Paying Homage to the King

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

We see in the story of the wise men a lesson about preparation. None of us are born Christian. We may come from a church going family, but we aren’t born Christian. We are all born with a sin nature, a nature that we learned last week causes us to be in desperate need of a Savior, one who will save us from our sins. This is what the name Jesus meant. Joseph was told to name the child Jesus, for He would save His people from His sins. But no one is born as one of his people.

Each person must seek Him out and find Him. Before we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit helps us to see our need for salvation, a sense of our sins, and He draws us to himself. He puts it into our heart to become seekers. The wise men were seekers. They studied to find out a way to be saved. They knew the ancient prophecies about Jesus, and when His star appeared, they went to find Him. If we are to be wise, we will seek Him as well. He said through the prophets that if we seek Him, we will find Him, if we seek Him with all of our hearts. The wise men were wise in knowledge of the world, but their wisdom was not really about book learning, it was wisdom that acknowledges the need for saving.

So when we look at the Christmas story, we see that Jesus came and is the Savior to those who turn from a life headed away from God and towards the Savior Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. The ones who make Jesus Lord and Savior had prepared for Him to come into their lives by submitting to the work of the Holy Spirit. Before receiving Christ, the Holy Spirit speaks to us, gently trying to convict us of our sins and convince us of the truth of the one Savior, Jesus Christ. That is preparing. The wise men prepared by learning what they could about God’s plan of salvation. They had a lot less information to go on than we do now.

We have the advantage of the New Testament scriptures. We have been told exactly who Jesus is and how He fulfilled many prophecies. The wise men had to put this together on their own. Or did they? If the Holy Spirit is at work in every life, drawing people towards God, it must have been true for these wise men as well. So those who find Christ had first prepared themselves to receive Him, even if they did not know everything about Him.

After receiving Him as Lord and Savior, they prepare for Him once again. Before, they prepared by searching, by inquiring about where he was, and how he could be found, even if they did not know all the right questions. After finding Him, and becoming one of His family, now they prepare for Him once again by being sanctified.

What is sanctification? The Fourfold gospel, which we claim as being the most important aspects of our understanding of Jesus Christ, and which He is the center of, identifies Him as Sanctifier. Sanctification means purification, a process by which we are made Holy, set apart unto God. We are to actively participate in this process. The wise men came to pay homage to “he who has been born king”.

Why do people pay homage to kings, even newborn kings? In history, it has become normal to pay homage to powerful kings. In fact, it may be unwise not to do so. Homage was paid to Solomon by the entire world, why? Solomon was powerful, known for his wisdom and riches. Anyone who wants to be on his good side needs to show him respect, and so respect is shown to the king, to royalty.

We see this in movies, and we see it today. No, there aren't kings quite like in past history, but today we have presidents and prime ministers. And those who are allies pay homage to one another, through state visits, through treaties, through cordial communications. And why pay homage? Why show respect to one in power? For safety, perhaps. It’s good to have lots of friends if you need help defending yourself from an enemy. For commerce. It is good to have good trade partners.

When the wise men came to pay homage to Jesus, they brought him very costly gifts. Even in giving these gifts, they were fulfilling prophecy, among many fulfilled prophecies: Is 60:6

Isaiah 60:6 ESV

A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.

What does bringing gifts have to do with it? We understand salvation as a free gift, so why do we need to give to Him? And what does that have to do with Sanctification, being purified? I will tell you. We give to Him not because it will secure us protection, or wealth, or anything else. We give to Him because He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. IN the identity of a great political leader today, we don’t ask why we would treat them with respect, we do because they are in a position that merits our respect.

Jesus Christ is imminently deserving of our homage. He deserves all that we have. He does demand our allegiance but not all give it. He requires it but does not force it yet. There will be a day when every knee will bow. If he wanted to now, how easy it would be for God to forcibly make everyone believe and follow? Very easy. And yet we have that choice. Our choice, predicated on our understanding of who He is, should be driven not based on what He has done and will do for us, but on who He is. He deserves our respect. We must pay homage to Him who was born King.

When we talk about sanctification, there are many areas in our lives that should be examined. Over our time of growth and maturing, we revisit areas of concern, we will preach the entirety of scripture and see how then we ought to live. We speak of sanctification, and within our group, there are likely many critical areas that we as individuals need to work on, as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Today, I want to focus on our sanctification as it has to do with the value we place on others, particularly in our families and in the church, but beyond that, the world.

In the past I have spoken about slavery. The devaluing of human life in our world. We sometimes think there isn't much we can do about it. That is wrong thinking. You may think that your life here in Palm Beach County does not have a huge impact on the world, but it does. Each of us need to refocus on our efforts to once again preach the sermon of the value of life, and we can preach it with our actions towards others, and when we begin showing the utmost value to those closest to us, it will spill out into the world, an unstoppable force for the kingdom of God. If you don’t believe me, try it anyway and prove me wrong. But I believe we need to always seek to do better in our relationships, and if we are willing to work on this, we will see the fruit of it. We can and will impact our world, starting in our own families and beginning inside the walls of the church.

I read once about a church that had t-shirts made that said “The church has left the building”. In other words, you are the church. The Holy Spirit resides in you and goes with you. The Holy Spirit is not confined in “God’s House”. I think it is alright to understand the church as God’s house, but not the building. He said He does not reside in a building made by human hands, but His Holy Spirit does reside in each believer. The church is not a building, it is the people of God. So when that church wore their t-shirts that said “the church has left the building”, it was a reminder to them and a witness to outsiders that the church is not a building, nor a property, now even the membership and its bylaws, it is all people with faith in the biblical Jesus as Savior and Lord.

If the church is people, then we need to focus on our relationships. What does this have to do with sanctification? Everything. Because in our sanctification, our process whereby we are becoming more like Christ by the empowerment and by the council of the Holy Spirit, it is relationships that are the biggest struggle. Sometimes we can’t stand the people in our very own family. Sometimes we even hate them. We have seen what happens when the family of God cannot get along. Painful divisions come and rob us of one of the most precious gifts of God: Christian fellowship.

Philippians 2:1–11 ESV

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In the Christmas story, we see Christ our sanctifier, and as He sanctifies us, we will be an easy project for Him if we submit to His sanctification process. Our relationships must be treated with as much effort and attention as any other aspect of Christian living. You could abstain from immorality, but if you hate your brother, if you cannot forgive your brother, you cannot be forgiven by God. Another way to look at it is if you have no forgiveness for your brother, you probably have not really received forgiveness yourself. Until you have experienced the forgiveness that comes from God, a forgiveness that comes from one humbling themselves before Him, you will not be able to forgive others.

Perhaps there is someone you feel you hate. Even if that is hyperbole, we should admit our difficulty in showing love. Yet, out of submission to Jesus, we can do the painful work of showing kindnesses others. They may not have deserved it. They may not appreciate it. With salvation, you may not have deserved it. You may not always appreciate it. But God grants you repentance anyway if you believe in Him.

How can you prepare for Christmas this year? What kindness can you show, right here in your church family, perhaps to someone that you have a very difficult time loving? Is it even possible when we are flawed people, with evil hearts?

It is possible because we are given the Holy Spirit to empower us.

Philippians 2:12–18 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

This ends the sermon, and brings us right into communion. Communion is not just between you and Jesus. Communion is for the family of God. If you are a visitor, or not a member, you are welcome to take communion with us, so long as you have repented of the sin your have committed and received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

1 Corinthians 11:23–32 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

When Paul talks of discerning the body, what does he mean? I realize that the time we take communion is a time to reflect on our own relationship with Christ. We ought to reflect on that every day, and especially when we have communion. But I think Paul here is talking about the Body of Christ, the family of God. Discerning the body is a crucial element. It is about our relationships, not only as individuals before Christ, but as a family as well.

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