Isaiah 42: 5-6

Ephesians 3:2-6

Matthew 2:1-12

Epiphany

Christ revealed. Christ made known to the world, to the masses. Epiphany.

Several years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh was travelling down a Chicago neighbourhood street in his sleek, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted out, but a brick sailed out and WHUMP - it smashed into the Jag's shiny black side door. SCREECH. Brakes slammed. Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown.

Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? " Building up a head of steam, he went on. "That's my new Jag. That brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?”

"Please, mister, please...I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do." pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop." Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE - a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention.

How often do you and I need to have a brick thrown at us to get our attention, to get us to see what is right before us?

The Magi saw a star and knew something very important had happened. We don’t know how many Magi there were, but one thing is certain: The star they saw would have been visible to anyone who was looking. Anyone who was not self-absorbed would have seen it and could have followed it. The Magi had their eyes open, they knew a Messiah was to be born sometime, and they were looking for any sign of that birth. They didn’t need a brick thrown at them. How many others saw the star but thought nothing of it?

Today is Epiphany Sunday. Epiphany is a special time in the church year that is celebrated on January 6, or the Sunday closest to it. The word "epiphany" is from the Greek language, and it means "manifestation" or "showing", or in a way, a “revelation”. Sometimes when we have been struggling with a problem and cannot seem to find a solution, all of a sudden a solution appears, and we have that “ah hah” kind of experience. That is an epiphany—a moment when something becomes clear to us.

From the third century, throughout our Christian church history, the story of the three wise men has been traditionally read on January 6. These men came from the East following a bright star to bring gifts to the child born to be king of the people of Judea. They did not arrive immediately after the birth. It may have been as long as two years after Jesus was born. The story tells us they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold is a gift fit for a king, and it signifies that Jesus is a king. Frankincense is a rare kind of incense that was burned at special times in the temple in Jerusalem by the high priests, signifying a precious sacrifice. And myrrh is a spice used in those days in preparing for burial the bodies of those who had died. The gift of myrrh signifies that Jesus will bring us closer to God through his death.

The story of the wise men reminds us that not only the people of Bethlehem or Nazareth or even Jerusalem will be affected by the life of the child born to Mary and Joseph, but people from far away, too. The Magi also reveal to us an absolutely fundamental theme of Jesus. He taught that everyone on earth is acceptable to God. Differences of tribe, nationhood and race are of no account to God, said Jesus. When we put up barriers between what we believe to be the "good" and the "bad" God passes through those barriers as though they don't exist. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, for whom there is neither Christian nor non-Christian, sinner nor saved, church goer or church ignorer. The coming of the Magi shows us Jesus was born not just to the Jewish people,  but to the gentiles too—all people, all over the world.

Behavioural scientists have discovered that we usually see things that we are prepared to see. This tendency is all centered in a network of nerve cells called the "Reticular Activating System." Everybody has this system—it is an essential part of our brain and nervous system that makes us aware of the world around us. It is especially necessary in helping us sort out what is important to us from all the sights and sounds and other stimuli that bombard our senses all the time, even when we are asleep.

When it comes to sight, or sound, the "Reticular Activating System" works like this: Once something has been brought to our attention, and we have been prepared to see or hear it, we will focus on that sight or sound to the virtual exclusion of all others. We could call it “selective seeing”, or “selective hearing”.  Any of you who have been around teenagers much will be aware of how selective hearing works.

But another aspect of this is that once we have become sensitised to seeing or hearing something in particular, we’ll see it or hear it virtually everywhere we go. How many mothers can distinguish their child’s cry from the cry of a bunch of children? Or for another example, you decide to buy a new car. You make up your mind you are going to buy a certain brand, a certain body style, and a certain color. Now, you’ll see those cars everywhere. You will see them on the roads, in TV advertisements, in newspapers and magazines. They are everywhere. What has happened? They were always there, but the moment you were prepared to see them, your Reticular Activating System kicked in, and suddenly you saw them everywhere.

This kind of thing happens in other areas of life, too. We see what we are prepared to see. If we are prepared to see doom & gloom this year, then that’s what we’ll see. If, on the other hand, we have prepared ourselves to see sunshine & opportunities, then that’s what we are going to see.

Many people overlook God in their lives. They are not tuned in, not sensitised to his presence. Jesus has not been truly revealed to them. Yes, they have heard about him; they have probably heard many of the Bible stories—it is hard not to hear about Moses, and Noah, and Jonah, and David and Goliath, and certainly about Jesus being born in a manger on Christmas day. But because they have not been sensitised to the goodness and love and grace of God, they do not see him in their busy, everyday lives. They have heard of him, but they do not know him.

For those people, you and I are to be their star. Our lives are to be the star over the Christ child. Without us reaching out, there are people who may never know the love of God. To us God has revealed his love through his son Jesus, and it is up to us to show others that Christ is there for them. It is up to you and me to help others have their epiphany experience. It is up to us to be their star.

Amen