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Wise Men Still Seek Him
Wise men seek Jesus. The wise men from the east
followed a star to the infant Jesus (St. Matthew
2:1-12). Leaving their homeland, they went to
Jerusalem—the City of Peace—to seek the King of the
Jews who was the Prince of Peace. They came to
worship Him. Even though Herod and all of Jerusalem
were troubled, the wise men would not be swayed from
their course. Leaving Herod, they followed the star
until it came to rest over the place where the child
was. Falling down and worshiping Christ Jesus in
the house where His mother was, they opened their
treasure chests in order to offer Him gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh. Warned in a dream, like the
wise Josephs before them, they departed to their
country by another way. The wise men sought the
Wise Man, the One who was promised to save not only
the children of Israel but the entire world.
Wise men still seek Him. The wise men sought
Jesus by following the star, that light that was a
window into the gateway of the heavens. Wise men
still seek Him, following the star of God’s Holy
Word that brings heaven to us in the person of the
one who is 100 percent God and 100 percent
man--Jesus Christ. As manhood itself is being
questioned in today’s society and as men have become
the brunt of jokes, the laughing stock of the
working world and the “missing in action” members of
congregations and families, the wise men who were
visited by God and who, in turn, visited Jesus offer
creative correctives about true manhood that may
serve as “man-ifestations” of great value for
those who seek to revel in the ongoing epiphany of
God.
Wise men follow; that is how they lead best.
Sometimes, men are apt to believe that they need to
blaze their own trails, that they need to provide
their own ways and means, that they need to be out
in front giving directions to others. Wise men,
however, follow the Wise Man—Jesus Christ. He
followed His Father’s will even when it meant
suffering and death. By the power of the Holy
Spirit moving through the Means of Grace, wise men
may follow the Christ as He leads people from death
to life. Wise men follow Jesus who died on the
cross for our sin and rose from the dead that we may
have life in Him. They go the way of the cross
because the way of the cross is the only way to true
glory. Wise men seek direction—they do not believe
that they can get to their destinations on their
own. In our sin, we certainly cannot! But thanks
be to God who sent Christ Jesus who leads His
followers on the road to victory over sin, death and
devil that has been paved by His precious and
perfect blood. Real wise men follow Christ and by
doing so lead others to Him.
Wise men worship; that is how they use their time
best. It is so easy to think that God’s
forgiveness excuses slothful attitudes about the
regular reception of God’s Holy Word and Sacraments
in church. It is so common for men to abrogate
their responsibility to be the spiritual leaders of
their families by letting women alone go to church
every Sunday, letting women alone provide daily
family devotional activities, letting women alone
pray with children and letting women alone be the
champions of the family’s spiritual life. Wise men
worship. They do not let the temptations of the
living room make real men into lounging “Lazy
Boys.” Wise men read the Scriptures, sing hymns and
pray daily. Wise men get up and leave the house and
seek the Lord where He is found. Wise men use their
time by bringing their family members to church and
worshiping Christ in church, not simply dropping
them off and coming back for them later. Wise men
worship the one true God. That is how wise men use
their time best, modeling for women and men what our
true priority need to be: Christ and Him alone.
Wise men bring gifts; that is how they serve best.
Wise men do not wait for hand-outs. They do not
relinquish their responsibility to be providers for
others. The magi brought Jesus gold, frankincense
and myrrh after they received the revelation of
Christ’s coming to save the world. Wise men today
receive God’s gifts in Word and Sacraments and then
share them liberally and generously with others.
Wise men do not wait to be waited on hand and foot;
wise men bring their costliest gifts to Christ so
that those gifts may be used for the welfare of the
larger society. Nothing is too expensive or too
extravagant to offer because wise men do not mind
doing without when the purpose for their giving will
help others live. Wise men serve not simply “on the
clock” at work; wise men work at serving all the
time in their lives. Real wise men do not mind
giving up their treasured possessions in the service
of the One who tells them plainly, “Seek first the
Kingdom of God and His righteousness everything else
will be given to you as well.” Wise men bring gifts
and therefore model service for women and children.
Wise men dream and follow their dreams; that is how
they journey best. Wise men are not afraid to
dream dreams. They are not too asleep to be open to
the ongoing revelation of God in Word and
Sacraments. They are constantly open to the Lord
who comes creatively to His people so that the
creative gifts of human beings may be used for the
further extension of His Kingdom. Wise men use
every talent that God has given so that they may
best discern His will by the power of the Holy
Spirit. Wise men make progress when they realize
who the truth-tellers really are and who the liars
really are. Wise men journey while constantly
seeking the Lord in prayer, asking our Lord for
direction and guidance and not stubbornly claiming
to have all the answers already. Wise men are
nimble and agile enough to change their plans if
necessary in order to continue in the journey of
Christ that has been prepared for His people. Wise
men dream and follow their dreams when those dreams
are given to them by God in Word and Sacraments;
that is how they stay wise in the discipleship
journey.
Wise men still seek Him. Seek the Lord where He
may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. He
is found in the Spirit-gathered assembly of those
who are drawn to, empowered by and sent by Word and
Sacraments. He is near His people who cry out to
Him as He is comforting, directing, disciplining and
discipling. Let us encourage all men to seek to be
real wise men who lead by following, who worship,
who bring gifts and who dream dreams. May all
wise men still seek Him.
Peace, joy and love,
Pastor |
