Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-7, Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12

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1 We are Stardust By Pastor Melissa Hinnen, January 4, 2015 Asbury United Methodist Church, Croton-on-Hudson Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-7, Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12 On Monday evening as I made the turn from Route 36 in NJ toward my home in Long Branch, I looked up and saw a huge fireball with a long tail sweep across the sky. It was pretty incredible I ve never seen anything like it before. It made me think of the Crosby Stills Nash and Young song: We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon, and we ve got to get ourselves back to the garden. As I was preparing for today s worship about the Magi, I ve obviously had stars on my mind. According to astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse, The atoms of our bodies are traceable to stars that manufactured them in their cores and exploded these enriched ingredients across our galaxy, billions of years ago.

2 For this reason, we are biologically connected to every other living thing in the world. We are chemically connected to all molecules on Earth. And we are atomically connected to all atoms in the universe. We are not figuratively, but literally stardust. How amazing is that? And as a side note, it is interesting to me that someone who can understand such a strategic and wonderful and truly awesome connection does not acknowledge the existence of God. But that is another sermon for another day... Will you pray with me? Adventurous journeying God, be with us today as we remember the gift of the star that directs us to the garden of your son Jesus and for the gift of dreams that lead us in new directions, always connected but never the same. May our ears be open to your message to us this day. In the name of the one whose star rose as a sign of your glory, we pray. Amen One commentary I read noted that today s Scripture lessons all focus on the

3 manifestation of God's saving intervention in history -- whether in the days following the ending of the exile (Isaiah) or in Jesus Christ (Ephesians, Matthew) and in particular God's outrageous revelation of salvation to Gentiles, who were formerly bitter enemies and oppressors. Paul's imprisonment by Gentile leaders gives him the opportunity to witness to Gentiles in high places that God is out to save THEM through Jesus Christ as well. I mentioned a few months ago about the courageous United Methodist pastors in SE Asia who are often imprisoned for evangelizing. They compare themselves to Paul and say that they use the opportunity to share the good news of Christ with the prisoners and the guards they meet. It makes me wonder how we take (or don t take) the opportunity to share God s love with those we meet... We also read this morning of the Magi were descendants of the Babylonians The Oppressors -, the very people who carried the people of Judah into exile. Today s messages begin to connect the dots or in this case the stars... They show us how all people are

4 connected in the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ. This morning s Gospel lesson tells the familiar story of the magi foreign astrologers from what is now Iraq or Iran. We don t know how many there were but Matthew tells us there were 3 gifts. Some traditions tell of a dozen wise ones men and women who made the nighttime journey in a land without electricity, cars, or GPS only a new star and the faith to follow it without knowing exactly what will happen at the end of the journey. The Magi followed the star as far as Jerusalem before stopping and asking for directions. They recognized it as a sign of royalty and so decided to ask Herod if he knew where they could find this new king. Of course King Herod was troubled by this. When power is threatened, or even just perceived to be threatened people take some pretty extreme measures. We saw a glimpse of this with the situation of Sony, North Korea, the US, and the movie the Interview. So Herod secretly tells the magi to look for the child in Bethlehem and to report back to him so that I can honor him as well...

5 How often do we respond to vulnerability with manipulation? With lies to protect ourselves? The magi continue on their way and Matthew writes that when they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. We don t know how long they had been traveling, but I know that I can relate to the feeling of being on a long journey literally or figuratively - and finally reaching the goal and particularly on a sacred mission such as this... they were overwhelmed with joy! When they arrive at the house in Matthew s gospel Mary and Joseph live in Bethlehem and Jesus is born at home not in a manger, these outsiders Gentiles - bow down and present luxurious gifts to the king of the Jews. Once again Mary is reminded of the special role of her son. The magi wise people - recognize, as Paul does and later writes to the Ephesians - that Jesus came for ALL people. Even for these strangers from the East... outsiders whose ancestors had oppressed the Jewish people. We are all children of the star... the light that shines for all the nations. We all carry that stardust!

6 I was heartbroken this week to learn of another young person committing suicide in part because the church had made her family believe that she was less than a beloved child of God as someone who is transgender. Please pray for Leeah s family as they process this tragedy and try to find peace. Please pray for other Leeahs young people who are feeling alone in their struggle that they might know that they are stardust they are beloved children of sacred worth and God cherishes them. Once they find themselves... once we find ourselves at the shining star, bathing in the radiance of God s light, We begin to see the conventions of the world differently. We begin to question the authority of those who don t reflect the stardust. We stand up to the injustice that would nail Christ to the cross again. Thanks to a dream, the Magi realize they cannot report back to Herod and must travel on a different path. They, like Paul, resist the powers and principalities and instead follow the life and light of Christ. Marcus Borg writes in The First Christmas

7 Are we like the Magi who follow the light and refuse to comply with the ruler s plot to destroy it? Are we among those who yearn for the coming of the kingdom of justice and peace, who seek peace through justice? Where do we see the light of the world? Beloveds, the good news is that when we have encountered the light, knelt at the feet of Jesus, surrendered ourselves to the way, the truth, and the life there is no going back the same way! We can only continue on a different path. Even when we falter, we slip up, we don t use the gifts God has presented to us in ways that honor Jesus... we can look up... we can look to the star and we can surrender ourselves once again to the love and the grace that is our inheritance as stardust. As we meditate on our star words and on our significance as part of the universe connected to each other, nowhere is this more meaningful than at the communion table a table that is as wide as God s love.

8 As glittery shining golden stardust, at the Feast we engage spirit with spirit across the ages sharing in the promise and bathing forever in the radiant light and love of Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God! Amen