EPIPHANY: CHRIST'S PRESENTATION TO THE WORLD

Sermon Summary (1/5/20/) “Epiphany: Christ’s Presentation to the World.” (Mt 2)

“The Twelfth Day of Christmas….Twelve Drummers Drumming.”  The Twelfth Day, the last day of Christmas is a noisy day.  Tomorrow, also Jan 6th is Epiphany, in some places in the world bigger than Christmas.  The first story Matthew gives us after the birth, the presentation of the Christ child to the world, to the “Magi,” the outsiders more than likely from Persia.  And what is the last story in Matthew? Jesus’ Great Commission: make disciples of all nations. The bookends of the Good News, the presentation to the nations and the call to go to all the nations.  Here’s my take: Matthew’s Gospel excludes no one. 

So, I have to ask myself, “who am I excluding?”  If Jesus is Savior of the World, and we are called to make disciples of all the world, who am I excluding?  Jesus calls us to love our neighbors, even our enemies.  We are told “God so loved the world.”  Who do I exclude intentionally or because I don’t give them second though or because they don’t share my values or they don’t belong to my tribe or maybe because they hate me?  Who?

Maybe here’s a New Year’s Question for me: Who should I include?  In the year 2020, who should I include that I exclude?

Stephen Covey (Seven Habits) says that we all have a circle of concern and that we should work to make our circle of influence approach our circle of concern.  What do you suppose God’s circle of concern looks like?  What should the circle of influence of his Church look like?

On Christmas Eve we did not take an offering, but I recommended that all write two checks, one to a worthy charity close to home, and other at a distance.  How do we expand our circle of influence?  See where God is working in the world and join in.

As a South Dakotan living far from home, I too often exclude the Native Americans.  I just don’t consider them.  Yet, the most caring Christmas message I received this year was from my Native American friend who grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation and now lives in Alaska.  Yet I exclude the Native Americans from my consideration.  If I look to see where God is working, I can find the Red Cloud Jesuit School on the Reservation that is transforming. I can join in. I can include them with a little effort on my part.

If the Church of Jesus Christ, the Body of Christ, looked, we can fill God’s Circle of Concern with our Influence, whether refugee camps, girls schools in Asia, impoverished people in Latin America.  We can find a way.  Individually, we can’t do it all, but because we are a connected church, we can do our part.

Epiphany is a manifestation, an appearance, it is Christ’s revelation to the whole world.  There is no longer Greek, nor Jew, male nor female, slave nor free, but all are one in Christ Jesus.  Who should we include in 2020?  How can we embrace them even if they are beyond our embrace?  See where God is working in the world and join in.