Epiphany and its Gifts for the New Year

 EPIPHANY GIFTS WE RECEIVE FROM FOLLOWING CHRIST , THE STAR

Gifts we can give to ourselves and others through Christ in the New Year”

Epiphany Matthew 2:1-12

The Wise Men , magi are figures , kings perhaps, three of them , of those who are seeking wisdom and a divine Child.  They are representatives of ourselves , Gentiles who are engrafted into the  family of Christ through the wisdom that is presented to us, in the Child who is our Wisdom, our Righteousness and our Salvation. 

" The imortant point is that these men were heathen and that they represent the first fruits of the Gentile nations.  They symbolize the truth that in the great world today there are countless hungry hearts yearning for a divine Saviour and ready to follow even faint and imperfect signs which may lead to His feet." Erdman in The Gospel of Matthew

The Apostle says it this way in the Epistle, “

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.  Ephesians 3 “

Samuel in the Old Testament as a young child “ministered before the Lord” and Jesus as a young person “was about His Father’s business” .  Of both it is said, “ they increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.”  That should be our goal as well if we are to live healthy, happy and holy lives in this world in preparation for the next.  We follow His steps ..” For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” I Peter 2:21

We like the Wise Men have choices about who and what STAR we are going to follow . If it is the world, then that is our reward.  If it is the eternal purpose and faith which we have in Christ, “ the unsearchable riches of Christ”, then we have chosen for not only this life but the life to come, life eternal.

We have spent a lot of time buying gifts, looking at gifts and in general  the word most men hate, “shopping.”  Now it is time to ask ourselves what good gifts God can give us as we enter a new year in a few days.  Who wants to live this next year as we did the last?  None of us I trust.  We know we grow spiritually in the new year.  That should be our aim.  Someone said, “ if you aim at nothing you are bound to hit it.” John reminds us as well in his epistle, “ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” I John 2:1

G Campbell Morgan  said it this way, “ ‘ What do I mean by ‘coming to Christ’?  I mean: Answer the gleam of light that has come to you concerning purity; answer the call that is welling up in your own life, declaring the beauty of the Christian ideal , suggesting that you begin the high and noble enterprise of rising to the higher life in the name of the Christ.  The doctrines of grace?  No man was ever yet saved by believing the doctrines of grace.  You will understand them by and by. And you will never understand the doctrines of grace perfectly, until  you get to heaven. Thank God for that.  I glory in the infinite mystery of incarnation and atonement, and the doctrines of grace.  Oh man, not by an intellectual apprehension of these doctrines is a man saved, but by answering the light, yielding to the immediate truth, giving myself to Christ as He says ‘ Follow Me.’ “ in Campbell Morgan Bible Teacher by Murray.

I remember also that my great-grandfather’s home was called “ Ataraxia”.  That means rest or not being fretful.  Would that we all had that in the new year.  That comes from believing that God will work out things. Yes, all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28  Another phrase He used was Disappointment-His Appointment.  That means that our difficulties and dreams are not always going to come out the way we planned but God has His Divine plan that works on our behalf and in our lives.

So just what are those gifts we can give through Christ to ourselves and others this year?

We have named two---peace and trust in the plan of God and of His blessed Son and the infant Child, the Prince of Peace, Eternal God Jesus Christ.  It would be hard to add to that.  Here are a few that we can though add to our gift list:

1. Escape for a time.  Mark 6:31  “ Come ye yourselves apart into a deserted place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”

2. Reduce your duties and interests.  Martha is our example here. Luke 10:41 “Martha, Martha, you are fretting and fussing about so many things; but one thing is necessary.”

3.Live One Day at a Time. Matthew 6:34 “ Don’t worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can take care of itself! One day’s trouble is enough for one day.”

4.Rest One Whole Day Every Week Exodus 20:8 “ Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.”

5. Get Your Mind off Yourself and on to God. “ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.”  Isaiah 26:3

6. Seek Cleansing. “ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I Jn 1:9

7. Learn to Enjoy Your Work.  “ Not slothful in business: fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” Ro. 12:11

(from “Living Under Pressure—the Christian Way” by Powell)

Lastly in our lives as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of God remember the Serenity Prayer:

“O God, give us serenity to accept what cannot be changed, courage to change what should be changed, and wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.”

  Have a great New Year following the STAR of the New Born babe, born in us through faith ---this is our choice for this year.  Following the world will yield only the fruit of this world. Following Christ will lead to unimaginable love and Divine peace in this world and in the next!

“The people of God make petition for divine assistance so that, after being faithful sojourners and pilgrims here on earth in this evil age, they will experience the full realization of Christian hope and see the Glory of the Father in the face of Jesus Christ in the glorious age to come. But we must first walk by faith in order later by grace to walk by sight! This is a message for the whole of the season of the Epiphany.” Rev. Peter Toon on the Epiphany.