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THE GIFT

The Scripture reading for today is from Isaiah 60:1-6.  At first it seems an obvious reading for Epiphany Sunday, what with its references to camels, foreign countries, and gold and frankincense. But, it isn’t a written as a prophesy of Jesus birth nor of the Magi bringing gifts of gold and frankincense to Jesus as a young child, although the reference is surely reminiscent of what happened centuries later.  This particular scripture was written as a magnificent vision of Zion’s future—full of light, prosperity and prestige.  This text envisions a new beginning, a new life for the returning exiles.  Isaiah 60:1-3 is flooded with divine light, “Arise, Shine; for your light has come.”  Verse 2 speaks to darkness covering the earth and the peoples; with verse 3 having nations and kings coming to the light of Zion. Verse 4 has the exiles returning to their home land , the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of the exiled people.  Verse 5 refers to trade returning to Zion and the wealth of Nations coming to Zion.  Camels from Midian and Ephah and Sheba shall come and they shall bring gold and frankincense.

If you continue on in Chapter 60 of Isaiah, it turns a little less glowing in that the vision for the new empire does not change the organization of imperial power.  There would be zero intolerance for disobedience to the new system.  In the new empire, forgiveness, compassion and redemption are only available to those who obey the rules of the new empire.   So, what is the lesson to be learned from this text?

Martin Luther gives a profound lesson in how to wield power in society in his essay “The Freedom of a Christian”.  Luther maintains that all the riches of heaven are given to us in Christ, not so that we can subjugate others, but so that as Christians, we may take on the role of a servant.  Luther urges us to deal with one’s neighbor as God, through Jesus Christ, has dealt and still deals with us.  Instead of domination over the weak, and power which enables the powerful to inflict revenge, power can free us to serve, heal, and provide resources not for our exclusive use, but for those less fortunate.

Isaiah’s grand vision never actually came to fruition in history, although when Isaiah wrote this passage, Judeans had begun to return to Jerusalem, after being in exile for 70 years.  Likely, this poetry reminds people of God’s desire to restore and rebuild the community.  It would be a few centuries later that Jesus came along and some will say started to bring Isaiah’s vision to fruition.  Certainly Jesus embraced the values of loving and serving ones neighbor.  And visions of camels coming from foreign lands bearing gifts of gold and frankincense during Isaiah’s time and later when the Magi brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to a young Jesus got me to thinking about God’s gift to all of us, that is Jesus, and the gifts the Wise Men brought, and the gifts we give to each other.

My Grandfather, Rev. Cecil R. Gaylord, was a Methodist pastor in northern Wisconsin, active in years 1925-1957 and appointed to mostly rural Methodist churches including St. Croix Falls, Eureka and Wolf Creek, from 1931-1934.  Then, as now, he was assigned churches for three or four years and then was moved on.  Grandpa was a supply pastor, assigned full time during the 32 years he was active with the Methodist church.   During World War II, he was assigned to Elroy, Camp Douglas, and Union Center.  From 1928 through 1930 he was preaching at Birchwood and Mikana churches, which are about 6 miles apart.   I recently received a trove of historical information about Cecil and Lilian which a cousin has taken the time to organize electronically.  I have a letter Lilian wrote to her parents when they were at Birchwood/Mikana, as young parents, of five children: Curtis, Joyce, Shirley, Stanton, and Lester.

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The gifts given to my Grandparents were truly gifts of love and self-sacrifice.

AMEN.

Posted in Sermons