WEBVTT

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In the name of Jesus.

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Amen.

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Where is he, who has been born King of the Jews? For

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we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.

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Well, the question of the Magi seems to be a surprise, at least to the

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people in Jerusalem, coming to worship an infant King.

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And then the bit

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about the star leading the way is even more

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surprising. Expectant

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Israel doesn't know what to make of this these guys from the East show

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up and start asking questions about newborn Kings.

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It's not supposed to work that way.

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This is unexpected and therefore troubling.

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But the Magi question remains, where is he, who has been born King of

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the Jews?

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In 1567, the Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel made a painting, which he

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called the Adoration of the Magi.

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With a title like that, we would expect the subject to be at the

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center of things in the painting, the primary focus of the

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composition.

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That's what we would expect that is not what Bruegel gives us.

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We have a scene.

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It's a village in winter.

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I suppose it looks Netherlandish, the trees stand stark and bear.

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There are houses and buildings and

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ruined church. Ordinary people, most of them look like peasants, go

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about their business in snow-covered streets.

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The weather is cold a child skates on a frozen Canal.

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Some people are drawing water from a whole hacked through the ice. A

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man and a boy

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carry heavy sacks.

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A dog follows sniffing the snow.

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Some gather twigs others huddle around a smoky bonfire to keep warm.

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A man goes for a drink in a makeshift shelter with a jug hanging out

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front.

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Men head off for a hunt. Soldiers, with swords and pikes and pull axes

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march through the streets.

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In the middle of this scene

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at the center of the painting are heavily laden donkeys under red and

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gold blankets bearing

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the Black Eagle Insignia of the Habsburg's.

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Do they come with the Magi or with the soldiers?

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It is snowing out of a slate gray sky.

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The snow has begun to dust the hats and coats of people in the

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streets.

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But what about the Adoration of the Magi?

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Well, you have to look for them and Brueghel's painting, but they are

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there.

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Everything else going on draws the viewers attention first, but off to

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the side, in the lower left corner of the painting, are some figures

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bowing down.

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A few onlookers stand at a distance.

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It's hard to tell but it looks like there are some gifts. Inside a

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shelter

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are a man and a woman.

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She holds a little baby.

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But they are partially hidden from view behind a stone wall.

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The Adoration of the Magi

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not what we expect.

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But perhaps that's the way it goes with epiphanies that they are

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unexpected.

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God sends his son as king into the real world to people going about

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their business in everyday life.

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The people that don't even seem to notice him that have no use for him

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that are too busy or too bored to be concerned about him.

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To people sick and suffering sinning and dying.

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The infant King comes into a troubled stressed-out world.

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Are we living in a Bruegel painting?

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Unable to see to recognize to care, overwhelmed by the struggles and

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worries of the day.

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We can't be bothered by the big picture because we

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are so worn down carrying our burdens through the real world.

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But the Son of God incarnate comes into the real world.

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To redeem it.

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He comes in love to save the world to bring the world into his

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presence. To break through the darkness and despair. To overcome

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what keeps the world separated

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from God's gracious, reign.

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Jesus Christ comes as the promised King.

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Where is he who has been born

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King of the Jews?

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The chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem are not expecting the

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question, but they know the answer.

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There's the prophecy from Micah 5 and you O Bethlehem

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in the land of Judah are by no means least among the rulers of Judah.

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For from you

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shall come a ruler.

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Who will Shepherd my people Israel.

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Bethlehem, the city of David makes sense

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he is the son of David.

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The promise is being fulfilled.

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But there is more to unfold.

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There is more to be revealed.

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God keeps his promises in unexpected ways.

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He comes in human flesh, as a child, born of a virgin mother. A King

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born in Bethlehem

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not in Jerusalem, not in a palace.

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It's not what people expect.

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And then there are the Magi from the East led by a star who sends a

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star as a birth announcement and then not to the relatives and

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neighbors, but to strangers to pagan

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priest, sorcerers, astrologers from out east. God, manifests himself to

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the world and the only ones that seem to care are foreign star

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chasers.

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But when they come and find the Infant Jesus, they rejoice

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exceedingly, and they fall down and worship him.

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And then there is Herod the so-called King.

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He's ignorant of just about everything.

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He doesn't, learn about the birth of the king of the Jews from his own

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people.

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He finds out from the Magi and then he tries to kill

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the true newborn king.

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And the baby King Jesus and Mary and Joseph fly to Egypt.

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God keeps his promises in unexpected ways.

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The revelation of the Savior comes to his own, the expectant Israel

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but Israel doesn't seem to notice. The revelation of the Savior, King

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comes to outsiders.

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Who worship Him.

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A king for all people, for all nations.

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And yet yet this King comes in humility and poverty.

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Hidden in obscurity and weakness.

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A little child.

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There is more to this Epiphany story.

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God, fulfills the promises for his King in unexpected ways.

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We see the story unfolding in the gospel of Matthew moving forward

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Jesus is revealed as the Redeemer King in signs and wonders in words

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and deeds the Son of God in human flesh.

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Some see and believe and follow.

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But where does Jesus Lead?

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He enters Jerusalem

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with his disciples.

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The prophecy is being fulfilled.

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Say to the daughter of Zion behold, your king comes to you humble and

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riding on a donkey on a colt, the foal of a donkey. The crowds in

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Jerusalem

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welcome their King

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and go before him shouting, Hosanna to the son of David blessed

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is he who comes in the name of the Lord hosanna in the highest.

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But who is this the whole of Jerusalem asks?

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This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.

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So reads, the notice that Pontius Pilate posts on Golgotha's Cross.

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The death announcement hidden in darkness. More than that

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it is the mocking charge this

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is the king of the Jews.

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Manifested there, on the cross dying a criminal's death, crowned with

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thorns the king of the Jews

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for the whole world to see.

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How can this be?

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But yet, this is the Father's expectation

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for his royal son.

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This is his way

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for our King.

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But this is not the end.

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There is more to be revealed three days later.

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The king rises from Death to life from the darkness of the Grave to

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the bright shining Light of Life on Easter morning.

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The king reigns victorious.

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The king of glory Christ, the King exercising dominion over all the

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world. Over all creatures over the entire universe.

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Risen and ascended

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now, ruling in power, in Grace returning in glory with angel host, the

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kingdom of Glory, extending his kingdom of Grace into eternity.

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This is the one born King of the Jews.

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Born to redeem and save the world from sin and death.

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Born to redeem and save us.

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And we are coming

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into his presence everlasting worshiping, praising adoring him.

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Jesus Christ, Our King.

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Amen.

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Peace of God

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which passes all understanding.

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Keep your hearts and minds steadfast in Christ Jesus.

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Amen.