Gifts to the King: Epiphany, Mission, and Transformation

So do all the kings and rulers of the earth, even presidents and prime ministers and and leaders around the world today. Every one of us actually is going to give an account before this king of how we have lived and how we have stewarded the gifts god gave to us. There's a political as well as a personal edge to this gospel. [00:34:12] (20 seconds)  #StewardYourGifts

They bring him gold. Gold is a gift fit for a king. It's what crowns are usually made of. And the gift shows that the wise men are in the presence of a great king, a high king, one actually to whom they they need to give homage and allegiance to this king. So do we. So does Herod actually. [00:33:48] (24 seconds)  #GoldForTheKing

And finally, they offer him myrrh. Myrrh was used as a perfume in the ancient world. It was also used as a medicine. In the gospel, myrrh was mixed with wine and offered to Jesus as he hung, dying upon the cross in Mark chapter 15 verse 23. And it was also used according to John 19 to prepare Jesus' body for burial. So in the gospel, myrrh points us to the death of Christ, to the burial of Christ, to the cross of Christ. [00:36:30] (32 seconds)  #MyrrhAndTheCross

They were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, but they departed to their own country by another way. Some of the early church fathers including Saint Gregory the Great suggest a spiritual reading to that passage as well. The wise men have come and they have met with Jesus and they have offered their gifts to Jesus and because of that, the way they go out is different than the way they came in because they've been with Jesus. They've offered their gifts to the Lord and savior. They have met the incarnate God. And so when they go out, they go out differently than they came in. That's what meeting Jesus does for people. [00:38:02] (42 seconds)  #TransformedByJesus

Their gods are almost all forgotten except by specialists. I mean, how many people today in Japan are worshiping and praying to the ancient gods of Egypt? Nobody. How many people in Africa are calling upon Thor and Odin and the ancient gods of the Norse? Nobody. How many Russians are calling upon the deities of the ancient Canaanites like Marduk and these people? Nobody. [00:30:14] (27 seconds)  #ForgottenGods

So we're starting a new year. I'm glad to see a good a good crew here, as we start a new year in worshiping together. A lot of people of course begin the new year by looking at their life and saying, how I do want things to be different? How do I wanna grow? How do how do I want things to be better? How do I wanna be better this year? And I think that's a great question to ask. Ask it like this, how does Jesus want me to be different this year? How does Jesus want me to grow and to change? [00:41:54] (28 seconds)  #HowDoesJesusWantMe

And they started singing a song in their own language, and we all knew that song. It was God is so good except in Korean. And people from all the nations streaming into the holy city. Why? To worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To do exactly what the prophet says. And I can tell you this because I was one of these folks. They bring their treasure with them and they make donations in the churches and they pour money into the local economy and the very things that Isaiah said would happen, happened. Unlikely as it seemed. [00:31:08] (33 seconds)  #NationsWorship

And maybe for some people, as you're thinking about maybe how does God want me to be different this year? Maybe some of us need to be praying about this question. Do I need to go be one of those people who goes to another land as a missionary? Do I need to find out what opportunities there are? Do I need to go to seminary? Is God maybe calling me to become a pastor? [00:43:43] (20 seconds)  #CalledToGo