The Worship of The Wise Men

WISE MEN WORSHIP

Matthew 2:11 KJV (WS)

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.

The Magi (tradition says there were three but we have no way of knowing that) who came to visit the Christ child are often called “wise men.”

They were indeed wise men in their worship.

Here are at least five ways in which they were wise.

FIRST—WISE IN THE PATH OF WORSHIP

“They were come.”

Matthew 2:1 KJV (WS)

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

These men came a long distance to worship (Matthew 2:1). That meant considerable effort and time.

True worship requires much effort and time.

SECOND—WISE IN THE PLACE OF WORSHIP

“Come into the house.”

They worshiped in the place where Christ was loved and honored.

Churches that deny such things as the Deity of Christ and His essentialness for salvation do not love nor honor Him and are not good places for worship, for the worship dishonors God.

THIRD—WISE IN THE PERSON TO WORSHIP

“Worshiped him.”

The wise men knew who to worship.

They did not worship Mary (that’s Roman Catholicism), they did not worship Joseph (that is like the cults); they worshiped Christ.

Worshiping someone else is dishonoring to Christ.

FOURTH—WISE IN THE PROSTRATION IN WORSHIP

“Fell down and worshiped him.”

This speaks of humility in worship.

You will not worship well if you are arrogant and proud.

True worship acknowledges the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

FIFTH—WISE IN THE PRICE OF WORSHIP

“When they opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.”

Worship requires offerings.

You will not worship well if you scorn the offering plate.

The magi are a good examples of giving.

• The excellence of their giving. “Treasures.”

The magi gave of their best.

Israel was not to offer any sacrifice that was blemished but the prophet Malachi rebuked them because they were doing just that.

Folk like to give junk to the church and take credit for giving treasures.

Give of your best if you want to worship well.

• The extent of their giving. “Gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

These were expensive gifts.

The magi were liberal in their giving.

If you have to use a calculator to figure your offering, you are not liberal in your giving.

• The enabling in their giving. “Gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

Joseph and Mary had to take the Christ child to Egypt to escape the murderous designs of Herod.

The gifts of the magi provided the wealth needed to make that expensive trip.

True worship enables the work of God to go forward.