When they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matt.2:11.
When Jesus was born, the people of His day had three reactions to His birth. The scribes and Pharisees were indifferent. They hardly knew what was happening. What a tragedy to be indifferent to the Savior pf the word!
Sadly, there are some religious people who are indifferent to Christ this Christmas. Christ still gets lost in the business of the season. He gets covered up under the Christmas tree in the neatly wrapped presents. He is hidden in the rush of it all. He’s crowded out with office parties, luncheons, and a multitude of the other Christmas engagements.
There were some who opposed Him then, and there are those who oppose Him now. Herod and the Roman soldiers were threatened by the prospect of this newborn King. They were threatened by the potential challenge of His rulership. Herod passed a decree that every Hebrew child under 2 years old be murdered. He would not risk his throne.
There are people today, this Christmas season, who will not relinquish the throne of their hearts. They battle and struggle, fighting to maintain control.
There was still a third reaction to Jesus. Three kings from the East brought Him gifts. The wise men and women still worship Him today.
Matthew’s Gospel describes it like this. “When they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt.2:11).
Gold is a gift for a king. It represents all of our material possessions. We come to Jesus in adoring worship, holding nothing back. Everything we have is a gift from Jesus. At Christmas we acknowledge, “Lord, all my possessions are Yours. You are my King of kings.”
Frankincense is a gift for a priest. It was used by the priests in the ancient sanctuary. At Christmas we come kneeling , declaring, ” Jesus , You are my Priest. You intercede for me. You are my intercessor. You present You perfect righteousness before all of heaven, in the place of my utter failure. Lord, all of my worship is yours.”
Myrrh is a gift for one who is ready to die. It is an ointment used in ancient burial services. At Christmas we come acknowledging, “Jesus, You are my dying savior. You are the innocent Baby who was born and my righteous Redeemer who died for me.”
Today, rejoice! It’s a time to celebrate!
Accept Him as your Savior. Approach Him as your Priest. Acknowledge Him as your King.
From: Solid Ground By Mark Finley