January 11, 2026, Year A, The Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ

Matthew 2:1-12, Psalm 72, Ephesians 3:1-13

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ on this glorious Epiphany Sunday, as we enter into a time of revelation and light.

Epiphany, from the Greek word meaning "manifestation" or "appearing," marks the showing forth of Christ to the world. I often refer to it as a “mini-Pentecost" because, just as Pentecost saw the Holy Spirit poured out on the disciples, empowering them to proclaim the gospel to all nations, Epiphany celebrates the gospel's extension beyond the Jewish people to the Gentiles—to all peoples of the earth.

Today, we turn our hearts to the story of the Magi in Matthew 2:1-12, where wise men from the east, outsiders to Israel, come to worship the newborn king. We'll also draw from Ephesians 3:1-13, where Paul unveils the mystery of Gentile inclusion, and Psalm 72, a royal psalm that echoes the themes of kingship and universal blessing. Through these texts, we'll see how God's plan has always been for all nations to share in the light of Christ.

Our primary passage will be Matthew 2:1-12, found on page _____ of your pew Bibles. This passage is not merely a charming tale of star-gazing travelers; it is a profound declaration of God's inclusive kingdom. Matthew writes in verses 1-2: "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him'" (Matthew 2:1-2, ESV).

Who are these wise men, these Magi? In the ancient world, Magi were astrologers, scholars, perhaps even priests from Persia or Babylon—Gentiles, through and through. They were not part of the covenant people of Israel; they had no claim to the promises of Abraham. Yet here they are, drawn by a celestial sign to seek the king of the Jews. This star, a divine beacon, disrupts their lives and sets them on a journey.

It's a reminder that God can use the created order—the heavens themselves—to call people to himself, as the psalmist declares in Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork" (Psalm 19:1, ESV). The Magi's journey foreshadows the gospel's reach: from the east, symbolizing the wider world, comes worship for the Messiah.

But notice the contrast: while the Magi seek to worship, Herod is troubled in verses 3-4. "When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born" (Matthew 2:3-4, ESV). The historian, Josephus, tells us Herod wasn’t actually Jewish, and was little more than a puppet king installed by Rome. He represents earthly power threatened by divine kingship. His trouble spreads to Jerusalem, the heart of Jewish identity.

Why? Because the arrival of the true king upends the status quo. The chief priests and scribes know the Scriptures—they quote Micah 5:2: "They told him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: "And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel"'" (Matthew 2:5-6, ESV). They have the knowledge, but not the faith to act. The insiders know where to find the Messiah but stay put, while the outsiders travel miles to adore him. This inversion is Epiphany's heart: the light of Christ shines first to those on the margins.

Herod's response is cunning deception in verses 7-8. "Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, 'Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him'" (Matthew 2:7-8, ESV). His feigned piety masks murderous intent, as we'll see later in the slaughter of the innocents. But God protects his purposes.

The Magi continue, guided by the star in verses 9-10: "After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" (Matthew 2:9-10, ESV). Their joy is extravagant— "rejoiced exceedingly with great joy"—a foretaste of the resurrection joy that will fill the disciples, that we experienced the hour we first believed, and will experience in fullness when we meet him face to face.

Finally, they arrive in verse 11: "And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh" (Matthew 2:11, ESV). Worship and gifts: gold for a king, frankincense for a priest, myrrh for burial, prefiguring Christ's royal, sacrificial, and divine identity. These Gentiles bow before the Jewish Messiah, fulfilling ancient prophecies.

And divine intervention completes the story in verse 12: "And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way" (Matthew 2:12, ESV). God speaks through dreams, bypassing Herod's schemes. The Magi return home transformed, carrying the news of the king. This epiphany moment reveals Christ as the light for all nations, not just Israel. It's a “mini-Pentecost”: the Spirit's work in drawing outsiders echoes the tongues of fire enabling proclamation to every tongue at Pentecost. In Acts 2, the gospel bursts forth to Parthians, Medes—eastern peoples like the Magi. Epiphany reminds us that God's salvation was intended to be world-wide from the start.

Now, let's turn to Ephesians 3:1-13, where Paul expounds this mystery. Paul writes from prison in verses 1-3: "For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly" (Ephesians 3:1-3, ESV). Paul, once a zealous Pharisee persecuting the church, now stewards grace for Gentiles.

The "mystery" is not a puzzle but a divine secret now revealed in verses 4-6: "When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (Ephesians 3:4-6, ESV). Gentiles as fellow heirs! In Christ, the wall between Jew and Gentile crumbles. Together, those who believe in Christ, both Jew and Gentile alike, share the inheritance, the body, the promise—through the gospel, in the new covenant church.

Paul's role is clear in verses 7-9: "Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things" (Ephesians 3:7-9, ESV). The unsearchable riches—boundless, infinite. This mystery, hidden in God the creator, now illuminates all.

And its purpose is found in verses 10-13: "So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory" (Ephesians 3:10-13, ESV). The church displays God's wisdom to cosmic powers. Epiphany celebrates this: the Magi's worship prefigures the church's global and multi-cultural reality.

Psalm 72 ties this together. This psalm by David, about his son Solomon, prays for the ideal king in verses 1-2: "Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the king's son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!" (Psalm 72:1-2, ESV). It envisions a reign of prosperity and peace: "Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!" (Psalm 72:3-4, ESV).

But notice the universal scope: "May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth! May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!" (Psalm 72:8-11, ESV). Kings from afar bringing gifts—echoing the Magi! Sheba and Seba, eastern lands, prefigure the wise men's homage. The king's compassion extends to all: "For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight" (Psalm 72:12-14, ESV).

The psalm blesses: "Long may he live; may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day! May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field! May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!" (Psalm 72:15-17, ESV).

All nations blessed—linking to Abraham's promise. It concludes with praise: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen! The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended" (Psalm 72:18-20, ESV). In other words, when all that happens in this psalm comes to pass, all of David’s prayers will be answered. It certainly did in part in Solomon’s reign. Ultimately, in Christ, this psalm finds fulfillment: the eternal king who sits on the heavenly throne, to whom all nations come.

This theme of the gospel for all peoples threads through the Old Testament. From the beginning, God's covenant with Abraham included Gentiles in Genesis 12:1-3: "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed'" (Genesis 12:1-3, ESV). All families—Gentiles included. This promise echoes in Genesis 22:18: "and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice" (ESV). Abraham's seed, ultimately Christ (Galatians 3:16), blesses the world.

Isaiah prophesies this ingathering. In Isaiah 49:6, God says to his servant: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth" (ESV). Christ as light to the nations—Epiphany's core image. Isaiah 60:1-6 vividly depicts it: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord" (ESV). Camels, gold, frankincense—direct parallels to the Magi. Nations streaming to Zion's light.

Other prophets chime in. Micah 4:1-2: "It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths'" (ESV). Zechariah 8:23: "Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you'" (ESV). Even Psalm 67 prays: "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations" (Psalm 67:1-2, ESV). The Old Testament pulses with this vision: Israel's blessing overflows to Gentiles.

Jesus himself teaches this. In the Great Commission: "And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV). All nations—panta ta ethne, every ethnic group. This echoes Epiphany's theme. In Mark 16:15: "And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation'" (ESV). The gospel is for everyone.

Jesus foretells in Matthew 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14, ESV). The end times hinge on global proclamation. In John 10:16: "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd" (ESV). Other sheep—Gentiles. Jesus heals Gentiles, like the Canaanite woman's daughter (Matthew 15:21-28) and the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-13), praising their faith.

What does this mean for us? First, in our Anglican communion, with its global reach, Epiphany calls us to mission. Currently we have two missionaries that we support directly, the Shishkoffs in Israel, and the Alenskis family in the Netherlands. We would like to add missionaries on every continent going forward. World Mission Sunday is coming up in about a month. There is no surprise why this happens in Epiphany. We will welcome Dan Omar in both services, a SAMS missionary, who ministers to Muslims in the Atlanta area. Perhaps he can be our North American missionary?

In any event, just as the Magi were unexpected guests who were welcomed into the presence of Christ, we need to be a community that actively welcomes modern-day “Magi”—those exploring faith from other religions, no religious background, or different cultures.

Second, we should pause and contrast Herod’s fear and manipulation with the Magi’s worship. In a world where political and cultural power often feels threatened by the claims of Christ, we might need to examine where we might be aligning with “Herod”—clinging to control, comfort, or national identity rather than bowing before Jesus as King of all nations.

Like the Magi, seek Christ diligently. Like Paul, proclaim the mystery boldly; it is not just the job of the missionaries. In a divided world, embody unity: Jews and Gentiles, even the converted Muslims, rich and poor, as one in Christ. As we conclude, let the light of Epiphany shine in your hearts. The gospel is for all—go forth and live it. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let us pray…