dreams of doom

Good morning friends,
First, a note about worship tomorrow: we'll being doing a back to school themed worship. Please bring a backpack or briefcase, a stethoscope or calculator: something that represents starting the school year (if you're a student) or your work if you aren't. We'll conclude worship by blessing your work and study.


Today's reading is a great story about the abuse and fear that comes with power. Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that scares him, so he desperately wants to understand it. At the same time he is afraid that his wise men will make something up; he's feeling vulnerable. So he commands and threatens them to not only interpret the dream, but also to tell him what he dreamed to prove that they have insight. Much of the Book of Daniel is stories that suggest that even though the king has nearly absolute power, he is not really in charge. His power is threatened often by underlings who seek to manipulate him and by the fact that, even when we pretend otherwise, human power is always limited.

Blessings on your weekend,
Sam

Daniel 2:1-12

In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed such dreams that his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. ²So the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. When they came in and stood before the king, ³he said to them, “I have had such a dream that my spirit is troubled by the desire to understand it.”

⁴The Chaldeans said to the king (in Aramaic), “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will reveal the interpretation.” ⁵The king answered the Chaldeans, “This is a public decree: if you do not tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. ⁶But if you do tell me the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

⁷They answered a second time, “Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation.” ⁸The king answered, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see I have firmly decreed: ⁹if you do not tell me the dream, there is but one verdict for you. You have agreed to speak lying and misleading words to me until things take a turn. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”

¹⁰The Chaldeans answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands! In fact no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. ¹¹The thing that the king is asking is too difficult, and no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.” ¹²Because of this the king flew into a violent rage and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.

slaughter of the innocents

Good morning sisters and brothers,
The wise men didn't know it at the time, but the reason King Herod asked them to give him information about Jesus was not so he could worship him, but so he could eliminate this perceived threat to his power. God warned the wise men about Herod's bad intentions, so they slipped out without being noticed. Herod is disappointed, but doesn't give up easily. Instead he casts a wide net and kills all the babies in Bethlehem. This terrible episode is known as the slaughter of the innocents. The Christian church has honored these unknown babies by considering them the first Christian martyrs. They didn't make choices that led to dying for their faith like most martyrs we think of, but they still died in some way for the sake of Christ. It's a sad story and sadder still that fear and faith still can lead to death. Let's pray and work for a day when innocents will no longer be slaughtered.

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 2:12-18

¹²And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. ¹³Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” ¹⁴Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, ¹⁵and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

¹⁶When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. ¹⁷Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ¹⁸“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

Epiphany

Good morning/evening friends,
Today is the festival of Epiphany or Three Kings Day when we celebrate the arrival of the wise men to welcome Jesus. We see too that Christ's birth is a political event: King Herod immediately feels threatened by the announcement that a king has been born. While Herod's response is fear, the wise men respond with worship, worship for a child who will change the world. At Epiphany we are invited to consider the gifts God has given us. How can we use our gifts: our skills and passions as well as our treasure, to worship and serve Jesus today?

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 2:1-11

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ²asking, “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.” ³When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵They 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.’”

⁷Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸Then 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.”

⁹When 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. ¹⁰When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹On 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.

wise men from the East

Good morning brothers and sisters,

Today we hear the story of the Epiphany, or revelation of Jesus, because today is Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. In the European American community Epiphany isn't usually very important, but in the Latino community it really is. It's common to see parades and celebrations in Latino neighborhoods to celebrate the arrival of the three wise men or three kings. I guess the compelling part of this story is that the birth of the Messiah isn't just important for Jewish people; it's important for the whole world. It's also exciting that these three important men from far away come to a stable in a small town to honor the baby Jesus. It's beautiful too that Matthew tells us the wise men were, "Overwhelmed with joy," when they saw the star come to rest over the stable.


Herod, on the other hand, is not overwhelmed with joy. Early on in this story we get a hint that Jesus is not going to be welcomed by the powerful of the world. After all, Herod is (by virtue of a deal with Rome) King of the Jews. It's no surprise then that the announcement by these strangers of the birth of the king of the Jews would make him afraid. Herod plays it cool, hoping the wise men will find his rival for him, but since they are wise, they listen to their dreams and steer clear of Herod. What new hope is being born for us today? Can we hope that God is bringing about a new peace in Sudan? We can certainly pray with our brothers and sisters at First Pres. Caledonia at 6 pm tonight that the star of God's peace would shine more brightly. And God may be bringing to life a new spark in each of us as well.


God bless,

Sam


Matthew 2:1-12

1In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, "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." 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They 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.'"


7Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then 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." 9When 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. 10When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On 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. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.