Worship Like a King
Family Christmas traditions help make the holidays just a bit more special. One of my favorite Christmas traditions as a child was getting to look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve in Lake Ransom Canyon. But if you ask my wife, my current “favorite” tradition is complaining about how the Wise Men were not at the manger on the night of Christ’s birth (Matthew 2). But I digress a bit, as a child blown away with all of the over the top lighting displays, one seemed to catch my attention more than others every year. It was a simple depiction of the shepherds staring at a star suspended on the top of the canyon wall. Looking back on it now, I think this display caught my attention because the shepherds were not at the manger but looking at the star.
My most recent picture of the Lake Ransom Canyon Shepherds near Lubbock, TX.
There are four instances in the Christmas Story that the translators of the Bible use the English word worship (Matt. 2:02, 2:08, 2:11, & Luke 2:37). This doesn’t necessarily mean that there are only four times that worship is used in the Christmas story, just that in these four instances, the root word used was translated to the English word worship. The translators chose to take the story of the wise men who traveled from the “East” and the story of a widowed prophetess named Anna to depict worship within the Christmas story. The thought of worship taking years of study and dedication struck me as I looked at the Christmas Story through this filter of the word worship. This particular part of the story seems to cause much speculation with scholars as to the exact timing of the trip of the Magi and the arrival to worship the King. One thing is clear the Three Kings, Balthasar of Arabia, Melchior of Persia, and Gaspar of India made a significant choice in effort, cost, and time to meet the newborn King. The term used in all three instances of this story is derived from the Greek word proskuneó, meaning to bow or to kiss. In some traditions, the thought was that people of a kingdom would bow to the ground and kiss it as the king passed through. Or that they would blow kisses toward the passing king in a sign of adoration.
The account in Luke, however, shows a different version of the word worship. This is a part of the Christmas story that we don’t focus on much. Jesus was born, and as Jewish law required Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to be purified before the visit of The Three Kings not mentioned in the Luke account of the Christmas story (Luke 2:22 also see Lev 12:6). It is understood that The Three Kings visit happened after this purification, we celebrate Epiphany Sunday to remember this part of the story.
As Jesus was brought to the temple and dedicated, there was a prophetess named Anna, who we know to be advanced in years around 84 years old at the time and dedicated in service to the temple through fasting and praying day and night. Anna worships differently from the Magi after Simeon’s prophecy:
“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
“And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”
The story of the good news of the redemption of Jerusalem helped awaken Anna to speak of the good news to all who were waiting. In this story, the word used for worship is the Greek word latreuó, meaning someone who is a hired servant or technical service. This story is a beautiful depiction of worship through an act of service.
As we continue through our Christmas seasons, see how God is calling you to respond to this good news, The Salvation of All. Whether it is worship as the Three Kings did through adoration and gifts, or service as shown by Anna. I pray that we all create a tradition of worshiping our King this season.
“In the bleak mid-winter
All creation groans,
for a world In darkness
frozen like a stone
Light is breaking, in a stable for a throne
And He shall reign Forevermore, forevermore
And He shall reign Forevermore, forevermore
Unto us a Child is born
The King of kings and Lord of lords
And He shall reign Forevermore, forevermore
If I were a wise man
I would travel far If I were a shepherd,
I Would do my part
but poor as I am
I will give to Him my heart
Here within a manger lies
The One who made the starry skies
This baby born for sacrifice
Christ, the Messiah!
Into our hopes, into our fears
The Savior of the world appears
The promise of eternal years
Christ, the Mesiah!”
“We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star
O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign
Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb
Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav’n replies”