A Sermon for the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ
Thursday, January 6, 2022
Text: Matthew 2:1-12
I speak to you in the name of our loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Back in November, a new exhibit opened up at the convention center in downtown Birmingham, featuring the work of the renowned Dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh. Some of you may have heard about it or saw it advertised. It was entitled, “Beyond Van Gogh: An Immersive Experience.” When it was first announced that the traveling exhibit would be coming to Birmingham, it was described as a “sensory extravaganza,” a way for participants to immerse themselves in the work of Van Gogh and experience it in a way they never have before through the use of video projectors, narrations, and music.
After it opened, I started seeing countless friends on Facebook post pictures and offer glowing reviews of their time at the exhibit. So, as a surprise Christmas gift to Chelsea, I decided to purchase tickets for us to go and experience it for ourselves. And, I’m so glad I did, because we both had a wonderful time.
When we arrived, the first thing we walked through was the Education Room, which featured a series of displays, offering various quotes from Van Gogh’s writing and interesting bits of information about his life and body of work. Then, we came to the Waterfall Room, which featured beautiful, cascading lights and colors and served as a segue between the Education Room and the main part of the exhibit—the Immersion Room.
In the Immersion Room, Van Gogh’s art came to life, and we were captivated. Not only were his paintings projected on the walls and floor, but they also featured motion and animation. Each scene flowed together beautifully with seamless transitions. In this room, we got to see over three hundred of Van Gogh’s paintings, everything from self-portraits and colorful flowers to beautiful landscapes and his most iconic works.
Perhaps our favorite part of the presentation came toward the end when everything around us faded into a dark, evening sky, and Van Gogh’s Starry Night began to appear. At first, it appeared as nothing more than a series of swirling waves of yellow light, moving in a circular motion. Then, gradually, after a few moments of waiting, the features of Van Gogh’s painting came into full focus. Everything was there that we’ve come to know and love about Starry Night. If you’re familiar with the work and you close your eyes, you can probably picture it.
The stark contrast between the blue, swirling sky and the village beneath it.
The moon and the white and gold stars, which seem to almost radiate with circular waves of light.
The church in the center of the village with its spire reaching toward heaven and the tall, cypress tree standing in the foreground.
The experience of seeing it so full of life and feeling as though we were standing inside this strange but beautiful world that the artist created was a very special moment for both of us, one that we won’t soon forget.
Earlier this week, as I was reading our Gospel lesson for this evening, I couldn’t help to stop and think about the experience of seeing Van Gogh’s masterpiece come to life and wonder if that’s what it might have been like—at least to some degree—for those wise men from the East who traveled great distances to visit and pay homage to the newborn King in Bethlehem. I couldn’t help to stop and think about the swirling night sky and the motion of the stars in the painting and wonder if those visitors from far away might’ve witnessed something similar when they saw that great star in the sky and dared to step out and follow it to unknown lands. I wonder if their experience of being led by the star might’ve felt a bit like stepping into a strange new world, full of new hope and new possibilities.
I wonder, because it seems to me that those three wise men must have been captivated by what they witnessed in the night sky. Why else would they have followed? Perhaps it was much more than what we often see depicted in scenes of the Nativity—just a single, solitary star, standing completely still. Perhaps it appeared to them as swirling waves of light, full of life and motion, directing them where to go.
Or, maybe I’m letting my imagination go wild. I’m not sure.
But, I like to think that the God we worship is a God who is always in a state of motion, leading us to where we’re being called to go as God’s people. We see examples of this all throughout the Scriptures, especially in the life and ministry of Jesus, who never stays in the same place for any long period of time. Jesus and his disciples are always on the move, traveling from place to place, spreading the Good News of God’s redeeming love.
To me, that’s why the Feast of the Epiphany is so important. It reminds us that God’s love is always on the move, leading us to places and people we might least expect. On this feast day, we celebrate the love of God in Christ breaking forth into the world so that all who come to know and love him may experience the abundant life that God desires for all of us—not just some of us. So, like those wise men from the East who followed the star to Bethlehem and dared to step out and venture into the unknown, let us be renewed in our commitment to walk in faith, trusting that God is always moving with us. Amen.
A video of this sermon can be found by clicking on the link below, beginning at the 25:00 mark.
https://www.facebook.com/holyspiritalabaster/videos/1870170363179357
The Rev. Eric Mancil 