Follow the Star

Grace and peace to you from God the Father and from our newborn Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

King Herod just didn’t get it.

Today, the many manifestations or ‘revealings’ of who Jesus is are made known and these “epiphanies” are put into stark relief by King Herod – who just didn’t get it.

We call this day of “epiphanies” ‘Epiphany’ and it’s what we celebrate today. It’s the 12th day of Christmas (well, technically, the 12th day of Christmas and Epiphany take place on Tuesday this week but we moved it to celebrate together as a church today). Epiphany is our time to hear about the Magi in the Christmas story who help us to learn all the ways that God has made his glory manifest through Christ Jesus, the little baby in the manger. And Herod just doesn’t get it.

Knowing what we know about the historical Herod, he was named “King of Judea” by the Roman Senate around 34 BCE, and he had several people in his own family assassinated who were threats to this imperial puppet-throne. I think Herod was, in part, too focused on the power he had amassed for himself as the puppet of Emperor Augustus and the Roman Senate to ever really understand who this newborn baby boy really was according to the Hebrew Scriptures – the very scriptures he was likely raised to follow and know to be true himself.

We enter Herod’s story today, by learning that the Magi are following an astrological event – a star- which tells them of the birth of the new “King of the Jews.” So, they naturally arrive at Herod’s palace in Jerusalem and ask him for the whereabouts of this new “King of the Jews.” It makes sense that the Magi start their search by going to the palace where the current person who holds this exact title… Herod - a person who has killed to keep this title.

In his astonishment – or as the scriptures say, his fear, Herod sends these Magi - to his own version of soothsayers and prophets – the Temple Priests who consult the canon of Hebrew scripture to figure out who this child is – a child who has now been called “Messiah” by Herod himself.

After the Priests confirm what the Magi said, Herod becomes blinded to the very Messiah he himself named. He’s blinded to the very thing all of Judah and Israel had hoped for because he’s thinking of all the power he worked for, all he killed for, the very throne upon which he sat became at risk.

Herod didn’t understand that the very Epiphany, the manifestation of the Messiah, the very one who all of Israel and Judah had been waiting, had come. This magnificent moment of the inbreaking of God’s love was missed by Herod. He was too blinded by his own power to ask the simple follow-up question to his assembled priests: “how is this Messiah to do all this?” When he might have then learned from scripture that this child was not coming for his throne, but was God entering creation to bring life, forgiveness, hope and reconciliation through love and service for all people – as it says in Isaiah 53 “my servant shall make many righteous and he shall bear their iniquities.”

Herod becomes a tragic figure at this point. The Magi become our heroes. Overwhelmed with joy upon following the star that led them to the manger, these Magi, these non-Jewish foreigners, seemed to get it!

And on Epiphany, our attention goes from Herod, who didn’t get it, to the Magi who do get it. And the Magi inspire us to follow the star, too.

For you and me, this star shines brightly through the Word of God - through the Bible – through this very story.

As I taught the children on Christmas Eve, this book of Scripture is our star that leads to the manifestations or epiphanies of this child in a manger. The manifestations of Jesus are best seen through the names he is given in the Christmas stories found in Matthew and Luke’s Gospel. These names make known, make manifest, who Jesus is for us and for all of creation.

Our scriptural star leads us first to the name, “Son of the Most High” in Luke 1:32. This is a royal title used perhaps to humble us as we arrive at the manger alongside the Magi. The Son of God who is Most High. This child then, is totally of God and is yet totally human – laying there in need of his mother’s milk. Through this title, our scripture makes known to us that this child brings the real presence of God into the world in flesh and blood. Precious flesh and blood because it will be poured out, shed for all people for the forgiveness of sins. Follow this Star and be overwhelmed with joy in the presence of the Son of the Most High.

Our scriptural star then leads us on to the name “Messiah” and “Savior” two closely related names because the work of the messiah is that of savior. The Messiah is the fulfillment of our hope placed in God who liberates the world from sin and death – saving it from those things. The Messiah brings us to the promise of heaven and earth becoming a single piece – like a piece of cloth woven into one. Our scriptural star brings us to the manger where the Messiah has been born, our savior, where hope, peace, love and joy lay tenderly asleep on the hay.

Finally, our scriptural star leads us to a boy who is called “Jesus.” This is the most intimate of names because it’s his everyday name. Yet, in Hebrew his name would have been pronounced “Jeshua” which means “Lord who Saves.” Even this name tells us that Jesus is Lord over all lords.

These names are the epiphanies to which our scriptural star leads. They are names that tell us what has become manifest – made real – in the world.

They reveal to us the nature of Jesus Christ, the Most High, the Son of God, God’s real presence with us, the Messiah, our Lord, our Savior.

These names bring God’s very promises.

God’s promise that sin will be dashed on the cross, that forgiveness comes through our Savior. God’s promise that death will not win over resurrection life. God’s promise of deliverance from pain and sadness to life, joy and love through our Messiah. God’s promise of being with us in all that we do through the Son of God, Emmanuel.

These names are everything to us! They tell us who Jesus is and what he does for us and for the world. These names are the Epiphany of our Lord, they are what we celebrate today!

Listen for these names in our weekly worship. They show up all over the place because they turn our hearts to reverence. They make us to bow down before the manger of the little child as we are overcome, as the Magi were, with a feeling of overwhelming joy at the realness of God’s promises laying in that manger.

On this last Sunday in Christmas, in great joy and celebration for the birth of Christ, I give thanks and praise to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the great Epiphany - the manifestation - of God’s promises.

Amen.

Rev. Ryan | January 4, 2026 | Epiphany of Our Lord