Matthew 2:1-12 A Star in the East

How in the world does the story of the Magi coming to see Jesus relate to the present day? Who comes today to seek Jesus in Bethlehem? Maybe when people see the rising of the star of Christ, a person or a nation who truly follow the teaching and way of Jesus, this attracts them to come and worship him. When we let our light shine, displaying a bright example of love and mercy, healing and comfort, people come and discover him in the house of bread (beth = house + lehem = bread), which is the Christian church. Luther said that the oral preaching of the gospel is the star/light that leads people to Jesus, and it remains over him alone. The truth teaches the pure grace of God and pure faith instead of the law.

Luther identified Herod as being the first non-Judah leader of Israel, fulfilling the prophecy that would bring Shiloh, the messiah (Gen. 49:10). Luther placed the pope in Herod’s shoes as one attempting to destroy the Christ child through requiring obedience to church doctrine and teaching over faith in Christ alone. Who is Herod today? Herod reminded me of Judas Iscariot, anyone who pretends they love and worship Jesus by kissing him on the cheek, but then they turn around and betray him by lifting the law higher than him. Who lifts the law higher than Christ today? Who acts like they want to worship him, when in fact they want to silence him for their own benefit?

Brother Martin credited the ability of the Magi to recognize the messiah in a humble, insignificant child to faith that goes beyond reason or natural intelligence. He says ‘nature wants to feel and be certain before it believes; whereas grace believes before she perceives.

Back to the star as the gospel: we noticed that verse 10 says when the Magi saw the star, they were overjoyed. They were overjoyed before they saw the baby? The star attracted them. The good news drew them to where he was laid, gave them joy, and then they met him personally.

Luther mentions that the gospel teaches salvation is by faith alone. Adding other requirements to it is to weaken faith’s power and risks losing it in favor of works. We can be joyful in knowing that obedience and works are not the route to find him. When we finally meet him, obedience and works become our offering to him.

When they got to the house (not the stable? not the manger?), they worshiped him and gave him their gifts. And then, as always, God finds a way to warn us so we don’t go back to the Herodian (self-serving) way of thinking.

This is one of Luther’s sermons in which he refers to the scriptures as “the swaddling clothes and manger (#36) in which he was wrapped and laid; that is, the writings of the prophets and the law; in these he is wrapped, they contain him, they speak only of him and bear witness of him; they are his sure sign”… Blessings - PWM