A Renewal of Worship By Paul Chappell Monday, Dec 1, 2014 “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw 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 exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:9–11 There are so many wonderful elements and details included in the Christmas story that reveal how God worked to bring everything together for the birth of His Son. One of those small but important items was the appearance of a new star in the night sky which was seen by certain wise men. It is likely that they had studied the prophecies of Daniel and were expecting the Messiah to be born around that time based on the date of the order given for the Jewish people to return to Israel from their captivity. Of course Jesus was born in Bethlehem, not Jerusalem, because God’s plan did not revolve around earthly kingdoms. When the Bible scholars were called and asked where the newborn king was to be found, they immediately knew the answer, citing the words of the prophet Micah. This raises a pointed question—if they knew where Jesus was to be born, why weren’t they already there? The difference between the Jewish leaders and the wise men was a difference of the heart. The men from the east wanted to worship Jesus while those in Jerusalem had no interest. Christmas is not comprised of presents and trees and carols and snow. It is the birthday of the King. And it is only when we observe it as such—when we bow our hearts before Jesus—that we can truly enjoy this wonderful season as we should. Today’s Renewal Principle: There is no true celebration of Christmas that does not involve our humble worship of Jesus Christ.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 11:52:47 +0000
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