Christmas is for Worship

by Jon Buck

“Glory to God in the highest…” ~Luke 2:14

There are many things that our culture has put forward as the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas movies laud the importance of family, traditions, and being ‘home for the holidays’. Others suggest that Christmas is the season for altruism - a general kindness for all, since Christmas is the ‘most wonderful time of the year’. 

Much of corporate America sees Christmas as the largest profit season. In the attempt to make the most of the present-buying frenzy, corporate America pushes Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas Specials, and the like. 

However, a quick perusal of the beginning of Luke and Matthew (the two gospels that contain information about the birth of Jesus) reveals that the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ inspires worship. 

• Mary worships God for the blessing of the coming Savior. (Luke 1:46-55)

• Elizabeth worships God for the privilege of knowing the time of Christ’s birth. (Luke 1:42-45)

• Zechariah worships the Lord for sending the long-awaited and promised Messiah, and for the provision of John the Baptist who would announce His coming. (Luke 1:68-79)

• The angels who announce the birth worship in song about the glory of God. (Luke 2:14)

• The shepherds worship God when they see the Child. (Luke 2:20)

• Simeon in the temple rejoices and worships God for sending the light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. (Luke 2:32)

• Anna worships the Lord for the birth of the One who would redeem Israel. (Luke 2:38)

• The wise men from the east worship the Child and present Him gifts. (Matt. 2:10-11)

The constant theme throughout the first few chapters of both Gospels is worship! In fact, every character in the first chapters worships something. Even Herod, when faced with the potential of a usurper to the throne, worships himself, and murders the children around Bethlehem. 

Interestingly, like each of these characters, whatever we make the ‘meaning’ of Christmas eventually reveals what we worship. Whether family, kindness, or profits, our focus during this season is the thing we hold most dear, and therefore what we worship.  

This year we’re going to be posting Advent readings throughout the month of December. Each one will contain a meditation on the birth of our Savior from various texts of Scripture. 

The goal of these readings is to encourage you follow the biblical example of worshipping God through this season. The events surrounding the birth of Christ in the Gospels are filled with worship, and so our desire is to help each of you give glory to God in the highest each day as we remember the Advent of our Savior!