Pre-Christmas Message: Myrrh for a King (Part 3 of 3)

“[Scholars from the East] entered the house and saw the child [Jesus] in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh” (Matthew 2:12, The Message).

I found a set of gold earring (see Part 1). I found my clothes and it smells so good (see Part 2). And then I had a headache; partly because I inhale too much fabric refresher and partly because I stayed up late at night. So I took 2 tablets of Panadol for instant relief. I can’t stand the pain. It was like a miniature Metallica rock concert in my head. Oh, I was in pain and then no more...

The Scholars from the East entered the house, saw Baby Jesus, kneeled, worshipped Him, opened their luggage and presented gifts. One of it was “myrrh”. What is myrrh? Myrrh was (some info that I read from the Bible Dictionary) a gumlike substance with a bitter taste that was used in Jesus’ day as a medicine, and also for the purpose of embalming bodies after death. Jesus was offered “wine mixed with a drug called myrrh, but Jesus would not drink it” (Mark 15:23,TEV) because it would have deadened His senses somewhat to the pain He was suffering for us upon the cross. If Jesus didn’t took the pain on the cross fully (if He took painkillers such as Panadol, as I would suggest stupidly if I were there), it mean He didn’t really bore all our sins. But Jesus really took the fullness of suffering and all the pain on the cross to redeem us back to God. “It was our sins that did that to Him, that ripped and tore and crushed him – our sins! He took the punishment, and made us whole. Through His bruises we get healed” (Isaiah 53, The Message).

Therefore, myrrh speaks of His sacrificial death upon the cross for our sins. As gold speaks of His sovereignty (read part 1), demanding our God-size worship; and frankincense speaks of His divinity (read part 2), demanding our God’s smelling lifestyle; so myrrh speaks of His death, demanding our God-like sacrifice.

The celebration of Christmas then for Christ-believers is a called to live a sacrificial life as it was displayed by Christ on the cross. Questions: Do we sometimes want our own way? Do we often put ourselves first? Do we expect that everything should go just as we want it to? Or are we willing to sacrifice our desires for the desires of others? Finally, are we willing to sacrifice our time, our money, so that the gospel may be carried to others? Ask yourself...

Merry Christmas!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Pre-Christmas Message: Frankincense for a King (Part 2 of 3)

“[Scholars from the East] entered the house and saw the child [Jesus] in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh” (Matthew 2:12, The Message).

Finally I found my formal clothes, but because my mom puts it in the closet for quite a long time – it smell like… hmmm… So I quickly sprayed some Febreze, that wonderful fabric refresher onto my clothes. Oh, it smells so good! My mom said, “Surely, you don’t need to use perfume. This ‘thing’ is enough”. Okay mom, I know.

There was no Febreze during New Testament time, but they have a natural perfume called frankincense. ‘Pearl tears of frankincense tumble gently from the fresh cut in a Boswellia tree. The resin hardens into jagged stones burned as incense, to produce a haunting, woody fragrance’, writes Stephen M. Miller author of The Jesus of the Bible. I imagined, it gave off a lovely sweet-smelling fragrance when the scholars from the East “opened their luggage and presented gifts: …frankincense…” (Or maybe not, it should be burned first).

Now, as gold speaks of Jesus’ sovereignty (read Part 1), so the frankincense speaks of His perfect, sinless life – His divinity.

The God-man Jesus lived a life of quiet obedience to His Father, always doing those things that would please God, always living a life of blessing to everyone (well, to those who believed His message of Truth). He healed the lame, the blind and the deaf. He healed the broken-hearted and raised the dead. His life was a sweet-smelling fragrance to God no matter where He goes. By men’s standard, He was not so impressive; but by God’s standard, He was perfect. His was a beautiful life.

The celebration of Christmas therefore, for Christ-believers is a called to live a sweet-smelling-fragrance life to God and letting others to smell the odour of God’s love in our life – but you see; that made possible only if you let Jesus’ perfect life lived in you – Have you ask the Holy Spirit to live in you? Ask now.

Merry Christmas!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Pre-Christmas Message: Gold for a King (Part 1 of 3)

“[Scholars from the East] entered the house and saw the child [Jesus] in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh” (Matthew 2:12,The Message).

Yesterday before I went to church, I asked my mom where she kept my formal clothes. She puts it in the closet, obviously. As I searched through, I found a set of earring – a wonderful set of gold earring (I was like Gollum when I found it, “My precious...”). She said it was a gift from my uncle. It has a sentimental value attach to it. It symbolizes their brother-sister relationship.

The Bible is filled with beautiful symbols – pictures telling of the truths God wants us to know. Gold is a symbol of deity, of kingliness, and of sovereignty. When we think of gold we think of crowns, necklaces, rings and other beautiful things relating to a king. When we see gold, we’re reminded of our new relationship with God through Jesus Christ: King-Worshipper relationship.

Do you remember reading the Gospels when Jesus was about to be crucified, and the enemies prepared a sign to be placed over His head on the cross? They wrote these words, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Matthew 27:37). At His birth He was hailed as a king, and at His death they wrote of Him as the king.

Question: Did Jesus reign upon the earthy throne? Yes and not yet. For sure one day Jesus will come back to this earth to reign on the earthly throne in new heavens and new earth. And all men on earth, even those long ago dead “will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father”(Philippians 2:10-11).

Another question: What did the scholars from the East bring to Jesus? They brought Him their worship (“they kneeled and worshiped him”). Therefore, gold reminds us of worship (“they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold...”). In heaven, all of God’s creations sing worship to Jesus the Son of God, “The slain Lamb is worthy! Take the power, the wealth, the wisdom, the strength! Take the honor, the glory, the blessing!” (Revelation 5:12). Surely our King is worthy of our worship, isn’t He?

Someone told me that worship is the giving over of ourselves to the One worshipped. Friend, that exactly what Jesus wants us to do – to give our lives to Him, to worship Him. The celebration of Christmas therefore, for Christ-believers, is an opportunity to celebrate and worship Jesus our King together all around the world– but you see; it must first start with you individually – Is Jesus your King? Do you truly worship Him?

Merry Christmas!

START SMALL. GO DEEP.