True Worship of Jesus is worship for who He is, not for what He does for us

Rev Enoch Thompson | JANUARY 3, 2023 | MATTHEW 2:1-2

KEY VERSE: Matthew 2:2

..."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."

The global value of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ required the input of other peoples, non-Jewish in the initial acknowledgement of His identity, and of allegiance to Him. The visit of the Wise Men is celebrated on the Church calendar as Epiphany, the day of the manifestation of the infant Christ to the Gentiles. The background to the search mounted by the Wise Men is the faithful narration of the Jewish expectation of a Messiah, carried along by the Jews in their Babylonian exile, and bought into by the philosophers of the Gentile nations among whom they lived then.

Important as the event itself was, the striking issue for our reflection today is the revealing question that the Wise Men raised; "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." Matt: 2:2 (NIV)

Their question revealed three things they believed about the Lord Jesus Christ in that infant stage when He had done no miracles yet.

First, they acknowledged THE ROYALTY OF THE INFANT JESUS "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?" Next, they acknowledged THE UNIQUENESS OF THE KING “We saw his star in the east.” He was no ordinary person, His birth had been marked with the portent of a special star (for these men were astronomers, not astrologers and attached meaning to their science). They acknowledged THE DEITY OF THE KING “and (we) have come to worship him."

As we commit to Christian discipleship, the new followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we sometimes became fixated on what the Lord has done for us as the reason for worshipping Him. The Epiphany teaches us to seek out who God in Christ is, and worship Him for that purpose solely. What He does for us, including the cross of Calvary happened and will happen because of Who He is.

Like the Wise Men of old, let us follow Christ for His royalty, for His uniqueness and for His deity. Worship Jesus Christ for who He is.

PRAY

Lord help me to worship you not for what you have done but for who you are. Amen

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!