Worshipping The King!

Worshipping the King

Matthew 2:1-12

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

“May people never dwell upon our attainments or our deficiencies, but may they always observe this one thing, that we are men of God, that we are ambassadors of Christ, that we are Christ’s servants, and do not attempt to shine for ourselves, or to make ourselves conspicuous: but that we labour to shine for Him, that His way may be known upon earth, His saving health among all people.”

Charles Spurgeon

Ever since Jesus was born humanity has struggled in their reaction to the Babe lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. One would think the moment that He who fulfilled over 400 prophecies of the Old Testament and was called “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace,” the Messiah would have had millions of people scrambling to get a peak of His presence here on earth. Despite His divinity, offer of reconciliation and adoption into the family of God, many on Jesus’ over 2000 birthdays have refused to acknowledge or take time to pay homage to the world’s Savior! For those whose feet are accustomed to broad paths of self-glorification one can almost understand their rejection of His “narrow” path of righteousness but to be rejected or even ignored by Christians must bring great sorrow to Jesus’ soul! The following sermon is going to suggest that like the Magi we are to honor Christ on His birthday by bringing Him sacrificial gifts of love and deeds of self-denial with the goal that the world might see and bow their knees to the awesome strength, power and love of the Savior!

Refusing to Worship (verse 3 – 8)

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”

The most common reaction to Jesus lying in a manger is hostility or indifference. The moment the Magi asked where Jesus was born Herod and all Jerusalem were “deeply troubled.” Even though Herod was an Idumean by birth and not a legitimate king of Israel but one appointed by the Roman Senate, he considered himself to be the “King of the Jews.” The mere thought of a revolt and losing his title in the eyes of the Jewish people angered and sickened him. All of Jerusalem became disturbed as well for they feared the cruel reaction of this ailing, paranoid tyrant would mean grief and death for many of the Jewish people. But the most disturbing reaction of all came from the chief priests and teachers of the law whom out of their spiritually complacent hearts and desire to retain “religious and political power” through their alignment with Herod, made no attempt either before or after the Magi’s visit to find out if and where the Messiah was born! This part of the story finished by revealing Herod’s deceitful request: the location of Jesus so that he might worship Him when in reality all He wanted to do was to kill Jesus.

The first point we learn from this passage is how difficult it is to tell the whole world about Jesus of His birthday! There are many people in this world with the stone, cold heart of Herod whose feet are so accustomed to the broad path of pleasure that the mere mention of a narrow righteous path intensifies their opposition to the Babe lying in a manger! Like Herod and the chief priests and teachers of the law they fear losing their “god of self.” Even though all creation testifies to the eternal power and divine nature of Jesus (Romans 1:20), they refuse to approach the Light out of “fear their evil deeds will be exposed” (John 3:20). Even though Scripture warns they will hate and persecute Gospel witnesses (John 15:18) we are not to fear (1 John 4:4; Matthew 10:28) but strap on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20) and stand firm in our living message (Romans 12:1-2) that God loves (John 3:16) and offers them reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:20).

The second point that we learn from this passage is that we should not underestimate how difficult it will be to convince lukewarm, carnal Christians to live and be holy witnesses of Christ’s birth! Many Christians read the Bible a few minutes a week and think they are scribes, scholars, lawyers and experts of God’s word. Even if one studies the Bible night and day what good will that do if one is like the teachers of the Law, hearers but not doers of His commands (James 1:22)? And just because one outwardly appears to be holy like the chief priests of Jesus’ day this does little good if one does not have a deep spiritual connection and devotion to one’s Creator. Because they have never acknowledged and lived the truth the backslidden have a form of religion that is void of both power and fruit. To get them to stop being hypercritical witness of self-glorification remind them of their need to repent and return to their first love (Revelation 2:4) ! Pray that these redeemed masterpieces of God’s grace might wake up from their spiritual slumber and from humble, contrite hearts show how brightly a living stone can shine and testify to God’s existence!