Epiphany “Wise Gifts for a Great King”

Readings: Psalm 72:1-7,10-14, Isaiah 60:1-6, Matthew 2:1-12, Ephesians 4:25-5:2
Preached at Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church, NY, January 8th 2023

A favorite seasonal hymn for many folk is "We three Kings". Did you ever stop to think about how the gifts the Wise men bought to Jesus were related to the life He would lead? That's what I would like us to think about on this Epiphany Sunday and I'm keeping at the back of my mind two bible verses; Ephesians 5:2"Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" & Matthew 2:11"They offered to Him gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh"

THE GIFT OF GOLD
"Born a King on Bethlehem plain, Gold I bring to crown Him again
King for ever, ceasing never, Over us all to reign."

Gold, in the time of Jesus - as it is today, was the most precious metal. A golden denarius was the most precious Roman coin. The goldsmith in Israelite society was an important person. Only pure gold was used to make the ornaments used in the two centers of worship for Old Testament religion, the tabernacle, and the temple.

Upon each of my hands, I proudly wear a ring. The ring is precious. It's made of gold. But its true value lies in what it signifies. I say that because I've also got three gold teeth in my mouth and whilst I'm sure the gold in my mouth is as materially valuable as that on my finger, one signifies the lack of care I've shown to dental hygiene, whilst the ring on my finger signifies the gift and commitment of love that my wife Yvonne made to me,  when we were married. It's the significance of the gold and the ring that makes them precious. Gold represents a commitment of life. Gold represents love.

In the Old Testament Tabernacle the most precious ornament was the lamp stand or candlestick. According to the instructions Moses had from God, he instructed the workmen that the candlestick was to be made only from the purest gold. It was the light that illuminated the Holy Place.

By this lamp stand of pure gold, the people were not only reminded that God gave of His best to them, but also that they were to give of their best to Him. So, we read of visitors from the East bringing to Jesus, not only themselves, but also their gold; bringing Him the best of their lives.

Is not our calling to give our best to our King?  Sadly, for many people, their investment in earthly joys far outweighs their concern for the gospel. It is just as well that God's concern for us is not so cheap.

Paul tells us that; “Christ loved us and gave Himself for us". In revealing His love to us, God has not been content to send gifts from afar. He, in Christ, brings His presence to the midst of life. He comes where we are, journeys to our homes, our families, our lives. The whole Christmas story is about the God who is with us - God Incarnate.

So we see, at His birth, a wise man offering Him gold, gold a symbol of love, coming himself to give his best to his King... "Gold I bring to crown Him again”

THE GIFT OF FRANKINCENSE
“Frankincense to offer have I, Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, all men raising, Worship Him, God on high"

Frankincense is made of Olibanum, an aromatic gum resin. The highest quality Frankincense is that which comes from the clearest gum and makes the whitest powder. The name in Hebrew for Frankincense "Lebona" means "White, Shining". When Frankincense powder is burnt it provides a pleasant, penetrating odor. It was used as incense at various festivals and religious occasions.

In the book of Leviticus five offerings are outlined that the people of Israel were to make to their God. Frankincense was used in connection with the Meal Offering, the "Minchah". It was a voluntary offering, a gift made to God to maintain God's favor. Leviticus 6:15 gives these instructions: "The priest is to take a handful of fine flour and oil, together with all the frankincense on the meal offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord'.

If you cook meat or flour in oil, it doesn't give off a particularly sweet-smelling odor. But when frankincense was added, that changed things. The Frankincense released a strong smell that overcame all the other odors.

Think back to that text Paul gave to the Ephesians. The apostle Paul was a man who was very much a Hebrew of Hebrews, an ex-Pharisee who knew intimately the traditions and festivals and practices of the orthodox Jew of his day. He writes of a Christ who loved us and gave himself for us, as "frankincense", a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Two further things I'd like you to consider about Frankincense.

1). Frankincense is an offering connected with prayer and praise to God. If our lives are to be an effective witness for Christ then those strands of spirituality must be woven into them. The most prayerful life in the New Testament is that of Jesus Himself. Time and time again He urged His disciples to become people of prayer for themselves.

2). For Frankincense to be used as an offering it had to be burnt. It needed fire. We use the expression about somebody who is excited about something that they are all "fired up". We need the fire of God's Spirit to burn in our hearts, that we may live lives of prayer and worship to God. Think again on the words of the carol, "Frankincense to offer have I, Prayer and praising, all men raising, Worship Him God on high."

 THE GIFT OF MYRRH
"Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume, Breathes a life of gathering gloom,
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, Sealed in the stone-cold tomb."

Like Frankincense, Myrrh was an expensive perfume. Whilst Frankincense had to be burnt to give up its odor, Myrrh either had to be beaten and crushed before it would give off its fragrance.

Myrrh was one of the ingredients that went into the anointing oil that was used to anoint the Ark of the Covenant, where offerings were made, and the golden lampstand we mentioned earlier, was placed. It was only after they had been anointed with sacred oil that they were considered as being set apart for a holy purpose. The same oil was used to anoint the priests for their work.

Myrrh was one of the ingredients with which the body of Jesus was treated by Joseph after His death on the cross. We also read in Marks gospel that before they crucified Jesus, "They offered him wine, mixed with myrrh”.

In the book of Revelation, the second of seven letters to the churches is addressed to the suffering church at Smyrna. The name of the town of Smyrna has its linguistic root in the word "Myrrh". The letter is an encouraging one to a church whose members were being crushed by persecution.

At a later date, one of Smyrna's bishops was a man called Polycarp. A writing that was extremely influential in the early church was the account of his martyrdom in the arena.  Many times, in church history, it has been when the church, like myrrh, had been beaten and crushed, that it has produced  its most effective witness.

With the benefit of hindsight, we can see how appropriate it was that one of the wise gifts bought to Jesus was that of Myrrh, a gift for one who would give his life in an offering of sacrifice, one who was anointed of God for an incomparable task. The challenge to us is clear enough. We  are called to sacrificial living. We need the anointing oil of God's Spirit to be our comfort and healing when life brings us its "Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, and dying".

•    Let us be prepared to offer Him our gold. Let us give Him the best of our love.
•    Let us offer frankincense, come before Him with prayerful lives and worshipful hearts.
•    Let us offer Myrrh . Be prepared to live sacrificially and seek for the oil of His Spirit's anointing to be upon our lives.  

Wise gifts for a Great King!

The Reverend Adrian J. Pratt B.D.