Follow the Star: The Story and Lessons of the Magi (Part I)

Sermon Title: Follow the Star – The Story of the Magi

Good News Statement: God has given us a star to follow

Summary: The story of the Magi is more than a single occurrence in the Gospel of Matthew; it is a story about us and how God is continually inviting us to follow His star?

Preached: Sunday, January 4^th, 2026 at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Matthew 2:1-12 Today’s scripture reading comes from the words of Matthew’s Gospel, which tells of Magi (or Wise Men) following a star from the east to the born Messiah in Bethlehem. Along their travels, they visit King Herod who orders them to return to the palace with news of the Messiah, but they instead choose not to return to King Herod. The Magi, although not religious and are not followers of God’s word, still follow the demands of God: they do what was right and not what was easy. The Magi remind us that God uses who God chooses. Our reading comes from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Two, Verses One thru Twelve. May the hearing and reading of this scripture add understanding to your life.

The Visit of the Magi

2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, ² asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star in the east and have come to pay him homage.” ³ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him, ⁴ and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet:

⁶ ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah,
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

⁷ Then Herod secretly called for the magi and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸ Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” ⁹ When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

 

Introduction:

Happy Epiphany Sunday! Epiphany is a special day but sometimes over looked on the Christian calendar. Gifts aren’t handed out to commemorate this day. Candles aren’t blown out, cakes aren’t made, fireworks are not on display, and people aren’t staying up until midnight the night before to celebrate Epiphany. Epiphany is just another day for some people, but for us—for those who have chosen to follower Christ—it is a special day because it commemorates and celebrates the Magi, the Wise Men, visiting Mary and Joseph in a house a few years after Jesus was born in Bethlehem.^[1] Epiphany is a special day.

Now, the word “epiphany,” from the Greek word epiphaneia, means appearance or manifestation. Specifically, it means “manifestation from above.”^[2] Epiphany reveals to us the appearance and manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles as a symbolic measure of what the Apostle Paul notes in Galatians 3:28, “There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” It is also living proof that what the angels told the Shepherds is true: “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10)—news from above. Even those who may have not believed in the words of the prophets of old are still invited to receive the good news, to embrace the manifestation of Jesus Christ.

Digging a little dipper, epiphany, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary refers to “an experience of a sudden and striking realization” that can be experienced by all people. Jesus Christ appeared for all people, a sudden experience that has been manifesting for several hundreds of years: not for a select few, not for a specific group, and not for a partial town.^[3] That’s why epiphany is associated with the Magi because they were amongst those who needed to realize the importance of Jesus’ birth: they represent all those who were not from Bethlehem, they stood in the place of all those seeking humility in their life, and they resemble all those who need to seek out Christ. They needed to realize what came from above: a sudden experience that changed the world.

The encounter of the Magi or Wise Men helps us understand a few things about what we are called to do. They saw the epiphany of Jesus Christ because they chose to follow a star and listen to the words of God. The Magi saw the epiphany of Jesus Christ because they chose what was right and not what was easy. The Magi saw the epiphany of Jesus Christ because God chose and used them. On this Epiphany Sunday, I invite you to consider the story of the Magi and remind yourself that who God uses, God has chosen for a specific reason, and that God is calling all of us, that includes you, to have a sudden realization that we are needed by God and that we are to seek out the one who constantly searches for us by following the star.

 

Body:

The Magi, wealthy people from the east who are not believers of God’s words and who studied the stars, made their presence known before Jesus Christ because Christ needed them and they needed Christ. They came bearing gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—but their best gift was their presence. Jesus saw them for who they were and who God had chosen them to become. The power of presence is sometimes underrated because it seems simple; but to tell you the truth, it can be the best gift because it does offer love and devotion. Being present is the best gift of all because not only is your life changed but so is the life of the one whom you are with. The Magi’s presence may not have changed the world, but it was the right thing to do because it proved that they were open to receive and hear the words of God. Even in their own beliefs, they saw the power and message of Christ. However, we must ask ourselves, “Who exactly are these Wise Men or Magi that understood what we struggle with every day of our life? And do we have what it takes to follow the star?”

As we begin a New Year, I think it’s fitting that we spend time considering the story of the Magi: who they are, what they teach us, and what they call us to do? It’s through the Magi that the epiphany of Christ becomes real and present in our lives, especially in the life of the church, as we seek to continue to live out the story of Christmas. The Magi not only did something that was both characteristic and uncharacteristic of their ways, but they did something that we should be doing every day of our life and that is following the star.

So for the next few weeks, we are going to spend time with the Magi and realize that if we commit ourselves to following the star of Christ, we, too, will be able to find Christ in our life. We, too, will able to experience an epiphany that changes us. Maybe that’s what this New Year is all about: it’s about searching for, seeking out, and finding Christ in our life and in our church. Are you willing to follow the star? Let’s begin our study of the Wise Men, by taking note of who these mysterious persons are.

 

Movement One: Who are these “Wise Men”?

Have you noticed that in every manger scene there are typically three Magi, even though Scripture never tells us the exact number of Magi visiting the Holy Family? As a matter of fact, the Bible only mentions the Magi in the Gospel of Matthew. Mark doesn’t mention Magi: Luke, who gives an extensive account of Jesus’ birth, does not mention Magi; and John ignores the story of the Magi. In my parent’s ceramic nativity scene that they got as a wedding gift (44 years ago), there are three Magi, and those Magi have seen some better days—their heads have been glued on a few times; but they are still there. Typically, two magi are standing while one Magi is kneeling. And although depictions of the Magi show them riding on camels as they traverse from a far, not too many nativity scenes place a camel at the stable.

Where do these traditions come from? Perhaps people are filling in the gaps: gaps that scripture leaves out but invites us to ponder and to use our imagination. For example, have you ever wondered why Moses is said to have a speech impediment? Exodus 4:10 tells us, “But Moses said to the Lord, ‘O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” We are not told why Moses is “slow of speech”, but yet we can speculate. Some believe it was a genuine stutter or difficulty with certain sounds perhaps a result of trauma or simply a physical condition. It might have been a lack of confidence, fear of public speaking, or feeling out of touch with the Egyptian court after decades as a shepherd. After 40 years in Midian, he might have felt rusty in the Egyptian language or lacking in rhetorical skill. Some suggest it was an excuse to avoid the daunting task, highlighting his perceived inadequacy to emphasize dependence on God, or a deliberate “gift” from God to keep him humble. According to a Jewish Midrash, Moses accidentally burned his tongue on hot coals, causing his speech difficulty. We don’t know why Moses is slow of speech, but we filled in the gap.

What about Mary, the mother of Jesus? Nowhere in scripture does it tell us that she rode a donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem while she was pregnant. But yet, most manger scenes will have a donkey. Why? Maybe because a donkey represents hard-work and humility. Maybe because having Mary riding a donkey alludes to Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as people shouted “Hosannas”? Maybe tradition uses a donkey to help us understand that Joseph was caring and kind to Mary, showing his change of heart from when he wanted to divorce her quietly, not making her walk the entire journey while pregnant. Maybe a donkey was chosen as Mary’s mode of transportation to indicate that even the most righteous people should be humble. Or maybe, the donkey was chosen because it has the symbol of a cross on its back. Scripture doesn’t tell us, but yet we have found a way to fill in the gaps, to explain why the traditions we have today make sense according to scripture.

This is all to say, that scripture doesn’t specifically mention three magi, but yet, three appear at the nativity scene. Why? Some have used the fact that since three gifts were offered—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—therefore, there are three Magi; and ironically, the gifts given represent Jesus’ life: gold represents his authority, power, and dominion, sort of like a king; frankincense is an oil used to reduce stress, anxiety, easing inflammation and pain, suggesting Jesus’ humanity; and myrrh was used to anoint bodies for burial and this specific spice could have been used or was going to be used to prepare Jesus’ body for burial after his crucifixion. The meaning of these gifts is not specifically given in scripture: scripture doesn’t “gold, frankincense, and myrrh were given because…” We have filled in the gaps.

Some have made the argument that the three Magi allude to what the early church Fathers identified as the Holy Trinity at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D.[4] During this council, the Nicene Creed was adopted to include the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And instead of just three Magi, some scholars speculated that an entire group traveled together, a caravan—as traveling in large groups was the preferred method back in those days.

Furthermore, we really don’t know the names of the Magi because the Bible doesn’t tell us. However, tradition has it that the three Wise Men who came to seek and honor the infant Jesus were named Gaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. Gasper, meaning “keeper of treasure,” often depicted as the youngest of the three with a white beard, is said to have brought the gift of myrrh, indicating Jesus’s death, a gift that we treasure in our heart just like Mary treasured the words of the shepherds in her heart.[5] Balthasar, meaning “God saves his life,” often depicted as the Black king from Arabia or Ethiopia, representing adulthood, is suggested as having brought the gift of frankincense symbolizing Jesus’s humanity.[6] Lastly, Melchior, meaning “King of Light,”[7] the oldest of the three from Persia ,representing old age, is the one who brought gold foretelling Jesus’s royalty (and the indication that Jesus will be the light of the world [John 1]).[8]

In addition to all this, the three Wise Men, also known as Magi, short for magician, were men belonging to various educated classes. They were of noble birth, educated, wealthy, and influential. They were philosophers, the counselors of rulers, learned in all the wisdom of the ancient East. The Wise Men who came seeking the Christ child were not idolaters; they were upright men of integrity who possibly may have studied the ancient Hebrew literature but may have not believed it. They were outsiders but not ignorant to what was happening around them.

For example the Wise Men probably found curiosity in the words of Balaam: “A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17, NKJV). They certainly were acquainted with the prophecy of Micah: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2, NKJV; see also Matthew 2:5, 6). The Wise Men were aware of the ancient texts and traditions which is why they were attracted to the mysterious light that appeared in the sky which became a luminous star that persisted in the western heavens (see Matthew 2:1, 2). Impressed with its import, the Wise Men turned once more to the sacred scrolls. As they tried to understand the meaning of the sacred writings, they determined to go in search of the Messiah not knowing exactly where they were going and not knowing exactly who they were going to meet. Unnamed, religiously unaffiliated, outsiders found themselves following a mysterious light that would eventually lead them to Jesus Christ, the light of the world. And yet, very little about them is revealed in scripture.

I mention all this to help you understand that from scripture, God chose individuals that many people knew nothing about. God chose individuals that were nameless in the Bible, known to Him. God chose individuals that were from afar, but approached Jesus Christ. God chose individuals who were not “Christians” to pay respect to the new born king the head of Christianity. God chose individuals who offer us the chance today to fill in the gaps so that we don’t lose interest in our faith, so that we don’t stop being curious, so that we don’t stop asking questions. The lack of information given to us in scripture is actually all the information we need to understand the power of God’s workings in one’s life. We don’t need to fill in the gaps, although it is intriguing to do so, to know that God will use us to change the world.

At the outset, the Magi—whether three or many—help us to understand that when it comes to less, less can actually be more. However, there is more to who the Wise Men are that I believe we need to focus on.

 

Movement Two: Outsiders and God

From Scripture, we aren’t given a lot of information about the Wise Men or Magi or priests or Kings or astrologers or Zoroastrians that travelled from the east and followed a star. However, what is given to us is important to remember.

Rachel Billups, in her book An Unlikely Advent, does a good job with describing these Wise Men. She states, “And these magi were not exactly kings. History has a couple of descriptors for magi, either Persian fire gods or astrologers. The Greek word for magi, ‘magos,’ can mean wise men, astrologers, priests, but also magicians or sorcerers as well. Some scholars connect the magi to the Zoroastrian tradition—a tradition focused on the never-ending battle between good and evil. These magi are not religious insiders. They are not church peeps. The magi have no political power in Judea, and they certainly do not have religious ties to the people. The magi are outsiders” (pp. 75-76, italics added).

Did you catch what Rachel Billups said about the Wise Men? She said, “[The Wise Men] are not religious insiders. They are not church [people]. They have no political power in Judea, and they certainly do not have religious ties to the people. The Wise Men are outsiders” (Billups, pg. 76). The Wise Men did not believe in God but were invited to see Jesus. The Wise Men weren’t doers of the Word, but still had faith to follow the star of our God which was talked about in the Word. The Wise Men were wealthy people, but still found their way to an insignificant town to see a poor and lowly family living in someone else’s house; not a palace surrounded by gardens resembling paradise. But rather a house made from clay bricks, mud, and straw surrounded by dirt and filth and animals. The Wise Men weren’t the first to arrive at the stable; as a matter of fact, tradition suggests that they came several years later which is why Matthew indicates that Jesus was now living in a house: possibly a house of a relative to Joseph. This suggests that it’s never too late to seek out Jesus in your life.

Furthermore, the Wise Men didn’t attend regular services at the Synagogue, didn’t participate in Bible Study, and more than likely didn’t bring any food to the church dinners. The Wise Men weren’t who we would typically invite to the stable. But yet, like the shepherds watching their flock by night, the Wise Men were invited to see the “good news of great joy for all people” (Luke 2:10). The Wise Men represent the reality that God invites all to the manger regardless of one’s background and past. Who God invites is who God seeks to receive “good tidings of great joy… ” (Luke 2:10). If God invites all to the manger, then what holds us back from doing the same?

I want to return to Rachel Billups understanding that the Wise Men were “outsiders.” In scripture, the term “outsiders” is not used. However, words such as alien, neighbor, and stranger provide the same idea. For example, “Strangers living in a foreign land,” is from the Book of Exodus and from Hebrews 11. It  describes people who are foreigners, immigrants, or sojourners, facing cultural shifts, potential alienation, and challenges like language barriers, but also finding growth and new perspectives. Biblically, it often refers to believers living in the world but not “of” it, with a heavenly home, highlighting themes of faith, hope, and temporary earthly existence. It’s a concept found in literature and scripture, speaking to both literal displacement and spiritual belonging.

In scripture, we read that Abraham lived in tents as a stranger in Canaan, looking for a permanent city. In Exodus 2:22, Moses named one of his sons Gershom indicating that “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” A few chapters later when Moses is informing the people of social and religious laws, he states, “You shall not wrong or oppress a stranger (or resident alien), for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:21). This law is probably why Moses quotes God in Leviticus 19:33-34: “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Then the Chronicler picks up on Moses teaching when they said, “We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope” (1 Chronicles 29:15).

In 1977, Billy Joel took the idea of being a “stranger” and released it in a song. The song is titled “The Stranger,” and it talks about the hidden, separate selves we all possess and reveal only in private, touching on themes of loneliness, masks, and the difficulty of true connection. Joel suggests everyone has a secret side that emerges when alone or in moments of vulnerability; we all have some sort of mask that we wear from time to time. The opening lyrics to this song are “Well, we all have a face/ That we hide away forever/ And we take them out/ And show ourselves/ When everyone has gone. Some are satin, some are steel/ Some are silk, and some are leather/ They’re the faces of the stranger/ But we love to try them on.”[9]

At some point, we have all felt like a stranger, an outsider, but at the same time we have all been welcomed just as we are. I started playing baseball at the age of five in my home town of Colona but when it came time to playing in High School, it was a different story. I made the freshman team. However, I was joining a team—a group of guys—that had been playing together their whole life. You see I was the stranger; I was the outsider. Even though we had been classmates from kindergarten, we played ball in different towns. It took time to fit in with these group of guys, but I was still scene as an outsider—someone that didn’t deserve to be on the team, someone that wasn’t good enough because I played for a town that didn’t meet their standards, and someone who didn’t grow up playing travel ball. I was on the team, but I was never part of the team.

I share this story because, like I said, we have all been consider an outsider, a stranger, in our life: been on a team but not part of a team. And the only way to fit in sometimes is to put on a mask and be someone we aren’t. The story of the Wise Men teaches us that God sees us as we are. He sees us behind our mask. He sees us on our good days and on our bad days. He sees us when we smile and when tears fall. He sees us when everything is right in the world and when it feels like the world is falling part. He sees us because we are part of His team. The Wise Men didn’t have to dress like shepherds, they didn’t have to believe in the power of the incarnation, they didn’t have to lower their status and title, and they certainly didn’t have to pretend to be someone else to be invited to witness Christ. The Wise Men were invited, just as they were, outsiders and strangers, by God to the birth town of Jesus.

You may feel like a stranger at times, but in God’s eyes, you will never be a stranger because He has a plan for you. You are part of God’s team. God will always provide you with a star to follow; but will you follow?

 

Movement Three: God Speaks to All People

The last point I want to make is that God speaks to all people. The Wise Men, whether three or many, teach us a valuable lesson. They teach us that even those who we don’t think God is speaking to are actually receiving a message from God, their own star to follow. Even those who don’t believe or aren’t faithful, are still receiving some sort of message from God. Even those who sin, who backslide, who are lost, who doubt, who are uncertain, who aren’t perfect, who question, who disagree with us, who are the last, who are the least, are still receiving a message from God.

At the beginning of his recorded sermons, author and pastor Adam Hamilton, reminds his congregation that God will speak to them at some point during the service. He invites them to grab a pen and paper because he believes that either through the message, the songs, the prayers, or during other parts of the service God will speak to you and it’s our responsibility to write those things down before we forget. God is always speaking to us—directly or indirectly through His creation and people—but most of the time we aren’t listening. But if we do listen, even for just a moment, we will realize how God is changing our life.

When it comes to knowing that God speaks to all people, it is important to remember that it is not our place to judge who can and cannot receive a message from God. It’s not our place to deny someone from approaching the stable. It’s not our right to tell someone “no” when God is telling them “yes.” That’s God’s work and God’s work alone. God chooses who God wants to use to share the message of Christ. The Wise Men, outsiders, found Jesus Christ and they did so not by doing what was easy but by doing what was right. They followed not only a star but a dream. They allowed God to guide them. They listened to God. God spoke and their life was changed.

When was the last time you listened to God? When was the last time you listened for God? When was the last time you realized that God was speaking to you because He wanted you to realize that something in your life needed to change? God is speaking to you right now! He wants you to see the star in the sky. He wants to change your life. The Wise Men teach us that when we listen to God, our life will be changed. The Wise Men teach us that God is always speaking to us. The Wise Men teach us that whomever God speaks to, God is planning on using in some way.  When speaking Jesus is recorded saying in Mark 12:29, “Hear or Listen Up (shema in Hebrew), O Israel: the Lord our God” is speaking. Are you listening?

 

Movement Four: What Comes Next For Us as a Church?

In considering the beginning introduction to the story of the Wise Men, we not only see ourselves in the story but we see how our church has spent the last year filling in the gaps, finding ways to meet the needs of strangers, and what happens when we listen to God.

Dogwood Prairie UMC: Over the past year, God has been on the move in our church:

• Our average attendance was 40 with a few Sundays reaching 50.
• Our Facebook page now has over 300 followers.
• Beginning last July we began LIVE streaming our services, drawing in over 200 views per Sunday and reaching people beyond Oblong.
• On the fourth Sunday of the month, we offer Children’s Church where kids make crafts, sing songs, and learn about Jesus.
• We now have a fourth Sunday School class.
• The church foundation was fixed, new drain tile was laid, gravel was laid between the Church and Youth Building, and the plumbing in the parsonage bathroom was replaced. (Amen!)
• We gathered as a church to fill 50 bags of School Supplies for Midwest Mission and then had ice cream.
• As a church, we agreed to purchase new white plastic chairs.
• We hosted SingSpiration in June where over 70 people were in attendance.
• This year’s combined Christmas program brought in over 60 people in person and several online.
• For Trunk-or-Treat, 10 vehicles where decorated.
• We handed out over 125 bags to local farmers.
• We held a special dedication service for the painting of Prairie UMC.
• We were involved in the Fall Follies Parade.
• The church supplied chairs and tables for Ridgeview’s Christmas dinner.
• We financially supported organizations and individuals within the Conference and we received a special offering for a family in need.

I don’t think you realize the impact that this church has had and continues to have on the community and beyond. We are transforming lives. We are transforming the church. We are transforming and edifying people into disciples. We have found ways to present Jesus through what we do as a church to the community. Church you are making a difference: you are finding ways to fill in the gaps, of making people feel welcomed, and are not only listening to each other but are listening to God. My question for you is, “What can we do in 2026 to continue to fill in the gaps, to continue to be a place where people feel welcomed, to continue to listen to God, and to continue to be a church of today for tomorrow?” What star are we choosing to follow in 2026?

 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the story of the Magi is more than three or more unknown individuals travelling from the east while following a star and appearing before the child, Jesus Christ. The story of the Magi is more than the presentation of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The story of the Magi is more than people disobeying the orders of an earthly King to follow the orders of the heavenly King. The story of the Magi is more than realizing that wealthy individuals worshipped a child born to two lowly and poor parents. The story of the Magi is about realizing that God invites us to fill in the gaps—to do His work, to notice the neighbor, and to never give up on listening for God in our life.

The Wise Men did not believe in God but were invited to see Jesus. The Wise Men weren’t doers of the Word but still had faith to follow the star of our God. The Wise Men were wealthy people but still found their way to an insignificant town to see a poor and lowly family living in someone else’s house. The Wise Men represent the reality that God invites all to the manger regardless of one’s background and past. Who God invites is who God seeks to receive “good tidings of great joy…” (Luke 2:10).

On this Epiphany Sunday, I invite you to consider the story of the Magi and remind yourself that God is inviting you to follow a star; that God is inviting our church to follow a star. Are you willing to follow that star?

Let it be so…

 

Communion:

When Jesus gathered with his disciples in the upper room, as he offered them his body—the bread—and the blood of the new covenant—the wine—he reminded each them that God chose them and that the time has come to allow God to use them to share the good news with those far and near. Gathered around this table the disciples then and the disciples now—you and I—are granted the blessing of being refilled with love and grace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ .May this sacred meal renew you, make you whole, and remind you that you have been chosen by God.

 

Benediction:

God has chosen you, God has a dream for you, and God is praying you will follow the star to Jesus Christ. Are you willing to be like the Magi and have your life changed? May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth following the star to Jesus Christ. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

[1] Additionally, Epiphany Sunday is said to recognize the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, and the wedding at Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle of turning water into wine.

[2] (Epi – above; phaneia – manifestation).

[3] God became flesh—incarnate—so that He, through Jesus Christ, His Son, would appear before all people (Philippians 2:7).  In addition to the Shepherds, who “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child” (Luke 2:17), the Magi (or Three Wise Men) find themselves at the scene of Christ’s birth a few years later charged to do the same thing: charged to experience the striking realization that they have come to pay homage to the king of kings.

[4] The concept of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) appears in biblical passages, but the term was first used by church father Tertullian around 213 AD, and the doctrine was formally defined at the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) and solidified at the Council of Constantinople (381 AD) to clarify beliefs about Jesus’ divinity and God’s nature. Early Christian writings, like the Didache (c. 70 AD) and Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110 AD), show early Trinitarian formulas and understanding, but Nicaea made it official doctrine.

[5] Are you a Gasper, a “keeper of treasure”?

[6] Are you a Balthasar, one who has been saved by God?

[7] Are you a Melchior, one who has received the light of the King?

[8] https://www.lignoma.com/en/magazine/the-three-wise-kings/

[9] Billy Joel, The Stranger (1977), Album “The Stranger”, Released by Columbia Records and Produced by Phil Ramone.