Pastor Tom Johnson, January 3, 2020
The hymn that follows the sermon in our Epiphany worship calls Jesus the great capital D “Desire of nations.” This title actually comes from Haggai 2:7 that talks about the coming of the “Desire of all nations.” Our reading from Isaiah’s says, “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” The passage even predicts that dignitaries will come from distant lands with priceless gifts such as gold and frankincense. And that is exactly what happens. “Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem.” It is a mystery where these people came from. I think the ambiguity highlights just how multiethnic the adoration of this newborn king was and will be. They bring rare and priceless gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Their wealth and their knowledge of the stars tells us that they are well-educated, likely upper class, and perhaps even of noble birth. That is why we often call them “three kings” and why the Scripture calls them “wise.”
In contrast to these foreign dignitaries we have the local shepherds working the night shift. Although they did not arrive at the same time as our manger scene depicts, they were among those who came to worship the babe in the manger. One of the powerful reminders of the nativity scene is the multiethnic, social, and economic diversity of those who gather around, bow the knee, and worship. I love the manger scenes that highlight this beautiful tapestry of skin tones, facial features, clothing, and exotic animals. And yet, you can see in all their faces, their posture, and the gifts they bring their shared gratitude for the Word made flesh. Even with all the different languages and accents, you can hear the same joy and praise for the newborn King of kings.
It’s darkly ironic that Herod, the king of Jerusalem, is not filled with the same hope and joy. Instead, he is filled with fear and jealousy. His chief concern is losing power. He lies about wanting to also pay homage to Messiah. He is so desperately wicked, that he is willing to kill all the toddler, infant, and newborn boys in Bethlehem so that he will not lose his influence and affluence. He cares more about maintaining power than he does the lives of innocent children. This evil, selfish, and destructive abuse of power is not unique to Herod. Many of Roman emperors were also cruel and self-serving. It is likely that the wise men from the east also came from kingdoms ruled by tyrants. All of us fall short of the glory of God. All earthly leaders fall short of who God has called them to be. That is why we need to pray for those in power—as Scripture commands us to pray for all kings and those in authority (1 Tim 2:2).
What our Scripture is highlighting today is the Desire of the nations. There is a universal human desire for peace and justice. Our Psalm names this desire: In this psalm, we pray and sing for Messiah to rule righteously, to treat the poor with justice, to bring prosperity and righteousness to the people, to defend the needy, rescue the poor, and crush those who oppress them. What’s amazing about this Davidic King born in Bethlehem is that he is not just ruler of the tribe of Judah or the nation of Israel. He is “the great Desire of nations.” “All kings show bow down before him.”
This is the universal, god-pleasing, human-benefiting desire we should have in a leader—someone who accepts us no matter our skin tone, accent, country of origin, social class, or economic condition—a ruler who does not act in self-interest but in elevating others out of poverty, injustice, and distress. This is what motivated these wise men to pack up their camels for a months-long journey to find this messianic King. He was not just to be King of a narrow strip of land next to the Mediterranean but of heaven and earth—a global, cosmic King. It’s what motivated the lowly shepherds to leave their night posts and make haste to meet baby Jesus. They were overwhelmed with the truth that God does not just care about people ruling in palaces but also people working the fields by night.
So we should ponder and treasure our relationship to this Messianic King—the eternal Son of God who was born in a barn and lying in a feeding trough. Your desire for justice is found in him. Your longing for belonging is fulfilled. Your needs of body and soul are met in this royal child wrapped in swaddling cloth. He will heal the sick, preach good news to the poor, comfort the afflicted, afflict the comfortable, confront hypocrisy, call out the abuse of power, unmask self-righteousness, remove guilt and shame, and fulfill all universal desires. Just as his earthly reign began in the unlikeliest of places—a feeding trough in a stable—so will his earthly reign end in the unlikeliest of places—a wooden cross on a hill called “the Skull.” But it is through his death that he destroys death, the reign of evil, and all our sin. And three days later, he rises to validate his kingship and be our Desire for forgiveness, eternal life, and a front seat in the Kingdom that will have no end.
Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star.
Come and worship, come and worship;
Worship Christ, the newborn King.
(“Angels from the Realms of Glory,” LSB 367, v. 3)
No comments:
Post a Comment