As we gather this Sunday we will be celebrating Epiphany and we will remember the journey that the Magi took in getting to the Messiah:
What were their motivations for traveling such a great distance to see a mere baby born to such meager parents? Scripture tells us that they journeyed just to worship this child, but on the other side we see the motives of King Herod. Herod gave the Magi his blessing in crossing through his land, but he asked that they see him upon their return, so they could give him a report. We see that it was revealed to the Magi that they should leave the country by another route and bypass Herod altogether.
We see that God knew that Magi had legitimate intentions, and that Herod did not, thus God made a clear path for their arrival and departure. In other words their visions were met! In his character of the "Church Lady", comedian Dana Carvey portrays the pious church lady that always has an opinion for what God has in store for people the Church Lady had ulterior motives in the form of her opinions about people. Created and played by Dana Carvey, The Church Lady is an elderly woman named “Enid Strict”, who is the
uptight, smug and pious host of her own talk show, Church Chat.
Enid is a spoof of “holier-than-thou” Christian churchgoers.
Thus we must ask ourselves if our church journey is legitimate, and if our path of focus is true? We must also ask ourselves:
- What are the opinions of those that see us from the outside looking in? Does it appear that our journey is legitimate to them, our can the spot phoniness from a mile away?
- Will our journey lead us to the Messiah and will God reveal our true path of travel? Brothers and Sisters the only true and legitimate path to Christ is through worship and praise. Often we get caught up in the politics and business of church and we forget that the main mission, the main journey, is to worship Jesus Christ!
My prayer for all of us this week is that we consider the legitimacy of our Christian journey and ask ourselves what our motivation of faith is?
- Is it about a pretty sanctuary?
- Is it about the coolest minister?
- Is it about what entertainment a church can give us?
- Or is it about our reputations being assisted if we attend the coolest happening church in the community?
As we go into our 2013 journey:
- let our true motivation be about worshiping the "One True God" and not things of the earth that cannot ever satisfy, and which will never give our journey direction. Let me re-phrase this: Worshiping with non-legitimate motives will point you in a direction and this is not the direction of heaven, but rather a direction that will spiral downwards (If You Catch My Drift).
May Your Journey Be True and Legitimate in Worship and Praise!
Well Isn't That Special!
Pastor Tim
