On January 6th the church celebrates the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ.  “Epiphany” is a Greek word meaning “appearing” referring to the appearing of the star to the wise men and the appearance of Jesus, His birth, into our world.
     Imagine if the wise men would have been asked, "Well, why do you want to take this foolish and dangerous trip?  Why are you going to all this trouble?" 
    "Why," the wise men must have replied, "Because we have heard a story from Scripture; we have seen the star in the sky; and we have felt a stirring in our souls."  Like Abraham of old, the wise men went out in faith, not knowing where they went.
    And those who are wise by the grace of  God in every generation since then have done the same. 
    William Carey, an English shoemaker, read our Lord's Great Commission.  He realized the responsibility of taking the Gospel to every creature.  In the face of severe opposition and ridicule, he traveled to that far-off land of India and labored seven years before he saw even one soul won to Christ.  He worked relentlessly and translated the Bible into several languages.  And he became known as the "father of modern missions." 
    C. T. Studd, an all-star cricketer from Cambridge, England, forsook fame and fortune and poured out his life in missionary work.  He, too, traveled by faith. 
    When Jim Elliot and four other men were murdered by the Auca Indians, some were critical of their attempts to penetrate that savage people with the Gospel.  "What a waste," some people cry.  "How foolish to throw your life away for nothing."
    But when God finally renders His judgment on all mankind on Judgment Day,  all of these will be listed as “wise men,” men and women who ventured forth in faith by God’s grace to share the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.
    Epiphany is the celebration of the good news that the Christ Child is for all people.  The wise men are also associated with Epiphany, because they were the first non-Jews to come and worship Him.  Epiphany is, thus, known as the Christmas of the Gentiles. 
    May God make each of us wise men, who not only worship the Christ Child, but make it our priority to share God's love in Christ with others in 2008.