lives, it seems to be the norm for most people to miss God and his activity here on earth. So, what is it about those who don’t miss God? What is it about those who see, recognize, respond to, and celebrate God’s activity here on earth? Is it by certain preparation? Is it divine intervention? Perhaps if we can learn what led to the wise men’s intuitive understanding or epiphany, maybe we can see differently too.

 We don’t know much about the wise men, but we do make a lot of assumptions about them. What know they came from the East, and in earlier times the term “wise man” would have referred to a priest or a master of mysteries from Babylon or Persia. But in the time of Christ, a wise man could have meant one of those or an astrologer, dream interpreter, studier of sacred writings, person who pursued wisdom, or magician.

 Imagine them being early scientists, if you will. They were the studiers of stuff. In this instance, the object of their study was the sky. Based on what they knew of the ancient prophecy and their observation of God's creation, something big had happened. And they were right. They knew the exact meaning of the star they; it meant the king of the Jews had been born. This group of Gentiles had to make this announcement to those in the palace and the temple.

 Now let's look at the other side of the story - Herod and the Jewish leaders. If the magi were paying attention to God and his activity through his creation, what do you think Herod and the temple priests were paying attention to? Because it sure doesn’t look like it was God.

 Herod was appointed king by the Romans. He was not Jewish by blood, but he was a practicing Jew. This might have been to keep the bonds strong and tensions low between the Jews and the Romans. Who knows? Either way, we see a few verses later that he was not focused on God.

Verse 16 says, “Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.”

 Then you have the priests, scribes, and rabbis. What had their attention? Well, that one is easy. Herod. They jumped when he said “jump” and moved when he said “move.” Even after both Herod and the wise men pointed them back to Scripture, the temple leaders still looked to Herod for direction.

 Unfortunately, that wasn't the only time that God's people paid more attention to a man or a man-made organization than to God. It happened in the Old Testament when the Israelites demanded a king. It happened here in the story of the magi. It happened throughout the life of Christ. And it's still happening with Christians every single day.

There are so many things that have more of our attention than God does. Sports stars, movie stars, political stars, the government - and the list goes on. It even happens within the church at times when the congregation pays more attention to teachers, leaders, or pastors than to God.

Like the wise men, regardless of our place in society or the church, we must stay focused on God. Not that we can't notice all these other things. We can. We are just not meant to serve them. This is true even for the church. The church must be the vessel through which we come to know Christ and serve God - not the idol that we serve instead of him.

The second difference between the wise men and those in Jerusalem is that the wise men were ready to move when they received the announcement. Their journey would have been at least 40 days if they had come from the assumed Babylon. That would have been quite the trek in their time. They probably lived somewhat of a nomadic lifestyle anyway, but traveling 800 miles with gifts in tow says a lot about their response to Christ.

Herod, on the other hand, sent some scholars to verify the announcement in scripture and then asked the wise men to report back what they found. But that was more than likely only to accomplish his evil plan. Since Bethlehem was only six miles away, it would have taken him only a few hours to investigate for himself. It is unclear whether he would have found Jesus there, but either way, he stayed put.

As for the rest of the Jewish faithful? Verse 3 says “that all of Jerusalem was troubled with him.” Him, being Herod. But other than that, you don't hear much about them, which says a lot about their response. I think it is fair to say that they were a bit stuck in their ways.

The magi were ready to move and be moved. And because they were, they got to be a part of the story of Christ. They got to meet Jesus and his mother Mary. And when they did, they had the opportunity to impact his life with their gifts. Their gifts not only symbolized what awaited him on his journey to the cross; they were instrumental in the days to come when Jesus, Joseph, and Mary fled to Egypt to escape Herod's decree to eliminate the threat to his throne. Herod’s act perfectly exemplified Proverbs 16:2 and 21:2. Proverbs 16:2 says, “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,” and 21:2 says, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes.” This means that in our lives, and also in the story of the magi, everyone always thinks that what they are doing is right. Herod, Jewish leadership, and the wise men all thought they were justified in their own understanding of right. But only one group found themselves on the right side of the story.

So how do we make sure that the right that we are justifying looks like the trek of the magi and not the assault of Herod and the Jewish rulers? Thankfully, there is a Proverb for that, too. Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

God knows what we are seeking. He sees our hearts. The question is, do we? Because whatever has taken root in our hearts is setting the parameters for our justification. We must get our hearts right because, to us, our actions will always appear to be right. This is why David asked God multiple times to examine and inspect his heart. It was the root of all the actions that he would justify.

The magi were seeking to honor God. That was their desire and goal, and what was on their hearts. And their “right” was tied to it. Herod’s desire was to preserve the throne. That is what led to his “right.” The temple leaders served Herod; making him happy is what justified their actions.

And the different things that flowed from the individual hearts and desires provide our third comparison between the magi, Herod, and the temple. It comes to the surface after the wise men leave the house of Jesus and Mary. The wise men had a dream in which they were warned not to go back by way of Herod. Verse 12 says, “They departed to their own country in another way because of it.”

They changed their course to protect Christ and God's plan for him. The plan was carried out because the magi paid attention to and were moved by God. Their change in course indicates that God disrupted their plans.

Our friends back in Jerusalem affirmed that it was God’s hand moving in the text and they had at least an inkling of affirmation that God had made good on the Old Testament prophecies of a Messiah. But they chose to attack the plan in an attempt to stop it instead of celebrating it, simply because they saw the change it would cause.

So, instead of drawing near to God and walking through it in step with him, they resisted and even fought the change that came from God. One was ready for God’s disrupting momentum; the other fought to prevent it.

You know, this difference in behavior illustrates the two different types of prayer lives I see in Christians. Like the wise men, one is rooted in active listening, study, and connection. We go to God in prayer, seeking him for direction, strength, and protection as we walk out what he is calling us to, in awe and appreciation for him.

The other type of prayer is what we see in Herod and the Jewish leaders, where we just arrange for God to grease the gears of our design. This prayer life is overrun with our words and rituals but lacks connection to the heart of God. It makes us numb to God’s response to our petitions. It’s a prayer life of leaving God voice messages detailing what we need him to do without ever hearing His voice for ourselves.

Thankfully, the wise men weren't the only ones who were paying attention to God, ready to move, and listening to their prayers and dreams. Right after our passage and just before verse 16, it says, “An Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.”

The epiphany story from Matthew can teach us a lot of things. It shows how people respond differently to the same situation based on their own desires and perspectives. We see that our seat in the church, government, or society doesn’t guarantee we’ll see God or even be on his side when he moves. It is a matter of the heart. Just as Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

The good news is that we can be justified in Christ. This justification offers us a ticket, through a pure heart, that invites us to see God live and in person. By receiving Christ, we have an opportunity to grab a front-row seat with an invitation to get in the game when called. And in just a few moments we will celebrate that invitation in the sacrament of Communion. But before we do, let's work with God to prepare our hearts and minds to receive it.

Let's first make sure that it is God who has our attention and our hearts, even if it is just for the next few moments. That he is the one we are trying to serve - not trends, superstars, political parties, or even the pastor. Then let's stay somewhat spiritually nomadic if we can, simply because that will allow us to move when God calls. Lastly, when we recognize that God is up to something, let's do our best to be a part of it and celebrate it, rather than fighting it.

But before we start that three-step Epiphany process, we must take a good look at our hearts and prayer lives. Why do we want what we want? Is it for us, for someone or something else, or is it for God? In prayer, are we listening or just spewing words? Because a conversation with God goes both ways and is best done from a place close to him, a place prepared by Jesus himself. A place that is so close to him that we can take on his heart and see the truth of our own through a conversation that leads to a connection. That connection all but guarantees that the right that we seek and justify is according to God’s plan and his heart, and not our own. A place of epiphany is available to each of us because of God’s grace and love for all of us. But be warned. It will cause you to see things differently.

Let us pray,

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us to pay more attention to you and to be ready to move when you call. Help us to know and desire your will and keep such a connection with you that even our best-laid plans can be changed by yours. Thank you for continuing to speak to us and reach us in ways that we will understand if we will just look to you. Father, help us to look to you first in all that we do. May those with eyes to see, see. And with ears to hear, hear. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.