Mensa Otabil - Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh
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We end our pursuit of the Christmas story today because from tomorrow we start looking at the new year, and so we look at Matthew chapter 2, verses 10 and 11. And 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. God supernaturally guided the wise men; they were seekers who were seeking the Messiah. They wanted to find this person that would lead them to God, the true King of the Jews.
When they said «true King of the Jews,» they were thinking of the Messiah or a redemptive figure. They had no certainty about how he would look, but they believed this person had something great to do for the redemption of mankind. The star that had been guiding them for two years brought them to the place where the Messiah is, and the Bible says, when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy-the joy of finding the Lord.
When you are pursuing God, seeking Him, and you find Him, there is great joy in your heart-the joy of salvation. David calls it the joy of knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior, the joy of finding the will of God for your life, the joy of pursuing God’s purpose, and discovering where He is taking you. There is always joy in being where God wants you to be. Sometimes we struggle; we struggle for a while, we struggle for a moment, but then one day we align ourselves and find that place. That’s where the wise men found themselves-the joy of finding the Lord. When they found the Lord, they worshiped Him.
This is the devotion of true worshipers, not the worship that Herod was talking about, which is a euphemism for destruction, but this is real worship-the worship and devotion of the heart. They bowed to this baby. Can you imagine the grand view it would be for the parents of Jesus Christ, or for other people in Bethlehem, to see these august visitors bow before this baby, an unprestigious child? And yet, they bow before Him because in their hearts, they recognize this is the One.
It’s so important, when we are seeking God’s will, that when we find it, we bow before it, yielding to God’s will. The only person that Christians bow to is God and Christ. We don’t bow to angels; we don’t bow to other people. We bow to God, and our true worship is always directed at Him. That’s what the wise men did-God in the flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. After they had worshiped, they didn’t stop there; they offered gifts. You know, giving an offering is part of worship.
People may say, «Oh, I love God; I bow before Him; my whole heart is for Him.» But where your heart is, your treasure will be also. You cannot say you love God with all your heart but keep your substance away from the Lord. The wise men teach us that when we bow our hearts to the Lord, we must also offer the gifts that He has given us-the things He has blessed us with.
So, don’t just say, «I only worship God in my heart.» No, you don’t only worship God in your heart; your worship must be publicly demonstrated. The wise men did that. You don’t only prostrate before God, but you also give to Him the things that are important to you, valuable to you, and treasured by you. They gave to that young child gold, frankincense, and myrrh. May the Lord make us true worshipers like these wise men as we encounter Jesus Christ-to love Him, to worship Him, and to offer to Him.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, I bow in worship at Your presence. I present the treasures I lay at Your feet today. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.» Well, that’s the end of our Christmas story. From today, we go back to Exodus, and we’re crossing over into 2023. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.