[7:13 am, 26/12/2021] Dad: THE WORSHIP OF THE WISEMEN

       " The King Is Born"

and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:2 NIV

INTRODUCTION

The birth of Jesus Christ was predicted way back in the history and prophetic calendar of Israel. The kind of birth, and the birth place. Most importantly Isiah saw him as king  born of a virgin.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14 NIV. In this article we shall pay attention to the worship of the men from the East.

1. THEY SOUGHT HIM

"WHERE is the one who has been born king?"

These were wise men, whose duty was to study the cosmos and the galaxy of stars. They were sometimes known as the magi from magus meaning magician. Their quest was a sincere and noble quest, they unequivocally said he "was born king". The day we cease to seek him will be the time  will miss the moment ."

2. THEY CAME INTENTIONALLY

"We have come to Worship him."

Worship is the state of the heart, and it defies all kinds of distraction because it is an intense feeling emanating from the knowledge, power and  relationship with God through Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the magnification and enthronement of the supreme and transcendent God who rules and reigns over his creation.
Worship is the exaltation of the most high by the devout believers who acknowledge  the Majestic glory of the Lord God through Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. We have to worship Him intentionally. Jesus said those who worship the Father must worship him in spirit.

3. THEY BOWED DOWN

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, frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11 NIV

" Bowing down is a sign of respect, honour, veneration, and paying homage to the senior or supreme being or person. It is an act of self submission to the supreme authority.

Jesus refused to bow down to worship Satan.
“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
Matthew 4:9 NIV

4. AND WORSHIPPED HIM

There should be a time in everyone's life that will dedicated to the worship of the Lord. God is seeking worshippers a certain calibre of worshippers and these are those who will worship him " in spirit and in truth".
"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
John 4:23 NIV. On this one I have no comments. The reason we have to worship God in truth and in spirit is because : -

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
John 4:24 NIV. This is true worship.

5. THEY OPENED THEIR TREASURES

A treasure is something of great value  which you honour and cherish. " They opened their treasures(something of value) and presented to him. The Bible says where your treasure is ..there shall your heart be also.
James says " Faith without works is dead." I can also as well say " worship without substance is dead"
Jam. 5":17 NIV.
God wants those who will worship him with their hearts ( sincerely).
What is the treasure that you want to use as a token of your act of  worship?

6. PRESENTED TO HIM

Their eyes were fixed on the one born " king".
It is very important that those who know the Saviour and worship the true God become more sincere and practical with their act of worship. God is expecting from our hearts not just our worship but the quality and  significance of our gifts or presentations to him.
The significance of the gifts
Myrrh - Is commonly used as an anointing oil, Frankensence  -  Is a perfume
Gold - is a valuable.

The Spiritual meaning of these treasured gifts:
Gold - is a symbol of Kingship on earth.
Frankincense - An incense,as a symbol of deity
Myrrh - an embalming oil, as a symbol of death.

CONCLUSION
A significant spiritual treasured act of worship in the form of gifts were presented to Jesus and all pointing out and forward to the person, life and ministry of Jesus Christ. I pray that we start giving significant  gifts that will translate to the spirituality of our worship.

AMCReflections
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