The World's Savior Receives Proper Worship!

Epiphany Sunday, 1/2/11
Matthew 2:1-12


The World’s Savior Receives Proper Worship!
I. From faith-filled Gentile hearts
II. With love-filled Gentile gifts


Are you familiar with the term “worship wars?” If not, I would say that’s a good thing because it means you haven’t experienced it. But that certainly isn’t the case among many Christian congregations today. I’ve been told that entire church bodies are polarized over which type of worship is better, and usually the two choices are traditional and contemporary. Thankfully, for the most part our beloved synod has been spared such infighting. Certainly we have discussions about what God-pleasing worship is and there are WELS congregations that offer one or the other or both types of worship. There are even those that blend the two. But by and large, the over-riding principle is offering our Savior God worship that is Christ-centered and pleasing to him.

Maybe you’ve never thought about it, but that’s exactly what the Magi offered Jesus on that day that they visited him. It was God-pleasing worship. There was no church building. We aren’t told they played any musical instruments—organ, piano, trumpets, guitars or otherwise. We’re not sure if they sang a hymn or other song. We don’t know if they offered a confession of their sins or if they joined in confessing him as their Savior. I imagine they offered a prayer, silent or spoken. And yet even without all these, what they offered him was proper worship. Matthew’s inspired text simply tells us that they bowed down and worshipped him and then presented him with gifts.

That was worship worthy of the world’s Savior and the Son of God was pleased to receive it.

Today we’ve gathered on this Epiphany Sunday to worship the same Savior and to celebrate the truth that he is the world’s Savior. As we do so, may the same be said of our worship. The world’s Savior receives proper worship. So that he does receive proper worship, let’s see what it is as displayed in the Magi.

Part I.

I’ve mentioned the Magi several times already. Christians used to call them the wisemen. Many still do. As familiar as they are to the Christmas story, we really don’t know much about them. Countless manger scenes present them riding in on camels and visiting the Savior at the manger. But we know that much isn’t true. Matthew tells us that they came to the house where Jesus was quite some time after he was born. But just who were they? The title “Magi” was used of a particular caste in Persian society. They were highly educated men, often experts in the fields of astronomy and astrology. The first time we meet such men is in the Book of Daniel where we’re told that Daniel was placed in charge of them. Matthew tells us that theme from the east and I think it’s safe to say that they came from the area known then as Persia, the area of Iraq today. But I can’t say that for sure. In fact, we don’t even know how many Magi there were. There may have been three, each presenting one gift to Jesus, but we’re not told that. There may have been two or ten or twenty or more. And as soon as they appear, they leave and we don’t hear of them again.

As mysterious as they were, however, one thing is no mystery and that’s the faith that they possessed. That faith caused them to make the journey to worship their Savior. And we wonder, “How did they even get such a faith?” Well, if these men were from Persia, it’s likely that they had contact with other Jews living in Persia. Perhaps that contact with God’s people went all the way back to the time of Daniel, some 500 years ago. Perhaps they had a copy of the Old Testament which was available at that time in the Greek language. We’re not sure how, but somehow God’s promise to send the world a Savior through the Jews was shared with them.

And through that message faith in that Savior was worked the way it always is—by the almighty power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit used the message of the Savior who has come—for many of us attached to the water of Holy Baptism—to work saving faith in us. He used the message of the Savior was coming to work faith in these Magi. As in every case, it was a miracle.

When that promise to send a Savior was fulfilled, somehow the Lord used the appearance of a star to convey that message to the Magi. Again, we’re just not sure what this star was. It appeared to them in the east and then disappeared. Then it reappeared once they arrived in Jerusalem. Matthew tells us, “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 overjoyed.”

They knew that the Lord was using the star to lead them to Jesus. About the only thing I can tell you about this star is that it was another miracle of the Lord and he used it to connect these men with the only Savior they would ever have, the only Savior the world would ever have. The Magi trusted that this Child was that promised Savior of the world. And they were filled saving faith in him and that faith moved them to come and worship him.

The world’s Savior receives proper worship from faith-filled Gentile hearts.

Without a doubt the importance of this event is that these men were Gentiles, not Jews. In receiving their worship Jesus assures us that he is the world’s Savior and thus our Savior. But don’t miss their act of worship. Yes, it’s important that their worship was an act of faith, but it’s even more important that in their worship the Lord fed their faith. That’s what makes worship so important. As they bowed before him in faith they were holding on to the promise that this was their Savior and at the same time the Lord was strengthening their faith that he was their Savior. Yes, they had come to visit him, likely hundreds of miles on dusty roads. But he was also coming to them. And that’s just what he does for us each time we Gentiles worship him. Your worship isn’t simply another weekly task. Don’t view worship as an item to be checked off your “to-do” list. Make it a faith-response event and then a faith-nurture event. It’s not what worship takes from you; it’s what worship gives you. Here our Savior meets with us in word and sacrament to strengthen our faith. He brings us his forgiveness for all sins, including our less than holy worship motives, and assures us of our life with him. The Magi knew that forgiveness and so do we. They bowed in faith-filled worship, and so do we.

Part II.

I don’t know if you share my opinion, but television advertising for politicians is the bottom of the advertising barrel. And, in my mind, most of the Christmas advertising is just above it. For nearly two months it seems like that’s all you see and hear. I’m glad it’s over, at least for another 10 months.

But giving gifts is an appropriate way to celebrate Christmas. How else should we respond to receiving the greatest Gift anyone could ever receive?

And that’s the reason that an opportunity to give our gifts to the Lord is a part of our worship. He blesses us through his word and sacraments and we respond by thanking him with our gifts.

I imagine a good deal of thought went into the gifts mentioned here in our text. When the Magi first saw the star in the east and connected it with the birth of their Savior, they decided to go and worship him. And immediately their thoughts turned to what they should bring to give him. Well, what’s the appropriate gift for a King? Obviously, the best that they had. Their gold, incense and myrrh represented the best earthly gifts that they had.

Some scholars find significance in the three gifts. Gold is a precious metal fit for royalty, this time for divine Royalty. Incense was used in worship and may represent that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. Myrrh was used in the embalming process and might symbolize the true humanity of Jesus and thus his suffering and death for the sins of the world. Even if the Magi didn’t intend some significance with each, they were fitting gifts all the same.

And because they came from hearts of faith, the Lord Jesus received them. As expressions of their love for him he was pleased with them. As some of the best they possessed, these gifts were tangible evidence of what Jesus meant to them. They were a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy regarding Gentiles bringing gifts of gold and incense to him. They were evidence of the truth that Jesus had come from the Jews to be the Savior, not just of the Jews, but of every sinner.

The world’s Savior receives proper worship with love-filled Gentile gifts.

Gentiles are still bringing him their love-filled gifts. We’ll have an opportunity to do so in a few minutes. But don’t limit that to what you place in an offering plate. Let your gift begin with your life. Take all that you are and have and render it to the Lord. Place yourself in service to him. That’s our daily worship. But that’s not so easy to do because we struggle with a sinful nature that’s selfish and stingy. And that sinful nature receives daily, constant support from our materialistic world. But the world’s Savior has overcome our world and our sinful nature. He conquered them through his death and resurrection. He washes our sins away and through his word and sacraments he empowers us for godly living—an offering that is pleasing to him. That’s worship that our Savior is pleased to receive every day of our lives. May your love for him empower you to offer him that gift in saving joy. Amen.