General Superintendent Max Edwards
January 7, 2025 Wise Men Still Seek Him
My hometown is Newton, Iowa. It is a humble, midwestern town of about 15,000 today. In the 1960’s as I was growing up, the population was, well, about 15,000. � Not much earth-shattering happens in Newton. Back in the day, it was the home of the Maytag corporation, where washers and dryers were the king of local commerce. My parents were faithful members of the Full Gospel Church of Newton. Ours was a blue-collar family, accustomed to a work-a-day world. Our family and our church certainly celebrated Christmas. The Sundays close to Christmas day were speckled with kids programs and adult choir musicals. But for whatever reason, I don’t remember ever hearing about Epiphany.
It wasn’t until I had the incredible joy and privilege of serving alongside Pastor Alden Winslow at Elizabeth City EMC in the late 1990’s to the early 2010’s that I would come to be thoroughly conscious of Epiphany. Alden emphasized Epiphany in our music and other expressions of worship.
Christmas didn’t end for Alden on December 25th . He loves and appreciates the tradition of the “Twelve days of Christmas” which is the period between Christmas Day, and Epiphany on January 6th. Epiphany is the celebration of the manifestation of Christ to the world! Messiah … Emmanuel … Jesus has come! In the Western church world, Epiphany centers around the visit of the Magi and the giving of gifts to the Christ child. In Eastern and Orthodox churches, it more centers on the circumcision of Christ, and the presentation of Him to the priests, with Simeon and Anna rejoicing at the news of His coming.
The message of the herald angels continues to ring forward - - tidings of GOOD NEWS and GREAT JOY.
Remembering the Kings that visited the Christ child is one more reminder of just how incredible a thing His coming was and is. “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son!” Good news indeed!
Around the world, various cultures observe the celebration of Epiphany in different ways, but I think my new favorite is a tradition in Puerto Rico. There, the Day of the Three Wise Men is celebrated with exuberant joy! The night before, children and their parents cut grass and place the clippings in boxes under their beds. The grass is symbolically food for the camels of the Three Wise Men!! I just love it. �
And no wonder kids enjoy it, because in honor of the gifts the Magi gave the baby Jesus, the children receive a new round of gifts, twelve days after Christmas!
Epiphany !! God’s amazing gift!! One that outshines anything and everything we can imagine!!