‘Christmas Offering’
Scripture Reading — Matthew 2:1-12
I urge you . . . in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Today we revisit the story of the Magi who came a long way from the east to worship Jesus. They came bearing costly gifts: “gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” And we need to ask ourselves, “What can we bring as a gift to the King of kings?”
The contemporary song “Christmas Offering” retells the Christmas story in a way that focuses on offerings of praise, joy, and worship. Beginning with the shepherds and the Magi going to find the new King, this song points out that they honor Jesus with offerings of worship—and we are called to do that too.
As the song puts it, “We bring an offering of worship to our King./ No one on earth deserves the praises that we sing./ Jesus, may you receive the honor that you’re due. . . .”
Throughout Scripture, God calls his people to truly worship him. He sent his Son, Jesus, to reconcile us to himself and make us holy. And because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we are washed clean. It’s only by his blood and through his mercy that we can say, “Lord, I come to you.”
In view of God’s mercy for us, we are called to offer ourselves “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” When we worship—as a community or individually—we are praising God for who he is and what he has done. And we can do this with our whole life, bringing “true and proper worship” to Christ our King.
Dear God, may we bring our whole selves as an offering to you in worship. Amen.
About the author — Brian Kuyper
Brian Kuyper is the lead pastor at a church in Taber, Alberta. He has served in two congregations in southern Alberta over the past 12 years. He is married to Brenda, and they have three school-age children.
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