A Legacy of Generosity
Matthew 2:1-12
Only in the book of Matthew do we find this marvelous, memorable story about the wise men, the Magi. Matthew was also the only Gospel writer to include the genealogy of Jesus, all 41 generations’ worth. He purposefully included these, and other select passages, because he was writing to an all-Jewish audience. They knew the Torah, the laws, and prophesies well, and would have read with great interest and knowledge about this visit to Bethlehem by Magi following a bright star, bringing specially-chosen gifts to a child named Jesus.
For any devoted Jew who read or heard this Scripture with an open, teachable heart, there would have been three compelling revelations: the one named Jesus the Christ is their King of all Kings, their rightful High Priest, and the Promised Messiah, their Redeemer. Today we’ll explore who the mysterious Magi were and in particular what was so significant about the gifts they gave Jesus before they bowed down to worship Him as their God.
The word Magi is plural, but no one knows how many visitors actually arrived in Bethlehem. The Eastern Church believes there were 12, others think only three because that’s how many gifts were given. The size of their group wasn’t of great interest to Matthew’s Jewish audience; what was stunning was knowing there were eyewitness accounts of Magi from the East in Bethlehem, the city foretold to be the birthplace of the Promised Messiah. Magi were very well-educated, often wealthy, and usually served as powerful advisors to kings. To hold that office they would have studied many subjects, like history, religion, astrology, medicine, philosophy, mathematics, business, foreign languages, forms of government, etc.
Hold that in your mind as we take a detour further back in time to the story of Daniel in the Bible. He was an Israelite from the royal family, in exile with his people in Babylon. He was already versed in every branch of wisdom and knowledge, so King Nebuchadnezzar selected him to be part of a group of Hebrews to receive three years of higher education; they would go on to become advisers to the King’s court. They were said to be ten times wiser than the rest of the advisers, considered “rab- mag”, or chief Wise Men.
Now back to Matthew’s gospel. The Magi that trekked to Bethlehem had to have read the Torah and the prophets to know that specific signs would occur and lead them to the promised Savior. The Jews themselves knew the prophesies, but couldn’t perceive Christ’s advent, his coming. And the Jews were convinced he would only be their King and Lord. After all, they were God’s chosen people! But the Wise Men read that same Scripture and understood that God’s expansive love included salvation for all. The Jews were selected among all the people groups on the earth to be God’s chosen messengers, bringing light and hope to all who lived in the land of sin and darkness. What the Jews' minds could not understand, nor their hearts receive, was plainly seen and keenly anticipated by the Magi.
Imagine their excitement as they travelled together for several months. They had banded together from three different regions, and no doubt had lively conversations as they were guided by an exceptionally bright star. Each learned man was searching for God, who had promised to come to earth. We know they believed that because of the gifts they bought and brought to Jesus. Each gift was prophetic because it pointed to the true identity of Jesus as Christ. These were not at all like gifts given as diplomatic gestures by ambassadors from a foreign nation.
Gold is the first gift listed by Matthew, and I think he did that on purpose. Gold has long been an offering given to a King. It isn’t given because kings lack wealth - their treasuries are immense. Gold is an offering given because the King is worthy. It was a tribute showing their highest respect, a sign that acknowledges their royalty and power. The gold placed before Jesus was an unmistakable sign by some of the wisest, most revered people living on earth at the time that they acknowledged Jesus as their divine King.
But the gold was also a very practical gift. God chose two parents for His son who were poor. Shortly after the Magi headed back home Mary and Joseph had to quickly leave because King Herod (the one Rome appointed as “King of the Jews”) wanted no competition for his throne. The holy family ended up fleeing far away to Egypt for a number of years, so the gold given to them provided for their needs. Isn’t it amazing how God used the gold as a sign of kingship and it took good care of Jesus’ family. Even the wisest of the Wise Men could not have foreseen that that God-infused blessing.
Frank (white) incense was another gift. It’s a cloudy- white gum resin from a tree that was burned as an act of worship in God’s temple. The fragrance is pungent and unforgettable. I love the small of frankincense. Its use is also special: it’s never burned at Temple with sin offerings; it’s always reserved for thanks and praise offerings. Frankincense symbolizes praise and especially prayer and is associated with the priesthood. So when the Magi presented this aromatic incense to Jesus it was a sign of His role as great High Priest among all priests. On a more practical level frankincense has some medicinal properties and it is very expensive. It could have been sold and also used to provide for Jesus and his family.
Myrrh, the third gift, is also a gum resin. A myrrh tree is pierced deep into its heartwood and oil droplets come out. But when exposed to the air the droplets turn red and resin-like and are called tears. The Old Testament says the Messiah will be pierced for our transgressions, our sins. Wanting to see if Jesus had died yet, a soldier pierced his side with his spear. Red droplets appeared, a sign he was still alive.
Myrrh is a reminder of Jesus’ suffering on a cross for us, and it is also a burial spice that was commonly placed between the layers of cloth wrapping someone who has died. Have you ever thought about how Jesus was born into this world for the purpose of dying for our sins? And do you realize that when he hung on a cross, a soldier offered him a sponge with some vinegar and myrrh on it, because myrrh is also a powerful painkiller. But Jesus refused. I have often wondered what Mary and Joseph thought when this last gift was put before their son’s feet. Its use at burials was common knowledge. How frightening was it for them to see the wisest men on earth reverently place this gift before their precious son?
Before they could dwell on that sobering offering, the wise men all bent low to the ground and worshipped the Christ child as their King, High Priest and Savior. Grown men, likely aged ones, wealthy and powerful men, had the wisdom and the faith to know it was God in the flesh before them. So they worshipped a toddler boy. He may have been wide-eyed and curious, staring and smiling at them. What amazing faith it took to worship a toddler! But the magi were very wise and that day they saw in Jesus what others would not be able to see until after his death and resurrection. There was a King in that cradle at Bethlehem, deity wore diapers as a toddler, and the Redeemer of not just the Jews but of the world probably wished he’d been given presents that were more fun to play with than theirs!
One important lesson for us today from the Magi is the reminder to worship Jesus. In this New Year it’s my prayer that you will each be devoted to tuning in to worship at the Ballston Spa UMC regularly. It may be your habit to do this on a Sunday, but if not, don’t let the week move along without making time to worship God, whatever place or time or means you may use. We honor God and are refreshed and blessed when we worship God.
The Magi also remind us to be thoughtful and generous givers. Their gifts were not last-minute items picked up in an outdoor marketplace; they weren’t randomly selected either. They were gifts fit for a king, suitable for a High Priest and necessary for one who would die so that we might have eternal life.
The gifts were also very expensive. It wasn’t a small cost, a pittance they would never miss, but a huge and perhaps sacrificial amount. Have you ever wondered why they were so generous? It wasn’t to impress others; they didn’t gather any officials or other onlookers. And they may have been wise, but they couldn’t have predicted a poor young couple would need significant financial assistance. They were generous because at the end of their studies and long journey, they believed their search would end with meeting God. They didn’t feel reluctant or stingy - they felt eager and filled with joy.
We just had Christmas celebrations in our own homes a few weeks ago. Don’t we all know the excitement that’s felt when you find a perfect gift that suits someone? You feel joy watching them open it and are thrilled when they love it. The Magi gave gifts as a sign of their reverence, but also their own personal joy in finding and seeing God after a long search, maybe a lifetime’s search.
I hope you gained more insight into the magi and their gifts today, but I also want there to be practical life-application lessons for our lives. I’ve encouraged you to worship God, just as we know the Magi did long ago. But giving gifts like gold, frankincense, and myrrh – that would be odd and impractical these days. Well, maybe not the gold, we could work with that!
What are some generous and practical ways we can give to gifts God? During these cold January days when we are inside quarantining, our options may seem limited, but I assure you they are not! Here are some suggestions for how we can rise and shine God’s light, love and truth in this season of Epiphany.
This month some in our church who knew and appreciated Shirley MacMillan are honoring her life and devotion to our church by giving money in memory of her. Her past generosity blessed us and now in her passing, her family invites us to be generous. If you knew Shirley you may wish to give such a gift. We also have Memorial giving with different ways to designate your gifts; just call our church office for more information.
Practical gifts are also wonderful: Do you know the church uses a lot of stamps? We now mail out Ministry Matters along with my sermons to close to 30 households that cannot easily access information online. These mailings have been very appreciated; it’s keeping people connected to our church, plus several people say they share my sermon with neighbors or family members. So, if you wanted to donate stamps, I promise you they would soon be put to good use!
Homemade meals are another amazing gift. Some in our church drop off a meal or dessert for others they may know who are sick. But sometimes a family or individual has longer-term health problems, or they are not very well known in the church. In those cases, the staff and I would love to be able to coordinate sending some frozen meals like soups or casseroles (labeled with ingredients in case of allergies or dietary restrictions). If you have the time, and enjoy cooking or baking, please reach me or the office. I can promise you that meals (or desserts) from your home to church folks would bring comfort and joy.
Another gift to share is yourself! We all need encouragement, humor, kindness, and some good company each week. That can happen by forming a circle with others in the church, online and or through phone calls. We can help you with your technical needs, so start dreaming up what sounds good to you. Maybe start a prayer and share group midweek? How about a Christian book club? There will be an upcoming new Bible study on Women in the Bible, so check that out. I hope you’ll get thinking, or googling about ideas because there are so many possibilities for connecting, and when we do we can be a gift to others and they can be our gift.
Families, your lives remain busy. I’ve heard you’re reading and enjoying the new devotional books we gave you in December! You can generously bless the rest of us in the church by sending recent pictures of your kids. We want to see how they’ve grown and hear what they’re doing because we miss them! Send us passages or quotes from your devotionals that you like or share other things that are blessing you. If any kids or teens want to create cards or color pictures with a “Jesus loves you” message, we can give those out to our sick and elderly members, or put them in our Food Pantry bags.
We are also looking for some folks to be creative and come up with fundraisers. If you are gifted with creativity or organization skills, offer yourself as part of a team looking to meet our church’s financial needs. We have many faithful givers, but we honestly do need to supplement the giving of our members. Like Mary and Joseph, we need funds as we continue to journey on the road through an unexpected crisis, which for us is this lengthy pandemic.
My sisters and brothers in Christ, it’s my hope and prayer that we’ll be known for our faith, our love and our generosity as a church. I will always do my utmost to lead by example, but so many of you amaze me every day. Together, may our gifts given to God in worship, and gifts given that meet practical needs and spiritual needs, be generous. Just as generous as God has been with us!
Amen.
For any devoted Jew who read or heard this Scripture with an open, teachable heart, there would have been three compelling revelations: the one named Jesus the Christ is their King of all Kings, their rightful High Priest, and the Promised Messiah, their Redeemer. Today we’ll explore who the mysterious Magi were and in particular what was so significant about the gifts they gave Jesus before they bowed down to worship Him as their God.
The word Magi is plural, but no one knows how many visitors actually arrived in Bethlehem. The Eastern Church believes there were 12, others think only three because that’s how many gifts were given. The size of their group wasn’t of great interest to Matthew’s Jewish audience; what was stunning was knowing there were eyewitness accounts of Magi from the East in Bethlehem, the city foretold to be the birthplace of the Promised Messiah. Magi were very well-educated, often wealthy, and usually served as powerful advisors to kings. To hold that office they would have studied many subjects, like history, religion, astrology, medicine, philosophy, mathematics, business, foreign languages, forms of government, etc.
Hold that in your mind as we take a detour further back in time to the story of Daniel in the Bible. He was an Israelite from the royal family, in exile with his people in Babylon. He was already versed in every branch of wisdom and knowledge, so King Nebuchadnezzar selected him to be part of a group of Hebrews to receive three years of higher education; they would go on to become advisers to the King’s court. They were said to be ten times wiser than the rest of the advisers, considered “rab- mag”, or chief Wise Men.
Now back to Matthew’s gospel. The Magi that trekked to Bethlehem had to have read the Torah and the prophets to know that specific signs would occur and lead them to the promised Savior. The Jews themselves knew the prophesies, but couldn’t perceive Christ’s advent, his coming. And the Jews were convinced he would only be their King and Lord. After all, they were God’s chosen people! But the Wise Men read that same Scripture and understood that God’s expansive love included salvation for all. The Jews were selected among all the people groups on the earth to be God’s chosen messengers, bringing light and hope to all who lived in the land of sin and darkness. What the Jews' minds could not understand, nor their hearts receive, was plainly seen and keenly anticipated by the Magi.
Imagine their excitement as they travelled together for several months. They had banded together from three different regions, and no doubt had lively conversations as they were guided by an exceptionally bright star. Each learned man was searching for God, who had promised to come to earth. We know they believed that because of the gifts they bought and brought to Jesus. Each gift was prophetic because it pointed to the true identity of Jesus as Christ. These were not at all like gifts given as diplomatic gestures by ambassadors from a foreign nation.
Gold is the first gift listed by Matthew, and I think he did that on purpose. Gold has long been an offering given to a King. It isn’t given because kings lack wealth - their treasuries are immense. Gold is an offering given because the King is worthy. It was a tribute showing their highest respect, a sign that acknowledges their royalty and power. The gold placed before Jesus was an unmistakable sign by some of the wisest, most revered people living on earth at the time that they acknowledged Jesus as their divine King.
But the gold was also a very practical gift. God chose two parents for His son who were poor. Shortly after the Magi headed back home Mary and Joseph had to quickly leave because King Herod (the one Rome appointed as “King of the Jews”) wanted no competition for his throne. The holy family ended up fleeing far away to Egypt for a number of years, so the gold given to them provided for their needs. Isn’t it amazing how God used the gold as a sign of kingship and it took good care of Jesus’ family. Even the wisest of the Wise Men could not have foreseen that that God-infused blessing.
Frank (white) incense was another gift. It’s a cloudy- white gum resin from a tree that was burned as an act of worship in God’s temple. The fragrance is pungent and unforgettable. I love the small of frankincense. Its use is also special: it’s never burned at Temple with sin offerings; it’s always reserved for thanks and praise offerings. Frankincense symbolizes praise and especially prayer and is associated with the priesthood. So when the Magi presented this aromatic incense to Jesus it was a sign of His role as great High Priest among all priests. On a more practical level frankincense has some medicinal properties and it is very expensive. It could have been sold and also used to provide for Jesus and his family.
Myrrh, the third gift, is also a gum resin. A myrrh tree is pierced deep into its heartwood and oil droplets come out. But when exposed to the air the droplets turn red and resin-like and are called tears. The Old Testament says the Messiah will be pierced for our transgressions, our sins. Wanting to see if Jesus had died yet, a soldier pierced his side with his spear. Red droplets appeared, a sign he was still alive.
Myrrh is a reminder of Jesus’ suffering on a cross for us, and it is also a burial spice that was commonly placed between the layers of cloth wrapping someone who has died. Have you ever thought about how Jesus was born into this world for the purpose of dying for our sins? And do you realize that when he hung on a cross, a soldier offered him a sponge with some vinegar and myrrh on it, because myrrh is also a powerful painkiller. But Jesus refused. I have often wondered what Mary and Joseph thought when this last gift was put before their son’s feet. Its use at burials was common knowledge. How frightening was it for them to see the wisest men on earth reverently place this gift before their precious son?
Before they could dwell on that sobering offering, the wise men all bent low to the ground and worshipped the Christ child as their King, High Priest and Savior. Grown men, likely aged ones, wealthy and powerful men, had the wisdom and the faith to know it was God in the flesh before them. So they worshipped a toddler boy. He may have been wide-eyed and curious, staring and smiling at them. What amazing faith it took to worship a toddler! But the magi were very wise and that day they saw in Jesus what others would not be able to see until after his death and resurrection. There was a King in that cradle at Bethlehem, deity wore diapers as a toddler, and the Redeemer of not just the Jews but of the world probably wished he’d been given presents that were more fun to play with than theirs!
One important lesson for us today from the Magi is the reminder to worship Jesus. In this New Year it’s my prayer that you will each be devoted to tuning in to worship at the Ballston Spa UMC regularly. It may be your habit to do this on a Sunday, but if not, don’t let the week move along without making time to worship God, whatever place or time or means you may use. We honor God and are refreshed and blessed when we worship God.
The Magi also remind us to be thoughtful and generous givers. Their gifts were not last-minute items picked up in an outdoor marketplace; they weren’t randomly selected either. They were gifts fit for a king, suitable for a High Priest and necessary for one who would die so that we might have eternal life.
The gifts were also very expensive. It wasn’t a small cost, a pittance they would never miss, but a huge and perhaps sacrificial amount. Have you ever wondered why they were so generous? It wasn’t to impress others; they didn’t gather any officials or other onlookers. And they may have been wise, but they couldn’t have predicted a poor young couple would need significant financial assistance. They were generous because at the end of their studies and long journey, they believed their search would end with meeting God. They didn’t feel reluctant or stingy - they felt eager and filled with joy.
We just had Christmas celebrations in our own homes a few weeks ago. Don’t we all know the excitement that’s felt when you find a perfect gift that suits someone? You feel joy watching them open it and are thrilled when they love it. The Magi gave gifts as a sign of their reverence, but also their own personal joy in finding and seeing God after a long search, maybe a lifetime’s search.
I hope you gained more insight into the magi and their gifts today, but I also want there to be practical life-application lessons for our lives. I’ve encouraged you to worship God, just as we know the Magi did long ago. But giving gifts like gold, frankincense, and myrrh – that would be odd and impractical these days. Well, maybe not the gold, we could work with that!
What are some generous and practical ways we can give to gifts God? During these cold January days when we are inside quarantining, our options may seem limited, but I assure you they are not! Here are some suggestions for how we can rise and shine God’s light, love and truth in this season of Epiphany.
This month some in our church who knew and appreciated Shirley MacMillan are honoring her life and devotion to our church by giving money in memory of her. Her past generosity blessed us and now in her passing, her family invites us to be generous. If you knew Shirley you may wish to give such a gift. We also have Memorial giving with different ways to designate your gifts; just call our church office for more information.
Practical gifts are also wonderful: Do you know the church uses a lot of stamps? We now mail out Ministry Matters along with my sermons to close to 30 households that cannot easily access information online. These mailings have been very appreciated; it’s keeping people connected to our church, plus several people say they share my sermon with neighbors or family members. So, if you wanted to donate stamps, I promise you they would soon be put to good use!
Homemade meals are another amazing gift. Some in our church drop off a meal or dessert for others they may know who are sick. But sometimes a family or individual has longer-term health problems, or they are not very well known in the church. In those cases, the staff and I would love to be able to coordinate sending some frozen meals like soups or casseroles (labeled with ingredients in case of allergies or dietary restrictions). If you have the time, and enjoy cooking or baking, please reach me or the office. I can promise you that meals (or desserts) from your home to church folks would bring comfort and joy.
Another gift to share is yourself! We all need encouragement, humor, kindness, and some good company each week. That can happen by forming a circle with others in the church, online and or through phone calls. We can help you with your technical needs, so start dreaming up what sounds good to you. Maybe start a prayer and share group midweek? How about a Christian book club? There will be an upcoming new Bible study on Women in the Bible, so check that out. I hope you’ll get thinking, or googling about ideas because there are so many possibilities for connecting, and when we do we can be a gift to others and they can be our gift.
Families, your lives remain busy. I’ve heard you’re reading and enjoying the new devotional books we gave you in December! You can generously bless the rest of us in the church by sending recent pictures of your kids. We want to see how they’ve grown and hear what they’re doing because we miss them! Send us passages or quotes from your devotionals that you like or share other things that are blessing you. If any kids or teens want to create cards or color pictures with a “Jesus loves you” message, we can give those out to our sick and elderly members, or put them in our Food Pantry bags.
We are also looking for some folks to be creative and come up with fundraisers. If you are gifted with creativity or organization skills, offer yourself as part of a team looking to meet our church’s financial needs. We have many faithful givers, but we honestly do need to supplement the giving of our members. Like Mary and Joseph, we need funds as we continue to journey on the road through an unexpected crisis, which for us is this lengthy pandemic.
My sisters and brothers in Christ, it’s my hope and prayer that we’ll be known for our faith, our love and our generosity as a church. I will always do my utmost to lead by example, but so many of you amaze me every day. Together, may our gifts given to God in worship, and gifts given that meet practical needs and spiritual needs, be generous. Just as generous as God has been with us!
Amen.