PROPS in basket: TELESCOPE, CROWN, STAR, CAMEL, ROBE, WOODEN CHEST…
Look, I’ve found some things here, I think someone has travelled past here today and left them behind…
[Volunteers to come and see what they are, who we think left them? DISCUSS…]
In a minute we are going to search for the Magi and bring them back to the crib, but as you go, I want you to imagine that you are one of the wise men and think about how you might have felt seeing Jesus that very first Christmas, what gift might you have brought for the baby?
Follow the star and go and find the travellers and bring back to the crib…
Twelve days after Christmas we celebrate Epiphany, an epiphany is a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization, usually of something significant and life changing – we sometimes hear people say ‘I had an epiphany and I’ve changed the way I live my life…’, something has appeared, to change the way they think and live. For us today, Epiphany marks the arrival of the wise men, Magi or kings as we often call them, these wise people, probably men, journeyed long and far to find the Christ child after studying the skies and the scriptures to learn of the coming of the Messiah. They took a great risk travelling on their long journey, they would have had to make sacrifices to travel so far and must certainly have had tremendous trust and certainty, that following the presence of a star was the right thing to do. Do we make bold decisions, put ourselves at risk and make sacrifices to find Jesus, to give him gifts, to worship him?
The light of Epiphany isn’t something to simply admire – it draws us forward, it’s God giving us something to follow – it may pull us in unexpected and sometimes unwanted directions, but can we follow diligently and do what God asks of us? Whilst we searched for the Magi in church, we thought about how we might have felt, seeing Jesus on that first Christmas if we had been there, and what gifts might we have taken? [Any suggestions?] Maybe a nice warm blanket and some nappies would have been top of the list – but if we think of the beautiful carol – In the Bleak Midwinter, it tells us that the shepherds take a lamb, the wise men do their part and asks what we can give – to which the answer is our heart! What a gift, giving our whole selves to Jesus, our time, our talents and our love, allowing him to be at the centre of our lives in all we do. And the response from God will be one of constant love, our lives can and will be transformed, and just as the Magi shared what they had seen, so we can share with others the good news of Jesus – we can be responsible for the power of the Kingdom breaking out as we share the love of Jesus, the true King with others.
We know that the gifts the Magi brought, not only fulfilled an earlier prophesy, but showed the world that Jesus was special – they were extremely expensive and possibly reflected the background of these men from afar. Again, these first visitors to the new messiah were Gentiles not the local Jewish population – Jesus as Messiah was being revealed around the world – God must have revealed something of the mystery of Jesus to them as they came with gold, demonstrating Jesus kingship; Frankincense to use in worship and adoration, highlighting Jesus’ divinity, and myrrh a reminder of the death Jesus was to undergo on our behalf.
However, after their incredible journey, it says, in our translation of the reading, ‘The Wise Men came and knelt before the child Jesus’, and of course we must do the same – we must come before God with our prayers and our praises, our thanksgiving and our love showing honour and respect. However, if we look at other translations of that verse, whilst some simply say they bowed, the KJV states – they fell down! They fell down and worshipped! Can you imagine being so giddy, so excited and so full of God that you fall to the floor in honour and worship – at the feet of a tiny baby, but a tiny baby you know will change the world? And that excitement can still be ours today, through a personal relationship with Jesus.
God revealed to the Magi a sign they would recognise – the brightest, most glorious star blazing in the sky – what signs does God show us? They will be different, but they will be recognisable and we must keep our eyes and ears open so that we can tune into them. We must trust, take risks and make sacrifices, just as the Magi did, to follow all Jesus is offering to us and to grow in our relationship with him. Are we as eager as those wise men to devote our lives to finding Jesus, to catch even a glimpse of what might be on offer for us?
Paul tells us what is on offer, when we live with Jesus at the centre of our lives, in our reading from Ephesians. He tells us that we can share in the promise in Christ Jesus; he’s tasked with telling us, the Gentiles, the news of the boundless riches of Christ and that we can go to God in boldness and confidence, because of our faith. What an amazing offer and an incredible gift – there for the taking by each and every one of us.
So Christmas didn’t end when we unwrapped all of our gifts on Christmas Day – Christmas is just the beginning; a beginning that is augmented and reinforced by the visit of the Magi this epiphany, a sure and certain truth that underpins our faith and reminds us to seek Jesus in all we do, as Jesus really is the greatest gift of all.
Service: Revd Rebecca Yates 4th January 2026. (St John the Baptist Church Peterborough UK)
Readings: Matthew 2:1-12