The Master Gives Us Meaning: The Irony of It All (Matthew 2:1-12)

by David Smith I enjoy a story with irony in it. Put a twist in the plot. Let the tables be turned. Set my expectations and reality at odds. Turn my world upside down. Irony. It makes for a good story. It’s a part of the greatest story ever told. “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “‘for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’ “Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’ “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” (Matthew 2:1-12 TNIV) Irony is that God showed up one day. He came to the world in the usual way. But the people who should have known him, knew him not. Not God’s people. Not the leader of God’s people either. “. . . King Herod . . . was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.” Irony is that people from afar came to God one day. They came to him across a most difficult way. Though they were none of his, they knew him for who he was. “Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'” Surely this is the irony of all ironies! Or is it? Is there not irony still yet greater to be found? Namely, the irony still found in your life and mine. Indeed, for . . . * The greater irony is the tragic twist of having heard this story, but not having been changed by it. * The greater irony is the thought that the tables will be turned on others while believing they could never be turned on me. * The greater irony is having the expectation of knowing God, while the harsh reality of my life says that I refuse to submit to him. * The greater irony is the yearning for my world to be turned upside down while I still hold onto my world with both hands. Oh, if we too would in truth only travel any distance, pay any price and bring every gift just to lay it down at our Master’s feet with joy! Oh, but we can, for the story is not done and he is not done with you or me! Pray with me. Father God, great is your mercy! You have been very patient with me. You have told me the story again and again. Yet still I find places in my heart and see ways in my life which bear no gifts for you. Forgive me, I pray and bless me in three ways: give me eyes to see the light you cause to shine to guide my way; give me a heart whose greatest joy is to worship you and bow me down before your Son and keep me there until I arise to go and tell others who I have seen. This I pray that my life story may be to the praise of your glory. Amen.