HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

Some of you may remember hearing this story before – but like all good stories, they’re worth hearing more than once – because sometimes, there is a gem hidden in plain sight that was missed when the story was heard before.

This story is about a king who ruled his subjects with an iron fist.

His aim was to keep his subjects under strict control – with their allegiance being directed to him and him alone.

He was successful – to a point.

The people in his kingdom recognized another, higher, greater ruler whom they honoured.

The people in his kingdom worshiped God.

This greatly troubled the king for he would have his people’s undivided allegiance.

And so, he forbade all religious activity, meting out harsh punishments for any and all who disobeyed – to no avail.

Try as he might he could not stop his people from worshiping God.

One day he called his wisest counsellors to his chambers so that they might advise him.

Together they discussed the situation and decided that the best thing would be to hide God.

Surely, if people couldn’t find God, they would soon forget to worship and pray.

The king agreed this was a wonderful idea.

Now, the question was not HOW to hide God, but WHERE.

The first suggestion was to hide God on the far side of the moon.

But the king said, “No. One day scientists will discover how to travel to the far side of the moon and then they will find God again.

Another counsellor suggested burying God in the deepest part of the sea.

But the king said, “No. One day scientists will learn a way to go to the depths of the sea and then they will find God again.

One by one the counsellors suggested various places to hide God, but the king said “No” to each one.

Finally, one of them proposed an idea that the king liked.

“Let’s not actually hide God, but let’s put God where the people will never notice - right under their very noses.

Let’s put God in the ordinary, simple things of life - like the sunset, flower, the sound of laughter, a friend’s helping hand, a comforting word,

a mountain stream and a field of ripened grain - because no one will ever recognize God in places like that and they will soon forget.’

And so it was decided - and so it was done.

But to the king’s dismay and great disappointment, the people continued to worship and serve God - for the eyes and ears and hearts of faith will always find God - not only in the spectacular, but also in the ordinary - and for that, we give thanks.
This year, while I was contemplating what would be the new twist to the overly familiar story of the Wise Men, I found something significant in the idea that it was just a star in the night sky that drew the attention of astrologers to the extent that they did what they did – make the long trek across the Persian desert – bringing with them such extraordinary and priceless treasures – all for the purpose of paying homage to a young child from a foreign culture – a child whom they recognized to be King of the Jewish nation.

These foreign visitors are sometimes called Wise Men, or Kings, or Magi – which is the plural of the Latin word ‘magus’.

Research suggests that they were priests of Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians.

They were known to be practitioners of magic – which has the word “magi” hidden in plain sight in the word itself –
and they were also practitioners of astronomy, astrology, alchemy and other forms of esoteric knowledge.

Matthew makes it very clear that their intent in making this journey was not simply for the sake of scholarly interest, or to satisfy their curiosity.
“During the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

Then later, “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.”

Their primary reason for finding the child was so they might worship him – but what I find so significant is that the clue that announced the birth of the Christ-child was shining in the sky.

The clue was a star – right there - shining for all to see.

It wasn’t hidden under a rock – it wasn’t buried in the depths of the earth – it wasn’t locked away in a cave - it was right there before the eyes of those who knew enough to look for it – and to recognize what it was when they saw it.

This is nothing new. David wrote about it in Psalm 19:
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.

It has been said that nature itself is the first Bible – for in nature, we see God revealed.

The clever twist in the story which began this sermon is that the King’s advisors thought that the people would never notice if God was hidden in plain sight – but I would suggest that the story becomes reality when we recognize that this is PRECISELY where God wants to be – right under our noses – in every shining star, in every flake of snow, in every furry animal or scaly fish or feathered bird, in every sunrise and sunset, in every breath of the wind, in every musical note, in every word of hope, in every gentle touch, in every stranger’s smile – everywhere we turn, everywhere we look –

And if we accept the notion that God IS hidden in plain sight, the question then becomes, what will we do when we notice?

If we recall Luke’s story of what happened on Christmas night, we remember these words:
“8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified…13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

I have to wonder how it could possibly be that the sight and sound of an angel, a great company of the heavenly host singing, and the glory of the Lord shining around them, that all of that was only noticed by the shepherds.
Talk about God being hidden in plain sight!!!

Surely, it doesn’t get much more obvious than that – and yet, it would seem that the rest of the Bethlehem population – those who lived there, and those who had taken up lodging in every room in every inn – all of them were too preoccupied to notice.

And the star that the Wise Men saw was surely visible to others – and yet no where do we read that it was noticed by anyone other than the ones we read about in Matthew’s gospel.

What are we to make of that?

Nothing? Anything?

I don’t have an answer – but I raise the question because I believe that this is what good theology does.
It asks questions and invites us to consider possibilities.

In a baby who lay in a manger in Bethlehem, God was hidden in plain sight – and yet, according to the biblical record, the only ones who noticed were his parents and some shepherds – Anna and Simeon – two elderly people who were in attendance at the Temple and recognized who Jesus was when he was taken there the 8th day after his birth - and later on, some Magi from a foreign country, culture and religion.

The most spectacular revelation of God occurs – and that revelation remains hidden in plain sight before the eyes of most.
Surely God continues to be revealed – hidden in plain sight right under our noses – within earshot - just waiting for us to notice – hoping that when we do, we will do the right thing - the wise thing – and bow in worship and praise for being in the presence of Grace and Love – for being in the presence of the God who created all that is and all that ever will be – for being in the presence of the God who knows us and loves us – for being in the presence of the God who comes to us so that we might come to God.

“We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

The voice of the Wise has spoken.

May we have ears to hear – and eyes to see the presence of God everywhere we look – hidden in plain sight.

may place our trust in you to shine your light upon our path, not so that we can see everything that lies ahead, but so that we can take the next step – do the right thing - and not stumble in the darkness.

Lead us forward into the future that awaits us, and when the unexpected comes our way, hold us close, and enable us to meet it with grace and strength.

In all that this new year will bring, may we place our trust in you who is always faithful to us. Hear us now as we bring before you our silent prayers of thanksgiving for the past, and our prayers of concern for today and tomorrow........In Christ’s name. Amen.