03.03. Come to Worship- Shepherds and Wise Men

Come to Worship- The Shepherds and Wise Men Luke 2:1-52; Matthew 2:1-23

    Tennessee Titans center Kevin Long, who played under Coach Bobby Bowden at Florida State University, said his college coach inspired the team with parables. Long recounted a favorite story:

[Bowden] was playing college baseball, and he had never hit a home run. Finally he hit one down the right-field line, into the corner. He rounds first and looks to the third base coach. He turned at second, was halfway to third and the coach was still waving him on. He got to home, he hit the plate. He had his first home run, he was so excited and everybody was slapping him five. Then the pitcher took the ball, threw to the first baseman, and the umpire called him out.

[Coach Bowden] said, "If you don’t take care of first base, it doesn’t matter what you do. If you don’t honor the Lord first, it doesn’t matter what else you do." The Tennessean by Rubel Shelley The images of the Christmas story are many. We see the manger scenes on our American landscape that depict the event long ago. We have visited with Mary during the last few weeks and talked about things she treasured in her heart and the things that we need to treasure in ours during the Christmas time. We talked about a journey of faith when we looked in on Joseph and his faith in the virgin birth. He calls us to believe. Today we look at two totally different groups that are separated by society about every way possible. One was poor the others rich. One was a common man the others aristocrats. One had gifts to give the others did not. May we look at the scenes of Christmas and come away with a sense that we are all called to come to worship. May we take care of first base this Christmas season.

I- The Shepherds Worship:

    Let’s look at the story again of the announcement to the shepherds.

    Luke 2:6-20 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

    The shepherds we privy to the greatest announcement made to mankind. They were in the fields tending their sheep and protecting them from wolves, thieves and all sorts of dangers. They would usually do about a three hour shift to watch.

    A- The angel appeared to them. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

    We certainly can understand their fear. The angel gives them the message of the birth of Jesus and where to find him. Suddenly the sky was full of angels celebrating the birth.

    B- Decision to check it out. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

    They made a decision to check out the message and came and found Jesus just as they were told. Who watched the sheep? I have always wondered. Many times we have to leave things in the hands of God to protect while we do more important things. To truly worship we need to lose ourselves in God and His presence.    

Deeply immersed in meditation during a church service, Italian poet Dante Alighieri failed to kneel at the appropriate moment. His enemies hurried to the bishop and demanded that Dante be punished for his sacrilege. Dante defended himself by saying, "If those who accuse me had had their eyes and minds on God, as I had, they too would have failed to notice events around them, and they most certainly would not have noticed what I was doing." Today in the Word, March 10, 1993.

These shepherds had their eyes on the Messiah. They went to see and worship. They call us to worship. They call us to leave the things of the world for a few moments to engage our hearts and mind on God. C- Rejoicing over the Story. Luke 2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

    The shepherd did not quit their worship when they left the presence of the Christ child. Notice they continued to worship and praise God for what they heard seen and were told. My, my, can we be so bold to speculate that Mary and Joseph told them of the events that took place in their life. May we speculate that the shepherd were privy to the testimony of the virgin birth first hand. Let us again rejoice over the story of the birth. We are being called to worship.

II- The Wise Men Worship:

    The next group we come to is what is known commonly as the three wise men.

Matthew 2:1-12 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. The wise men came to King Herod in Jerusalem, the capital of the area at the time. Concerning these men Barnes Notes says:

"The persons here denoted were philosophers, priests, or astronomers. They lived chiefly in Persia and Arabia. They were the learned men of the Eastern nations. devoted to astronomy, to religion, and to medicine. They were held in high esteem by the Persian court, were admitted as counsellors, and followed the camps in war to give advice."

There is some debate over exactly where they came from. It could have been Persia or Arabia. Perhaps they knew to watch for the Messiah because of the captivity of the Jews and especially a man named Daniel who prophesied of His coming. After an enquiry it was determined that Bethlehem would be the place. It is only some 6 or 7 miles south of Jerusalem. There are some interesting things that Herod enquired about. One was when they saw the star. Matthew 2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. May I say that this star was the announcement of the birth. The star had not gone before them as they made their journey of perhaps many months. The evidence of this is that when it reappeared they rejoiced. Matthew 2:9-10 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

    Another reason is that if they had been lead by the star that was sent from God it would have lead them to the Christ Child.

Notice they arrive at the "HOUSE" and fell down and worshipped. One obvious difference in these and the shepherds is that they brought gifts. These were given in an act of worship. A- Worship of the is for Rich and Poor: One of the most obvious things that jumps out is that worship of the Messiah was not limited to only the poor. Christianity is not a crutch for the poor. B- The presence of the Gift did not mean the worship was any greater. "...¹¹and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

    Research psychologists have found there are at least three situations when we are not ourselves. First, the average person puts on airs when he visits the lobby of a fancy hotel. Next, the typical Jane Doe will try to hide her emotions and bamboozle the salesman when she enters the new-car showroom. And finally, as we take our seat in church or synagogue, we try to fake out the Almighty that we’ve really been good all week. Dr. Perry Buffington, licensed psychologist, author, columnist, "Playing Charades," Universal Press Syndicate (9-26-99)

    C- Worship can be spontaneous or planned. The shepherd presented themselves to the Child in worship. They did not have the time to get together the gifts. Theirs was a spontaneous worship. The wise men on the other had as they traveled over the months probably rehearsed what they would do and say many time and many ways.

III- The Significance:

Take the year 1809. The international scene was tumultuous. Napoleon was sweeping through Austria; blood was flowing freely. Nobody then cared about babies. But the world was overlooking some terribly significant births. For example, William Gladstone was born that year. He was destined to become one of England’s finest statesman. That same year, Alfred Tennyson was born to an obscure minister and his wife. The child would one day greatly affect the literary world in a marked manner. On the American continent, Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And not far away in Boston, Edgar Allan Poe began his eventful, albeit tragic, life. It was also in that same year that a physician named Darwin and his wife named their child Charles Robert. And that same year produced the cries of a newborn infant in a rugged log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. The baby’s name? Abraham Lincoln. If there had been news broadcasts at that time, I’m certain these words would have been heard: "The destiny of the world is being shaped on an Austrian battlefield today." But history was actually being shaped in the cradles of England and America. Similarly, everyone thought taxation was the big news—when Jesus was born. But a young Jewish woman cradled the biggest news of all: the birth of the Saviour. Adapted from Charles Swindoll Does the worship of the shepherds and the wise men move us to worship. Have we been trying to fool God today or have we been called and draw into worshipping Him.