“We three kings of Orient are…” begins the famous carol. And perhaps like most things famous, it’s fairly polarizing. There’s the fact that the biblical story does not say there were “three,” and they certainly were not “kings.” It is also an Epiphany carol that gets nestled within Christmas carols. Across the years, “We Three Kings” has earned its place in our musical canon, but it seems we just don’t know when to sing it.
But despite all that, this carol always brings a smile to my face. One dimension of that is certainly some nostalgia regarding the silly claymation holiday specials of my youth. But even more significantly than that, I resonate with the tone and message of the carol. It cultivates a sense of awe in us as it invites us to marvel at what has happened — just as did the “kings” who visited the young Jesus. It reminds us of the times we have looked to the skies in hope and wonder, basked in the beauty that washed over us, and felt as though we were met by something and drawn somewhere new.
The carol also offers some solid teaching and truths for the Christian life. It professes Jesus to be “King forever, ceasing never over us all to reign.” It reminds us how Christ’s love for us was demonstrated through his death: “sorr’wing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb.” And it speaks of the resurrection that follows: “Glorious now behold him arise: King and God and Sacrifice.” Through these reminders and proclamations, it “guides us” to join in as “earth to heaven replies”: “Alleluia, Alleluia!”
As this is posted, we will be deep in the season of Christmastide, which begins on December 25 and continues for twelve days (the “twelve days of Christmas” of which the song sings). Christmas celebrates the arrival of the God–Sovereign–Sacrifice–Messiah–Savior–Friend we call Jesus. Epiphany, however, announces that in Jesus the Kingdom of God has broken into this world and is all around us. We are reminded of the words of Colossians 1:19-20, which says: “For in [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.” (NRSVue)
“Star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.”
Lead on, Sovereign Jesus, into this new year and into your Kin-dom. May we follow with grace and courage.
Pastor Michael
This post is adapted from 2019-01 Newsletter written for FBC Atchison