Epiphany Sunday, January 4, 2026
First Congregational Church of Cheshire
© the Rev. Dr. James Campbell
Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 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. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
I was a shy little kid, and so, it was completely against type when I decided to try out for a solo in my Middle School’s Musical Extravaganza. Well, I didn’t get the solo, but I did make it into the chorus… as did everyone else in the class. Even so, it was thrilling to stand on the risers in that gymnasium, wearing my red plaid bell bottoms, and swaying to the music as we sang: “When the moon is in the Seventh House and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets, and love will steer the stars. This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius!”
Oh, I loved that song. But looking back, I can hardly believe that my parents allowed me to sing it. You see, like some of you, I was raised to believe that astrology was the devil’s work. And I believed that until I was 26 and studying in Israel.
We had traveled to an excavation site in Galilee where they were unearthing the remains of a first century synagogue – one, we were told, that Jesus might have visited. In the middle of that synagogue was a beautiful mosaic floor. Of course, after being buried for so long, it was dusty and faded. So, our guide took some water and splashed it on those tiles to reveal their beauty. And the world stopped spinning on its axis. Because right there, in the center of a Jewish place of worship, were the twelve signs of the Zodiac.
And right here, in the middle of our Christmas story, in this center of Christian worship, astrology takes center stage. Because in Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus, it’s not angels appearing to shepherds in the fields that announce the birth of the Savior. Instead, it is a star rising in the east that astrologers interpreted as a portent of an important birth.
Astrologers… and pagans. The wise men were likely members of a priestly class of Zoroastrianism, an ancient monotheistic faith, that is older than Judaism. And Zoroastrianism was and is heavily influenced by astrology – the belief that heavenly bodies influence earthly events.
So, when such a brilliant star appeared in the East, the wise men were certain that it was a sign. And so, they set out to discover who this important person might be. They took the long and arduous journey from modern-day Iran all the way to Jerusalem.
But here’s the thing: they weren’t exactly sure what they were looking for. So, they did the only sensible thing they could think of. They asked the current king where a royal birth had taken place.
But they had no idea who they were talking to. You see, Herod was a toady little man, who was so easily threatened that he had once ordered the assassination of members of his own family who got in the way of his ego. And so, when he heard about a potential pretender to his throne, he knew he had to get rid of him.
And so, like all toady little men, he pretended to be something that he wasn’t in order to get what he wanted. Herod called all of his religious scholars together and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem,” they told him, “for so it has been written by the prophets.” So, Herod feigned interest in this child and made the wise men promise to come back and tell him where to find him, so that he too might pay him homage... on the end of a sword.
And you know the rest of the story. The wise men set out for Bethlehem and that strange star went before them. And it came to rest over the place where the Child was. Upon entering the house, these three strangers knelt down and presented gifts fit for a king: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But having been warned in a dream about what Herod really wanted, they took another road home.
Joseph had a dream too, in which he was warned about Herod’s plans. And so, Joseph took his family and ran for their lives. Theirs is a story as old as the human race – desperate people crossing international borders, depending upon the kindness of strangers in a strange land.
Well, when Herod realized that he had been outfoxed by foreigners, he was possessed. And so, he ordered the murder of every male child two years old and under, in Bethlehem and vicinity. If he couldn’t kill this one boy, he would kill all the boys. We call this horrible event the Slaughter of the Innocents.
And that, dear friends, is how Matthew ends his Christmas story. It not exactly a Hallmark movie, but it certainly rings true for the way the world still works. But so do the actions of the wise ones. They show us how to live in a world of slaughtered innocence. So, remembering them, let me offer three brief thoughts for your consideration as we embark upon this Year of our Lord, 2026.
First of all, these wise ones remind us that doing the right thing is often not doing the easiest thing. After traveling about 900 miles over the span of months, and having paid homage to Jesus, they were no doubt eager to go home. The easiest thing to do would have been to turn their camels around and head back the way they came. But that convenience would come at a horrible human cost. And so, they inconvenienced themselves and took another way. In doing so, they broke the king’s command. But they understood that to obey would make them complicit in the violence of the world. And so, they resisted.
And so must we. I think it would do us well to regularly remember that resisting evil is at the very heart of our baptismal vows. To be a Christian is to resist evil and oppression wherever we find it. And sometimes, they only way to do that is to take an unknown path, and disobey.
Second, this story is a vivid reminder that God often appears in unlikely people and places. Think about it. These wise men are heroes of our faith. And yet, they do not share our faith. They practiced a strange religion and wore strange clothes and spoke a strange language. And yet, we know about Jesus, because of them.
Matthew’s not-so-subtle message here is that when looking for the light, make friends with everyone. And don’t be surprised to find God in the most unlikely places. For our God is a trickster, who wears the most brilliant disguises.
And finally, when fear and dread lower your heads, make it a spiritual discipline to look up. Keeping your head down is easy to do because the overwhelming darkness of the world can make us frightened and lonely and feeling helpless. But it is in the darkest night, that the stars are their most brilliant. And so, we must lift our eyes to the hills from where our help comes. Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth, and all those brilliant stars.
I don’t propose to know what this new year will hold for any of us. But come what may, remember this: resisting evil is always holy. Extending your hand to strangers is a sacrament. And God is still in his heaven. So, lift up your heads!
First Congregational Church of Cheshire
© the Rev. Dr. James Campbell
Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 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. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
I was a shy little kid, and so, it was completely against type when I decided to try out for a solo in my Middle School’s Musical Extravaganza. Well, I didn’t get the solo, but I did make it into the chorus… as did everyone else in the class. Even so, it was thrilling to stand on the risers in that gymnasium, wearing my red plaid bell bottoms, and swaying to the music as we sang: “When the moon is in the Seventh House and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets, and love will steer the stars. This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius!”
Oh, I loved that song. But looking back, I can hardly believe that my parents allowed me to sing it. You see, like some of you, I was raised to believe that astrology was the devil’s work. And I believed that until I was 26 and studying in Israel.
We had traveled to an excavation site in Galilee where they were unearthing the remains of a first century synagogue – one, we were told, that Jesus might have visited. In the middle of that synagogue was a beautiful mosaic floor. Of course, after being buried for so long, it was dusty and faded. So, our guide took some water and splashed it on those tiles to reveal their beauty. And the world stopped spinning on its axis. Because right there, in the center of a Jewish place of worship, were the twelve signs of the Zodiac.
And right here, in the middle of our Christmas story, in this center of Christian worship, astrology takes center stage. Because in Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus, it’s not angels appearing to shepherds in the fields that announce the birth of the Savior. Instead, it is a star rising in the east that astrologers interpreted as a portent of an important birth.
Astrologers… and pagans. The wise men were likely members of a priestly class of Zoroastrianism, an ancient monotheistic faith, that is older than Judaism. And Zoroastrianism was and is heavily influenced by astrology – the belief that heavenly bodies influence earthly events.
So, when such a brilliant star appeared in the East, the wise men were certain that it was a sign. And so, they set out to discover who this important person might be. They took the long and arduous journey from modern-day Iran all the way to Jerusalem.
But here’s the thing: they weren’t exactly sure what they were looking for. So, they did the only sensible thing they could think of. They asked the current king where a royal birth had taken place.
But they had no idea who they were talking to. You see, Herod was a toady little man, who was so easily threatened that he had once ordered the assassination of members of his own family who got in the way of his ego. And so, when he heard about a potential pretender to his throne, he knew he had to get rid of him.
And so, like all toady little men, he pretended to be something that he wasn’t in order to get what he wanted. Herod called all of his religious scholars together and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem,” they told him, “for so it has been written by the prophets.” So, Herod feigned interest in this child and made the wise men promise to come back and tell him where to find him, so that he too might pay him homage... on the end of a sword.
And you know the rest of the story. The wise men set out for Bethlehem and that strange star went before them. And it came to rest over the place where the Child was. Upon entering the house, these three strangers knelt down and presented gifts fit for a king: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But having been warned in a dream about what Herod really wanted, they took another road home.
Joseph had a dream too, in which he was warned about Herod’s plans. And so, Joseph took his family and ran for their lives. Theirs is a story as old as the human race – desperate people crossing international borders, depending upon the kindness of strangers in a strange land.
Well, when Herod realized that he had been outfoxed by foreigners, he was possessed. And so, he ordered the murder of every male child two years old and under, in Bethlehem and vicinity. If he couldn’t kill this one boy, he would kill all the boys. We call this horrible event the Slaughter of the Innocents.
And that, dear friends, is how Matthew ends his Christmas story. It not exactly a Hallmark movie, but it certainly rings true for the way the world still works. But so do the actions of the wise ones. They show us how to live in a world of slaughtered innocence. So, remembering them, let me offer three brief thoughts for your consideration as we embark upon this Year of our Lord, 2026.
First of all, these wise ones remind us that doing the right thing is often not doing the easiest thing. After traveling about 900 miles over the span of months, and having paid homage to Jesus, they were no doubt eager to go home. The easiest thing to do would have been to turn their camels around and head back the way they came. But that convenience would come at a horrible human cost. And so, they inconvenienced themselves and took another way. In doing so, they broke the king’s command. But they understood that to obey would make them complicit in the violence of the world. And so, they resisted.
And so must we. I think it would do us well to regularly remember that resisting evil is at the very heart of our baptismal vows. To be a Christian is to resist evil and oppression wherever we find it. And sometimes, they only way to do that is to take an unknown path, and disobey.
Second, this story is a vivid reminder that God often appears in unlikely people and places. Think about it. These wise men are heroes of our faith. And yet, they do not share our faith. They practiced a strange religion and wore strange clothes and spoke a strange language. And yet, we know about Jesus, because of them.
Matthew’s not-so-subtle message here is that when looking for the light, make friends with everyone. And don’t be surprised to find God in the most unlikely places. For our God is a trickster, who wears the most brilliant disguises.
And finally, when fear and dread lower your heads, make it a spiritual discipline to look up. Keeping your head down is easy to do because the overwhelming darkness of the world can make us frightened and lonely and feeling helpless. But it is in the darkest night, that the stars are their most brilliant. And so, we must lift our eyes to the hills from where our help comes. Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth, and all those brilliant stars.
I don’t propose to know what this new year will hold for any of us. But come what may, remember this: resisting evil is always holy. Extending your hand to strangers is a sacrament. And God is still in his heaven. So, lift up your heads!
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