Worship Christ, the Newborn King

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“I see him, but not now;             I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob,             and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab             and break down all the sons of Sheth.” Numbers 24:17 When it comes to the wise men in the story of Jesus’ birth, there’s much more that we don’t know about them than we actually do know. We don’t know how many there were, though tradition tells us three corresponding to the three gifts they brought the baby Jesus. But there may have been two or twenty… we just don’t know. We also can’t be sure of their nation of origin, though we know they came from the east. It’s quite possible, though, that they represented a priestly caste of Medes or Persians. We know they were learned men, and probably would’ve been seen as authorities in a philosophy called Zoroastrianism. These men studied the ancient writings of the various peoples around them and surely must’ve known the prophecy in today’s Scripture that out of Israel a powerful king would rise. So whatever they saw in the stars prompted them to take everything and go find this king in Israel.   So what made these “wise men” wise? It was the fact that they didn’t just seek knowledge, but knew when they found it. The truth is true no matter who you are. Find truth… and like those wise men, you’ll end up worshiping at the feet of Jesus.   SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE THE WISE WAY BY CLINGING TO TRUTH WHEN YOU FIND IT.

“Worship Christ, the Newborn King”

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“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

In 1739 Charles Wesley wrote a new poem to be sung at a Christmas service. He wanted to focus on the amazing news that the angels brought to the shepherds on the first Christmas night—that the baby born in Bethlehem was so much more than just another child. His original composition was later edited by George Whitefield until it took the form and the words that we know today as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold Him come,
Off-spring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail, the incarnate deity
Pleased as Man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new-born King!”

When the wise men reached Bethlehem, they acknowledged Jesus as being worthy of great respect, not only with the gifts they had brought but by kneeling down before Him. The expression they used in seeking Jesus, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2) is not normal. The child of a king is a prince at birth, not yet a king in his own right. However from the moment of His birth, Jesus was rightly recognized as the great King. He did not claim the rights and privileges of kingship, choosing instead to be born into a poor and humble family, but that lack of outward prestige did not change His true nature.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

We cannot properly celebrate Christmas without properly worshiping the Christ of Christmas.