There is much talk about worship these days–arguments over worship style and music, but only those who are worshiping themselves can contribute to our understanding of worship. So today we are going to look at the story of some who worshiped and some who did not that we may not be caught among those who have every opportunity to worship but do not do it.

NAU Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."

Why for what purpose had the Magi come all the way from the east to Jerusalem? They came to worship the king. How were they led? They saw His star.

How to be a wise man and not a herod.

Personal study at home

" . . . magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

2 "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."

Where were the Magi when they saw the star? At home in the east. How did they know it was His star? They'd been studying at home, before coming to worship.

True worship starts at home before the worship 'time' with personal study. It does not rely on someone else's study. Wise men had been studying for themselves before they came. Don't expect Sabbath worship to make up for a week of unworshipful life. You can't expect an unworshipful week to suddenly turn to worship just because you're in a place of worship. There were many in Jerusalem in those days who missed their opportunity to worship the king.

In contrast with this, we see that Herod had not been studying–

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

Herod had no idea what God was up to, so when he heard it, he was caught off guard and had to call in someone else (the preachers) to tell him what was going on.

It's dangerous to be dependent upon what someone else tells you. They may tell you what is true, but it that cannot make up for a personal encounter. If you aren't listening yourself, someone else who has been listening will come to you and tell you what God is doing and you won't recognize it as God–you'll feel threatened and fight against it to protect your own quality of life. This is why it can be dangerous to come to church if you aren't studying for yourself at home. When the word of the Lord comes to you at church from someone who's already been studying, you will hear, but you will reject it.

Illustration: Where does Herod go to find out details of this new king's birth? To the priests and scribes. And where do they get their answer?

5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 6 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'" From the Bible. So in effect Herod is consulting the Bible to find out about the birth of this new king. What he does with it is madness. He accepts the authority of scripture to predict the Messiah but rejects the authority of the Messiah Himself. We'll do the same at the second coming. Many among us who know the truths we know about persecution and trouble will still join the persecutors to protect our comfort.

Are you here to worship the king? You'll know if you are studying at home before you come.

Personal presence: making a personal appearance at the place of worship

True worship must be in person in the presence of God.

"and have come to worship Him" vs "Go and search diligently . . ."

7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."

Herod could have come right then if he was serious about worshiping Him. The Magi did not have anything so urgent going on that they were unwilling to travel around 500 miles to worship, and now with 10 miles to go they can't wait. But Herod who only has ten miles to travel can't drop everything to go because he's too busy plotting to murder the young King. The Magi understood that there is no substitute for personally being the presence of the King.

Herod wanted the Magi to do searching and finding for him. Jer. 29:14–you'll find me when you come and search for me with all your heart. God is not found by the half-hearted. Why not? Worship is not a ceremony or a ritual or a program it is what happens when one humbly experiences the presence of the King. That's why the question of all true worshipers is where is He, that I may go and worship Him? In order to worship we must be with Him.

How do you know if you're here to worship? Are you coming here to be in the presence of God or do you come for others to be in your presence or to see you, or to watch a program?

Personal sight: True worship comes from seeing Jesus yourself.

9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Upon seeing Jesus they fall to ground and worship. Seeing is a personal experience. Our response to seeing Jesus is to worship. Only worshiping people give their treasures.

What are our treasures? At Christmastime we hear a lot of "give of your best" speeches. Need to understand what it is that we give. Wise men gave three things–gold, frankincense and myrrh

Treasures that they brought were treasures that first belonged to him and which symbolized what He would do for them. They were giving Him the tools of His trade. If son is a carpenter give him tools expecting him to use them. In giving Jesus myrrh, they were showing that they expected Jesus to die for them as the prophetic lamb, in giving frankincense, expected Jesus to intercede for them as their High Priest, in giving gold, expected Jesus to rule for them as their King. These gifts symbolized their personal belief in who Jesus was to be for them. That's the best we can give Jesus. The giving of gifts to God isn't about wonderful sacrifices we make in time or money or kind acts of charity, it's in recognizing what sacrifices He has and is doing for us and giving that back to Him in worship.

Worship is about seeing Jesus

Are you here to see Jesus? Have you seen Him in your worship experience this morning?

The way to see Jesus is to be led. And leading results from acting upon what you know. It's now about knowing objective truth, but about a process of journeying. Worship is a lifelong journey, a process of being led to see Jesus. It's not about something you do once a week in church.

(Where have you come from today? How have you been led this morning? By miraculous circumstances? How have you been led to this place of worship? What have you come to do? Are you here to worship the king?

Personal study–

We worship a God who is not satisfied with having a once-a week relationship with us. He wants us to know Him at all times

Personal presence –come and worship

We worship a God who was not willing for us to worship from a distance, so He come to us that we might come to Him and worship. He longs for relationship, so He lives among us.

Personal sight–

We worship a God the sight of whom inspires worship. He is worthy because He makes Himself, known, draws near, and dies for us.