THE CLASH OF KINGDOMS

Sermon Summary (1/6/19) “The Clash of Kingdoms” (Mt 2:1-16a)

I’ve always preferred the shepherds to the wise men.  I mean, “Peace on earth.”  I like that.  “Silent Night.”  I like that.  Matthew’s story sets up a clash of kingdoms from the very beginning: King Herod vs. the baby King; Rome vs. Jesus; the kingdom of this world versus the kingdom of God.

Matthew has arranged the Christmas stories of Jesus in two-fold way, to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture and second, to show the inevitable clash of kingdoms.  He begins with the genealogy; the story begins in Bethlehem rather than Nazareth; it moves to Egypt instead of Jerusalem; like Moses, he comes out of Egypt (remember the line “Out of Egypt I call my son.”  Jesus from the opening is the fulfillment of Scripture. 

Then the clash.  On the one hand, Augustus Caesar is known as king of kings, and lord of lords, even the son of god.  Then we have the baby Jesus, the true King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Son of God.  No wonder Herod was frightened and all of Jerusalem with him. 

The wise men, probably from Persia were learned priests of the Zoroaster religion, not Jews, never an indication that they converted to Christianity, yet this story is included to show that from the very outset, Jesus was king of all the earth!  Jesus, indeed King of Kings.  The clash of kingdoms existed then.  It exists now.

Today is Epiphany, Jesus’ revelation to the whole world through the Magi; it is also our first gathering of 2019.  How is it that we can reduce the clash of kingdoms in 2019?  One pastor I listen two suggests two disciplines for the new year: time and practicing the presence to God.

Time, God deserves a spot in our appointment book.  Everything else does, but we often neglect our time with  him.  Yet, if God in Christ really came to earth to be our Savior, he deserves a spot on our calendar.

The other is practicing the presence of God.  God is in the now.  The past is past, the future is but a dream.  The only reality we have is the now!  Being thankful to God for the past, brings gratitude into the now.  Making the most of the now, prepares us for the future.  The only reality is the now.  We practice the presence of God by doing everything, even the most menial of tasks for the love of God, conversing with him, asking him for guidance, asking him to make the most of our now.  So be it!  Amen.