We Have Come to Worship Him
The account of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ recorded in the two gospels of Matthew and Luke is filled with much drama as well as intrigue. Matthew seeks to speak to a largely Jewish Audience while Luke addresses Gentile readers.
In the account written by Matthew he recounts the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ’s humanity connecting Him to Abraham and David as well as Joseph, who though not related to the Lord as a father through blood, is yet legally His guardian.
Having recounted the human genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ Matthew proceeds in chapter 2 to declare the narrative of the birth of the Lord Jesus and the surrounding events from His birth including that of the arrival of wise men.
The writer particularly emphasises the attitude and behaviour of king Herod, the chief priests and scribes towards the news conveyed to them by the wise men from the east of one who is born King of the Jews in the town of Bethlehem as.
What is remarkable about this narrative is the very contrasting reaction to the coming of the Lord Jesus between the visitors from the east and the men of Jerusalem with the wise men anxious, joyous and ardent on one hand while Herod as well as the rest of Jerusalem are troubled and dismissive.
We Will not Worship Him
As one considers the characters of Herod and the chief priests in this narrative one cannot help but see the similarities between them and the rest of the world regarding their reaction to the rule as well as Kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Like Herod and the rest of Jerusalem many today both in the wider church and outside of it are antagonistic or disdainful towards the rule and worship of Christ seeing Him as both a threat to their selfish desires as well as an inconvenience.
What continues to amaze is that many in the world today are willing to have the holiday at Christmas, sing carols, light up Christmas trees, send cards to even those they despise and yet increasingly want to obliterate the memory of Christ.
So antagonistic are men to the name of the Christ that they will not have the mention of it at Christmas anymore whether that be on cards, in greetings or even in the singing of carols that reference the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For instance it is reported that some school in Europe has removed every reference of angels, the name of Christ or even the name of God from carols sang at their Christmas plays on the pretext that Christianity is not inclusive.
The words of the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke Chapter 19 verses 12 and 14 come to bear and we quote:-
” He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return……. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.”
Nonetheless all that oppose the rule of Christ shall like Herod and all others finally bow the knee when the Christ returns to judge the world and to reconstitute all things with the creation of new heavens and a new earth.
Indeed the Lord Jesus Christ shall soon come back to have all things completely subject to Him as He said in Revelation 22 verse 12 “And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
As we come to the close of the year may we be true seekers of the Lord Jesus Christ and may we humble ourselves casting aside our proud self rule in order to embrace the rule of God through His Son yielding to Him in repentance and faith.
Amen.