Today’s online worship service features the procession of the “three kings” (or magi)—wise people from afar—who sought the infant Jesus for many months in order to worship him. The wise men had came from thousands of miles, following a star, traveling with bravery and in hope—and upon their arrival, bowed down in humility before the Christ Child.
In today’s scripture reading—Matthew 2:1-12—Rev. Jesse Larson tells how the magi refused to disclose Jesus’s whereabouts to the sly and jealous King Herod.
Bethany is fortunate to be able to keep alive its decade-old tradition of having “wise ones” come each year to a worship service. As precious as this re-enactment is, Rev. Jesse cautions that we must never forget the disastrous consequences of the original historical event. The enraged Herod—outsmarted by the three kings—subsequently ordered the deaths of innocent children in a (futile) effort to hold on to his power.
While the acknowledged leader of the realm heralded Jesus’s birth by sowing chaos and destruction, the three kings instead chose to follow the light—something that can be challenging to do when we are similarly faced with opportunism and threat. Like the three wise men, we can choose to “go the other way” toward peace.
Pianist Natalya Amelchenko presents several contemporary and classical arrangements of hymns during the service.
The three “wise ones” are portrayed this year by worship leaders Paul, Janice and John Douglas.
Click below to see all of the table decorations. There’s also a short video featuring the Three Kings, set to beautiful guitar music by Peter Baird.
