Stars in our Eyes (sermon draft 1/6)

In case you’re unawares, there’s a little to-do going on in our fair state of New Hampshire this coming Tuesday. First in the nation primary election. I’m just about sick of hearing about it. But it’s an integral part of our democratic process—which is thought to be the best in the world (unless you’re Al Gore!). But sometimes it can become just a wee bit tedious. Like with the television ads.

Political commercials have been just out of control this past week. First of all there are so many. Sometimes six in a row. That wouldn’t be so bad if each candidate had a variety of spots to air. But, no, they just air the same ones over and over and over! Mind numbing!

And the content! Honestly, you gotta wonder if their writers are out on strike too. Some of these ads are meant to be inspiring, but in actuality, they’re about as uplifting as that “Heads On” commercial. Some of the ads are meant to criticize an opponent’s record, outrageously so. But if you listen carefully, the position stated for the one whose ad it is has little to do with the original issue.

Some other political ads are meant to sow the seeds of unfounded fear—there are lots of this kind of political ad out there, and let me tell you - it bothers me. I’ll tell you why in just a minute, but first here’s an “fear ad” you’ve never heard:

Illegal immigrants. From a terrorist nation. With a strange religion. Bearing large, unchecked items of luggage. Welcomed into the country with open arms. Given camel-driving licenses and directions to a sensitive religious site. Who’s responsible for this massive security breach? King Herod, tetrarch of Galilee. He never checked their visas. He just gave them the information they needed. He even invited them back for lunch at the palace on their return trip. But they never showed up. Even foreigners know King Herod hasn’t got what it takes to lead this territory. Isn’t it time for a change in Jerusalem? (Paid for by Citizens for Total Roman Rule and the Committee to get rid of King Herod.)

Cute. And humorous. (I hope.) But perhaps it hits a little too close to our present day reality, or that is—our perceived reality. What the powerful would have you believe. Not that I’m going to get all “grassy knoll” on you or anything. It’s just that I don’t want you to go overboard with the politicos and pundits, and start calling for walls and dogs and machine guns at our borders. The world’s been down that road before. So, I take this opportunity to give you an alternate reality, a biblical reality—one based fortuitously enough on today’s Epiphany story of the visitors from the east. So let’s have at it…

First of all, they weren’t kings—they were wise men, magi, court priests who practiced astrology. (Much like the advisors Reagan had.) There weren’t three of them (this we know for certain—could have been three, could have been one hundred and three.) They might have not even been men—they did stop for directions! (Just kidding on that one!) Their names are unknown to us, despite popular belief.

We do know they came from the east, it says so. We do know they were following what they called a star (which quite possibly may have been a comet). We do know they believed the star was the portent of the birth of a new king in the land. We do know they stopped in Jerusalem asking about this “new king,” which freaked out not only the old king—Herod, but all his political cronies in that city who suddenly feared for their jobs.

We know this: when they got to Bethlehem, they didn’t have to jockey for position at the manger with the shepherds—they entered a house (presumably where Mary and Joseph lived for nearly two years). And we know that they gave the child gifts—not binkies, blankets, or diaper service—but expensive gifts like gold, frankincense, and myrrh (which, by the way, was used to prepare bodies for burial. Not your usual baby shower gift!).

So, there’s some things we know, and some things we can only guess, about these “wise men.” But one thing we know for absolute certain—they were foreigners. Probably from Parthia—modern day Iran. They were “from away.” They were out-of-towners. Outsiders. Aliens (not the Roswell kind). They were strangers. And the fact that, in the gospel of Matthew, the first ones to pay homage to the new born king are Gentiles (foreigners—not Jews) is huge! Huge! Why, you might ask? Well, let me tell you why.

Because we’re foreigners too. But that’s okay. In fact it’s better than okay, because God has a soft spot in his heart for foreigners. Let’s look at each of these premises and see what we can learn about God’s grace.

First, we are foreigners. In the eyes of ancient Palestinian Jews, if you weren’t a Jew by birth, you were a Gentile—no matter where you lived—it wasn’t a geographic thing. Even if you converted to Judaism (then you would be a proselyte). Since the people of Israel were the Lord’s chosen ones—the people of the promise—if you weren’t “in,” then you were “out.” But it’s more than a birthright thing. Even some of Israel’s closest “relatives,” the Samaritans, were considered Gentile or simply “not Jew.”

So, in the scheme of things, although we consider ourselves to be in the lineage of Abraham, technically we are not. We are Gentile—foreigners. Of course, with the coming of Jesus, that all changes. And “Matthew” begins to reveal and explain that change right away in his gospel. In his rendition of this visit, the wise men are symbolic of the people of all nations (ethnos in the Greek), coming to pay homage to Jesus.

Which harkens backwards to our first reading today from the prophet Isaiah—which told of a promised time to come when all the world would come to honor Israel in her restored glory and splendor. But it also hearkens forwards to the mission to the Gentiles and the spread of the good news outside the confines of God’s people of Israel. In fact, both Jesus and St. Paul speak of the Gentiles as being “grafted on” to the root stock of the chosen nation of Israel.

Scholars tell us that the first listeners of Matthew’s gospel, the members of his “church,” were most likely Jewish Christians or Christian Jews—the difference between which is not germane to this discussion—suffice it to say the church of Matthew was on the out and outs with the Jewish community at large. And this caused them great distress. After all, they couldn’t pick their birth place or parents. So, is it any wonder that Matthew includes this story while the others do not? It addresses their situation, and it makes them (via the vehicle of the wise men), foreigners though they are, the heroes of the story. The foreign wise men are smarter than the local magi, who have to be prompted to notice the star. They outwit even the evil genius Herod. And they “discover” the child of Bethlehem, and, even better, they recognize him for who he is! The King of the Jews. Hooray for the wise men of the East!

Hooray for Matthew’s church-goers. And hooray for us, foreigners that we are. We also journey through the wilderness of life, following the callings of the Spirit. We are also led to the place where he can be found. We also recognize the king and come to pay him homage. We also bring him our gifts. Makes a stranger feel welcome.

And that’s good, because like I said, God has a soft spot for foreigners. Especially in the Old Testament. God advocates for the alien in Israel’s midst. [Now, we’re not talking foreign armies here. Those the Lord God either destroys of lets them destroy Israel—depending how Israel has been acting.] There’s law after law in the Torah concerning the fair treatment of foreigners. Now, granted, these were foreign workers who weren’t paid well (or at all). But the fact remains that God wished the Israelites to treat strangers with respect and equity.

So what does all that frivolous information have to do with us here at Messiah Lutheran Church this beautiful epiphany morning? Well, it tells us a little bit about how we should receive visitors and welcome them into this fellowship. First of all, to not call them “strangers” as one gentleman in my former parish was want to do. But, rather, to acknowledge that they are on a journey, looking for something or someone without really knowing where to find it. And that they come to us, not so much for the answers, but more for direction.

We can point to the scriptures, or to worship, or to outreach, or to our personal experiences to help guide them. Perhaps some of us are still on that same journey and could team up with them. We can pray that their star will lead them to Christ. And when they arrive at their destination and behold the king and worship him, we can be there beside them, welcoming them into the family!

Now, I left you hanging back there when I was talking about political fear ads. Said I was bothered by them—especially when they disingenuously rouse up unfounded or exaggerated fear. First, let me say emphatically that I don’t mean to tell you who to vote for Tuesday. But I will tell you that “foreigners,” be they legal or illegal, are still created by God, and so being are worthy of our respect, our compassion, and our help. Granted there is need of some sort of regulation—but that should be humane, equitable, and based on the same principles of law that we as people enjoy. That’s God’s law I’m talking about.

It’s a complex issue, but here’s what I do know. Pastor Robert Wawurontu of Imanuel Indonesian Lutheran Church, which meets at Holy Trinity, Newington, has told us pastors horror stories of families being torn apart by the bureaucracy and ever changing policies of the Immigration office. And these are “legal” immigrants. In other areas of the country, churches have literally become sanctuaries for undocumented persons who face deportation without regard for property and family that would be left behind. Jesus said, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Again, it’s a highly complicated issue, with fervor and frenzy on both sides. But it seems to me, as a theologian, God expects foreigners to be treated a certain way—Jesus too—remember the Syrophonecian woman and the Samaritan woman and the Genessarene demoniac? To name just a few? Keep these things in mind as you work this issue out in your head.

Okay enough soapbox time. A story to finish up:

An incumbent president was speaking at a rally when he was heckled by a man in the front row. The man contradicted each and every point the president made. Finally the president could stand it no longer.

“I’ve cut taxes and kept our economy booming. Will the man there in the front row kindly get up and tell us all what’s he’s ever done for this country?”

“Well,” said the man as he stood up, “I didn’t vote for you in the last election!”

I’m Pastor Tom Teichmann, and I approved this message. AMEN