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1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6 "And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.' " 7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. (Matthew 2:1-12 NRSV)
Happy New Year, Friend! I say this early because this will be a busy weak for this old man. On Wednesday I will undergo cataract surgery in San Antonio early in the morning. And because the following day is a holiday, that same afternoon of the 31st I have to return to the clinic for the first checkup. Prayers for me are appreciated. I will spend the rest of that week trying to rest and recover. ConCafe will resume as soon as I can see better. I pray the best of what 2026t will offer to you and that you bless God by blessing others!
Several years ago, I was honored to serve on a national Board of The United Methodist Church, elected by the Jurisdiction and served two terms. I was a director of this board responsible for helping make decisions to guide the Board in its work within the Church. As a director I was part of a larger group of elected directors from every jurisdiction from all corners of the world. I made some amazing friends who impacted my life. The board was named The Board of Discipleship. Within it were several important areas of work the Church tries to carry out; evangelism, discipleship, curriculum of Sunday School, The Upper Room, et al. We usually met in Nashville at least once a year, and committee membership for some necessitated additional meetings either in Nashville or other areas. I was honored and humbled to be a director and enjoyed the many friendships and acquaintances that came with the job. One evening as we broke for the day, as we were exiting the building, I was behind a director from Louisiana, who fell and hurt her leg. She was in great pain and I stopped to assist and I asked several of the staff from the Board to help. No one did. These were people who lived and worked in Nashville and knew the city better than me. No one seemed concerned. Mentally I asked myself is it because this lady is Black and I'm brown that we're being ignored? I felt anger but still the concern this lady needed to get to a hospital and it took my getting a taxi to drive us to an emergency room to finally get to a place where her pain could be addressed. I also somehow, hopefully, that someone from the board would show up to check on us. Nada. No one. I added it to the List of What's Wrong with the Church.
At the top of that list or near it, is King Herod. He was born or made wretched during his life. He was so evil that legend says that he killed his brothers and some of his sons for fear they wanted to replace him as king. It was also believed that he left orders that at the time of his death his guards were to kill the members of his court along with key citizens of Jerusalem so their death might bring the crying and mourning that he knew he would not have for himself. We come to the passage where he is visited by "wise men from the East," who came looking for "the child who has been born king of the Jews." That question immediately set off alarms for Herod, for he believed he would be king for life of the Jews and the area inhabited by the Jews. The wise man had been studying the writings and knew that this birth was the fulfillment of prophecy. The baby was expected by prophecy and by those who feared God and wanted and needed his birth. Herod was not among those. Verse three says that Herod was frightened, not necessarily "all of Jerusalem." Fright in the case of Herod would lead to anger; the kind that would do something to calm that anger and remove the fear. Herod summons the chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem and asks them about this baby. They knew that to tell him that in Bethlehem would mean immediate trouble, which history tells us that Herod ordered the murder of all male children under the age of two when he realized the Magi duped him.
This is Epiphany's heartbreaking contrast: Gentile outsiders seeking Jesus while religious insiders ignore Him, foreigners traveling great distances while locals won't walk six miles to Bethlehem. Herod secretly learns when the star appeared, then deceptively sends the Magi to Bethlehem: "Search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." He has no intention of worshiping—only eliminating a perceived threat. The Magi set out, "and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy"—not mild pleasure but ecstatic delight. Their long journey has reached its destination. "On entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage." Jesus is now in a house, suggesting time has passed since the shepherds' visit. The Magi see a toddler with His mother in ordinary circumstances—no palace, no servants, no visible royalty. Yet they kneel and worship, recognizing royalty hidden in humility, divinity wrapped in humanity, the King of kings in a peasant child. "Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." Each gift carries symbolic weight: gold for a king, frankincense for deity (used in temple worship), myrrh for burial (foreshadowing His death). These aren't token gifts but costly treasures reflecting the worth they ascribe to this child.
The account concludes with divine intervention: "Having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road." God protects His Son by redirecting the Magi. They came seeking a king; they found the King of kings. They came to pay homage; they left transformed, taking a different road home. Encountering Jesus changes our direction, alters our path, transforms our journey. We can't meet Jesus and return the same way we came. Epiphany celebrates this transformative encounter. The Magi represent all of us who were outsiders, far from God, without the promises of Israel. Yet God revealed His Son to us, gave us signs to follow, drew us across great distances, and brought us to Jesus. When we truly encountered Him—really saw Him, really recognized Him—we knelt in worship, offered our treasures, and went home by another road, forever changed. The manifestation of Christ to the nations continues today. Jesus is still being revealed to those who seek Him, still drawing people from every nation. The star still shines—through Scripture, through creation, through believers' testimony, through the Holy Spirit's conviction. And those who follow that light, who journey toward Jesus despite obstacles, who kneel before Him and offer Him their best—they discover what the Magi discovered: overwhelming joy in finding the King.
PRAYER: King of kings and Lord of lords, thank You for manifesting Yourself not just to religious insiders but to seeking outsiders, drawing all nations to Your light; like the Magi, we have followed Your signs to find You, and we kneel in worship, offering You our treasures—our time, our resources, our very lives; help us leave by another road, transformed by encountering You, in Your holy name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This Epiphany, identify one "treasure" you've been withholding from Jesus—whether time, money, a dream, a relationship, or a part of your life you've kept for yourself—and like the Magi, open your treasure chest and offer it to the King in worship.
I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me! Share your treasures with God and with God's beloved people, which we know means everyone!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
