January 6, 2008

How to Find the Christ Child in Your Own Life

by Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson

Matthew 2:1-12

Opening Illustration – Watched the Nativity Story in Ohio. Need to hear Matthean story of Christmas on its own.

Story of Magi – challenges people of faith to seek work of God in their own world.

Magi – Astrologers – world events controlled by heavenly beings who inhabited stars.

Matthew contrasts them with Herod and religious leaders.

Magi:

Ignorant of scriptures – “Nativity Story” has them reading OT. Matthew describes them as unaware of OT prophecy concerning Messiah.

Recognize the importance of and connectedness to people in other lands.

Respectful of civil leadership

Aware that Jesus is God’s work of salvation

Willing to give up their most treasured possessions for the kingdom

Obedient and compliant with God in salvation
Herod and Religious Leadership:

Knowledgeable of scriptures – should have known this was going to happen

Concerned only with maintaining power in their own context; unaware of connectedness with other people.

Had no regard for the lives of their own subjects.

Opposed to Jesus’ role in salvation of the world.

Unwillingness to acknowledge Jesus’ divine authority.

Matthew is not just describing a historical situation; he’s describing the difference between people who participate in God’s kingdom and those who oppose it.

People who participate in God’s kingdom are like Magi – they continually find Jesus in their own contexts.

Passage teaches us about finding Jesus, and God’s kingdom, in our own lives and situations.

First – Passage reaffirms that we can find God in our experience of the world.

Second – Reminds us that what happens in other places may be the work of God. We are all connected.

Pakistanis have invited Scotland Yard to assist in investigation of Bhutto’s assassination. Why would British care? They realize that this event affects everyone.

Third – Responding to our experience of God in the world is crucial.

Joseph and Magi responded with obedience to their experience with God.

Final Illustration – Mourning the passing of Lee Sherman Dreyfus

Not overly religious – May have been member at St. Matthias.

Recognized the need for division between church and state.

Criticized labeling the Iraq war as a crusade – though Catholic Memorial’s mascot is the crusaders

Spoke out against the same-sex amendment passed in Wisconsin two years ago – Didn’t think civil government should tell church what marriage is and isn’t.

“Marriage, in my opinion, is not a covenant to be dealt with by the state. Marriage is a sacrament of the church. That sacrament should be defined by theology and by the churches alone!”

Dreyfus looked for the intersection between religion and politics and thought for himself.

His opinions were his attempt to be obedient to God in his place in society. Wisconsin is a better place because of his open-mindedness.

• Look for evidence of God’s work this week. Be open to where God may be leading you.

Realize that everything you do has an impact on the people around you. God expects nothing less than justice from us.

Respond to God in obedience – Try something new; get training to do something on God’s behalf that you never have before.

The Christ child is still to be found in our world. We can do like Herod and be oblivious, maybe even opposing God’s action.

Or we can be like the Magi and give up that which is most precious to us in order to be a part of what God is doing today.