“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews. We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”   Matthew 2:2

“Then I heard another voice from heaven say “come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues.”  Revelation 18:4

Today (January 6^th) is the Feast of Epiphany.  For those of you reading this on Thursday, it may not be too late for you to join us for an Epiphany Concert at 6:30 p.m. entitled “In the Company of Angels” by special guests of Calvary, the Gutekunst Flute Choir.  At 7:00 p.m. we will observe Epiphany, the conclusion of the season of Christmas, with worship followed by light snacks.  

Epiphany is most closely associated with the story of the visit of the Magi to Jerusalem recorded in Matthew 2.  Matthew is a particularly “Jewish” gospel in that it begins with a genealogy of Jesus, tracing his lineage back to Abraham and Sarah.

Throughout Matthew we hear him frame the things Jesus did and said with the words “this was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet …”.   Yet Matthew gives us the story of men who come from foreign nations to worship “one who was born king of the Jews.”  Epiphany’s relationship with the Magi affirms that God honors all nations and their peoples – he revealed his son to foreigners before he was revealed even to the priests in Jerusalem.   It is no coincidence that Matthew concludes his gospel with the Great Commission for the followers of Jesus to “make disciples of all nations….”   

The other event that is closely connected with Epiphany is the baptism of Jesus. We will observe that in our worship services this weekend.  This offers us, if not a contradictory message from that of the Magi, at least a cautionary one.  In his baptism Jesus is hailed as God’s son. His followers, those baptized in his name, are to give their allegiance exclusively to Christ.

Revelation 18 is a depiction of the overthrow of a nation called Babylon, referring to the ancient oppressor of Israel, but most likely (in its day) Rome.  Rome is the representative nation that God’s people are called “out of”.  

So how do we square these two Epiphany messages – God calling the nations to him, as with the Magi, and God calling his baptized people out of the nations as Revelation conveys so urgently?  Rome had already, by the writing of Revelation, become a corrupt nation. Its values were far from those of the “holy nation” God set out to build upon the faith of the church.

When a nation’s values become contrary to those of God, God's people, through their baptism (being the ones that God addresses as his people) are told to “come out of her.”  Not literally of course – we can’t up and move away.   But we can, and must, distance ourselves from those values and practices. 

We are to be the worshippers of God, as the Magi of the nations were, who were un-offended by finding a king in a manger rather than a temple- in lowliness and not the seat of power.  

And we must also realize, as the Magi did, that our spiritual worship of God the King requires the placing of allegiance to God above that of nation, and finding in Christ the only thing we adore.  

To God alone the glory … may his light shine upon and within you on this Epiphany Feast.

Pastor Ken Nelson