Beginning a new year always has some delights.  There are still some Christmas decorations to be seen.  My 2006 Daytimer is crisp, clean and quite empty.  So far no nasty foul-ups.  Not much happening in 2006.

          It's a bit like a morning conversation in Hodgenville, KY in about 1800:  "Howdy Ezra - any news?"  "Well, Squire McLain's gone to Washington to see Madison swore in, and old Spellman tells me this Bonaparte fellow has captured most of Spain."  "But what's new here, Ezra?"  "Nothin' at all, 'cept for a baby born at Tom Lincoln's.  The Lincolns got another little feller.  Naw, nothing ever happens out here."

          Today we're observing Epiphany Sunday.  "Epiphany" comes from a Greek word that means "to reveal".  Epiphany is also called "Twelfth Night" in some Christian traditions, and recalls the coming of the Wise Men to see the child and Mary.  Orthodox churches celebrate January 6 as their Christmas, so last Friday several hundred million of our fellow Christians around the world held Christmas worship services.  And we thought Christmas was long over.

          For Epiphany Lutheran, January 6 is a birthday of sorts because the first contact made to begin a new Lutheran church in Castle Rock was January 6, seven years ago.  God led a dozen and a half men and women on a journey that went from living room to mortuary to gymnasium to cafeteria to 550 Wolfensberger.  And through it all, we have tried to follow God's direction, as much as possible.  Wise men and women always try to follow the Lord.

          The Wise Men who came to see Jesus were star gazers, probably astrologers from Persia, educated in medicine, religion and astronomy.  There was a group of Zoroastrians in southern Jordan who mixed star gazing with prophecy, and they would have come from the East.  But whoever they were, they somehow knew a baby had been born king of the Jews, and so they went to find him.  Wise men and women always look for signs from God.

          The Wise Men saw a star that had been prepared by God.  Whether it was a special star or a confluence of planets, it was bright enough so they could see it and follow it.  These Wise Men had read the Old Testament, and they believed this star had been prophesied by Isaiah 400 years before.  So they decided to go find the new king and worship him.  Wise men and women still worship Him today.

          "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?" they asked.  "We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."  Their question scared old King Herod.  He was sick and nearly dead, yet still alive enough to fear a rival.  Satan can control people at any age.  He stirs up pride and lust and trouble no matter how old we are.

          A harried lady was finishing her shopping and was angry.  She was tired of the lines, tired of traffic, tired of spending, tired of everything about Christmas.  While getting jammed into an elevator with other shoppers, she said, "Whoever started this Christmas thing should be strung up and shot!"  A man in the back said, "Don't worry, lady, they already crucified him."

          By now Bethlehem had quieted down, and the Wise Men went to see where He was living.  And when they found Him, those pagan men bowed down in worship.  They were not Jews, not Christians, but Arab gentiles and they bowed down to a newborn king who would be Savior.  They showed their intelligence by worshipping the Lord - they aren't called Wise Men for nothing!  Wise men and women still worship that same Lord Jesus today.

          Did they understand all that was happening?  Probably not, any more than Mary and Joseph understood all as it was happening.  But they knew this child was someone great.  They were wise to seek God, even if they didn't understand it all.  Wise people do not need complete understanding or perfect knowledge.  They look for God and follow Him.  These men had an epiphany, a revelation.  God revealed to them His Son.  They knew this child was from God.  Their knowledge was not from the head only, but also from the heart.  They did not live only by human wisdom.  Their wisdom included faith.  They knew God gave blessings in life, so they worshipped Him.  Wise men and women still worship Him.

          What a great example for us!  If we want to be wise, we, too, must seek out the Lord, and humble ourselves before Him in worship.  They were not tied to the treasures of this world, but to the treasures of the Holy One.

          Their worship, like ours, included gifts, costly gifts that provided the holy family a living.  They gave the best gifts, not just leftovers.  They gave because it was to God.  Our Sunday offerings began right there with the Wise Men.  It's not something the church invented.  They didn't just give a donation, but a true offering.

          Jimmy loved his dog Rex and wanted to give him something special.  Not just the same dog food - something special.  Nothing in the refrigerator looked good until he saw steaks thawing for supper.  "That's what I'll give him," he thought.  "Rex will love a steak!"  Just as he reached for one, his mother said, "No you don't, mister.  We'll wait until supper is over and Rex can have the bones and scraps."  Afterwards Jimmy took the bones to Rex and said, "Sorry - I wanted to bring you an offering, but all I have here is a collection."

          Some 30 years later, apostle Paul would tell the people in Romans 12,  "I urge you, friends, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."  Some may think, "A collection is okay, Pastor, but offering myself?  What's God want - my life?"  Actually yes, for He gave it to us in the first place.  He wants a living sacrifice, one that will help His kingdom.

          During the coming year, we'll be hearing more about offerings, because we have some building needs.  Like the Wise Men, we'll all need to grow in the grace of giving.  Getting is simple, but giving, especially to a God we can't see, is harder, an act of faith.  It says we honor God enough to give back to Him.  It says we trust Him enough to believe He'll give us our needs.  I've never met anyone who gave God so much that he came up short.

          Offerings are not required to be a Christian.  You and I don't have to give God anything.  We don't have to do anything to be saved.  Christ has done it all already on the cross.  When He said, "It is finished!" it was.  Nothing more is needed.  Faith in Him is enough.  Offerings show our faith and thankfulness.  Imagine a Christmas with no gifts, no presents.  How sad, because gifts show love and thankfulness.

          If at any time God seems demanding and faith seems like a weight around our neck, try to remember what He has done for us first.  He has saved us, and He has given us life.  Most of us have life pretty good.  We may have some problems, but they're not really bad.  Most of us are fairly healthy.  We live in the richest nation on earth.  We have more than enough for our basic needs.  Terrorists' bombs don't wake us in the night.  Life in Colorado is pretty great, and giving God a gift is a small way to thank Him.

          Three things I pray will come to each one of us in 2006:  1) We'll grow in our faith in God.  2) We'll grow in our love for people.  3) We'll find at least one great and lasting joy this year.

          Growing in our faith is most important.  Trusting ourselves is helpful, but trusting God is far better.  Grow in your faith by worship and grow by prayer.  Grow through Holy Communion and grow through Bible study.  But whatever you do, grow in your faith in God.

          Growing in love for people is close behind.  Jesus said, "If you do it for one of these little ones, you do it for me." (Matthew 25:41)   Christians help others; it's what God wants.

          In the midwest there is a field with two horses in it.  From a distance, each looks like every other horse.  But if you look closely you will notice something quite amazing.  One of the horses is blind, but his owner has made a good home for him.  Listen closely and you will hear the sound of a bell.  It comes from the other smaller horse nearby.  Attached to her bridle is a small bell.  It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.  As one stands and watches these two horses, one sees how she is always checking on him, and that he listens for her bell and then slowly walks to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray.

          Like the owner of the blind horse, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.  He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.  Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by God and those whom he places in our lives.  Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to see God.  This is God's way to help us grow in love for people.

          Finally, I pray you will all find at least one great joy this year.  We don't usually seek joy; it finds us.  Joy is the surprise we aren't expecting, like what the Wise men and shepherds found.  Wise men and women still worship Him today.  He is our Savior, who took the punishment for our sins.  We're all sinners, and we deserve nothing good.  But the Father gives us something good.  He sent His only Son to bring us life - a forgiven life and an eternal life.  2006 will be interesting and challenging year, but it will also be exciting.  I pray that Epiphany men, women and children will grow in their faith and love.  It's the wise thing to do.  Amen!

Copyright © 2006 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.