THEY FELL DOWN AND WORSHIPPED HIM

Matt.2:11 – Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The lost or carnal man can never understand why someone would give their treasure to the Lord. This conflict isn’t new and has been around as long as man has been on the earth. You might remember that the first murder happened over an argument about giving, Cain was offended by Abel’s offering so he killed him. Then who can forget Ananias and Saphira in the book of Acts, they lost their lives when lying about an offering. But I guess the most disturbing offering drama of all was when Judas confronted Mary about her offering of expensive perfume. I am not sure if Judas was more upset about the price of the perfume or Mary’s extravagant worship, both seemed to be offensive to Judas. What the wise men did when they worshipped Jesus was what wise men have been doing from the beginning of time, hearts opened in worship must bring an offering to the Lord. It is what grateful hearts just have to do. Here is how Spurgeon describes this moment.

“ And now, after you have worshipped Christ in your soul, and seen him with the eye of faith, it will not need that I should say to you, give him yourself, give him your heart, give him your substance. Why, you will not be able to help doing it. He who really loves the Savior in his heart, cannot help devoting to him his life, his strength, his all.…..“The love of Christ constrains us.” If it does not constrain us, it is because it is not in us. It is not merely a thing which ought to be, it must be. If any man love Christ, he will very soon be finding out ways and means of proving his love by his sacrifices. Go home, Mary, and fetch the alabaster box, and pour the ointment on his head, and if any say, “Wherefore is this waste?” thou wilt have a good reply, thou hast had much forgiven thee, and therefore thou lovest much. If thou hast gold, give it; if thou hast frankincense, give it; if thou hast myrrh, give it to Jesus; and if thou hast none of these things, give him thy love, all thy love, and that will be gold and spices all in one; give him thy tongue, speak of him; give him thy hands, work for him; give him thy whole self. I know thou wilt, for he loved thee, and gave himself for thee.”

Sacrificial giving only makes sense to those whose hearts are full because they have tasted the love of God. When redemption becomes real, when the blood of the cross becomes real, we have to open our treasures whatever that may look like. For the wise men it was gold, frankincense, and myrrh. For us it may be our very lives, our talents and our treasures, as we realize just how amazing His love is for us.