Jan. 5, 2003
I picked up the Cal Poly newspaper just before
Christmas to read up on the news on campus. I checked up on the campus
police report, to see what kinds of mischievousness is prevailing on
campus. I turned to the campus police reports. One night the campus
police checked out a suspicious vehicle that was parked on a hill,
alone, and apparently unattended. They discovered the vehicle was
occupied, by students who were watching the meteor shower we had
several weeks ago.
In an age where technological advances like Play
Station Two, or the magic of the internet seems to command the
attention of our young people, it is quite remarkable that astronomical
phenomena still capture the attention of our society. I believe
it is because there is a mixture of awe and wonderment that is evident
in these events which remind us, I think, of the greater forces at work
in the universe. Further, I think even though humanity is capable
of great things, we all yearn for something deeper, miracles from a
more rich source than our own minds. I think we yearn for the great
wisdom of God.
It was three wise men who watched the stars for
signs, and wonders. On one particular night they found an unusual
star in the sky, and they were not afraid to leave their homes, and
countries and travel to find out what this star might be telling
them.
The magi knew that the star that they followed was
no ordinary star. These three had apparently been searching the
heavens for years for signs of something unique and significant
occurring in their world. They were open to new wisdom and truth
- more than this - they searched for it. They were not simply
content to get along with that which they already knew. So, when
they saw a new star in the heavens, they sensed in their hearts that it
was a sign from God. The Bible tells us over and again - that if we
seek, we will find, if we knock, the door shall be opened to us, if we
ask, we will receive. But how often do we actually seek for
wisdom? For new truth? For guidance?
On the day after Christmas, I helped my
brother-in-law put together a new basketball hoop. When we opened the
box, there were so many parts, bag of bolts, weird looking gadgets and
who-haws. As we looked at the pile before us, we were tempted to just
go back inside the house and watch a movie. But fortunately, we did not
have to rely on our knowledge to assemble the hoop, we just followed
the instructions step by step, and 3 hours later, the hoop was ready!
Just think of all those toys that people had to put together. How
many people actually looked at the directions before beginning to
assemble them? ( I don’t need not stinking directions!) How
many tried to put something together relying on the knowledge they
already had- only to find that it was not good enough? The wise
men gained their wisdom because they were seekers - they were looking
for new things, new insights, new signs. They read their manuals,
they searched the heavens for signs and wonders. And so can we.
As Christians, we can never be satisfied with the knowledge and
insight we may have, each and every day we need to open ourselves to
the wisdom of God.
Once the magi saw the sign, they then had to have
the faith to follow. In one of my favorite movies of all time, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, there is a scene where Indiana has to find the Holy Grail
in order to save his father from dying. There is an immense gorge that
he has to pass over to reach the grail, only there seems to be no way
over. There is a picture of a man stepping out in faith. So after
taking a deep breath, Indiana takes this step of faith, and finds there
is a bridge, camouflaged but solid and this leads him to the other
side. Steps of faith are like that, we trust in something we cannot
see, in order to grow in wisdom. The wise men are unsure about
where to go and they turn to Herod to ask for directions. Finally they
discover the meaning of the star’s appearance, the birth of
special king, one who will one day change the world. No where else in
the Bible do we hear about the magi. We do not know if they ever saw
Jesus again, or even heard about his work. But for that moment in time
they were sure he was the reason for the star appearing, and that is
all they needed.
In the coming year, we have the opportunity to
deepen our faith, by following the message of Jesus, and of the Holy
Spirit. We are invited to leave behind our preconceptions of what a
life of faith might be. We are invited to be seekers of the truth, of
setting off on a journey, to seek the message God has for each of us,
for all of us.
Thirdly, the Magi presented the Holy family with
gifts. As we begin the journey this new year as a community of
faith, it is good to remind ourselves that we have gifts to honor
Christ. A great deal of speculation has been mentioned concerning
the gifts of the wise men, gold, frankincense and myrrh. I am not here
to tell you exactly why these particular gifts were given, because it
is not as important what you give, as long as it is the best that you
can give. Jesus makes it abundantly clear in his life’s walk with
us, that we do not have to be rich, we do not have to have status in
the community, we do not have to be elected as citizen of the year, in
order to serve God. Rather we are to give what we have. I know that is
a hard lesson to learn, especially right now when we are looking at all
the bills from this Christmas, and how much we spent trying to make
Christmas special. It is especially difficult explaining to teenagers
why they did not get everything on their list. But the most thoughtful
gift, the most meaningful gift, we have to offer is not what we charge
to our Visa’s but what we have in our hearts, the gift of love.
I recently came across this poem about priorities,
I asked God to grant me patience.
God said no. Patience is a by product of
tribulations; it isn't granted, it is earned.
I asked God to give me happiness. God said, No. I
give you blessings, Happiness is up to you.
I asked God to spare me pain. God said no.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to
me.
I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, No.
You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked for all the things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No. I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.
I asked God to help me Love others, as much as God
loves me.
God said, ... Ahhh, finally you have the idea.
Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead,
tell your storm how big your God is. (Source
unknown).
Once the wise man had given their gifts, they were
warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and they returned to their
country by another route. Once we have encountered Jesus, we too will
have the opportunity to choose, to choose between following him, or
returning to our old life. Each time we gather for worship, each time
we pray, each time we study the Bible, each time we reach out and help
another, each and every time we encounter God, we have that
choice to make.
I was able to reflect on the choices I have made
through the years during these last few days in preparation for the new
year. I reflected how on the decisions I have made that have led me to
this point in time. From growing up in a Chicopee Massachusetts, to
attending college in Kentucky, Seminary in Boston, marrying Linda, to
becoming ordained in Redlands, to the various churches I have served, I
am sure I would never have dreamed of the path my life has taken. I
know I have made mistakes, and chosen foolishly. I have had to live
with the consequences of some of these. But I also amazed at how full
my life is, and how much I have experienced. I certainly feel
blessed by being a part of this church here in Walnut. I am so
thankful for all the ways each of you have followed the path of faith.
I am grateful for the generous hearts who give of their time and gifts
so that others can experience care and love. I am grateful for the
prayers for my health and for the health of those in our midst who
struggle with various illnesses. I am grateful for those who have taken
leadership roles and who continue to shape the mission of our church. I
am especially grateful for each person who attends worship, who
take the time to celebrate and listen and sing together. I know we do
not always agree with one another, I know we sometimes say things we do
not mean, or sometimes we lose our way, but what a great gift it is to
have one another so we can find our way again!
As we enter into the new year, I ask for
God’s guidance, so that I can continue to remain focused on
living with faith, of trusting in God’s love, for me. I also ask
that for God’s love to shower down on each of you, so that this
year will also be one in which your faith will be strengthened, so you
might follow Jesus Christ wherever he may lead. I pray that you will
find the gift within you that you can present to the world, so that
others might benefit by whatever it is you have to give. I pray that
you will choose wisely. To always, and in all ways be changed by the
power of God’s love, this great gift, which not only comes down
to us at Christmas, but each and every day of our lives. Amen
