Today, is the day that we celebrate the
Wiseman, those three travelers come to meet this child who is a King. It is
Epiphany! It is the season of light…the light of the world we know as Jesus is
now visible to a wider range of people. This news of the birth of Jesus has
reached far and wide. This is why it is Epiphany! One might equate it to that
old picture of someone having an idea, in the movies, and it is signified by
the little lightbulb over the head turning on.
I know that sounds like I am
trivializing the birth of Jesus, but I am not. This day is significant because
Jesus is revealed to more witnesses. He is seen not as a little child but as
this new King. This moment in time signifies that God’s truth and light is in
the world! This statement of God being light means that there is nowhere to
hide anymore. God was once seen as being in a far-off place…that God is merely
an observer as to what goes on in the world. WE, tend to think heaven is where
God resides and is in this far-off place and just watches what happens.
Today, we acknowledge the fact that
God is here in the world…in their world and in ours. That changes the dynamics
of everything. It can be a comforting and scary understanding. It is comforting
in that now God will finally see, through Jesus, how tough this world really
is; that there are ways in which the world does not necessarily hold the same
beliefs in who God is or how we are to live in this world. It is comforting to
know that God is here with us, to walk with us and to get an understanding
about the difficulty of living a life of faith…because it is difficult,
especially today.
Here is the scary part. With God in
the world we don’t have the blessing of distance. Using the phrase “there is
nowhere to hide!” God is in the world and will show us, through the life of
Christ, that living a faithful life is difficult! We are held to account by God
in what it means to be a child of God…to be faithful in our lives of
discipleship. It means that “we may want to think that God is in some far-off
place” or outside the room when we say or do something that may not be pleasing
to God or that we ourselves question. It means that God is right here beside
us.
The Good News about this is that it
can be transformative. Jesus is in the world, NOW! God’s only Son comes into
the world…leading us, teaching us, guiding us, AND walking beside us. We are
transformed just knowing that we are not alone in this world that is so broken!
We are a changed people to know that God is no longer far off, but right here
with us and among us!
So, you might be asking,
“why would I want to be transformed?” What is the big deal?! Because
transformation frees us to look to scripture as how we live out our faith in
God. Transformation causes us to refocus our lives and put God and the words
and works of Jesus Christ at the center of what we do in the world and the mark
we leave on the world. It helps us define who we are; Children of God, claimed
by God. It gives us the opportunity to look at our brothers and sisters in
Christ and the stranger as one…not an “us vs. them” …and strive together to do
God’s work in the world. It also helps us to witness the sacrifice of Jesus for
you and for me, without condition, to know that we all matter and are loved by
God.
That may be all well and Good but
what does it specifically have to do with us? Transformation comes in many
different ways and actions. Transformation can be holding back that hurtful
comment, despite our anger or disagreement. Transformation can look like taking
the time to count to ten before reacting, asking ourselves if we really need
this or that, or saying, “It might be what I want to do or say,” but not doing
or saying anything. We all know or have some idea what it is like to blurt out
a reaction and be the one either saying it or receiving it.
Transformation, with Christ’s
light…God’s light in the world can also look like bringing God’s love to the
center of who we are; children of God. Reading God’s word in scripture to help
us better understand who God is in the Old Testament and the New. Understanding
who Jesus is, his mission, Title, and Job description (Yes, Jesus does have a
title and will do something, unselfishly for you and me). With Jesus Christ now
in the world, that little lightbulb might go off in our heads and we may ask
ourselves “how can we bring God’s peace into a world so broken and divided.
The Good thing about this Christ
light in our world is that it can bring out the best in us. Following Christ is
difficult but not impossible, we know that. But when we share God’s light with
our brothers and sisters in the community and in the world, we can be
transformed. When a person needs food, clothing, and/or shelter and we all band
together so that people aren’t left without because Jesus teaches us that…it is
living out our transformation. When we lift each other up when tragedies of
unemployment hit, natural disasters, medical diagnoses, mental illness,
addiction, and the list goes on…when we take time to help those in need there
is a transformation of inner peace…God’s peace in knowing that we answer God’s
call through Jesus to help all our brothers and sisters.
Today the light of Christ is
revealed to a new group of people in the magi. The news of God in the world is
spreading. I am going to ask you to consider two things from this scripture and
from the light now shining in the world:
1)
Knowing that God is now in the world, take
time before reacting.
2)
Do one random act of kindness this week
and write down how this transformed you (did you see God’s light? Did you feel God’s
warmth? How did it feel knowing God was beside you?). We will take time next week to share who we were transformed.
May
this light of God’s Son who is now in the world shine on us and lift us all up.
May we feel strengthened and excited about spreading God’s love in the world,
and may we be transformed in our lives here in this world and may we bring
God’s love and light to all whom we come in contact with:
AMEN
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