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Sermon January 6, 2019
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers,
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s
Epiphany
http://lectionarypage.net/YearABC_RCL/Epiphany/Epiph_RCL.html
On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11
Please be seated.
Some of you know that the week before Christmas St. Paul’s Lutheran has various organists come and play Christmas music, which is broadcast across town. Sue Beamer often plays a couple of days.
This past Christmas, I sat on my back porch and listened to Sue play. Yes, I was bundled up, although it wasn’t bitter cold out. One of the songs Sue played was The Little Drummer Boy. This certainly brought back memories.
My parents had this song on a 45 – see here it is. I’ve kept it all of these years! It was sung by The Harry Simeone Chorale and recorded nearly 60 years ago in 1959. I remember hearing this 45 played often throughout the Christmas seasons of my childhood. And at least once my high school choir actually sang it.
Yet, what I remember most of all is sitting in the living room one Christmas season with my maternal grandmother. I think she was crocheting. She told me she loved this Christmas carol. Every time I hear it I picture her.
We infer from the words that the Magi invited this drummer boy to visit the newborn King Jesus. The Magi explain they are going to give this baby their finest gifts, because they want to honor this new king.
The little boy goes with the Magi to the manger and yet, he doesn’t think he has anything of value to give to this king. The little boy explains he is poor, just like this supposed King lying in a manger. Finally, he decides the only gift he has is to play his drum. Mary lets the boy know it is fine to play his drum. When the boy is finished with his musical gift, Jesus smiles at him.
AH…yes a baby’s smile is so wonderful, isn’t it?
In today’s Gospel, we hear the very familiar story of the Magi coming from afar to find this new King. They bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These all suggest Jesus as King. We hear Herod’s fear that a new King has been born, which challenges and threatens Herod’s reign. These wise men traveled a long distance. They followed a bright star.
We hear that when they found the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. They were so happy this new king was born and they were joy-filled to see him and his family. In addition, they decide to protect this King from Herod. They were warned in a dream to not tell Herod where this baby Jesus was, so they return to their country by a way that avoids Herod.
Can you imagine embarking on such a journey…traveling long distances, because of the bright star in the sky? Can you imagine bringing the finest gifts? Can you imagine protecting this child? Can you imagine doing so for a little, tiny baby?
I suggest that we are those Magi. We, too, seek Jesus. We, too, seek this new king. We, too, know this Jesus is special. We, too, know Jesus saves us…gives us glorious and abundant life.
And we all have gifts to bring. The most important gift we have is all of ourselves…our time, our skills, our passion, our treasure. We bring our greatest gifts to this Christian community when we gather together and work together. We bring our greatest gifts to our workplaces…our families….our neighborhoods and our world. In these ways, we embody Jesus everywhere.
And each week, we bring our very selves to this altar to share the Eucharist…to remember Jesus…to honor God…to gather strength to go from this place with God’s grace to be God’s workers in our world.
“I played my best for Him. Then he smiled at me.”
Amen
