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

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

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

Summary: When Jesus was born, God gave us a powerful reminder that the gifts we receive at Christmas are more than gifts but something that stays with us.

Preached: Sunday, January 25^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 new 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 we are to seek the one who seeks us. 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. As we follow the star, we realize that sometimes in our life we have to seek Jesus. Let’s remind ourselves of who these mysterious persons are and what they have taught us so far.

 

Movement One: Who Are the Wise Men and What They Teach Us…

Three weeks ago, we briefly highlighted how scripture doesn’t tell us everything about the Wise Men. For example, we learned that scripture doesn’t specifically mention three Magi, but yet, three appear in our nativity scenes. We also learned that the three gifts offered—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—have come to represent Jesus’ life: gold represents his authority, power, and dominion; frankincense is an oil used to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain, suggesting Jesus’ humanity; and myrrh was used to anoint bodies for burial symbolizing the death of Christ. Furthermore, we learned that scripture doesn’t tell us the names of the Wise Men, but tradition has given them names: Gaspar,[4] Balthasar,[5] and Melchior[6] each having their own meaning.

Doing some additional research, the Wise Men, also known as Magi, short for magician, were men belonging to various educated classes. History has a couple of descriptors for magi, either Persian fire gods, astrologers, priests, kings, and also magicians or sorcerers. Some scholars have connected the magi to the Zoroastrian tradition—a tradition focused on the never-ending battle between good and evil. 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, possibly traveling from different countries and continents. 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.

From our brief introduction of the Wise Men three weeks ago, we learned that when it comes to our faith we need to take time to fill in the gaps—to be curious about what scripture doesn’t tell us so that we can create a fuller picture of what is happening.[7] Lastly, the Wise Men invite us to spend more time listening to God, because when we listen to God, like the Wise Men and shepherds and disciples and so many others, our life can be changed.

As our life is changed, we also learn that in order to maintain the life that God is changing we have to learn to do not what is easy but what is right and difficult. We like the easy path because it is comfortable and we can predict what is going to happen. I’m sure many of us wouldn’t be where we are today if we always chose the easy path though. This is exactly what the Wise Men teach us: they teach us that keeping our faith is hard work and is not easy.

For example, the Wise Men travel to an unfamiliar town, in an unfamiliar region, to tell an unfamiliar earthly king by the name of Herod, who has a horrible reputation and has great power, that an unfamiliar child to them has been born to two unfamiliar parents and is called “King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). These strangers have just told someone of great power that there is a greater king living in his land. That’s not easy. (Some would say that is absurd.) And things don’t get easier for them any time soon. Matthew 2:12 informs us, “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.” The Wise Men, in a dream, were instructed to return home from Bethlehem by another road rather than traveling through Jerusalem where King Herod was waiting, rather than taking the path that they have already taken. And when Herod realized what had happened he was furious. As a matter of fact, he was so upset that he sent out a murder decree and put a price on the head of every two-year-old and younger boy living in and around Bethlehem.^[8] The Wise Men, putting the lives of many in jeopardy, did what was right and not easy. The easy thing to do would have been to obey Herod, return to him, and tell him the news; but the right thing to do was to obey what God needed them to do, even if that meant putting their own life in danger. The Wise Men teach us that as individuals, as disciples, and even as the church, God is going to need us to do what is hard and difficult and challenging and not always do what is easy.

Last week, we learned that the Wise Men teach us God uses who God chooses. God uses who God chooses. Deep down, this is what the Wise Men are reminding us, specifically you. God has chosen you just like he had chosen the Wise Men. As a matter of fact, God has a plan for you according Jeremiah 29:11: God says, “I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for” (The Message Bible). We don’t have to be perfect to be chosen by God, we just have to be willing to follow Him, to carry our cross. We don’t have to have all the answers, the right words to say, the correct actions to do, we just have to be willing to follow Him. We can even sin from time to time, and God will still choose us because He has a plan for us—a plan to use us to do extraordinary things.

Even when fear conquers us, God will still choose us. Even when we doubt, are uncertain, seem hopeless, and have given up on certain dreams and unanswered prayers, God will still choose us. Even when we don’t feel like giving 100%, even when life isn’t fair, even when darkness creeps in, and even when things don’t work when we want them to work, God will still choose us. God has chosen you and He plans to use you for the sake of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. But are you willing to allow Him to use you like He used the Wise Men—to choose the right path, and to find your way to the stable?

You see, the Wise Men didn’t attend regular services at the Synagogue, didn’t participate in Bible Study, and probably didn’t pray every day. The Wise Men weren’t who we would typically invite to the stable: they were unlikely characters. 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. It’s through the Wise Men that we learn to seek the one who constantly seeks us.

 

Movement Two: Seeking the One who Seeks Us…

The last lesson I want to share with you from what the Wise Men teach us is the idea of seeking the one who seeks us. About a month ago, Emily and I travelled up north to spend time with my family for Christmas. We had a wonderful time: all fourteen of us gathered around the dining room table—as three dogs, two cats, a bird, and a bunny looked on from a distance—as we passed food around the table, threw a few rolls across the room, shared a few stories, and caught up with one another, all before spending the rest of the evening opening gifts around the Christmas tree. The next day, we all got together for pizza. It was rather chilly that day so there was no going outside. However, that didn’t stop a few of us and the nieces and nephews from having fun inside.

For several hours, we spent time in the basement at my parents’ house with the lights off playing flashlight hide-and-seek. We hid in the homemade tent, under the stairs, behind mattresses, in closets in the toy-room, in the shadows of the furnace, and wedged between folding chairs. The only way you could be found was if a flashlight revealed your hiding place. For those that weren’t found right away, they got stay where they were until they were found. For those that were found, they became “it”, the seeker. For several hours this went on. My nephews, especially, were coming up with some creative hiding places—some of those places I could only imagine fitting in! It was a great time!

On the drive home, while Emily was taking a nap in the passenger seat, I kept thinking how there was a lesson in that day of fun. And then it hit me: in life, God is the one with the flashlight, seeking to find us in our hiding places. And no matter how hard we hide and believe we have found the perfect hiding place—away from everything, everyone, the problems of the day—God’s light still finds a way to shine on us and illuminate us even in the darkness. You know it is said in John 8:12 when Jesus spoke, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Several chapters before, John indicates when describing Jesus that “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). In the Gospel of Matthew, we are told that we “are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).

Throughout scripture, whether from God, the prophets, the disciples, or Jesus, we are reminded that God will always find us, that God will shine His light upon our path—for “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” is what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:105—and that God is constantly searching for us so that we can return to Him (Micah 7:8-9). Isn’t this the truth? No matter where we are, what we do, how we live our life, or if the valley is too great to climb out of, God is always there. God is always there because He searches for us and doesn’t give up until He finds us. When beginning the early church, God tells Paul in a dream, “Don’t be afraid… For I am with you” (Acts 18:9-10). Before ascending into heaven, Jesus tells his disciples, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew28:20). Even before Paul and Jesus walked this earth Joshua and Zephaniah express the same sentiment: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 and Zephaniah 3:17). God is with you; and God is always going to search for you and find you.

For example, I know many of you have heard, read, and possibly studied the Parable of the Lost Sheep found in the Gospels of Matthew (18:12-14) and Luke (15:3-7). Jesus told a parable about a shepherd who had one hundred sheep. When one of the sheep got lost, the shepherd searched until he found it. Every sheep was important to the shepherd. This is the kind of care that God has for us. He knows each of us by name. He does not want even one of us to go astray, so He sends Jesus to find us and to bring us back. We are the sheep and Jesus is the shepherd. In this Parable, it’s Jesus who does the searching. It’s Jesus who does the finding. It’s Jesus who protects the 99 as he still seeks out the lost. It’s Jesus who brings us back to him. This is good news. However, what if we were the lost sheep searching for Jesus?

I share this moment in my life with you because it’s a good reminder to know that God is with us—because sometimes we forget that, especially with everything going on in our life. I also share this moment with you because sometimes, instead of God searching for us, we need to be the ones searching for God. We need to be the ones with the flashlights and no longer in hiding. If you think about it, the Wise Men were the ones with the flashlights, seeking to find Jesus not just in a house in Bethlehem but in their life.

In the opening two verses of Matthew 2, we hear these words: “In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, 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” (Matthew 2:1-2). The Wise Men, traveling from the east, have come to Jerusalem. The Wise Men, upon entering Jerusalem, search for King Herod. The Wise Men, in the presence of King Herod, seek to locate the child born king of the Jews so that they can go and pay him homage—worship him, praise him, and respect him. The Wise Men want to seek out the one who has been seeking them out through the star. The Wise Men are seeking to find Jesus. When was the last time you deliberately took time to seek out Jesus in your life? When was the last time you searched for Jesus in your daily routine, when you went to Wal-Mart, when you took a drive somewhere, when you gathered with friends and family, when you read scripture? We spend a lot of time wanting Jesus to find us; but have you ever wondered if Jesus is waiting for us to find him?

There are several moments in scripture that demonstrate this very idea. First, the leper found in Luke 5:12-16. As Jesus is walking around in a town, a man with leprosy approaches Jesus, falls down at his feet, and begs Jesus, saying “If you want to, you can heal me.” Jesus, overcome with emotion, says, “I do want to. Be clean.” A man who was told to stay in isolation—away from people—and deemed as untouchable sought out Jesus and was made clean. If this man didn’t seek out Jesus, he would have never been cured. Second, in Luke 8:43-48, we encounter an unnamed woman who has been bleeding for twelve years, has been deemed ceremonially unclean, who spent all her money on doctors but found no cure, seeks out Jesus and touches his cloak and is instantly healed and made new. Jesus, feeling power leave him, asked who touched Him, and she came forward, confessing her faith, leading Jesus to say, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” If this woman didn’t seek out Jesus, she would have suffered more days of bleeding.

Third, is the story of the paralytic man from Luke 5:17-26. Four friends bring a paralytic man to Jesus by lowering him through a roof so that he can be healed. Being paralyzed and unable to move or do anything for himself, the man would’ve no longer felt useful or a functioning part of society. However, Jesus doesn’t only heal his physical disability and allow him to walk, but he declares to the man that his sins are forgiven. If the paralytic man wasn’t brought to Jesus, he wouldn’t have been able to walk and he would still be a sinful man. Fourth is the story of Matthew (also known as Levi) the tax collector and later disciple from Luke 5:27-32. Matthew was collecting taxes on behalf of the Roman Empire and took an unknown percentage of the cut for himself. Many saw tax collectors as traitors: the worst of the worst. However, because Matthew accepted the invite to follow Jesus, his life was changed. If Matthew didn’t choose to follow Jesus, then he would still be viewed as a traitor and the worst of the worst instead of being one who many looked up to.

Fifth is the story of the sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50. In this passage, Jesus is eating a meal at Simon the Pharisee’s house. While he and the other guests are sitting there, in comes a woman with an alabaster jar. Luke describes her as having led a sinful life. Commentators usually assume she is a prostitute. The woman is instantly full of remorse. She begins crying and her tears fall on Jesus’ feet. To the chagrin of all those around who are watching, she begins to wipe Jesus’ feet with her hair. She also anoints them with perfume. This sinful woman comes before Jesus seeking forgiveness. This woman, often identified as either Mary Magdalene or Mary of Bethany, seeks out Jesus so that she can gain a new life with him, to be forgiven of her sins. Sixth and lastly, is the story of the demon-possessed man living amongst the tombs from Luke 8:26-39. When Jesus stepped ashore in the region of the Gerasenes, he is met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time, this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. This man was chained hand and foot and kept under guard. If this demon-possessed man did not meet Jesus when Jesus stepped ashore who knows what the rest of this man’s life would have been like. He probably would have been chained up for the rest of his life being tormented by the demon inside of him. But because he met Jesus, his life was saved: “he was dressed and in his right mind” (Luke 8:35).

There are plenty of other stories in the Bible that we could reference about people meeting Jesus and about people seeking out Jesus. If we did look at those stories we would find the same result: people being healed, people being saved, people being forgiven, people being noticed, and people being given a second chance. In the case of the shepherds and the Wise Men, they too sought out Jesus and their lives were also changed as they became the ones to share the “good news of great joy for all people” (Luke 2:10). Jesus didn’t find them; rather, they found Jesus. Do you need to be forgiven? Do you need to be saved? Do you need to be given a second chance? Do you need to be healed? Do you want to be able to share the good news of great joy for all people? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then what are you waiting for? Jesus is out there just as much as he is in your heart. It’s time to seek him out.

Thinking about those Biblical stories, I found myself remembering the lyrics to a popular song released 31 years ago. Joan Osborne in 1995 released an album with a song that sings these lyrics, “What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us. Just a stranger on a bus.” Who says that God is not like one of us? Maybe he is and we keep missing him because we aren’t looking for him in our life. There are people and moments and situations every day of our life that demonstrate the presence of Jesus, but how often do we pay attention to those people, moments, and situations? The Wise Men, astrologers of all people, sought out the new born king of the Jews and risked their lives to do so. When was the last time you sought out the one who leaves the 99 to find you? When was the last time we as a church deliberately found ways to draw people to Jesus? Are you willing to seek him out or are you waiting for him to find you?

 

Movement Three: Your Testimony, Our Testimony…

Deep down, I wonder if the Wise Men seeking Jesus is not just a reminder for us to seek out Jesus in our life but is actually inviting us to see where Jesus is in our story, in our testimony. Did you know you have a testimony? Did you know that out church has a testimony? But what is a testimony?

Doing a brief search, a “testimony” is evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something; a formal written or spoken statement. In relation to Biblical language, “testimony” means a solemn declaration or witness, or a personal account of God’s work—serving as God’s proof of His faithfulness, truth, and power. Breaking down the word “testimony” etymologically, we find that it comes from the Latin word testimonium which is a combination of two words: 1) testis meaning a witness and 2) –monium meaning to put something in action. Therefore, testimonium (testimony) is your account of your witnessing of your faith in action—how faith works in your life, where you witness the works of Christ. Let me provide you with a few examples of testimonies:

When starting the early church, after being converted on the Road to Damascus, Paul, who was named Saul, shares a powerful testimony of how God is working in his life and what God needs the church, the people, to do. Luke notes in Acts 20:18-35, “But there is another urgency before me now. I feel compelled to go to Jerusalem. I’m completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. I do know that it won’t be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead. But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God. And so this is good-bye. You’re not going to see me again, nor I you, you whom I have gone among for so long proclaiming the news of God’s inaugurated kingdom. I’ve done my best for you, given you my all, held back nothing of God’s will for you. Now it’s up to you. Be on your toes—both for yourselves and your congregation of sheep. The Holy Spirit has put you in charge of these people—God’s people they are—to guard and protect them. God himself thought they were worth dying for. I know that as soon as I’m gone, vicious wolves are going to show up and rip into this flock, men from your very own ranks twisting words so as to seduce disciples into following them instead of Jesus. So stay awake and keep up your guard. Remember those three years I kept at it with you, never letting up, pouring my heart out with you, one after another. Now I’m turning you over to God, our marvelous God who’s gracious Word can make you into what he wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends. I’ve never, as you so well know, had any taste for wealth or fashion. With these bare hands I took care of my own basic needs and those who worked with me. In everything I’ve done, I have demonstrated to you how necessary it is to work on behalf of the weak and not exploit them. You’ll not likely go wrong here if you keep remembering that our Master said, ‘You’re far happier giving than getting’” (The Message Bible).

Paul’s testimony begins with reminding the people that through humility, tears, and endurance and through trials and hate from the Jews, he didn’t give up. He acknowledges that his life only has value if he continues in the works and witness of God’s grace and good news, if he continues to seek out Jesus in his life. Then Paul’s testimony reveals how God has called him to keep watch over the flock, to shepherd the church of God, and to be alert of those who will strive to prevent you from seeking out Jesus. Lastly, Paul concludes his testimony by informing us that his story was not authored by outside human help but by his will and trust in God: his willingness to witness how his faith had actively lead him to Jesus.

Here’s another testimony. Before leaving Springfield, Illinois, to take residence at the White House in 1861, former President Abraham Lincoln shared a simply but profound testimony. Author Jon Meacham, in his book And There was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle, shares, “For more than a quarter of a century I have lived among you, and during all that time I have received nothing but kindness at your hands. Here I have lived from my youth until now I am an old man. Here the most sacred ties of earth were assumed; here all my children were born; and here one of them lies buried. To you, dear friends, I owe all that I have, all that I am. All the strange, [checkered] past seems to crowd now upon my mind. Today I leave you; I go to assume a task more difficult than that which devolved upon General Washington. Unless the great God, who assisted him, shall be with and aid me, I must fail. But if the same omniscient mind, and Almighty arm that directed and protected him, shall guide and support me, I shall not fail, I shall succeed. Let us all pray that the God of our fathers may not forsake us now. To him I commend you all-permit me to ask that with equal security and faith, you all will invoke His wisdom and guidance for me.”[9] Lincoln’s testimony expresses great sadness for leaving a place that meant so much to him: where life began a new chapter, where grief struck his heart, where joy was expressed, and where hope turned into a reality. His testimony also reveals how he can’t do what needs to be done for the nation unless God is with him. Unless he seeks out the presence of God, he won’t have the will to form what he declared in 1863 at Gettysburg, “[That] this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”[10] Lincoln needed God in his life.

The last testimony I will share with you comes from a recent article published by Bishop David Bard of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference on January 19, 2026, focused on the work of Rev. Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. Bishop Bard wrote, “Dr. King’s speaking and preaching reflected his deep intelligence and profound eloquence, offered in a distinctive voice which continues to resonate with so many who heard it, whether in person, or, like me, through recordings.  Whenever I reflect on Dr. King, or read his words, his voice echoes in my soul. Dr. King used his intelligence and eloquence and rich voice to articulate a renewed American dream “when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old […] spiritual, ‘Free at last, Free at last, Great God a-mighty, We are free at last.’ King delivered these words in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 28, 1963, as part of the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.”  Dr. King was a profound dreamer who had a phenomenal ability to put such dreams into words. As Christians we remember that Dr. King’s dreams were rooted and grounded in faith in Jesus Christ.  Dr. King not only called the nation to live out the true meaning of its creed that all were created equal, but also called people of faith to live out their faith by doing the work of justice, peace, reconciliation, and love.”[11]

Dr. King’s testimony, his witness to faith in action, continually pursued places where Jesus was and where Jesus needed to be found. And when Jesus was found, Dr. King’s “Beloved Community”[12] began to take shape: conflicts were resolved in peace, nonviolence, and without hostility, ill will, or resentment; a mutual understanding of peace was realistic; kindness, compassion, and love for all life was practiced; and the means to understand that all people have the value of an inherent worth was received. Dr. King’s testimony revealed that when Jesus is sought after and found, people can truly begin to live in peace, reconciliation, and love.

In Paul’s, in Lincoln’s, and in Dr. King’s testimony, we see how witnessing our faith in action is a means to seek Jesus in our life. Thinking about your own testimony, where did you find Jesus, how often have you sought out Jesus, and why did you search for Jesus? Whether you realize it or not, you do have a testimony; and within that testimony is a story about a person who isn’t perfect, who doesn’t always get things right, who makes mistakes every day, who commits sins, who is tired, who is struggling, who is doubting, who is fearing, and who is asking questions. But also in that story is a person who doesn’t want to give up, who knows that joy comes in the morning, who understands that the messes of today are messages for tomorrow, who acknowledges that trials can be turned into triumphs, and who realizes the importance of seeking out Jesus in their life. You have a testimony; so don’t be afraid to show your faith in action as you search for Jesus.

Knowing that you have a testimony, it’s important to remind you that, as a church, we have a testimony. As a matter of fact, we are constantly finding ways to be witnesses of the faith as we seek to find Jesus in what we do. Several weeks ago, I shared with you an extensive list of what you did as a church in 2025. Everything that I mentioned is part of the church’s testimony. For over 100 years, this church has been writing a testimony that has sought to exemplify how it found Jesus in its ministries, in its outreach, in the people that sit in the pews, in the offerings that it collects, in the children that make us laugh, and in the things that you have decided to get involved with. Church our testimony is not just a story of what we did; it is a story of what we are doing and of what we want to do. However, are you willing to continue this testimony? Are you willing to witness the faith in action as you constantly seek out Jesus in your life?

 

Conclusion:

You know, I’m glad that I can add flashlight hide-and-seek to my testimony. Not only was I able to create memories with nieces and nephews, but I was able to do something that reminded me of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ means that Jesus will leave the 99 to find you, but it also means that Jesus needs us to find him. We need to find Jesus in unlikely places, within unlikely people, and amongst unlikely situations. The one who seeks us when we are lost is the one that we need to seek out in our life. And it doesn’t matter that we have sinned, that we are imperfect, or that we don’t have answers to everything: what matters is that we don’t miss the chance to find Jesus in our life. What matters is that we don’t miss the chance to follow a star!

The Magi, wealthy people from the east who are non-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. 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 giving 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 realizing that we have a testimony—a story of witnessing our faith in action as we seek the one who seeks us. Go, and follow the star! Go, and seek out Jesus in your life!

Let it be so…

 

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us pray: Dear God, thank you for finding us, thank you for shining a light upon us, thank you for our testimony, and thank you for giving us a star to follow. Help us, from this day onward, to step into your light so that we may find you in our own testimony. In your holy name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

Church, go and seek out Jesus. Jesus is out there just as much as he is in your heart. He wants you to search for him. He wants you to see him in the dark. He wants to be found by you so that he can change your life. 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] 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.^[4] Are you a Gasper, a “keeper of treasure”?

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

[6] Melchior, meaning “King of Light,” the oldest of the three from Persia, representing old age, is the one who brought gold foretelling Jesus’s royalty. Are you a Melchior, one who has received the light of the King? https://www.lignoma.com/en/magazine/the-three-wise-kings/

[7] The Wise Men also teach us that even those who we think shouldn’t be at the manger are the ones that God needs at the manger, including those who society has come to label as outsiders or “strangers living in a foreign land.”

[8] Herod was taking no chances in getting rid of one who he feared would overtake his throne. The Wise Men went to Jerusalem and asked about the born king. They said they had seen His star rise in the East. The Magi were astrologers, people who observed and studied the stars. Apparently some heavenly brilliance had spoken to the Magi which they interpreted as the entry of a king into the world. The Magi came looking for Jesus but they came late, perhaps as much as two years after His birth. The word that Matthew used to refer to the one born king is the word for child; whereas, Luke’s reference is to an infant. This suggests that Jesus was beyond one year of age when the Magi arrived in Jerusalem. A second indication that Jesus may have been a year or more old at this time is Herod’s decree that all male children two years of age and younger in Bethlehem and in its neighborhoods be killed.

[9] Jon Meacham, And There was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle, New York City, New York: Random House , 2023, pg. 219.

[10] https://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm  Boritt, Gabor. The Gettysburg Gospel: The Lincoln Speech That Nobody Knows. Simon & Schuster, 2006.

[11] Bishop Bard’s “Martin Luther King, Jr. Address”, published by the Illinoi Great Rivers Conference on January 19, 2026.

[12] The term “Beloved Community” was initially popularized by theologian Josiah Royce (1855-1916), who founded the Fellowship of Reconciliation.