Christmas Is Worship – It’s Been That Way Since the Beginning

Most readers celebrate Christmas, particularly as a celebration of the birth of Jesus. For most of you then, it is not a surprise to read that Christmas is worship. In reality, it’s been that way since the beginning. On the day Jesus was born, people began to worship and praise God for the birth of this little baby. As He grew, many others began to join. Now for millennia, people continue to worship.

The Angels and Shepherds

It began with the angels. They immediately found some nearby shepherds to Bethlehem and brought them in on the wonderful news of the birth of the Savior, Jesus. The shepherds, then, also immediately left their sheep and went to find the baby. Upon seeing Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, they also left and told all kinds of people. Read it for yourself in these verses:

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. (Luke 2:8-18)

The Wise Men

Then the wise men also worshipped. They saw a new star in the East. As they did, they immediately started following that star to worship. Notice their question upon arriving in Jerusalem: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2).

Upon hearing about in Judea, they went off to find Jesus. However, before they left, Herod asked them to come back and tell him too so that he could worship. As you know, this was not truthful; he desired to kill Jesus – because he knew Jesus was going to be worshipped.

You can read the story here:

¹ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

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

⁵ So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. (Matthew 2:1-12)

What about you today?

Where does Jesus fit into your Christmas today and this season? Will you worship Jesus today? Will you join others in corporate worship? Or, will you as a family stop to worship Jesus? What about in your own heart?

The reality is Christmas is worship – it’s been that way since the beginning. Who or what will you worship this Christmas?

Merry Christmas!