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

⁷ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸ Then 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.” ⁹ When 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. ¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ On 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.” Matthew 2:1-11

Soon into the New Year we encounter these dual festivals – Epiphany and The Baptism of Our Lord – Revelation and Inclusion. Epiphany begins with the appearance of the Magi who have followed a star that had announced the birth of a new king. And when Jesus is baptized, a voice from heaven announces his favor as G-d’s beloved Son.

That is how the Christ-like life flows – it flows through revelation and inclusion. There is the revelation that G-d has intruded into and entered into the world through the birth of the Christ child. And when Jesus comes to be baptized by John, his Baptism is a baptism of inclusion – Christ joins himself to become one with all of humanity.

The light of Christ is a revealing and inclusive light that banishes the darkness of this world. That is what baptism does for you and me. Baptism annihilates the dark side of our lives – the sinful side. The infusion of the Holy Spirit through our baptisms is the gravitational pull of faith that continues to draw us to the light of Christ.

And so we have another choice here in 2021, along with all of the other choices that a New Year brings. We can make it insignificant — reducing it to a moment in time that we cannot remember – letting our Baptisms slide into the black holes of life — in other words keep it hidden, and invisible. Or we can get up every morning, make the sign of the cross on our foreheads, the same place the Pastor made a cross at our baptism, and determine to make it matter. This year let us resolve to let the light of Christ so Shine before Others that they will see our good works – because it is the Light of Christ that shines through us.

Pastor Dave