Jesus Was Born and They Worshipped Him

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”  (Luke 2:19, ESV)
As my baby boy stirs in the crib next to me, my heart is filled with wonder.  The Lord has blessed me and my husband with our first son. We look into his sweet face and anticipate with excitement what his future will hold.  We treasure him.
​We also treasure the events surrounding his birth... but when I read that Mary too treasured the events surrounding the birth of her son, I am keenly aware of my inability to even come close to understanding the awe and wonder of the birth of her baby...  Jesus.  
​Her baby… was worshipped.  
“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7, ESV)

A fragile baby.  Wrapped in swaddling cloths.  Jesus was born… And they worshipped Him. 

How amazing this concept is to me!  There have been times when I haven’t beheld the story of Jesus’ birth with the reverence that it deserves. This was God.  Jesus.  Not just a baby wrapped in cloths, but God wrapped in flesh.  Immanuel, God with us.  The anticipated savior of the world had come to us.  He has come to us!
And the only natural response to this astounding truth is worship.  
​      1. Mary Worshipped by Submitting After being told that she would bear the holy Son of God, this was her response:
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38, ESV)
Mary was told that something would happen to her that in the natural was impossible.  She initially found it hard to believe, but the angel assured her that nothing is impossible with God.  I’m sure even after that, she still didn’t understand, but she chose to believe and submitted her entire self to the will of the Lord.  

Worship
      2.  Joseph Worshipped by Obeying An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and instructed him to take Mary as his wife.  Again, the angel was asking Joseph to have faith. To believe that his wife had conceived through the Holy Spirit was surely not easy.  But he chose to believe and he chose to obey.  “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son.  And he called his name Jesus.” (Matthew 2:24-25, ESV).

 Worship.
        3.  The Angel of the Lord Worshipped by Proclaiming “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their     flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’”  (Luke 2: 8-12, ESV)

The angel of the Lord not only proclaimed the birth of the Savior, but he told the Shepherds where they could find Him. Are we doing the same?  “Good news! Good news! Jesus is here!  Come let me show you where you can find Him!”  

Worship.
      4.  The Multitude of the Heavenly Host worshipped by Singing
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.’” (Luke 2:13, ESV)While we don’t know for sure if they were singing or not, the word “praising” means to praise, extol, or to sing praises in honour to God.
One way or another they were using words to honor God, to lift His name up, to bless Him, to give Him glory.

Worship
      5.  The Shepherds Worshipped by Celebrating “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (Luke 2: 20, ESV)
Can you imagine their excitement?  And they found Jesus. What the angels said was true. The Messiah was here.  While we don’t know exactly what they did to glorify and praise God, there is this sense that they were recalling all the events they had just encountered.  They were returning to the fields filled with amazement, pouring out praises to the Lord.

Worship.
      6. The Wise Men Worshipped by Giving “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.”  (Matthew 2:10-11, ESV)

They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy!  I love that!  And it was out of that great joy that they freely gave the newborn king their gifts.  They knew He was worthy of all they could give. They did not hesitate.

Worship.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men worshipped Jesus because they knew he was no ordinary baby.  He was and is the hope for the entire world.  The Savior who restores us to the Father.  The Savior who heals, who gives new life and makes us whole.  The King of kings. The Lord of lords.

He is here!  I pray that this Christmas we would really ponder what that means and let the glory of it all truly sink in.  And then I pray that we would be filled with worship.  

How will you worship this Christmas?  

Will you submit your heart in that situation you just don’t understand?  Will you give your whole self willingly to Jesus?  Will you obey, even if that means denying yourself?  Even if that means that others won’t understand?  Will you obey so that Jesus can be seen in your life?   Will you proclaim the good news about Jesus the Christ and take others to see Him?   Will you sing?  Will you rejoice?  Will you celebrate the good news that Jesus came? Will you give?  Will you give your time, your resources and all that you have?   

O Come Let us Adore Him, Christ the Lord!