Ministry Leader Pastor Cheyne Day: The Significance of Christmas

“What would motivate these Wise Men to travel a month’s-long journey of hundreds of miles? According to the text, their purpose was to follow ‘His star’ to lead them to worship ‘the King of the Jews’ (Matthew 2:2). Who was this King? He was the Christ child, the promised Messiah who would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29), the One worthy of worship.“When the Wise Men arrived, they fell down before the Christ child and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:10-11). Gold reminds us of His royalty (fit for a King), frankincense reminds us of His divinity (used for worship), and myrrh reminds us of His destiny (used for burial).

“There is coming a day when ‘EVERY KNEE WILL BOW’ before Jesus and every tongue will declare that ‘Christ is Lord’ (Philippians 2:10-11). The question is not whether we will bow before Him. The question is whether we will recognize His identity as God’s Son, the true King who offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. His resurrection on the third day served notice that He is worthy of worship as ‘KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS’ (Revelation 19:16).

“No matter where or how far our Christmas vacations take us this year, may our hearts follow the path of the Wise Men in leading us to worship Jesus, the Christ child born in Bethlehem. Will you surrender your life and worship Him today?”

If you wish to read or download Ralph Drollinger’s Bible study, “Leading the Family Devotions at Christmas,” visit capmin.org/Bible-studies.