Jesus for All
by David Baer | published: Monday, January 6, 2014, 12:00 AM
By now, most of us are at least thinking of putting away the Christmas decorations. Down come the lights and the garlands, the wreaths and the ribbons, the star and the Nativity set, with its shepherds and sheep, camels and Magi. But wait just a minute... Hold on to those wise guys and their dromedaries—there is nothing in scripture that says that they made it to Bethlehem to meet the shepherds on the night of Jesus' birth (or that there were exactly three of them!), and there is much to suggest that they came some time later. Throwing the wise men together with the shepherds in the Nativity scene makes for great pageantry, and some extra parts for kids in the Sunday School production too. But I think we miss out on something really wonderful when we collapse the wise men from the east into the Christmas story. They have their own story, and it's a story that has everything to do with us.
The story of Christmas draws richly on Jewish history and tradition—terms like “house and family of David”and “Messiah” that appear in the Nativity story would have had a powerful significance for Jews, because they connect Jesus' birth with the Jewish scriptures, but they would have been meaningless to non-Jews. Even the angels' song, “... on earth peace among those whom he favors” (Luke 2:14), makes it sound as though Jesus' birth is good news mainly for God's chosen people, the family descended from Abraham. If we had only the story of Jesus' birth, with nothing else, it's not clear why it would be good news for us.
The Magi bring us with them into the story of Jesus. Their story makes the Nativity good news for the whole world. The shining star that the Magi followed can be seen all over the globe, and it's a sign that God is doing something that matters deeply beyond the family of faith. It made a powerful impression on these wise men, so much so that they traveled a great distance to honor Jesus. What made them so wise was not that they understood all the mysteries of the chosen people, the insiders—after all, they had to stop in Jerusalem for directions (Matthew 2:1-2). What made them wise was that they followed the yearning that drew them to Bethlehem. We celebrate their story on Epiphany (which means both “appearance” and “shining”) and in the season that follows.
From time to time, stars rise in the sky, so to speak, and people come looking for Jesus. Maybe you're one of them, or you've been one of them at some time. Or maybe there are people in your life that you know are searching. Is it possible that God has brought them to you, not to be despised as outsiders, but to be encouraged as seekers, and to hear a word or two about what that child born in Bethlehem has meant to you?
So, the Christmas tree has to go, but maybe you can hold on to those wise men for just a little longer, as a reminder of the grace big enough to set the heavens ablaze with light and kindle hearts with a desire to find the one whose birth is good news for us all.
A version of this item originally appeared in the January 2009 issue of the Highlands Highlights print newsletter.