“On the Road” by Rev. Cody Sandahl – January 8, 2017
Introduction
Well we’re closing the door on the Christmas season today. Today we’re looking at two different texts. We just heard about Jesus’ baptism, which really marked the beginning of his ministry. And our other text today is the last part of the story of Jesus’ birth – the coming of the wise men from the East.
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.
It Takes Time
Here’s a trivia question for you. You might know the answer. When did the United States become an independent country? Any guesses?
Well it turns out, that’s a difficult question to answer. Perhaps you like July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence. That’s fine, but the Revolutionary War didn’t see its last battle until the Siege of Yorktown on September 28, 1781. But then there’s the Treaty of Paris, in which Britain formally recognized our independence. That was signed on September 3, 1783. But, of course, it wasn’t ratified until January 14, 1784. A simple question, but one with four different answers spanning seven years.
Here’s another way to look at that. July 4, 1776 – that’s when it was DECIDED to seek independence from Britain. And it took five more years of war and then two extra years of diplomacy to get there.
Similarly, the wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking about the birth of the new king. But notice that the text doesn’t call Jesus a baby. He was a baby in the last chapter talking about his birth. Now he’s a child. He’s a toddler, not a baby. The wise men saw the star when Jesus was born. That’s when they DECIDED to visit this new king. It just took two years to get there. And then they had to ask for directions. And then they still had to find the family. Not exactly instant feedback.
And then, they’re not even done after they delivered the gifts. Our text says they were warned in a dream to avoid Herod, so they had to find a new way home. That means it took them about four years from DECISION to COMPLETION of their task.
It reminds me of a story that Donald Miller told in his book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. He decided to paddle across a large lake up in the Northwest, and he was excited as he set out on this adventure. He felt like he was making good time as he paddled away from the shore. Every stroke took him noticeably further from his starting point. But as he reached the middle of the large lake, he started wondering if he was still making any progress. He kept paddling, but he couldn’t see the shore behind him, and he couldn’t see the sands of his destination, either. He seemed to just be paddling without going anywhere. But he persisted. And eventually, the distant shore came into view. It started growing larger. And every stroke took him visibly closer to his goal. His journey was exciting in the beginning because he could see how far he had come. It was exciting at the end as he could see the finish line. But in the middle? It was depressing, anxious, deflating, defeating.
Have you ever had to face a long journey? A difficult path between DECISION and COMPLETION? Fought a long-term illness? Tried to change the dynamics of your marriage? Tried to work your way up the career ladder?
Perseverance
All of these things share one thing in common – they require perseverance. It took perseverance for the wise men to travel two years each direction to give gifts to a foreign king. It took perseverance for the Founding Fathers to win independence from Britain. It took perseverance to paddle across the large lake. Where do you need perseverance?
Many years ago I helped start a church in Austin, and we had small groups that met every week. And the pastor and I tried to have something tangible and impactful each week in the small groups. We wanted people to make the tough decision to let Jesus be lord of every part of their life. But one of the guys in my group complained to me – not because it was too challenging, not because he resisted the commitments required. He complained because he wanted to do ALL of it. He complained that he couldn’t make major life transformations every single week. Some of those changes took time. He needed to focus on one thing until he had it down pat, not make a new major decision every week. He needed time and space to persevere, not a new thing to change and distract him from the decision a week before.
And so this Sunday I’m not going to try to give you some new insight. I’m not going to try to convince you to make a new decision in your life or your faith. I’m just asking – where do you need perseverance? What decision have you made, but you haven’t reached completion yet? Where have you signed the Declaration but still need to fight the war or sign the Treaty? Where do you need conviction rather than convincing?
Maybe that’s a task – like the wise men traveling across the desert. Maybe that’s hope in the midst of despair – sometimes hope is a choice more than a feeling. Maybe that’s keeping a new attitude. Where do you need perseverance? Where do you need the courage to keep walking down the road you already chose to walk down? Or even the road you’re forced to walk down?
Baptism
Maybe it’s worth recognizing that we’re eight days into the New Year, and many of you probably made a resolution just a short while ago. Of course, many of you have already abandoned those same resolutions already. According to a recent survey, only 9% of people actually achieve their New Year’s Resolution each year. If you need perseverance because you haven’t had it so far, well I don’t know if you’re in good company but you’re in a lot of company at least.
But I find two things comforting. First, although only 9% of people achieve their resolutions, the act of explicitly writing down your goal and what you’re going to do about it makes you ten times more likely to do it than if you don’t write it down explicitly. Making A DECISION is better than making NO DECISION.
And the other thing that’s comforting to me is the first text we ready today – the baptism of Jesus. Because Jesus had made some important decisions. He decided to come down, be born, and live with us. He had been preparing for his public ministry for thirty years. And then he decided to be baptized. That moment marked the beginning of a three-year journey that would culminate in the cross. And knowing where this was all heading, I find it comforting that Jesus needed the reinforcement from the Spirit descending like a dove and the voice from heaven, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
I find that comforting, because it means that when I’m feeling hopeless in the middle of the lake, when I’m feeling like I need a pick-me-up to keep going, when I’m feeling like I need a little reinforcement that I’m on the right road, well that’s what Jesus needed from the Spirit and from the Father at his baptism. If you’ve been walking a tough road and you’re feeling down and wondering if you’re doing the right thing, there’s nothing wrong with you – we’re all like that when we’re on a long journey. If you’re feeling a little defeated but you still think you need to persevere, pray to God for that confirmation, that reinforcement.
What would that look like? How could God show you in some small way that he’s with you and you’re on the right path? How could God show you that you are, in fact, on the wrong path? What would that prayer be for you?
Summary
Sisters and brothers, sometimes we don’t need new information or fresh insight. Sometimes we just need perseverance to walk the road we’re already traveling. Sometimes we just need the courage to stick with what we’ve already decided, or to endure what we’re forced to face. If you’re feeling like the wind is out of your sails, if you’re feeling like you need a little reinforcement from God, remember that Jesus needed that at his baptism, too. And the wise men, walking for two years across the desert, they needed the guidance of that star.
My prayer for all of us is that we have the strength and courage to endure. To persevere. Even in the middle of the desert. Even in the middle of the lake. Keep walking the road. Keep paddling toward the distant shore. For you are God’s son or daughter, you are beloved, and with you God is well pleased. Amen.
