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January 7, 2007
Scripture: Matthew 2: 1-12
Title: "The Star at its Rising"

Every year growing, as my parents were getting out the Christmas decorations, there was always one decoration that seemed to symbolize Christmas for me. It was the Moravian Star that hung on our front porch. It was never really Christmas until that star was hung.

Sure I had heard about the Moravians and their settlement in Salem, NC. I had this history all the time growing up, even got to visit Old Salem. But there was always something about that Moravian star that captivated me.
It may have been that they hold on to the same basic statement of faith as the Disciples: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; and in all things, love."

Or maybe my fascination stems from the fact that Old Salem always seemed to be a sacred, mystical place where one could actually see how the community of Christ came together and tried to establish a part of God’s Kingdom on earth.

Or maybe my fascination with the Moravians and their star stems from the fact that I love their bakery items: Sugar Cake. Moravian Sugar Cookies. Moravian Ginger Cookies. I could make myself sick on these delicious items that were the Moravian denomination to me.

So this year, I asked my parents to send me my very own Moravian star to hang at the parsonage. I got the call. Mom had mailed the package. And I eagerly awaited this precious memory of Christmas so that I could continue this joy and fascination with the star at our new home in Midway.

The package came. I ripped open the tape and by-passed the toys sent to the grand-dog and grand-cats and found my star. It was in a narrow box with a picture of the star pasted on it. I took it out with reverence. And then I slowly opened the box to pull out my star.

However, my star was in 18 pieces and some assembly was required. I thought Okay, I am kind of handy. I can do this. I pull out the instructions and start to read. “Connect the square piece with a triangle piece.”

Okay, simple enough. I can do this.
Step one was completed. Then I read: Alternate pieces and then repeat on the other side. So I get started. Square to triangle. Square to triangle. Square to triangle. I got that. But how does it all go together? I looked on the floor and had lots of little pieces but no star.

So I call Mike. “Please put my star together.” He looks at the directions and then at me, and gave me this look: “What did you do?”
I left him with the star in pieces and went to do something else. I returned in about 15 minutes, thinking I would walk downstairs to a complete and fascinating star.

15 minutes later, I came downstairs to the pieces and a very frustrated husband. “These directions don’t make any sense. I am looking at the picture and I just don’t get it.”

So we thought: “Let’s call the guru of Moravian stars. He has put together 3 in his life-time. Surely he knows what to do. So we call my father. He chuckles and says, yes the instructions are not that clear. Here is what you need to do.”

He walks us through the process and finally the star takes shape. Then the next piece of the puzzle comes: How do we get the light into the star?
Following a quick call to the guru again, our star had light!

The star looked so plain on our basement floor. The star looked so ordinary on our carpet. This was not the star that I remember from my childhood. This was not the magical star that shone bright on those dark winter nights.

I thought, “ Such fuss over a star. Such fascination over a star. Such excitement over this piece of plastic. Where’s my shining, bright star?” I was disappointed.

Until we hung up our star and flipped on the light.

The light shone bright in the dark. The light chased away the winter night. The light gave warmth to a cold and dark night. I could almost imagine it leading people home here in Midway.

Such fuss over a star. Such fascination over a star. Such excitement over a star….

That is what the author of Matthew is sharing with us today. This star is special. This star is a sign of promise, a sign of hope, and a sign of fulfillment. And this star lead the wisemen to the baby Jesus, the true light of the world.

This story is really fascinating. We combine the two nativity stories and imagine a picture that includes Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and Wisemen, all staring adoringly at this baby.
When we read the story from the Gospel of Matthew that is not the picture. Joseph is not even mentioned. Mary is a blip on the screen. Jesus is mentioned as a baby. No shepherds. No barn animals. No baby lying in a manager.
For Matthew, the main actors in this play are people of power. King Herod, a cruel and wicked king who serves Rome and not his people. The magi who are really priests who have access to centers of power. Traditions record them as destabilizing power with threatening predictions. Astrological signs were valued by some and were often understood to signal the birth of an important figure.
Such fuss over a star. Such fascination over a star. Such excitement over a star.
For the author of Matthew, this was no ordinary star. This was the star that was promised to come and announce the birth of the Messiah. It served as a reminder for the reader of the Balaam prophecy in Numbers: “A star shall come forth out of Jacob, and scepter shall rise out of Israel.” There is also a little bit of Israelite history working in this passage. “The traditional association of “Messiah” and star” is illustrated by the nickname given the messianic claimant in Judea who led the final disastrous war against the Romans, Simeon ben Kosibah, “Bar Cochba” which translate, Son of the Star, or Star man.”
The star in the story serves as a bridge between pagan astrological hopes and Jewish biblical promises.

Such fuss over a star. Such fascination over a star. Such excitement over a star.
Priest from Persia show the star, recognized its significance and Followed that star. They searched with a purpose. Not mindless wandering that we imagine. But a purpose to worship the Newborn king.
The point that the author of Matthew wants the reader to understand is that the all nations, Jewish and Gentile, will recognize this newborn King, this Jesus, who came as the light for all.
The light that shines in the darkness. The light that chases away the darkness. The light that warms the cold and brings new life to all.

Such fuss over a star. Such fascination over a star. Such excitement over a star.

May we like the wise men, see the star of hope and follow it with purpose to honor the newborn king who is the light for all. Amen.

Rev. Heather McColl
Midway Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

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