What? So What? Now What? – sermon on January 7, 2018
Matthew 2:1-12 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 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 honor him.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘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.’” Then Herod 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 honor him.” 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. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down to honor him. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
What? So What? Now What? by Rev. Doreen Oughton
The Magi have been on a journey, a quest. Who knows how it began, what prompted them to travel west following a star. Were they sent, commissioned? Was it a curiosity, a call that would not go away, an itch that had to be scratched? What was their connection to Israel that they would be so driven to come see the king that had been born there? Was it, for them, a spiritual pilgrimage, a spiritual journey?
I love hearing about people’s spiritual journeys. Whether we think that way or not, we are all on one, even those who don’t go to church. Spirituality is part of our being as much as our physicality, our intellect, and our emotions are. Our spiritual path or journey would be the experiences that influence our beliefs about God, ourselves and the world; the things that shape our faith; and the ways in which we respond to the divine, to the inner promptings to believe, to understand, to follow. It can be hard to put into words, but I think it is a worthwhile thing to attempt, to look back at some places we’ve travelled spiritually, to look at where we are now, and to set an intention as we move forward. And I thought of these three questions we might explore: What? So what? And now what? And don’t underestimate the wideness of these questions.
Let’s apply these for a minute to the physical part of myself. I might think about my age, size, skin color, hair texture, aching knees. I might think about how things have changed in my body over the decades, from childhood thru teen years, young adulthood, middle age and beyond. I might imagine the wrinkles and age spots in my hands getting more pronounced. I might think about how I eat or exercise, about living all my life where several months are spent in terrible cold and snow. Those things are all about the “what.”
For the “so what,” I might consider my feelings about all this – gratitude, regret, pride, shame. I might come to a greater insight as to what impact my physical traits had on other parts of my life – was I limited because of my gender, privileged because of my color, was I treated better when I was thinner and younger? And for the “now what,” I might pay more attention to how I notice and respond to people in their physicality. I might make commitments about better eating or exercise.
So now let’s think about spiritual lives or journeys. For the magi, the “what” might be the star, or it might be the trek, or it might be the baby at the end of the trek. The “so what” might be their joy upon finding the child, their sharing of their treasures. It also might be the fear they generated in Jerusalem with their questions about a new king born to the Jews. As for the “now what,” well, the Magi did not return to Jerusalem, but went home another way. Jesus’ location was kept from Herod, giving the Holy Family time to get away to Egypt. But another “now what” was the killing of so many baby boys as Herod acted on his fear and insecurity.
What are the “what’s” of your spiritual path? Is it that you go to church, that you pray regularly? Is it about what your parents taught you about how to treat others, or what you heard in Sunday school about sin and salvation? Are there books you have read, people you have observed, values you have claimed? Do you take time to be with God? Do you write checks to support good works? What are the “whats” that you believe about God, about Jesus, about church, about humankind, about judgment, about mercy, about the afterlife?
And what are the “so whats?” Do your faith and spiritual practices bring you joy or leave you drained? Do your beliefs make you want to spread the good news or judge yourself and others with condemnation? Do you cherish traditions so much that you can’t see a new thing God is doing, or are you so defended against hurt you’ve experienced in the past that you can’t see the beauty of ancient rituals? How do your spiritual beliefs and practices influence other parts of your life – your work and family, your spending, your activities?
And finally, the “now what.” Based your consideration of the what’s and so what’s, has something opened up for you? Is there something else you want to explore on this path, or are you satisfied with it just as it is? Is God guiding you to go another way? Have fears been stirred up that may be acted out destructively? Is there some way you need to be protected, and can you trust God to do that?
So consider this not so much a sermon, but instructions for an optional homework assignment. Give some thought to the what, so what and now what of your own spiritual path. It is wide terrain, so feel free to narrow it down. Perhaps you want to take a spiritual lens to something happening in your life – a health challenge or a family issue, exploring what you believe about where God is in this challenge, how your faith is stretching or whether you have found its limits. Perhaps you want to take a spiritual lens to the state of the nation. What do you believe is the role of personal faith in public life – in voting, in advocating, in paying taxes? Or perhaps you can reflect on your spiritual journey regarding the question of churches being Open and Affirming. What have you believed about various sexual orientations and expressions in a Christian context? Have these beliefs changed over time?
Imagine the power of every person here doing this homework assignment – so many members of this body of Christ being thoughtful and intentional about their spiritual life! It would please me to no end to hear about it, to help you shape good questions, to be in discernment with you about the “now what,” especially in regards to the role this church plays in your spiritual life, and the role you may play in the spiritual life of this church. I am pastor of this church, and your pastor. Your spiritual life and health are vitally important to me. It could be a priceless exercise and I hope you will try it. We may find ourselves, like the Magi, overcome with joy and awe, pouring out our treasures in thanksgiving to the Prince of Peace, our Savior, Christ Jesus. May it be so.
