Epiphany
Epiphany happens on January 6 every year. It is the 13th day of the Christmas season. The word “epiphany” means “appearance” or “manifestation.” The arrival of the three wise men was a sign that the coming of Jesus was recognized by the whole world. Even wise men from the east, who were gentiles, came to pay homage to the newborn child. Epiphany focuses on the nativity – God becoming flesh in the birth of Jesus. After the fourth century, Advent developed as a season of baptismal preparation, so Epiphany has become associated with baptism.
The United Methodist Church recognizes Epiphany on the Sunday closest to January 6. In whatever way you decide to celebrate the coming of the wise men to see Jesus, remember it in the kneeling of the wise men offering gifts to Jesus.
There’s a story about a Sunday church service when the children were all called down to the front of the church for a children’s sermon. When they were settled, the pastor asked the children how the wise men found the baby Jesus. A little boy about five jumped up and said, “A star!” It took a few minutes for the laughter to die down but the reality was that someone had taught this little boy the story of the wise men who had taken a long journey to see the baby Jesus.
Matthew 2:9-10 tells the story of how the wise men were some of the first people to worship Jesus as Lord. The trip was probably over 500 miles, and the wise men had no GPS system to follow, so they followed the star. God’s people were the Jewish people, but these wise men were not Jews. They came from the east and were known as “magi” or people educated in the ways of astrology. They would have been considered pagans or pre-Christian, but they knew that the prophets had foretold the birth of the King of the Jews.
When the magi saw Jesus, they fell down and worshipped Him. They had an epiphany, or a sudden insight into the true nature of something. They realized they were in the presence of God.
Prayer: Father, we thank you for sending your one-and-only Son to us. Thank you for coming to earth in the form of a baby and then sending the magi to worship. We celebrate Epiphany as we realize that Christmas is not over. We are to be like the five-year-old who knew that the wise men followed the star! Amen.
Matthew 2:9-10 – “The star that they had seen when it rose 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. They saw the child and fell down and worshipped him.”
By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Image: Adobe iStock & Chantal Ole/Unsplash
