Matthew 2:1-12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Jesus Is for All Nations
Today, January 6 is the day observed in the Christian Church as Epiphany. The story of the wise men arriving in Bethlehem is familiar, yet it still surprises us. These travelers were not kings of Israel, not priests from the temple, not people who knew the Scriptures by heart. They were foreigners—outsiders—guided by a star and a longing they could not fully explain. And yet, they are among the first to kneel before Jesus. From the very beginning, God is making something clear: this child is not only for one people, but for all nations.
Psalm 67 echoes this same vision. “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us,” the psalmist prays—not as an end in itself, but with a purpose: “so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” God’s blessing has always been meant to travel. Grace is never hoarded; it is given so that it may be shared.
The wise men embody this truth. God does not wait for them to have perfect understanding. He meets them where they are, using signs they can recognize. A star in the sky becomes a sermon, pointing them toward Christ. When they arrive, they offer gifts fit for a king, but what they truly bring is worship. They rejoice, bow down, and give themselves to the One who has drawn them from afar.
This is good news for us. Many of us come to Jesus with mixed motives, partial understanding, or questions that remain unanswered. Like the wise men, we are often still on the journey. Yet Jesus does not turn us away. He receives us, not because we have everything figured out, but because God’s mercy is wide enough to include the whole world.
Psalm 67 calls the nations to rejoice because God “rules the peoples with equity” and “guides the nations of the earth.” In Jesus, that promise takes flesh. The child in the manger grows into the Savior who will gather people from every tribe and language, not by force, but by love. The cross and the empty tomb will become the ultimate sign—brighter than any star—that God’s salvation is for all.
This truth also shapes our calling. If Jesus is for all nations, then our faith cannot remain private or small. Like the psalmist, we pray for blessing so that others may come to know God’s saving ways. Like the wise men, we are sent home “by another way,” changed by our encounter with Christ and ready to reflect his light wherever we go.
Today, remember this: the same Jesus who welcomed foreign travelers still welcomes seekers, skeptics, and strangers. His grace crosses borders, cultures, and hearts. May God’s face shine upon us, that the world may see—and rejoice—in the Savior who has come for all nations.
Prayer: Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah
2 that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. Selah
5 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
6 Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.
7 God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.