God’s Line in the Sand
I’m a college football fan. I root for two teams—Oklahoma State and Utah. For years I never had to choose between the two. They were in different conferences. They never played each other. Until they did. When conference realignment happened, they both ended up in the Big 12. Then I knew—there comes a time in life when you have to choose. I chose my Alma Mater, Oklahoma State. And, of course, Utah won.
Here’s the good news. Choosing a football team to root for isn’t a destiny-defining decision. Who wins or loses has no eternal bearing on our lives. But Christmas does! Having just celebrated the birth of Christ we need to remember that. Christmas is a line God draws in the sand. The Word become flesh—God become man—forces each of us to choose. What will we do with Jesus? How will we respond to him?
The story of the Magi (Matthew 2) reveals three options. Like Herod, we can actively resist Jesus (see verses 13-16). This, of course, is insanity. Jesus is “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Those who resist him are destined to perish. But open resistance isn’t the only condemnable response to Christ’s coming at Christmas. We can also choose apathy. Apathy was the response of the chief priests, religious teachers, and people of Jerusalem. There’s no indication any of them openly resisted Jesus. They simply ignored him. They knew their Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. But when the Magi informed them of his arrival, no one seemed interested in taking the six-mile trip to welcome him (see Matthew 2:1-6).
It’s the Magi who model the only proper response to the birth of “God with us”. Worship! In Matthew 2:1-2 we read, “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.’”
But what does genuine worship look like. In the example of the Magi we discover that genuine worship of Jesus is first marked by intentionality. We are fallen people. Worshiping anyone other than ourselves doesn’t come naturally. There’s a price to be paid—a commitment to be made.
The Magi were likely in Persia when they saw the star that announced Christ’s birth. I suppose they could have stayed home, sang a few songs, said a few prayers—and then gone out for a bite to eat. But for them, that wasn’t enough. The Magi had been looking for that star a long time. Hundreds of years before, it seems men like Daniel had told the Persians about the coming King. So, when the Magi saw his star, their hearts compelled them to find him. They had to see him for themselves. They longed to bow in his presence. That’s why they procured their supplies, loaded their camels, and set out on a six-to-eight-hundred-mile expedition across the desert in search of the newborn King.
They were intentional. For months on end, the Magi ordered their schedule, expended their energy, and invested their resources for the sake of genuine worship. Do we do the same? Are we intentional in our pursuit of an ever-deepening relationship with Christ through prayer, God’s Word, and the fellowship of other believers?
Of course, along with intentionality, genuine worship requires submission. Matthew 2:11 reads, “On coming to the house, they (the Magi) saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and incense and of myrrh.
Can you picture the scene? The Magi were powerful men. They were the royal priests of Persia. They played a significant role in choosing kings. And here we find them, bowing down to a toddler in a diaper—laying their treasures at his feet—acknowledging him as Lord. Have you done the same? Do you acknowledge Christ, not only as Savior, but also as Lord? Is your life marked by submission to him?
That said, let me ask: Is genuine worship a dutiful, humorless task? Is God’s call to intentionality and submission burdensome? I’ll let the Magi answer the question. In Matthew 2:9-10. We read, “After they had heard the king (that is King Herod), they (the Magi) went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were…” What? “When they saw the star they were overjoyed.”
Don’t miss it! In the end, choosing worship is choosing joy! Whatever their sacrifice, once in the presence of their King, the Magi would have gladly sacrificed more. Never forget! Choosing worship is choosing forgiveness and life. Choosing worship is choosing reconciliation and friendship with God. Forever. What could be better than that?
On the first Christmas God drew his line in the sand. On Christmas, the Word became flesh! And now we must choose. What will you do with Jesus? Resist him like Herod? Ignore him like all Jerusalem? Or worship him like the Magi? Choose wisely. Your decision determines your destiny.
Thanks for reading. If you have questions or comments contact me at deanpshriver@gmail.com.