Epiphany 2014

Sermon by Stuart PikePhoto Credit: Dr. He Qi of ChinaSermon Text:Today we hear the story of the end of a long journey. The three wise men finally were able to see the result of the prophecy of the star. The word, Epiphany means to display or to manifest. It alludes to a great truth shining through. It describes how it was that the Magi were able to travel a great distance to eventually find themselves at a humble village ‑ how, upon entering the humble home they would find a baby born in abject poverty ‑ and how, even in this unlikely setting, they were able to see God's presence there. God's love shone through in this unlikely scene, and the Magi were able to realize this. This was Epiphany for the wise men: the power of God shining through the seemingly mundane.Matthew, the evangelist presents a very different story than the Christmas story that we get from Luke. In Luke, we have the simple story of Jesus being born in poverty and recognized and worshiped only by poor shepherds. The