Our Gospel brings us to that high point (January 3, 2010)
By Rev. Steve Bagnall

Our gospel brings us to that high point of the Epiphany events. The wise men finally reach the Christ Child for Whom they have traveled so far. They approach and fall to their knees to worship Him. Then they open their treasures and –

Here’s where the Lutheran pastors come rushing in. “Stop,” they cry, “You can’t do that You can’t give gifts to Jesus – HE gives gifts to you! He has done it all. Hey, put that myrrh back in its pouch.”

OK, that isn’t what really happened. But does it sometimes feel that way? I know sometimes we pastors can sound like the disciples forbidding the children from coming to Christ. But if we’re doing our jobs right, that isn’t exactly what’s going on. You see, gifts that are given to earn God’s favor – well those are forbidden. In fact, they’re not really gifts at all – they’re more like bribes; they treat God like a corrupt bureaucrat.

Either that, or they suggest that Christ didn’t get the whole job done on the cross. That He paid for some of my sins, or part of all my sins but there is still something I have to do to get out from under my guilt. Such gifts are not only unnecessary, they’re insulting – they rob Jesus of His deserved glory as the Savior of all mankind, as the One Who has redeemed us all from death and hell by His suffering and death in our place. That type of “gift” plain and simple denies the gospel.

But that’s not what the wise men were doing, is it? Their gifts were celebrations of thanksgiving for Jesus’ having come to save us. They were given in love and awe and they were received by God with joy. Gifts like these don’t deny the gospel; they proclaim the gospel and celebrate its power.

The gifts of the wise men must have been useful to the holy family. After all, these were poor people and they were about to take a forced journey to Egypt fleeing the murderous Herod. But each gift also carries symbolic importance.

Gold, of course, is the gift of kings and marks Jesus as the true King, the King not only of the Jews, the descendants of Abraham, but the King of all who come to faith in Him.

Frankincense was specified by God to be used in the sacrifices of the temple. The gift of frankincense points to the fact that Mary’s Child is also God the Son Who has been receiving the perfumed smoke of Frankincense for countless years as the people have worshipped Him.

Myrrh did have some qualities as a perfume, but its main uses were in medicines – which points to Jesus as the great Healer of mankind. We see myrrh used this way at the crucifixion, offered to Christ to dull His pain. Myrrh was also a burial spice, pointing to Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth – to die for our sins. Nicodemus used myrrh when he buried our Lord.

These gifts tell about Jesus. The same is true of other gifts the Lord accepted while on earth. This fact can guide us as we seek to offer suitable gifts of thanksgiving to our Savior. When we consider the depth of our sin and the price Christ Jesus paid to remove our guilt, we’re moved to return thanks to Him, but how?

Well the first and simplest gift we give is worship and praise. We offer this with our voices as we speak the words of the liturgy and offer our amens in the prayers. Our singing and music surround the beautiful Word of God with the beauty of our earthly music. We even join the proclamation through our musicians who become our voices, expressing the joy and praise that’s in our hearts.

But our praise doesn’t end with our words. Christ Jesus is also pleased to receive our lives of praise. When we submit our hearts and bodies and minds and voices to Him, to His service and to be molded to be like Him, we proclaim Him to be our Savior King. This praise is seen when a Christian lives a life of kindness, telling the truth, not being selfish, reserving sexuality in deed and in thought for marriage, helping those in need, comforting the sorrowful and all the other praiseworthy traits we find among God’s people. When we offer our lives in thanks and love toward God they are gifts of the 21st century magi.

We also follow in the steps of the wise men when we spread the Word of Christ to those who do not yet know Him – when we teach our children the stories of the Faith, reading Bible Story books and teaching the catechism. When we support our Lutheran school we offer true thanks to the Savior of Bethlehem. Today’s wise men include our Sunday School teachers and the parents who send their children to Sunday school – including those children who also attend our day school. And don’t forget your friends and neighbors, relatives and acquaintances. A wonderful gift of love toward Jesus is to invite those people here so they, too, can meet the Savior whose death has also won forgiveness for them.

Our gifts to Jesus include all our support for this congregation, where the forgiveness of His blood is declared to all who enter the doors. That support includes your money, the offerings you place in the plate and the other financial gifts. Like the Holy Family probably used the wise men’s gold to pay for their trip to Egypt, St. Luke uses your gifts to pay our pastors and teachers, to support our mission partners who bring the forgiveness of sins to people around the world and also to light the lights and fire the furnace.

But proper gifts of thanks include your time and service to the church, also. Countless volunteer hours support the delivery of Jesus at St. Luke. When you volunteer your time and energy you are kneeling before the Baby of Bethlehem, the Christ of Calvary. How can you help? Well, what can you do? What is your job, what skills do you have from your hobby? The trustees lay their handyman skills at the foot of the Master, and the altar guild offers their willingness to clean as a gift to Jesus. Ask how you can help and God will find a place for you.

Dear friends, these are only some of the ways your thankful heart can offer fitting thanks and joyful praise to Jesus for His undeserved mercy and love.

Now, your forgiveness is complete without any of them – Jesus has won it all for you. Whatever your’ sin, whatever you have done, His sacrifice on the cross earns its forgiveness. Your place in God’s house is assured already, announced in Jesus’ resurrection and delivered to you in Baptism and the Word. But if your heart swells with joy and thanksgiving for all God has done for you, don’t let me stand in your way. Kneel beside the wise men, and offer your gifts to Christ. And He will receive them in joy.

To God alone be the glory. Amen.