"On the Twelfth Day of Christmas"
By Dr. Mickey Anders
First Christian Church
Pikeville, Kentucky
January 6, 2002
Text: Matthew 2:1-12
Today is Epiphany. That is likely a word that many in our church are not very familiar with. The dictionary says "Epiphany is (1) an appearance or manifestation of a god or other supernatural being, (2) in most Christian churches, a yearly festival, held January 6, commemorating the revealing of Jesus as the Christ to the Gentiles in the persons of the Magi at Bethlehem: also called Twelfth Night." (Webster's New World Dictionary)
In many countries Christians celebrate by giving gifts between December 25 and January 6. This celebration lies behind the familiar song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," in which a gift is given on each of the twelve days always ending with "a partridge in a pear tree." Epiphany is the climax of the Christmas experience and on this day we recall the coming of the wise men who bring gifts to the Christ child.
1) God's gifts are for all.
The appearance of the Magi brings a radically new and significant element
to the story of the Christ child. When the Wise men hear of the child
and begin their search for him, they ask, "Where is the child born king
of the Jews? We have come to offer him gifts, to worship him."
These mysterious men from the East were certainly not of the Jewish faith
and tradition. They symbolize the fact that Jesus was the light for
the whole world and not just for Bethlehem or even the Middle East.
The prophet Isaiah had foretold the gifts of gold and frankincense.
He also had indicated that the coming light would be for all the nations:
"Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn…
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord" (Isaiah 60:3, 6).
The light of the world is Jesus, and that light is for all people.
The coming of Christ represented God's greatest gift. Even these outsiders coming from afar knew that the light was for all the nations. They followed the star and discovered the gift that was for all time and for all people.
Someone has rewritten the words to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" this
way:
On the first day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me salvation full and free
On the second day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me everlasting life
On the third day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me peace in my heart
On the fourth day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me love for all men
On the fifth day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me joy for my soul
On the sixth day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me power from on high
On the seventh day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me a body glorified
On the eighth day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me a robe and a crown
On the ninth day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me mansions above
On the tenth day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me streets of pure gold
On the eleventh day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me a thousand tongues to sing
On the twelfth day of Christmas
Jesus gave to me eternity to praise.
This song parody captures a truth about Christmas - it really is about what Jesus gave to us. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…"
2) When we have received God's gifts, we offer our own.
The wise men brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. These were
undoubtedly expensive gifts. They brought their very best to offer
to this newborn king.
The gift of gold acknowledged the kingship of Christ. Gold was a gift that denoted royalty, authority, and power. If you have ever toured the palace of a King in Europe you will find that these palaces are often covered in gold. It is a gift befitting a ruler.
The gift of frankincense acknowledged the priestly ministry of Christ. Frankincense was used in the offerings in the temple. They added a fragrant aroma to the sacrifices. Frankincense also was added to the oil that anointed the priests. The incense added a dimension of beauty to the worship.
The gift of myrrh acknowledged the Sacrificial nature of Christ. Myrrh is an interesting gift. In the Old Testament we see it used as a fragrance. In the New Testament we see it used in two different ways. In Mark 15:23 we see that Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh while he was on the cross, but he refused. In John 19:39 we see Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea preparing Jesus for burial using a mixture of aloes and myrrh. Myrrh points to the sacrificial death of Jesus.
But perhaps the most valuable gift they gave was their time. Their long journey may have taken as long as a year out of their lives. I wonder how many of us would give a year of our time as a gift to the Christ?
These wise men set a wonderful example for all who would be wise today. Those who are wise still bring to Christ their very best gifts. John Wesley responded to the Gift by dedicating himself to God. In 1753, he wrote:
"I give myself completely to you, God.
Assign me to my place in your creation.
Let me suffer for you.
Give me the work you would have me do.
Give me many tasks, or have me step aside while you call others.
Put me forward or humble me.
Give me riches or let me live in poverty.
I freely give all that I am and all that I have to you…"
All of us have been given some gift to share, some ministry to offer in the name of Jesus.
There is an ancient Hasidic tale that tells of a prince in a far distant country who dreamed of a place where people might live in perfect community - in reciprocal, fair and loving relationships. The prince called together people to form such a community through a covenant together.
As a sign of the covenant, the prince asked each person to bring a bottle of their finest wine. When they arrived at the place where the covenant was to be made, each person was to take a bottle of expensive wine and pour it into a great bowl, to symbolize that they was bringing their best gifts to form the community.
A man thought to himself, "If I bring my finest bottle of wine and pour it in with everyone else's wine, what good would that do? All of the distinctive bouquet, flavor and character of the wine will be lost, swallowed up with everyone else's wine."
He said to himself, "I will take a bottle of my expensive wine, pour out the contents, and fill the bottle with water. Who is to know the difference? That way I will not be wasting my precious vintage."
When the day for the founding of the community came, each person came
and poured the content of their bottle into the great bowl. Then
the prince had everyone take a cup and drink from the bowl. To everyone's
horror, all the wine was water! Every single person had done what
the man had done. They substituted water for wine.
(Thomas Naylor, William Willimon and Magdalena Naylor, The Search for
Meaning (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994)p. 132, quoted in Biblical Preaching
Journal, Winter 2002 p. 3-4.)
God's generous gift in Christ must be met with our generous gifts in response. But what can we give to the one who made and owns everything?
Give God something personal. Romans 12:1 says, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." Perhaps the most valuable gift the Wise men gave was their time. Our time is a sacrifice of our very selves. Surely we can give some time each day for prayer and Bible study. We can start a daily journal, take aim at a wicked habit, find a quiet place to sing songs and worship to the Lord. Give God yourself.
Give God a gift of value. All throughout the Old Testament we find people who gave the best animal, the first portion of the harvest, ten percent of all that God had given them. In each case, it was something of value. In our society, two of the most valuable things we have is our money and our time. We need to give both. The one does not substitute for the other. Some say they will give time instead of money; others say they will give money instead of time. Either one is giving less than our best. The only appropriate response to the gift of Christ is our very best.
Give to God by giving to others. Matthew 25 says, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me." Perhaps this new year, we can give our best gift to Christ by making a resolve to mend a quarrel, offer forgiveness, really listen, sit with one who is lonely, give someone a second chance, or find a way to lift a burden.
Give God a gift from the heart. Whatever it is, it should be a gift given from an honest desire to honor and worship the Lord. In the earliest pages of the Bible, we read that Cain and Abel responded to God by giving their gifts. Hebrews 11:4 makes this observation about the distinctions between their gifts. "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain's. In some way, Abel gave a gift of the heart, a gift through faith, and Cain's gift didn't measure up. Whatever we do to honor Christ we must make sure it is from the heart.
In Jesus Christ, God has given us the greatest gift. And in response to God's grace, we are called to offer ourselves. Like the wise men, we are called to bring our very best gifts to Jesus Christ.