Epiphany

Matthew 2:1-2 – Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." (ESV)

Professor Karl Barth, who lived from 1886 to 1968, was one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century. His biographer, Busch, characterizes him as a bit of a rebel in his youth, probably as a reaction to an overzealous mother's religious instruction. The following example sheds a little light on his spirit of independence.

Feeling his way up the stairs of a dark church tower he unexpectedly caught hold of a bell-rope instead of the handrail, and to his horror heard the great bell ringing out above him, and audible not only to him but to others around. – Eberhard Busch, Karl Barth: His Life from Letters and Autobiographical Texts

Presumably, Karl was performing a prank to go up the tower in the middle of the night and lost his footing on the slippery stone steps. As often is the case, I guess there were no lights in the tower, only a rope to serve as a handrail. Unfortunately, it transpired that there was also a bell rope!

In later life, Barth became a stickler for the truth in the face of a time of theological liberalism and social dissipation into elitist nationalism.

He used this illustration from his youth to portray the times in which he lived and his desire to contend for the truth over and above wanting to live a peaceable and safe life during a time of world wars and amid the darkness of the support of his more liberal deluded contemporaries for the German state.

I sense that it is a calling for us all to be mindful, during these uncertain and shifting sands of relative truth, political showmanship, and financial expediency, to stand up for what we know is the truth, the eternal truth, something in which we have set our hope for salvation and redemption.

Maybe we, like the wise men, have come from afar, reaching out for something to hold onto in search of something to steady our step. Instead, we have grasped something far greater! We have found Jesus to be our sure hope and anchor.

Now that we have been saved and forgiven and accepted, maybe — just maybe — it is our turn to find our particular rope and ring the bell to wake up the sleeping, declaring the good news of Jesus in the year ahead.

Just a thought!

Prayer: Lord, it is so tempting to seek a quiet life without contention, rather than to seek, declare, and stand up where we are for what is right in Your kingdom. Grant us clarity of vision to know how to speak up and out about what You are calling us to say, and to act out Your will in today's world. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Rod Marshall <roderickhenrymarshall@gmail.com>
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
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