In those days, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod, Wise Men from the east arrived in Jerusalem to worship the Holy Child. We know they were firemen, since the Bible says they came from “a far”. We do not know exactly just from which foreign country they came or how many they were. Two came from the far northeast, for in country of New England they were born. But they didn’t fly, following that blessed star assurance from our Saviour, “Lo, I am with you always.”

As the Wise Men had so far to travel, God selected two leaders to provide direction. One was so gifted, he dreamed if you gave him an inch, he would be a ruler. These dreams are why he rose to importance early in the Old Testament. Though he wasn’t around for the first recorded baseball game [In the Big Inning], he was a key player in the first-recorded game of tennis. Remember, he served in Pharaoh’s court. Of course his name is Joseph. This is how he knew what to do when the angel told him in a dream to take Baby Jesus and His mother and flee to Egypt. (“Egypt? Been there, done that.”)

And because they had to go so far through foreign territory, God chose a certain Bill of Fare as the other leader from among the Wise Men. Bill proclaimed to all, “Fare Thee Well.” Everyone understood except King Herod. He agitated their welfare into warfare and bade farewell to the Babes of Bethlehem. Bill was the last of the Wise Men to bow and offer his treasure to the Christ Child. And as the last shall be first, he was the first one to give us the lasting tradition of giving gifts at Christmas. So it is that today we commemorate Epiphany, meaning “appearance.” Therefore ever since, early in January, the well-known fact of the long-awaited appearance of Bill’s after Christmas has been famous. It might even be Lent until at last you won’t be reminded of Bill’s appearance back from the first of Christmas. Therefore, in the present, wonderful holidays may yet arrive with a very great Bill.

Bill sang the whole way to and from Bethlehem. He sang a song so sweet, you sing ’er [Usinger] again every Advent season. And that’s what leads us to today’s Christmas Carolyn. Some folks think angels sang of the birth of Baby Jesus--the Bible never mentions anywhere that angels ever sang. [“…praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest’…”] Everybody knows Christmas Carolyn is what makes a nativity scene ring out gloriously. Add a little Matt and now it’s picture perfect.

The wise presence of Joseph is noted early in both the Old and New Testaments. Joseph, good as gold, was frank in sense, and jolly full of mirth. He taught the shepherds the song “Joy to the World.” Joseph gladly continues to present his gold, cents (with dollars) and mirth in the New World. He also treasures the Old World, though we have no inkling of this mentioned by Matthew, Martin Luther, or John.

And it certainly came to pass, from Single to Spouse. There was a girl Kahl’d Ruth in the Old Testament. To Joseph Ruth said, “Wherever you go I will go,” and she told everybody else, “I’m Mary’n Joseph.” Thus did she change her name to Joe's. Mary’n Joseph both come from the house and lineage of David. For Joseph, it was not reliable enough that Ruth was right in the middle of the Old Testament and also on the front page of the New. The angel had to say “Fear not” in a dream and wise up Joseph to the reason for the season.

So came to be fulfilled what we acknowledge even to this very day: Wise men still seek Him.