During Advent this year, we’re focusing on the story of the Wisemen who visited baby Jesus. The Wisemen traveled a long way to worship Jesus, and when they found Him, they didn’t come empty-handed. They brought gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—to honor Him as their King. Today, we’ll look at their example and think about the gifts we can bring to Jesus. How can we give Him the best of our time, talents, and treasures? And how can we make our lives a gift of worship to Him?
Matthew 2:7-11
7 Then
Herod called for a private meeting with the Wisemen, and he learned from them
the time when the star first appeared. 8
Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the
child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and
worship him, too!”
9 After this interview
the Wisemen went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them
to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child
was. 10 When they saw the
star, they were filled with joy! 11
They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and
they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and
gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Last week, we learned that King Herod was a paranoid and ruthless tyrant, willing to kill anyone to keep his power. When the Wisemen arrived in Jerusalem asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” it sent shockwaves through the city. A new king? That was a dangerous and risky question. Herod had already killed his wife, his own son, and dozens of other people to protect his throne. What terrible actions might this news from strangers in the East bring to Jerusalem?
But Herod, always the cunning and deceitful schemer, hid his true intentions behind a fake smile. He lied to the Wisemen, saying, “I want to go worship him too!” In reality, Herod’s plan was to find Jesus and kill Him, eliminating any threat to his throne.
Herod
pretended to want to worship Jesus, but his true motive was to eliminate a
threat to his power. Sadly, some people today also fake their worship of Jesus.
They may say they worship Him, and they might even think they do, but their
actions reveal a different motive. Instead of surrendering to Jesus, they try
to use Him—to control, manipulate, or get something they want. That’s not true
worship.
False
worship is self-centered. It focuses on
what we can gain, how we can benefit, or how Jesus fits into our plans. It
seeks to control rather than submit.
True
worship is God-centered. It’s about
honoring Jesus for who He is—our Savior, our King, and our Lord. True worship
surrenders everything to Him with humility, love, and devotion. I often see people treating Jesus as little more than a good luck charm…
So,
what about you? Is your worship real? Are you approaching Jesus with a heart
that seeks to honor Him, or are you trying to fit Him into your own plans? What is your true attitude in worship?
The Wisemen followed the star to Bethlehem, where they found Mary and the baby, Jesus. The Bible says they bowed down, worshipped Him, and opened their treasure chests to present Him with gifts.
The
New Living Translation (NLT) uses the phrase “treasure chest,” which is an
interesting way to describe it. My mom recently told me that one of her most
cherished possessions is a wooden chest her dad built. Inside, she keeps
precious keepsakes like photos, newspaper clippings, baby shoes, and other mementos. These
items aren’t worth much money, but they are treasures to her. In that sense,
her chest really is a treasure chest.
The
Wisemen also brought treasure chests, but theirs held the most valuable things
they had—gifts they wanted to give to the newborn King. They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
When we worship, we’re called to give Christ our very best. So, what’s in your treasure chest that you want to offer to Jesus? Is it your time, your talents, or your resources? What will you give to honor the King?
The Wisemen brought gold as a gift for Jesus because it symbolized royalty and honor. Gold was and is a precious and rare metal, often associated with kings and their wealth. By offering gold, the Wisemen were declaring that Jesus was no ordinary child—He was the King of the Jews, the long-awaited Messiah. Indeed, He was Lord of all. Remember, the Wisemen were not from Israel. They had no obligation to give tribute to a king of Israel. Their visit and gifts signified they recognized Jesus as Lord of all the earth. He was the King of kings!
But
gold wasn’t just a symbol of Jesus’ kingship; it was also a practical gift. It
could have provided Mary and Joseph with the resources they needed to flee to
Egypt when Herod sought to kill Jesus. This shows us that God’s provision is
not only symbolic but also practical, meeting needs in real and tangible ways.
The
gift of gold reminds us to honor Jesus as our King. Just as the Wisemen gave
their best to Jesus, we are called to offer Him our very best—our time,
talents, and treasures—as an act of worship and recognition of His rule in our
lives.
The Wisemen brought frankincense as a gift for Jesus, a choice rich with spiritual meaning. Frankincense was a valuable resin often used in temple worship as part of the incense burned before God. It symbolized prayer, worship, and the divine presence of God.
By
offering frankincense, the Wisemen were acknowledging Jesus not just as a King,
but as divine. This gift pointed to His role as the Great High Priest, the one
who would bridge the gap between God and humanity. It reminds us that Jesus is
worthy of our worship, for He is God in the flesh, come to dwell among us.
The
gift of frankincense challenges us to reflect on our worship. Are we offering
our lives as a fragrant offering to Him? Just as the Wisemen bowed before Jesus
with their gifts, we are invited to bow before Him in awe and worship, honoring
Him as our Savior and Lord.
The Wisemen brought myrrh as a gift for Jesus, and it carried deep symbolism. Myrrh was a valuable resin used in perfumes, anointing oils, and burial preparations. By offering myrrh, the Wisemen pointed to Jesus’ future mission as the Savior who would suffer and die for the sins of the world.
Myrrh’s
connection to burial foreshadowed the sacrifice Jesus would make on the cross.
Even as a child, this gift recognized His ultimate purpose: to save humanity
through His death and resurrection. It reminds us that Jesus was born not just
to live among us but to give His life for us.
The
gift of myrrh challenges us to consider how we honor Jesus’ sacrifice. Are we
willing to give Him our whole lives in response to the love and grace He has
shown us? Just as the Wisemen offered myrrh, we are called to offer ourselves
completely to the One who gave everything for us.
The Wisemen brought their best gifts to Jesus—gold for a King, frankincense for the Divine, and myrrh for the Savior who would sacrifice Himself for the world. Their offerings weren’t just valuable treasures; they were acts of worship, symbols of their devotion and recognition of who Jesus is.
So,
what about us? What gifts are we bringing to Jesus? True worship isn’t about
fancy presents or extravagant gestures. It’s about offering Jesus the best of
who we are—our time, our talents, our resources, and most importantly, our
hearts. Every day, in the way we live, speak, and serve, we have the chance to
offer gifts to Jesus that honor Him as our King, Savior, and Lord.
As
we prepare for Christmas, I challenge you to reflect on what you are giving to
Jesus. Are you holding back, or are you giving Him your best? Think about how
you can offer your time in prayer and worship, your talents to serve others,
and your resources to build His Kingdom.
The
Wisemen traveled far and gave generously to worship Jesus. What will you bring to Him today?
Song - “The Little Drummer Boy”
Come they told me, parrrumpapumpum,
a new born King to see, parrrumpapumpum.
Our finest gifts we bring, parrrumpapumpum,
to lay before the King, parrrumpapumpum, rumpapumpum, rumpapumpum.
So to honor Him, parrrumpapumpum, when we come.
Little Baby, parrrumpapumpum,
I am a poor boy too, parrrumpapumpum,
I have no gift to bring, parrrumpapumpum,
that’s fit to give a King, parrrumpapumpum, rumpapumpum, rumpapumpum.
Shall I play for you, parrrumpapumpum, on my drum.
Mary nodded yes, parrrumpapumpum.
The ox and lamb kept time, parrrumpapumpum.
I played my drum for him, parrrumpapumpum.
I played my best for him, parrrumpapumpum, rumpapumpum, rumpapumpum.
Then he smiled at me, parrrumpapum pum—me and my drum.
