THE WORSHIP OF THE WISE MEN

“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt. 2:11 NKJV).

Shortly after the birth of the Lord Jesus, there arrived in Jerusalem “wise men” from the east who came to visit the Christ child. It is believed that they were Medes or Persians. The word translated “wise men” (magi) refers to a group of scholars who studied the stars. They were indeed wise men in their worship. Our verse speaks of the place of their worship, the person of their worship, the prostration in their worship, and the price of their worship.

Place of their worship - “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young child.” Here we see the Magi worshipping where the Lord Jesus was loved and honored. Today, the Lord Jesus is not loved and honored in all places. However, we will have trouble worshiping if we are not in a place where the Lord Jesus is loved and honored.

Person of their worship - “Worshiped Him.” Note that the Magi worshiped the Lord Jesus. It is very instructive that they did not worship Mary though she was right there. Further, they did not worship Joseph either. It is the practice of cults to honor man above the Lord Jesus. Yet, the Bible never teaches us to worship anyone but God.

Prostration in their worship - “Fell down and worshiped Him.” Prostration involves at least two important things. First, it involves humility. The only way we can stand before God is on our knees in humble adoration. Worship is not the exalting of self but the exalting of God above all. Second, it involves service. Those who attend church but do not want to serve are not truly worshiping.

Price of their worship – When these magi “opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him.” Worship involves giving, and these magi gave to the Lord Jesus of their treasures. They also gave the best they had. They were not stingy, but generous. True worship has a high price, and true worshipers will give liberally and enthusiastically. There is no begging or pleading with true worshipers to give.

(Adapted from Butler’s Sermon Starters)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The giving of gifts is not something man invented. God started the giving spree when He gave a gift beyond words, the unspeakable gift of His Son!”

Unknown      

Word Study

Filled

In Col. 1:9 we read, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (NKJV).

“Filled” is the Greek word plēróō (πληρόω = play-ro'-o). It means to be filled to the brim, to make complete in every particular, to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally, to take possession of and so to ultimately to control. Plēróō also carries the idea of being fully equipped. It was used to describe a ship that was ready for a voyage. In classical Greek, plēróō means to fill something completely. In the Septuagint, plēróō also carries the idea of filling. In the New Testament, plēroō is also used in the sense of filling with something. The word is in the passive voice, pointing to the fact that as believers we do not fill ourselves but permit the Spirit of God to fill us and control us. Therefore, the word “fill” has less to do with contents, as though believers are empty vessels that need a required amount of spiritual fuel to keep going. The person who is filled with sorrow (cf. John 16:6) is no longer under his own control but is under the control of that emotion. In the same way, someone who is filled with fear (cf. Luke 5:26), anger (cf. Luke 6:11), jealously (cf. Acts 5:17) is no longer under his own control but under the control of that which “fills” him. So, to be “filled” in this sense is to be totally controlled by the Holy Spirit and is the most important meaning of plēróō for believers to understand. And being continually filled should be ‘the normal Christian life’ that is to be enjoyed and experienced constantly; it is not reserved for a few special ‘spiritual experiences.’ This means that as believers in the Lord Jesus, we have all that we need for the voyage of life.  

Did You Know…

The name “Jesus” is not only the first name in the New Testament (cf. Matt. 1:1), it is also the last name in the New Testament (cf. Rev. 22:21).

Bible Quiz

How did Mary refer to herself when accepting the divine call to be the mother of the Lord Jesus?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

What does Solomon say about “much study?” Too much study will make you weary – “much study is wearisome to the flesh” (Eccl. 12:12).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

Life comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Psalm 2:12; cf. John 20:31)

"Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:12 NJKV).

Under the Old Testament economy, the kiss was a symbol both of affection and submission (cf.1 Sam. 10:1; 1 Kings. 19:18). Thus, “kissing” the Son is not only an act of worship, but also a sign of complete surrender. All who desire to escape the terrible wrath of the Lord must worship His Son. They must embrace the Lord Jesus Christ. The only approach to God and the only way to have a relationship with the Lord is through receiving His Son (John. 5:23-24; 14:6). Notice also that it is the anger of the Son rather than the Father that is to be avoided at all costs. God has committed all judgment to the Son (John. 5:22). It is the wrath of the Lord Jesus Christ that will be suddenly kindled against the enemies of God. All who flee to Him and put their faith and trust in Him will be blessed and will be safe in the terrible day of His wrath. Today, He is a loving Savior offering forgiveness, mercy, and grace. But on that day, He will instantly change from Savior to Judge. The gentle Lamb, who willingly gave Himself on Calvary’s cross, will become a fierce Lion who will devour His enemies.

Stories of Favorite Christmas Carols

Joy to the World

“Joy to the World” was originally part of a book of poems written by the great English hymn writer, Isaac Watts in 1719.  Based on the 98th Psalm, the poem was never intended to be a Christmas song… or any kind of song, for that matter. And Watts never knew that he had just written one of his most famous hymns. At this point in history, most songs sung in European church services were the Psalms in the Old Testament. Though Isaac Watts loved the Bible, his thoughts were that these songs felt “unnatural” to sing in their modern-day English translations. After one Sunday service, 15-year-old Isaac complained about “the atrocious worship.” One of the deacons challenged him with, “Give us something better, young man.” He went home and penned his first hymn, and the love of hymn-writing stuck with him the rest of his life.

In 1836, a Boston music teacher named Lowell Mason discovered the poem and set it to music. Because it was released at Christmastime, it quickly became a holiday favorite and went on to become the most published Christmas carol in America. The song’s message of hope and joy for the future resonates with many, making it a beloved holiday favorite. Its journey from a simple poem to a celebrated Christmas carol is a testament to the power of music and the enduring spirit of faith.

A Little Humor

The nativity play was going as planned and Joseph and Mary were going from house to house knocking on the doors and asking it there was any room for them. As they continued to get “no room” answers a little voice called from the back “YOU SHOULD HAVE BOOKED!” bringing the house down.

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Through Jesus’ birth, God entered our world, bridging the gap between heaven and earth, and offering us eternal life!”