Time and Place
Matthew 2:1-12
January 3, 2021 anno Domini
Saint Matthew, like Saint Luke, gives us time and place. In Bethlehem of Judea – that’s the place. In the days of Herod the King – that’s the time. Time and place are good for us. They tell us that the Son of God became a man and entered into history. There’s more written about Herod the Great than almost any other ruler at the time. You can not only find find Bethlehem on a map you can still visit there if you wish. You won’t find time and place like that in the Koran, or the book of Mormon, or any other dreamed up religion.
Time and place help us find Jesus. The God of Scripture is not some distant God who stands aloof and hopes you’re smart enough or strong enough to ascend to heaven and grab hold of Him. Because we need Him desperately and would never find Him on our own He comes to us in time and place – in the flesh of Jesus in Bethlehem when Herod is King and He comes now, in the flesh of Jesus in the time and place of His choosing.
The Wise Men from the East were smart guys. They are called Magi, from which we get our word magician. However, their vocation was not pulling rabbits out of a hat or making the Statue of Liberty disappear. They were like college professors – a combination of astrologers, philosophers, and religious study professors. They read a lot. They looked to the stars and dreams to discern signs of the times. They questioned and examined events for meaning. They were spiritual but not religious.
The first time we hear of Magi in the Old Testament is in the days of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had some troubling dreams that kept him from sleeping soundly. So, he called his magi to interpret his dream, but he would not tell them the dream. He required them to tell him his dream and its meaning. He probably figured that being professors they were more concerned about tenure than telling him the truth. They could not interpret his dream. They said no one could. That’s where Daniel comes into the picture and not only tells Nebuchadnezzar his dream but its meaning. Daniel was from Judah. He had been taken captive by the Babylonians. History tells us Jewish rabbis remained in Babylon for almost 1000 years, 400 years after Jesus was born. That is likely how the Magi of Babylon learned of the coming Messiah and the promised Star of Jacob.
600 years after Daniel, when a new star appears in the sky, the Magi do their research and conclude this must be that star promised in the book of Numbers. Putting it together with other Old Testament prophesies they journey from the East until the star leads them to Judea.
Here is where the wise men aren’t too wise. They are wise in the ways of the world, but not in the ways of the Lord. No one is, including you. The Lord does not work the way we think He works – as the wise men will soon find out. They go to Jerusalem. Why? Because that makes sense. Kings are in Capitals. Herod is King and sort of a Jew. So this new King of the Jews is likely to be found in Herod’s palace, perhaps in the royal nursery. The wise men are ignorant though of Herod the Great. He had already killed one of his wives and two of his sons because he thought they were after the throne. That might help you understand St. Matthew when he writes, “When Herod the king heard this, (the news of a newborn king of the Jews) he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” Herod killed when there was a threat to the throne. Hide your newborn babies.
So, what sort of common sense are we tempted to use to determine God’s presence in our lives? Common sense would tell us that God loves us when He answers our prayers with the answer we desire. God is on our side when our health is good, when income exceeds expenses, when 2021 turns out better than 2020, when our children marry decent spouses and have well paying jobs. Common sense, natural religion says God wants you to have a good life, happiness, peace. But like the wise men, if that is where you look for God, all you will find is trouble. It will be troubling because sometimes you’ll think God is right beside you, but most of the time, you’ll think He went south for the winter.
Herod is wise, but not good. He calls the chief priests and the scribes. They know God’s Word and God’s Word will tell them where to look for this King. In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet Micah.
The star had shown the wise men the time. God’s Word had revealed the place. Even though Bethlehem was a little town they still God’s help. A small group of foreign men couldn’t just drive into Gilman and start knocking on doors looking for a little boy. Once again God lead them. The star appeared and shown right on the house of Joseph and Mary – 2024 N Manger Drive in Bethlehem. The star’s appearance and direction made the wise men rejoice “exceedingly with great joy.”
Did you catch how much joy the Wise Men had? That’s four times the normal joy – they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Their joy was great, really, really, great. It was the greatest joy they ever had in their lives because they found Jesus (or rather God led them to Jesus.)
The problem with not knowing where to find Jesus is that your joy won’t be great and it won’t last. If you look for God in your happiness or your thoughts He’ll come and go. If you think God is in the peacefulness of the woods or water at your cabin then He leaves when you leave. If you believe He’s with you when you’re healthy then He must have been mostly absent in 2020.
God chose to reveal Himself in His Son and only in His Son. In a time and in a place – born in Bethlehem, son of Mary, in the days of King Herod the Great.
You need to know where God is because you need Him. You need Him because of your guilt and shame over your sins. You need Him to heal you when you are battered and beaten by sin, or sickness, or death. You need to find Him when you’re surrounded by chaos and you’re about to fly apart into a million pieces. You need to know that on a certain night in Bethlehem Mary of Nazareth gave birth to a son and Joseph named him Jesus. You need to know that a few months later Wise Men from the East followed a star, met Herod the Great and by God’s Word went to Bethlehem and found this child. You need to know that on a certain Friday, outside Jerusalem, on a cross, the Son of God, took all of your afflictions on Himself and died for your sin. He suffered the outcome of our sin – hell and death. Three days later He awakened from death and walked out of His tomb. In and around Jerusalem and in Galilee He appeared to over 500 witnesses.
Before He ascended into heaven Jesus left His Word and signs where we could find Him and His gifts. He gave us time and place. He told His apostles – preach repentance and forgiveness in My name to the ends of the earth. Baptize the nations in the name of the Holy Trinity. Take and eat, this is my body. Take and drink, this is my Blood. You need Jesus and He wants you to have Him. So here is the place and time – 8 am Sunday morning, 2719 3rd Street North, Saint Cloud, MN, 56303-4224. He’s not here because we set the time and place. He’s here because He said He would be wherever His Word is preached in truth and His Sacraments are administered rightly. He’s here because He promised and because He wants you to have Him. In the name of Jesus. Amen.