By Suart Powell
Four times in his Gospel, Matthew described the response of people who approached Jesus and worshiped him. The first encounter occurred in Bethlehem when the Magi visited the family.
“And going into the house, they [the Magi] saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him” (Matthew 2:11*).
The Magi traveled a great distance to look for the child of promise. When they witnessed God’s promise fulfilled, they opened the treasures they believed were worthy of the Son of God. As followers of Christ, we follow the Magi’s example and seek to worship Jesus. What they knew in part we understand more clearly; Jesus is God in the flesh. He deserves universal worship.
The second and third instances of people worshiping Jesus are described in Matthew 14:33 (after he rescued Peter, helped him into the boat with the other disciples, and the wind ceased) and Matthew 28:9 (when he met the women who had departed from the empty tomb).
The fourth worshipful encounter occurred on the mountain in Galilee after Jesus’ resurrection.
Scripture says, “And when they [the disciples] saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). When these 11 disciples met the resurrected Jesus, they abandoned themselves to worship the One they thought they had lost.
The Magi found Jesus before his ministry began. The eleven encountered him in Galilee after witnessing his authority for years. The Magi gave Jesus the gifts of their worship and left with overflowing joy. The apostles longed to be near Jesus, never having to face separation from him again.
Jesus made a promise to those early disciples that he intended for every disciple: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
We gather with other believers (disciples) to seek Jesus in the worship of singing, praying, and teaching. As Christians, we don’t “leave” Jesus in the manger (or in a house or temple). No, we also see Jesus around the table of the Lord’s Supper. This table is not just a reminder of Jesus’ death but also his last promise to all his disciples. As we eat the bread and drink from the cup, we celebrate that Jesus remains faithful to all his followers and that he is with us always.
*All Scripture verses are from the English Standard Version.
Stuart Powell lives outside of Terre Haute, Indiana, where he serves with the North Side Christian Church.
Appreciate your article, thanks.
Welcome back Stuart! Appreciate these devos!
Appreciated your article. These are useful to use when preparing communion meditations!