Memorial Moment: Some Royal Court

Matthew

2:1-12

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.

After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (ESV)

Some Royal Court

Friday of Christmas 1

4 January 2013

What kind of royal court does our newborn king gather around Him? Poor indeed. He accepts the incompetent, stumbling, pagan Magi, whom we have called wise men. And why? What good could they bring to the situation? What assets could they offer to His royal authority?

The answer is very simple and is tied directly to the kind of king this Baby claims to be. He is the God for us. Not we for Him. Like the Magi, we bring nothing to the table. We have no negotiating chips. We offer Him nothing of value.

This is why His name is majestic in all the earth (Ps 8:1 ). He condescends to reveal Himself to those who come bringing nothing but their failure. He opens his royal court to those who bring to Him the burden of death. He embraces those who cannot take care of themselves without divine intervention. He seeks and saves those who are lost. A star shall come out of Jacob for those who cannot find their way without the light that He sends. He saves those who were spoiled by the demonic powers by freeing them from their bondage. He saves Gentile Magi like us. He saves us because He is for us.

Leo the Great

"The wise men were led into Bethlehem by obeying the guidance of the star. They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy, as the evangelist has told us, And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh (Mt 2:10-11 ). What wondrous faith of perfect knowledge, which was taught them not by earthly wisdom, but by the instruction of the Holy Spirit! How did it come to be that these men, who had left their country without having seen Jesus, and now had not noticed anything in His looks to encourage such obvious adoration, observed this method in offering their gifts? Unless it was that besides the appearance of the star, which attracted their bodily eyes, the more refulgent rays of truth taught their hearts that before they started on their toilsome road, they must understand that He was meant to whom was owed in gold royal honor, in incense divine adoration, in myrrh the acknowledgment of mortality. Such a belief and understanding no doubt, as far as the enlightenment of their faith went, might have been sufficient for themselves and have prevented their using their bodily eyes in inquiring into that which they had beheld with their minds fullest gaze.

"Their wise diligence, persevering till they found the child, did good service for future peoples and for the people of our time. Just as it profited us all that the apostle Thomas, after the Lords resurrection, handled the traces of the wounds in His flesh, so it was of advantage to us that His infancy should be attested by the visit of the wise men. And so the wise men saw and adored the Child of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of David according to the flesh (Rm 1:3), made from a woman, made under the law (Gal 4:4), which He had come not to abolish but to fulfill (Mt 2:10-11 ). They saw and adored the Child, small in size, powerless to help others, incapable of speech, and in no way different from the general way of human children. Because the testimonies were trustworthy which asserted in Him the majesty of invisible Godhead, so it ought to be impossible to doubt that the Word became flesh (Jn 1:14 ) and the eternal essence of the Son of God took mans true nature. Therefore, neither the inexpressible marvels of his acts which were to follow or the infliction of sufferings which He had to bear would overthrow the mystery of our faith by their apparent inconsistency. This is essential because none can be justified except those who believe the Lord Jesus to be both true God and true Man."

Leo the Great, Sermon on the Feast of the Epiphany, 4.3

Prayer

O God, by the leading of a star You once made known to all nations Your only begotten Son; now lead us, who know you by faith, to know in heaven the fullness of Your divine goodness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. (Collect for Epiphany)

For the family of Tim Theiss, who was bereaved of his mother, Florence, that they would grieve as those who have hope in the resurrection of the flesh and the life of the world to come

For Jan Clements, that God her heavenly Father would grant healing to her

For all military chaplains, especially Chaplain Donald Ehrke (Major, US Army), that God would be with them in their duties and give them good courage to speak for the Prince of Peace

Art: CORREGGIO Nativity Holy Night (1528-30)