Wednesday December 24, 2014

Read Matthew 2:1-23

The story of the Magi or wise men as they’re often called, is widely known and loved throughout the world. It’s even sung about in the old hymn ‘We Three Kings’. Yet even so, the focus of the story is often lost in the maze of gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, the identity of the Magi and the journey they took.  As you read the narrative it is clear that the focus is on the birth of the King. The Magi declare as much in vs 2 as they ask: “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Herod and all the people of Judea are disturbed by the news of a new born King. Even the prophecies of old spoke about a ruler coming out of Judah. The Magi cottoned onto this new born King, not the prophets and scribes and teachers of the Law. Those who should have known didn’t and those who shouldn’t have known, did!

Herod seeks to find the location of the birth of this King under the feigned guise of worshipping Him. But as vs 13-18 show, his real desire is to eliminate any opposition or competition to his own throne. He calls the Israelite religious leaders to gather information and then calls the Magi to be his spies. Herod stops at nothing to find this baby King - not to worship Him but to wipe out His kingship.        
But God intervened again to save this new born child. The Magi who found Jesus and worshipped Him returned home via another route and avoided giving any information to Herod. Joseph and Mary hurried quickly under the cover of night to Egypt and stayed there until the evil King Herod was dead. Herod, who sought to wipe out Jesus’ Kingship, was himself destroyed.

Christmas is about more than a 1 hour church service and lunch/dinner with family and friends. It’s more than giving presents and seeing the delight on our children’s faces. Christmas is about worshipping and celebrating the true King –Jesus. It’s about kneeling before Him and giving Him all of our lives in selfless service. It’s about worshipping the one who truly deserves to be worshipped. That’s why we need Christ in Christmas.

Prayer:

Pray that your church service tomorrow would indeed be a time of worship of King Jesus. Pray that it would be a challenge to those who worship money, themselves or something else, to worship King Jesus with their entire lives.