Give the Gift of Worship

Matthew 2:9-15
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 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. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

WE CELEBRATE JESUS’ BIRTHDAY AT CHRISTMAS, AND THE GREATEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE JESUS IS THE GIFT OF WORSHIP.

A simple way to define worship is to “attribute worth”.

1)WORSHIP JESUS as KING with GOLD.

Gold is associated with royalty and was a gift given to kings around the time of Christ’s birth. The wise men’s first gift of gold symbolized Jesus’ role as the King of Kings.

A KING rules and reigns from a THRONE. (Psalm 22:3)

“Who is this KING of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this KING of glory? The Lord of hosts, HE is the KING of glory. - Psalm 24:8-10

2)WORSHIP JESUS as HIGH PRIEST with FRANKINCENSE.
Frankincense was a type of incense burned as a sacrifice and used by priests during services of worship around the time of Christ’s birth. The wise men’s gift of frankincense symbolized Jesus’ PRIESTHOOD.

Hebrews 7:22-28
1 John 2:1-2
1 Timothy 2:5
John 14:6

3)WORSHIP JESUS as PROPHET with MYRRH.

During the time of Christ’s birth, the Jews used myrrh as an embalming ointment when preparing bodies for burial. The wise men’s gift of myrrh prophetically signified that Jesus was born to suffer and die, while also symbolizing his burial.

FINAL THOUGHT
WORSHIP THE LORD WITH ALL YOU HAVE, and WORSHIP THE LORD WITH ALL YOU HAVE… LEFT.

Matthew 2:13-15

“When God is all you HAVE, then all you HAVE, is all you NEED.” —Max Lucado

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—Yet I WILL REJOICE in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
– Habakkuk 3:17-18