Reading Matthew 2:1-12
As many of you
know I recently had my graduation from the University of Manchester and
received a degree PhD, and my supervisor started to call me Dr. Raj. I have
received many congratulatory mails and texts from far and wide. Among those
heaps of mails, I received one mail, which read, “Many congratulations Raj, we
are very happy for you and the family. You can now move more easily wherever
you wish to. Life becomes easy. Once again many congratulations on passing your
driving test.” Only then I realised that Dr. before my name is not always
doctor Raj, but ‘driver’ Raj.
Well, while I am
on driving, as a new driver, still fresh with driving lessons, one of the
lessons was going to a destination by reading the sign boards. Another lesson
and part of the test is independent driving following the navigation to a set
destination on the sat nav. It is taking time to follow the navigation, with
many confusions, sometimes taking a wrong exit, sometimes the GPS device taking
you to different locations. It is all a learning experience. I know there are
many who still use the A to Z maps, with notes on the directions to follow to
reach their destinations.
With a 'P' sign on
the back of my car, as a new probation driver, I now started to read Matthew
2:1-12, realising how the Magi followed a GPS to reach Bethlehem. The star
served as a GPS for these kings, astrologers, wise people to find the ‘King of
Jews’ in Jesus at Bethlehem. Mind you as you will know, it was never mentioned
that they were ‘three wise men’, all we know is that there were three gifts and
so we assume that they were ‘three wise people.’ They were a company of people
who saw the star, followed it to find the ‘King of Jews.’ How did all this
company of people follow the single GPS available in a Star. Because it was a
star, all of them sighted it and followed it collectively, or one taking the
lead the others following the star and the lead. The Star served as a
collective GPS – taking all of them to Bethlehem. Perhaps because they were
able to travel together in a company, following a single star made them ‘Wise’
people.
(Painting credits: Laura Dukes – Laura primarily paints small abstract pieces; you can see more of her work on her Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/
All this company
of wise people followed their GPS the ‘rising Star’ carefully through out their
journey, till they were 9 miles away from Bethlehem. On approaching Jerusalem
they took a wrong exit and went to the palace of Herod assuming that either he
or his son would have been the ‘King of Jews.’ They lost track of their Star,
and it took a long time for them to be rerouted before they got back to their
GPS directions towards Bethlehem. How frustrating it would have been to be lost
just before 9 miles from Bethlehem, for there was delay, they had to encounter
King Herod to inform him about the birth of Jesus, and that entry into a wrong
exit even costed the lives of several two year old babies to be slaughtered by
Herod for not being able to track and find Jesus.
By the help of
Holy Spirit, they were rerouted back to their destiny from Jerusalem to
Bethlehem and found the star. Verse 10: “when they say the star, they were
overjoyed.” What a relief it would have been to find back their GPS directions.
I can imagine what a joy it would have been to back to the right directions
after being lost in a wrong exit. They were “over joyed.” The star brought them
to the right place, a house in Bethlehem where Mary and Joseph stayed with
their baby Jesus, and they worshipped Jesus by offering their gifts.
Augustine wrote, “Christ was not born because the star shone
forth, but it shone forth because Christ was born; we should say not that the
star was fate for Christ, but that Christ was fate for the star.” (Benson
Bobrick, The
Fated Sky: Astrology in History (New York: Simon &
Schuster, 2005), 79).
I want to share
with you five things from this following the star.
1.
Hearing/Reading about the Star
2.
Seeing the Star rising
3.
Knowing the Star
4.
Following the Star
5.
Being a Star
1.
Hearing/
Reading about the Star:
Matthew tells
us that the Magi have seen “his star at its rising” (Matthew 2:2). His readers
would have made a connection to the promise made to Abraham that his descendants
would be like the stars of heaven (Genesis 15:5; 22:17); Jesus is one of these descendants
who surely stands out. Imagining that the magi were from non-Jewish background,
they read the star at its rising, and followed it.
2.
Seeing the
Star:
The fact that the Magi, astrologers from the East, seeing the
star, come looking for the new-born king shows that the Gospel message is not
just for those of Jesus’ race but for all people. The star, therefore, helps to
communicate the universal significance to Jesus’ birth.
They found
the star at their work – If u r writer does ur pen lead to Jesus, if u r a
doctor does ur stethoscope helps u to lead to Jesus, if u r a mechanic does ur
spanner helps u to lead to Jesus.
3. Knowing the Star:
Putting feet to
faith – conviction to belief-They knew the importance of the star and have put
into practice their theoretical knowledge.
4.
Followed
the Star:
They travelled
both day and night following the star – persistence and perseverance. Without
giving up, they followed the passion of their life- followed the star and
followed their dream.
5.
Being
a Star:
Following
collectively – made them star
Humility in
worshipping a baby – made them star
Offering gifts to
a baby – made them a star
Returning in
another way – made them a star
Daniel 12:3 - Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and
those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
May we this season
follow the Star called Jesus the brightest star the world has ever seen and
become a star for Jesus showing to many the path to righteousness in Jesus
Christ. Wishing you all a star-filled, Word-filled and Word-fulfilled New Year.
Rajbharat Patta
Epiphany 2019
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