Nearly fifteen years ago I was celebrating the Christmas holidays at my parents home, the home in which I grew up. When I went into ministry and was seldom able to be home for Christmas Eve, my parents initiated what became a nearly 20-year tradition of Christmas Eve parties. This particular Christmas Eve I was working in our Presbytery office and so able to be at home for the party. My best friend Harriet and her family were there. At one point then 5 year old, David, took me aside to tell me the story of Jesus’ birth. It was very important to him that I knew this story. He gave a remarkable account of the manger, the angels, the shepherds, the inn and all of the animals around baby Jesus. When he had finished his story, he clapped his enormous eyes on me and said, “You know the really mean part?” “No,” I said, underestimating this child. “The really mean part is that Herod wanted to kill the baby!” And boom, right there in the midst of all the tinsel and eggnog, exit Luke’s birth story. Enter Matthew. Exit angels and stupefied shepherds. Enter palaces, spies, plots, murder and mayhem. Exit ‘gentle Jesus meek and mild’. Enter Jesus the political figure who will turn the world order upside down.

We learn in this most uncomfortable story of Jesus’ beginnings some fundamental truths that are often obscured in our own day. First of all we learn that the truth has its enemies. It always has and it always will. When the truth of God’s amazing love in Christ is brought to bear on all of the lesser powers of the world it should come as no surprise that those powers resist. Change is only good news if you want change. If what you want is control or power then the very last thing that you want is Jesus. Jesus comes to set all other allegiances on their ear. He comes to rule and all other rulers are secondary at best. When we put Jesus and his rule in us and our communities first, ahead of any other allegiance or power, we may also expect to experience discomfort and even oppression ourselves. Second, our text tells us that even in the chaos and brokenness of human power and systems, God never fails to provide guidance, even if we don’t fully understand what we are looking for. Maybe the Magi just wanted knowledge. Maybe their hearts longed for things too deep to be spoken. So God sent them a guiding star and guiding dreams. When we are ready to search the heavens for answers, God will send guidance to us as well. Third, the claims of Christ are for all people. The star is for the world to see that a new light has dawned. That new light is as new today as centuries ago. That Christ light, still shines into darkness and rests over the cradle where our hope lies.

So this year, as you think of your life, ask God for a star to guide you. As God to take you just where you need to go, to include you in the great circle of God’s love. Ask God to show you what matters, where you are to lay your gifts, and the path that you are to follow home.