This morning on local television, I tuned in to watch a few moments of the church whose name means (figuratively) "Investing with Jesus." When the Episcopal church would allow people to attend its churches (seems like eons ago), I would drive by this money-changer church. At certain times, the police they hired to direct traffic would stop the flow of my travel, just so all the investors in Jesus' name could get out of their mega-parking lot. But, I digress.
This morning the "pastor" [not sure what title he holds dear] was talking about what Christians need to realize at Christmas time. One of the important states of being was the giving that Jesus represents. He made a point of talking (and showing pictures) about the gold the Magi gave, going as far as talking about the church invested in gold and he knew how much it cost per ounce and ingot. He quoted exact dollar numbers, which he openly shared with everyone [saying gold is over $1400 per ounce and over $48,000 per ingot]. He then said to get in the giving mood, one needs to find the spirit of Jesus. That spirit makes it easier for one to come off their valuables, which included a million dollar thing of myrrh (which he showed a picture of). He said that going to Walmart to buy perfume wouldn't cut it. It had to be the best for the Magi to give to Jesus.
Of course, nothing he said about giving money was a surprise. After all, the mantra of all the neon light, cinder block and stucco cathedrals of money is all about selling Jesus as the means to reach the end of wealth, power, and influence. It is the pyramid scheme that begins with testing your faith by giving more than you can afford to the mega-church and its leader. The axiom of Jesus (as they present it) is: To make money you have to spend money. So, nothing this television speaker said shocked me; but one thing.
He claimed outright, without any hesitation, as if he read it right out of the book of Christian facts: "The Magi found Jesus when he was two years old, because he was in the house."
Huh?
Has anyone else heard someone make this claim?
Later, when I watched the local Baptist minister deliver his sermon on the same story of the Magi visit (Matthew 2:1-12), when he got to the point of the verbiage that says they went to the "house," he shared his personal opinion with the congregation. He said, "Personally, I believe Jesus was a couple of months old when the Magi arrived."
What?!?!
Does anyone else have thoughts like these? Why would Joseph and Mary stay in Bethlehem for two months? Does anyone think the Magi left Herod and began some quest to find where a baby born king of the Jews would migrate? Does anyone think the people in Bethlehem, whoever owned the cave stable, had a sign-in register and some forwarding address for the Joseph family?
I know Christianity is lost and at the point of the blind leading the blind, but does anyone think about these things that are spoken from pulpits? Does anyone question these things in discussion? Does anyone care to know the truth?
I just felt the need to voice these questions. I realize WordPress is the land of the mute, filled with those who sneak a peak in the dark and then run away; but I thought I would at least ask, thinking maybe someone will answer.
R. T. Tippett
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Additional Note: I wrote a book that explains all this. The book is entitled The Star of Bethlehem: The Timing of the Life of Jesus. It makes it clear how old baby Jesus was when the Magi showed up. It makes it vividly clear what date baby Jesus was born. It makes it Scripturally defended, as well as logically sound. I sell the book on this website; but it can be bought all around the world (within reason) on Amazon.
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