Epiphany reminds us that God’s light shines in the whole world. Reflecting on the Magi, King Herod, and the weekend’s news of US intervention in Venezuela, this week’s sermon aims to remind us that there is no “them” in God’s kingdom—only a world deeply loved by God. As Christians, we are always called to pray for peace.
Today’s Scripture readings are Ephesians 3:1-12, Isaiah 60:1-6, and Matthew 2:1-12. I found helpful Christopher Halverson’s reflection on just war and Venezuela.
Here’s the livestream from Christ the King and the sermon podcast audio.
January 4, 2026 8:30am Sunday Worship at Christ the King
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In the name of the One called Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Two weeks ago, I began my sermon by saying the first thing I do in the morning is check my phone to see what’s going on in the world, which means some Sunday mornings I have to decide whether to address a news story in my sermon or go with what I already had written.
Earlier this week I’d written a lovely little Epiphany sermon about the song “The Little Drummer Boy,” talking about how he’s not a Biblical character, but still a great example for us. Even though he’s not rich like the magi, even though he doesn’t have grand gifts to offer the baby Jesus, he gives what he can, and he plays his drum as an offering.
That sermon has lots of humor about what a terrible gift playing a drum for a newborn is, and I was maybe even going to show you a comic about the lesser-known little cowbell boy.
And then Saturday morning I woke up and looked at my phone, and I saw something about explosions in Venezuela, and (with apologies to the band) I’m not going to talk about the little drummer boy today.
Two weeks ago on the last Sunday of Advent, the one focused on the Advent promise of peace, I said there always seems to be terrible things happening on in the world, and even good news is rarely uncomplicated.
I have never been to Venezuela, I’m not an expert in international politics, and I’m glad I have absolutely nothing to do with decisions about arresting people, bombing buildings, or imposing sanctions.
My uneducated opinion—and I realize none of you asked for my opinion—my opinion is that it’s probably good for the world for Nicolás Maduro to no longer be in charge of a country. It certainly appears he lost an election but refused to step aside and give up power. And I’m glad there were apparently no US lives lost in the operation yesterday, and it sounds like it was targeted to minimize civilian casualties.
There was some good news in those headlines. But I’m concerned about where this might lead. And I couldn’t just talk this morning about Epiphany as if it’s a nice story with nothing political in it, just some wise people coming and
giving nice gifts in worship to a cute baby.
And I’m sorry if this feels political in a partisan way, but I’m not willing to look back in a few years or even weeks and wish I’d said something against starting a war.
I hope the Secretary of State was right when he said yesterday that this was primarily a law enforcement operation. But I also listened to our President talk about how the United States is going to—and I quote: “Run the country”—and have United States oil companies go in to make money and saying, “we’re in the oil business” and this won’t cost anything because of the oil “money coming out of the ground.” (Source: President Trump speaks following the U.S. attack on Venezuela — 1/3/2026)
Three years ago on Epiphany Sunday, I compared Vladimir Putin to King Herod, a tyrannical ruler afraid of losing his power, afraid to back down from a war he started. And this weekend I’m having trouble seeing how if our country does come into a foreign nation to run it and secure oil resources, how that would be much different than what Russia’s been doing in Ukraine.
As Christians we ought to be on the side of peace. Not silence, but justice. Always on the side of loving our neighbors.
We didn’t read a Psalm together today, but I want to read you a few verses from Psalm 72, which Christians have long interpreted as pointing to Jesus.
“May he judge your people with righteousness and your poor with justice…May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor…
In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound…May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts”—that line about foreign kings bringing gifts is why this Psalm is connected with the Epiphany story about the Magi—
“May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service. For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy and saves the lives of the needy.
From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.”
As followers of Jesus, we cannot claim God is on the side of any nation’s military. God is not aligned with the biggest guns or the most lethal special forces. God is on the side of the poor. God is on the side of the weak and the needy and the oppressed.
Again, I’m making a political statement here, but I’m trying to be very specific: I’m not saying Maduro is good. Being on the side of the oppressed may well include celebrating the freedom hopefully resulting from the end of his reign.
But let’s be careful not to become oppressors ourselves. Let’s not get so caught up in in the “guts and grit, gallantry and glory” of warriors that we forget the humanity of the people affected. Children of God. Made in God’s image.
Worried about the future.
To be just, to be morally defensible, war must always be a last resort. And the goal of war must always be to reestablish peace. As our denomination’s social statement For Peace in God’s World says, “Wars…represent a horrendous failure of politics. The evil of war is especially evident in the number of children and other noncombatants who suffer and die.”
John 3:16 says “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” In the Christmas story, the ‘world’ Jesus came to save is represented by two groups of people who come to worship the newborn Jesus: Shepherds from the nearby hillsides out watching their flocks by night, and magi who travel from afar with their gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Blair Gilmer Meeks describes them as “Farmworkers and well-connected intellectuals, one group from the neighborhood and one who traveled from a far country. No one is a foreigner at the manger; no one is excluded because of economic class. God wants a full table at the heavenly banquet and is willing to look for dinner guests in unexpected places (Luke 14:15-24).”
Today as we hear the Epiphany story, remember that there is no “them” in God’s kingdom. There is no one outside God’s love, no one whose life is not precious in God’s sight.
I’m concerned about the temptation for our nation to use our military power to break the fifth commandment about not stealing, but I’m more concerned about our temptation to demonize other people, to make villains, to see people as outsiders and enemies.
The Magi in this story illustrate that the good news of Jesus is not just for one particular group of people, but for the whole world. Isaiah says nations shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn. All the nations—the whole world—coming to praise God.
God’s church exists beyond human borders. Christ’s body is not a nation, but a people across time and space. Perhaps you’ve noticed: It’s intentional that we’re part of the “Evangelical Lutheran Church in America” not the “Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.” Our allegiance is to the kingdom of God, and we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves, and yes, to speak up publicly when there is injustice.
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes that in former generations—that is, before Jesus—God’s mysteries were concealed, but now in Christ God’s salvation is made plain to all. He’s sent to bring to the gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ.
“The gentiles have become…sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” Elsewhere he’ll write, “There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
Epiphany says God’s salvation is for all of us, the rich and the poor, old and young, citizen and foreigner, Magi and shepherd and even unprepared percussionists. There is no “them”; only a world God loves.
If you keep reading Matthew’s story—this is the part we talked about last week—the Epiphany story takes a dark turn. When the Magi fail to return to Herod with details about the newborn king, Herod orders the execution of all the boys in the region under two years old.
It’s a brutal story. But people with power can do brutal things when they’re threatened.
Epiphany offers an alternative. It’s about recognizing God’s presence among us, the dawning light of hope, God’s salvation revealed. Hope born into the world.
We gather today longing for the reign of the Prince of Peace, whose kingdom offers peace. Whose reign is love. Who laid down his life for the sake of sinners. Who offers forgiveness for our sinful world, rather than vengeance.
In the light of Epiphany, in the face of this world’s brokenness, we as God’s people are called to hold on to the promise that Jesus is the light of the world.
And we are called to pray. I’ll end by echoing a request for prayer from Rev. Pedro Suàrez, ELCA Bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod and a native of Venezuela.
He calls us to “Lift your prayer for peace, for justice, for order, for true freedom, and hope and wisdom to see a better tomorrow for the Venezuelans.”
I invite you to join me in prayer. This is A Prayer for Peace Among Nations from page 76 of our hymnal.
“Gracious God, grant peace among nations. Cleanse from our own hearts the seeds of strife: greed and envy, harsh misunderstandings and ill will, fear and desire for revenge.
Make us quick to welcome ventures in cooperation among the peoples of the world, so that there may be woven the fabric of a common good too strong to be torn by the evil hands of war.
In the time of opportunity, make us be diligent; and in the time of peril, let not our courage fail; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen”