The Gift of Frankincense
Seeking Christ In The Three Gifts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
The actual celebration of Epiphany was yesterday.
Manifestation or Appearance
A Christian Feast day that celebrates the revelation (theophany) of God incarnate as Jesus Christ.
This is where we get our song 12 Days of Christmas and is traditionally January 6th, 12 days after December 25th.
Traditionally for the church in the west, it celebrates the visit of the magi to the Christ Child, highlighting Jesus’ physical manifestation to the Gentiles.
These magi brought 3 gifts.
The Gifts of Worship (Matthew 2:11-14)
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Gold – Royalty / Position as King
Seeking Jesus as King and Seeking His Kingdom
Love and Loyalty
Do we love Gold, or God?
Do we do things for God’s fame and glory or ours? For His Kingdom or ours?
Heart– What does your heart desire? What does it pursue?
Frankincense - Deity / Purpose as Priest
Seeking Jesus as the High Priest
Worship and Prayers
Tabernacle
Atonement
Intercession
Soul - Has Jesus restored your soul? Does God dwell within you?
Myrrh
Sacrifice and Submission
Might
What Is Frankincense?
What Is Frankincense?
A whitish resin that comes out of cuts under the bark in the Boswellia tree.
The Boswellia tree is found in Somalia/Ethiopia and the southern coast of Arabia.
It was imported to Israel, most likely from the Queen of Sheba (biblical name for Arabia at the time) when she visited King Solomon.
This aromatic gum resin drips spontaneously from the plant in the fall and was “pure” without any foreign matter - pure “white” - hence its Hebrew name “whiteness”.
It ends up turning a golden yellow that hardens quickly into a translucent tear shaped substance.
It is bitter and glittering and very expensive.
What Is The Purpose Of Frankincense? (Exodus 30:1-10)
What Is The Purpose Of Frankincense? (Exodus 30:1-10)
It’s secular usage was in cosmetics and perfumes, it had medicinal qualities, and was used in embalming and as burial fumigation. In fact we still use frankincense in many of the same ways today. Anyone who is into essential oils knows the amazing properties of frankincense.
But most importantly, we see God take this and use it for His purposes:
“You shall put this altar in front of the veil that is near the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the ark of the testimony, where I will meet with you. “Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; he shall burn it every morning when he trims the lamps.
“When Aaron trims the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense. There shall be perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. “You shall not offer any strange incense on this altar, or burnt offering or meal offering; and you shall not pour out a drink offering on it.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each.
It Was Used In Worship As An Incense Offered In The Tabernacle and later in the temple.
It Was Used In The Intercessory Prayer Ministry Of The Priests.
Wisdom and discernment sought from God
Mediation offered on behalf of the people - stand in the gap
Perpetual incense offered - Prayers offered morning and evening on behalf of the people.
By Jesus’ day, this became a very special and sacred trust to the priests.
A priest was only allowed to serve in this capacity once in their lifetime since there were so many priests.
It is possible that some priests never got the opportunity to do so.
So to be chosen to offer incense would have been the climatic event in a priest’s life’s service.
And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.
Of What Did Frankincense Become Symbolic? (Exodus 30:34-38)
Of What Did Frankincense Become Symbolic? (Exodus 30:34-38)
It Became A Symbol Of The Divine Name Of God.
“For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of hosts.
Frankincense brought to Jesus emphasizes the divine name of God now connected with the Christ child.
Just like the gold did not make Him the King, the Frankincense doesn’t make Him God. He is already God.
Just like gold is an intensifier of the fact that Jesus is King and deserves our love and loyalty, Frankincense is an intensifier of the fact that He is God and He deserves our worship and prayers.
It Also Became Connected With The Presence Of God.
The Tabernacle: The presence of God in our midst.
Exodus 30:34–36 (NASB95)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal part of each. “With it you shall make incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. “You shall beat some of it very fine, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it shall be most holy to you.
Obviously, the frankincense becomes an intensifier of the fact that Jesus is our Emmanuel, God with us.
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
The Word incarnate (tabernacled)
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Looking forward to the future fulfillment
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
It Became Analogous To The Priesthood Of God In General And In Particular The High Priest. It also became synonymous with terms like sanctified and holiness.
“The incense which you shall make, you shall not make in the same proportions for yourselves; it shall be holy to you for the Lord. “Whoever shall make any like it, to use as perfume, shall be cut off from his people.”
Gold and Frankincense, then, reveal Jesus’ position as King and His purpose as High Priest.
Gold and Frankincense reveal the best of earth and the best of heaven.
So here in His birth we are seeing Jesus as the son of royalty (David) and the Son of God.
The Ministry Of The Earthly High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-4)
The Ministry Of The Earthly High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-4)
We’ve seen frankincense connected to the priesthood in worship, now let’s look at Hebrews commentary on the priesthood and how it connects with Jesus.
Taken From Men (Set Apart – Holy)
Appointed On Behalf Of Men In Things Pertaining To God
Appointed To Offer Gifts And Sacrifices for sins
This is an important connection to atonement for sins.
Frankincense was an important part of the high priest offering atonement for the people once a year.
“He shall take a firepan full of coals of fire from upon the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil. “He shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony, otherwise he will die. “Moreover, he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; also in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
Deals Gently With The Ignorant And Those Lead Astray (Misguided)
Because he himself is surrounded by weaknesses.
He is not above the law (obligated to offer sacrifices for sins)
Understands that the guilty are to be punished.
Understands the obligation of a sacrifice needed for sins to be covered both for himself and the people.
Considers It An Honor To Serve In That Capacity. We saw this with Zechariah earlier.
The Ministry Of The Heavenly High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:5-10)
The Ministry Of The Heavenly High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:5-10)
Here we are seeing Jesus’ purpose - High Priest
vs. 14 - The Process: Passed Through The Heavens
Love came down.
Love accomplished its purpose of pursuing, finding, and restoring its beloved.
Fulfilling all obligations and requirements set by the Father
Love returned home to await the time to reunite with the beloved and reunite heaven and earth.
Until our reunion, love continues to work in and on us.
vs. 15 - Sympathize With Our Weaknesses (compare 5:7)
Offered prayers with loud cries…heard because of His piety (reverent devotion, godly fear, reverent submission) – a reference to His internal attitude of reverence more than the actual acts of reverence.
Garden of Gethsemene
vs. 15 - Tempted In All Things (compare 5:8)
Learned obedience from the things in which He suffered.
To discover in personal experience what obedience that involves suffering really means.
Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
Obedient suffering due to reverent submission
Having been made perfect (complete) by reaching the intended goal. (compare 5:9)
The Greek word here is used in the Septuagint for the consecration to priestly service, or ordination. You have met all the requirements to serve in this capacity…
An Example To Us Of What Obedient Suffering Due To Reverent Submission Looks Like
Therefore, we can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. Why?
Jesus is mediating for us. He is intercessory praying for us. He is fulfilling the role of High Priest for us.
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
What do we find at the throne of grace? mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.
Satan accuses, Jesus defends.
The Gift Of Frankincense:
The Gift Of Frankincense:
Frankincense Is Connected To Our Soul
If Gold represents love and Frankincense represents our soul, then this is symbolic of love coming down into our soul.
This is connected to Jesus’ sacrifice and atonement for our sins.
How? Jesus is our High Priest
Jesus suffered to perfection in order to understand our human weaknesses, temptations, and predicament.
Jesus then is the one who offers atonement to cover our sins.
Next, Jesus restores our soul.
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Finally, Jesus continues to intercede with prayers on our behalf.
defend us against Satan’s accusations
supply us with mercy and grace to help us
Finally, Loving God with our soul means Worship and Prayers in response to Who He is and what He has done.
Worship - functioning as priests to God.
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
So, just purely taking what we’ve seen in Hebrews today:
Obedience – due to reverent submission. Acknowledging He is God and giving Him our lives, our dreams, our passions, and our pursuits. Doing His will.
Suffering - Being willing to suffer.
Learning – so we won’t be ignorant or misguided
Gifts/Offerings – as thanksgiving for God’s blessings
Service – To bless others as God has blessed us
and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
Prayers – Smoke from the incense being burned was a symbol of the prayers of God’s people.
May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.
When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
The Gift of Frankincense - Deity / Purpose as Priest
Seeking Jesus as the High Priest
Worship and Prayers
Tabernacle
Atonement
Intercession
Soul - Has Jesus restored your soul? Does God dwell within you?
Communion Songs: What Child Is This? Joy Has Dawned
Communion Prep Questions: Have you brought your gift of Frankincense to the Savior? Do you acknowledge that He is both your King and High Priest? Have you allowed Him to restore your soul? Have you allowed His presence to come and dwell within you?
Communion Prep Challenge: Which area(s) of worship do you need to recommit to fulfill?
Closing Song: At The Cross (Love Ran Red)