Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

“Arise!”

“Shine!”

Say those two words along with me: “Arise!” “Shine!”

Those two commanding words are front and center in our First Reading today. Not only are they clear commands; not only are they the first two words in our first reading today; those two words also set the entire tone for all our Scripture readings today; they set the tone for our congregational theme in 2009: “A Time to Shine.”

“Arise!”

You’d be doing a lot of that if you were in Washington, D.C. two weeks from this Tuesday. Whether or not you voted for President-Elect Barack Obama, if you were to have even a semi-private audience with him – let’s say you and two or three hundred other people, you’d be instructed that when he entered the room, you are to stand. It’s a sign of respect, a sign of honor, a sign of receiving someone.

You see it all the time at formal gatherings. If you’re seated at a table and someone approaches that table, you stand to greet that person and extend to that person your right hand of friendship.

We see “Arising” in both our other two Scripture readings today.

The Wise Men – the Magi – had to get up off their back sides in the Far East. As they were sitting there staring at the starry night, one particular star caught their attention. Maybe it was brighter than the other stars. Maybe it was a different color from the other stars. Maybe it moved it a different direction from the other stars. Maybe it caught their attention simply because it wasn’t there one minute, then it was there in all its full glory. Whatever the reason that particular star in the Eastern sky caught their attention, it did and it evoked a response. Arise! They stood. They followed. They journeyed literally hundreds of miles over potentially multiple months – maybe even up to a couple of years [Matthew 2:7, 16]. That’s a response! That’s a response to an obvious command they couldn’t avoid. Arise!

St. Paul had the same response [Acts 9:1-19]. When that bright light knocked Paul [aka Saul at the time] off his horse on the Damascus road, Paul knew there was something different and something unique about that light. It caught his attention immediately. He knew it was a bright light that not even Ray-Ban sunglasses could shield his eyes from. When that light knocked him off his horse, Paul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” Listen to this response! Jesus responded, “Get up!” Arise! Paul stood. Blinded by the experience, he was led into Damascus where his sight was later restored. That’s a response! That’s a response to an obvious command he couldn’t avoid. Arise!

“Shine!”

That’s what happens to you when someone touches your life. Last Sunday I was told by Patsy Acheson that I just absolutely need to hear one of her piano students, an unbelievable young man. He basically self-taught himself the piano, but now he has begun to really shine at a very early age. Why? Because Patsy has been working with him. Patsy has been refining his skills and talents. Now when he sits down at a piano bench and begins to “tickle the ivories,” attention is gained, jaws drop, smiles generate on faces and heads shake in disbelief.

We see that kind of “Shining” in both our other two Scripture readings today.

The Wise Men - the Magi – went to King Herod. There, in his opulent palace, his center of power, his place to impress others, they outshine it all as they told him all about the star they had seen in the East. They told him all about the baby born to be King of the Jews. After they finally found the child, they shined through the giving of the gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh – unusual gifts; costly gifts. They later would return to their country by another route and I will bet you anything, they did not keep their journey a secret. How could they? They had been touched. They had been changed. That’s a response! That’s a response to an obvious command they couldn’t avoid. Shine!

St. Paul also got that command very clear in his own mind. Listen to his own words, “Although I am less that the least of all God’s people, this grace [something from outside himself, namely “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense] was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery ... [Eph. 3:8-9]. You see, the “mystery” that was made known to Paul – the mystery that all are saved by grace through faith [Eph. 2:8-9] – was not something just for his own knowledge and edification. The mystery that Christ entered the world, the mystery that He suffered and died to forgive the sins of the world, the mystery that he rose again on the Third Day is too wonderful a message to be contained within one person. That wonderful mystery bubbles up and bubbles over. Paul had been touched. Paul had been changed. That’s a response! That’s a response to an obvious command he couldn’t avoid. Shine!

“Arise!”

“Shine!”

Those commands are for you today. Those commands are for me today. Those commands evoke a response. Those commands cannot be avoided.

Back at the turn of the 20th Century, electricity first came to the coastal seashore of Ireland. It surprised many people that one woman with a very small house, known to be very wealthy, but also known to be very frugal, was the first person in the area to get electricity in her home. Once day when the meter reader came to her house, he inquired if her electricity was working properly. The woman affirmed that it was and asked why he asked. The meter reader responded that her meter was actually registering very little usage and he was concerned it wasn’t working. The woman responded with disgust, “Well, I use it every evening as the sun sets. I turn on my lights just long enough to be able to see to light my candles.”

I wonder how many Christians are like that woman? I wonder how many of us are like that woman? I am afraid there are far too many. We allow the wonderful Light of Christ to enlighten us just long enough to stay in our old ways and habits. We allow the wonderful Light of Christ to light us just enough, but we don’t realize or use Him to His full potential.

If the Wise Men – the Magi – had done what we often, we’d not have the wonderful second chapter of Matthew to captivate us this time of year. They’d still be sitting in the Far East somewhere gazing up at the sky.

If St. Paul had done what we often do, we’d probably not be here today as the world would not have come to know its greatest missionary. He’d still be persecuting anyone who dared believe in Jesus Christ or speak His Name.

How would your life change today if you allowed the full, undiluted Light of Christ to shine in your heart 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? How would the lives of others change if you allowed the full, undiluted Light of Christ to shine in your heart 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

“Arise!”

“Shine!”

Your Light, Jesus Christ, has come!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Pastor Christopher Schaar
Historic First Lutheran Church of Pasadena