Directions - Matthew 2:1-12 - Christmas 2 - Epiphany - 1-2-22

 Sermon podcast from the Second Sunday of Christmas - Epiphany Sunday, 1-2-22 worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Matthew 2:1-12

Video sermon preview 

"Directions" podcast

The whole worship service

Another Road - Matthew 2:1-12 - Epiphany Sunday - 1-3-21

 

Sermon podcast from Epiphany Sunday - 1-3-21 online worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Matthew 2:1-12

Video sermon preview

"Another Road" podcast

The whole online worship service

What do you see?

Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc.org:



This week's Bible reading is from Matthew 2:1-12 -- the visit of the Magi.

What's the message of the visit of the Magi?

• I don't think it is in how many of them there were
• Or exactly what they were Or who they were
• Or even where they were from
• I don’t think the message is in what they followed
• I don’t think the timing of when they arrived is really significant either
• And I don’t think the gifts they brought are central to the message
  

So I've been spending a whole lot of time talking about what the message isn't. If the message isn't in all the things I've mentioned already, where is it? What is it?

I believe the message is that these visitors from another land, another culture and another religion recognized Jesus.

Before we start jumping right to saying something like “Everyone should recognize Jesus – The Magi did! Why doesn’t everyone open their eyes and see Jesus and become followers of Jesus?” I think we should focus in a different direction.

Do we recognize Jesus? We don’t have a baby in Bethlehem to visit. How can we see Jesus?

Strangers in this week's Bible reading saw Jesus’ face.

What about when Jesus has a stranger’s face? How do we reach out to others with Jesus love?