This article is an interruption to my quest to review my book, All Creation Waits. There has been so much to take into account lately. I think it was my reflection on the gospel of Matthew for Epiphany that has taken root in my mind and will not let go that persuaded me to start writing here today.
The magi of Matthew’s gospel lost sight of the star they were following and relying on their own logic, they ended up in the wrong place. Their encounter with King Herod had a tragic result. Their visit with him led to a clash between the empires of this world and the coming reign of God. Herod, like other tyrants before and after him, was ruthless. He was known for his brutality and cruelty even toward his own family. Known as Herod the Great he ruled over a horrifying era of chaos and trauma. Like all tyrants he was willing to do whatever it takes to hold on to power. He is a minor example of the many worldly powers that are opposed to the ways of God. These tyrants use violence without regard to the death of innocent victims. Joseph got his family away and into Egypt just in time to save his son, Jesus, but many other children lost their lives.
The magi, through God’s intervention, narrowly escaped being manipulated by Herod, and did not return to let him know where they had found the newborn king. World powers should not be easily trusted. We need to be aware and not fall prey to manipulation, especially the use of fear. We can put our trust in God who is at work on the side of those who are threatened by violence. God works in mysterious ways beyond our understanding, often behind the scenes. God also works through us. We are the messengers and agents of the light that has come into this world. In this clash of powers, we find ourselves on the side of God who is breaking into this world. Being on God’s side requires courage, hope, and perseverance, and the encouragement of a faith community.
The ways of this world and the ways of God are starkly different. In Jesus we discover a peaceful, just, and honorable power that is created out of love and compassion. This is the power that the world cannot understand. Most humans do not have the patience to do things in God’s ways and instead use fear, force, and violence as short cuts to get their way.
Christmas reveals what God is doing in our world. Matthew’s gospel is very political, and he reveals Jesus as a rival king who has come to overthrow the injustice, meanness, and arrogance of tyrants. The magi came to bear witness to him as this newborn rival king. Perhaps this is the year we will more fully understand that we are citizens of a rival kingdom or realm that is invading this world. This new realm is even called a new creation.
There are many tyrants in our world. They seem to have a knack for rising into power. We find them everywhere. They use force, fear, and violence to get their way when other means don’t work. They may try the carrot as well as the stick, but they want what they want and are determined to get what they want. They will do whatever it takes to hold on to power once they get it.
The kingdom of God is a rival kingdom to the kingdoms of these tyrants. If we are true followers of Christ Jesus, we will find ourselves on God’s side against the tyrants. But what does that mean to us today? I think it means that we must not allow ourselves to be manipulated by earthly powers who try to persuade us to cooperate with them.
There are moments in every age when the people of God must decide whom they will fear and whom they will follow. Tyrants have always risen—men and systems that demand our silence, our compliance, our shrinking back from the truth. They promise stability while dealing in fear, and they cloak their insecurity in the language of authority. But the Gospel does not permit us to bow to such powers. We stand with Christ Jesus, the One who shattered the pretensions of every earthly throne by rising from the grave. His victory exposes the fragility of all who rule by intimidation. When we stand with Him, we stand with the Truth that no empire can suppress and no despot can outlast.
To stand with Christ is not an act of aggression but an act of holy defiance. It is to declare that our conscience is not for sale, our hope is not negotiable, and our witness cannot be silenced. The powers of this world rage, but their fury is temporary; the Kingdom of God is eternal. So, we stand—not in arrogance, but in courage; not in hatred, but in fidelity; not with clenched fists, but with hearts anchored in the One who is both Lamb and Lion. And as we stand, we proclaim to every tyrant, every injustice, every false authority: You do not own us. Christ does. His light is stronger than your shadow, His freedom deeper than your chains, His reign more enduring than your threats. Therefore, we stand firm, unafraid, and unashamed, for we stand with the living Christ.
So let us rise with the courage that comes from Christ alone. Let us refuse the quiet temptation to shrink back when truth is costly. Let us speak with clarity when others settle for comfort, and act with integrity when the world rewards compromise. Stand beside the vulnerable. Confront injustice with a steady voice. Live as people who know that Christ’s Kingdom is not an idea but a reality breaking into this world through the faithfulness of His people.
And when fear whispers that resistance is futile, remember: tyrants fall, but Christ remains. Therefore, stand firm. Stand together. Stand in the light of the One who has already overcome the world.
Bishop Kedda
Bishop Kedda 