You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
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! Matthew has been telling us in his gospel about the entrance into the world of the Christ, the promised King.
Now, when kings enter, usually they make a grand entrance, right?
You know, atop a horse surrounded by royal servants, sometimes with their own song played as they come in.
But here with these two peasants in a little town of Bethlehem, there's not a lot of the normal pomp and circumstance.
Because Jesus is not a normal king, is he?
He came not to be served, but to serve.
He came not to fight people to death, but to love people to life.
He came not to demand that his subjects give their lives for him, but to give his life for them.
But while he does make a quiet entrance in some ways, Matthew doesn't want us to miss what God's doing.
Who the true king is.
Notice as I read Matthew chapter 2.
All the different things God is doing.
All the different ways that God is pointing people to Jesus as the king of kings.
The one that you don't want to miss.
Matthew 2.
God's holy word.
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, saying,
Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?
For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
And assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
And they told him,
In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet,
And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah.
For from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.
And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying,
Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him,
bring me word that I too may come and worship him.
After listening to the king, they went on their way,
and behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them
until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother,
and they fell down and worshipped him.
Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed to their own country by another way.
Now when they had departed,
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
Rise, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt,
and remain there until I tell you,
for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him.
And he rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.
This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet.
Out of Egypt I called my son.
Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men,
became furious,
and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem
and in all that region who were two years old or under,
according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah.
A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping in loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children.
She refused to be comforted because they are no more.
But when Herod died,
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
saying,
Rise, take the child and his mother,
and go to the land of Israel,
for those who sought the child's life are dead.
And he rose and took the child and his mother
and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea
in the place of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go there.
And being warned in a dream,
he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
and he went and lived in a city called Nazareth,
so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled,
that he would be called a Nazarene.
Thus far, God's holy word.
Will you pray with me?
Father, thank you for the gift of your word,
for this account of what happened when the king came.
And I pray that as familiar as the story may be to us,
that we would, in a fresh way this morning,
see our king.
We would receive our king.
We would worship our king.
And that is only gonna happen
if your spirit works in our hearts.
And so we ask for that,
and we trust you for it.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen.
In chapter one,
if you've been here the last couple of weeks,
Matthew told us that this baby born to Mary and Joseph
was the Christ, the Messiah King.
Was Emmanuel, God with us?
Was Jesus, Savior from sins?
And now in chapter two,
it's as though he takes a bunch of really bright,
flashing arrows to point to the baby and say,
King, King, King.
Look at everything coming together
at this moment in history.
I'm just gonna point out a few.
At first, God shows us several Old Testament prophecies
from hundreds of years past
being fulfilled in this child.
In other words, don't miss this,
the story of Israel's scriptures,
hundreds and hundreds of years of the holy scriptures.
In other words, the story of the history of humankind
is about this baby,
this Jesus.
First, he quotes from the prophet Micah
because the religious advisors to Herod
go there to find where the Messiah should be born.
This is the most direct of the prophecies being fulfilled.
Perhaps not where you would expect a king to be born,
but yes, indeed, they confirm,
if you're looking for the king of the Jews,
go to Bethlehem.
That's a big, bright arrow.
Everyone was clear on that.
Nowhere else to look for the Messiah
to be born except Bethlehem.
Now, the next three prophecies in this passage
are a bit different.
They're less direct,
but they show the significance
of this newborn king.
The angel tells Joseph to leave Bethlehem
and go to Egypt,
which we learn will protect him
from Herod's murderous plans
that threatened the promised king's life
within weeks or months of his birth.
Yes, sadly, if you're calculating
that the wise men are not there
with the shepherds the first Christmas night,
I know it messes with me too.
It's not the way it's supposed to be,
but it is definitely less than two years.
They're there.
They show up.
Regardless of the exact timing,
Matthew says what's really going on
is something bigger.
Matthew wants to connect the dots
to the big story, okay?
This time, it's the prophet Hosea,
another prophet who speaks for God,
saying,
out of Egypt,
I called my son.
In Hosea,
the immediate reference
is to the Israelites
as God's son.
It's a very common way
God referred to his people.
God called them out of Egypt, didn't he?
He delivered them out of bondage.
The greatest redemption
in the history of Israel
recounted generation after generation.
And now, God says,
in this baby,
this new Israel,
the true Israel,
my son,
is coming out of Egypt.
A new redemption, right?
A great deliverance is coming.
But it won't come
without a lot of heartache,
just like the first time.
Herod,
in a megalomaniacal effort
to protect his dynasty.
It's all he cares about.
And this fits with other accounts
of Herod's last years.
He decides to kill Jewish boys
under the age of two
in Bethlehem.
We don't know exactly,
perhaps 20 or 30 young boys.
But even one is terrible, right?
Can you imagine?
Weeping.
Loud lamentation.
Rachel weeping.
Rachel is the wife of Jacob,
whose name was Israel.
So the figurative mother
of the people of Israel,
the whole nation,
weeping.
In this Exodus mindset here,
the scene recalls
the killing of Israelite boys
in Egypt,
from which Moses is delivered
in a basket in the river.
But the prophet quoted here
is actually hundreds of years later.
It's Jeremiah,
a third prophet,
writing of the Israelites.
They're weeping.
Why?
They're weeping
as they're taken into exile,
out of the promised land.
No more.
They're not here.
And yet,
Jeremiah 31,
quoted here,
is a chapter primarily
of promise.
That even in the darkest days
for God's people,
there will be return to God,
covenant relationship,
future hope.
Friends, listen,
never let deep weeping
convince you
that there won't be joy
in the morning.
Even if that morning
is far away,
this God is faithful.
He can be trusted.
Here is the true king
entering in the midst
of the painful desperation
of God's people.
He doesn't just come
when everybody's happy
so they can celebrate together.
He comes to bring hope
when you're hurting.
In fact,
the darker the night,
the brighter his light shines.
I think perhaps Christmas
is most clearly seen
through tears.
don't lose heart.
When the king is here,
the true king is here,
there's hope.
And the final fulfillment
is a bit more obscure.
Look at verse 23.
What was spoken by the prophets
might be fulfilled
that he would be called
a Nazarene.
I say obscure
because see,
there's no prophet
that says that directly.
That Jesus would be
from Nazareth
like Micah tells us
he'll be born in Bethlehem.
Matthew may be making
a play on words.
Here,
that's possible.
That prophecy
that was read earlier
in the service
from Isaiah 11
about the righteous branch
from Jesse's stump
because the Hebrew word
for Nazareth
sounds like the Hebrew word
for branch.
Could be.
But he says here
prophets,
plural.
So I think likely
it means
what the Jews
would have understood
Nazareth
to mean.
Nazareth
was a reference
to what?
Nothing good
comes
from Nazareth.
Nowhere
Nazareth.
And many prophets
discussed the Messiah
being of no reputation,
despised,
rejected,
and so forth.
Jesus is gonna fit
that description.
There are many other prophecies,
hundreds of them,
that Jesus fulfills
in various ways.
But just in this passage,
just in this moment
after his birth,
do you see God
is pointing
the bright flashing arrows
at this unique child?
He's saying
special messages
have been sent,
birth announcements,
for hundreds of years.
You've never sent
birth announcements
a hundred years
in advance,
have you?
No,
you weren't that sure.
They've pointed
to this day,
he says.
Don't miss it.
Notice how God's also
working in international
politics.
The people,
the leaders,
the events
of the day
to bring his king
into the world
in just the right way.
Have you ever thought
about that?
How Mary and Joseph
ended up in Bethlehem
where the Messiah
was gonna have to be born?
Was it just some
magical happenstance?
God providentially orchestrated
the Roman Caesar
who thought
that life was all about him
to issue a decree
for a census,
right,
of the entire Roman world.
Once again,
here in this passage,
the hearts of kings
are in the hand
of the Lord.
He is controlling
all of these events.
In fact,
we'll come back
to the magi themselves,
but he brings
these people,
we don't know
how many of them,
on a long journey
from a foreign country
to get the attention
of King Herod.
Herod the king.
Twice for emphasis.
See,
this whole story
is about who
the true king is,
isn't it?
Does Herod really
seem like the king?
Does he seem
in control here,
scrambling for advice,
fearing for his power,
raging at any rival
or rumor of one
that comes up?
He's a human leader.
Human leaders
seek to deceive
like Herod's direction
to the magi
about this child.
Human leaders
do wicked things
like ordering
the killing
of other people.
Human leaders
ultimately rise
and fall
like Herod
and his son Archelaus.
They're coming
and going
and yet
the divine leader
is the one
in charge.
God is using
each of these events
and the people there
to take Jesus
to Egypt,
to bring him back
to Israel,
to divert them
to exactly the right place
in Nazareth.
God's up to something.
God is at work
way beyond
any human king
who thinks
he's in charge.
Even in the midst
of grievous tragedy
like the deaths
of little boys
in the little town
of Bethlehem.
Now God's still working
gloriously
to highlight
the identity
of the true king
across national borders
against all odds.
Jesus will reign
on David's throne.
Imposter Herod?
No way.
Prophecies.
Politics.
And that's not all
God is using
to highlight
the arrival
of his promised king.
There are several
extraordinary
communications
here in this passage,
aren't there?
And we see
and watch God
supernaturally
superintending
the whole story
through these
communications.
teachings.
Notice how the passage
is marked by dreams,
isn't it?
If you like dreams
you probably noticed that.
First a dream
to the magi
and then three more times
in addition to the one
in chapter one
to Joseph.
I mean this guy's
not getting to sleep
at all.
I mean every night
repeatedly
the angel
of the Lord
the messenger
of God
brings clear direction
to the point
that Jews
and Gentiles
obey
without hesitation.
God is speaking.
God is directing.
God wants them
to know
where to go
so they don't miss it.
Which brings us
to the most prominent
and famous
divine communication
in the story.
Right?
The star.
God,
the creator king
is also directing
all of his creation,
all of nature
to point
to the promised king.
Now there are
a lot of explanations
you can read out there
for what's going on
in the sky,
this possible phenomenon.
What kind of star
or supernova
or divine light.
I am sure
there are a lot of you
in here
who know more than I do
about what's going on
in the sky.
People talk about
why it moved.
How it showed
the magi
exactly
where Jesus was.
Some of the discussion
is quite interesting
and I would commend it
to you.
some of it honestly
is quite distracting
from the real point.
The passage
is very clearly
saying that the star
brought them
to Jerusalem
and then it directed
them specifically,
however it did it,
to the king
of the Jews
so that they
could worship him.
In fact,
it seems quite clear
for example
from the dream
where God speaks
to them
that God
is the one
directing these
stargazers
from the east.
Right?
This is something
he's organized.
Maybe these guys
coming were
from Babylon
or Persia
and they'd heard
some of Daniel's
prophecies there
about this
coming king
of the Jews.
He wrote
those prophecies
while he lived there.
Maybe they'd been
watching for signs
for a long time
intrigued by this
God who delivered
his people
so powerfully.
We're not sure.
There's a lot of things
we don't know
about the star
but we know
that God
is using anything
and everything
to bring the nations
to worship
the true king.
That's what's going on.
Quite remarkable
in fact
that something
in the sky
would lead them there
because God
has actually
repeatedly
through the Old Testament
told his people
not to read messages
in the stars.
There are warnings
against astrology
but here
God himself
speaks
the language
of the wise men
if you will.
He leads them
straight to the king
they seek.
I just love this
about our God.
Think about
what he's doing.
Yes, there are prophecies
there for the religious scholars
but who gets the messages
about Jesus?
There are also angels
sent to lowly
left out shepherds
to bring them
to the king.
And then there are
dreams
and a star
sent to
reach these misguided
wise men
from pagan nations
to bring them
to the king.
God wants everyone
everywhere
to see this king
doesn't he?
The king
is not coming
primarily
for the royal family
to strengthen
his dynasty.
Not primarily
for the religious
insiders
to polish up
their morality
a bit.
Not primarily
for the powerful
warriors
who will extend
his reign
most effectively.
No,
he seems to be
the king
of those
who don't have
a kingdom.
The king
of those
who don't deserve
a good king.
the king
of all
of everyone
everywhere.
That's who he is.
And by the way
that's exactly
who the prophets
have told us
to expect.
Many of them
tell of the Messiah
for the nations.
In a new way
the Gentiles
are going to hear
the good news.
Let me just show you
a little from the prophet
Isaiah.
Is the king
of the Jews
the king
of the Jews
only?
Isaiah 11
the branch
from Jesse's stump
will bring
the new world
order of peace
and joy
and the peoples
the nations
shall come
to his signal
his banner.
Isaiah 49
the servant Messiah
coming to bring
God's people
back to him.
That's not enough.
That's not big enough
for what God's
up to.
It is important
that he is also
the light
to the nations.
Isaiah 60
nations
shall come
to the promised
king's light
kings
to his rising
and here they are
right?
From the east
wise men
bowing down
just as God
promised
he pulls out
all the stops
prophecies
politics
dreams
stars
bringing the nations
to bow before
the king
of kings
at the very
beginning
of the gospel
written
to show the Jews
their Christ
who their Messiah
is
they're reminded
that their king
is for the nations
how huge
is God's heart
right
for everyone
everywhere
do you share
that heart?
if you follow
the Christmas
story
the Bible's
version
of the Christmas
story
the baby
born in
Bethlehem
will lead you
to the nations
praying
giving
going
whatever it looks
like
to share
tidings
of comfort
and joy
to tell it
on the mountain
we sing
and that
the fact
that that's
who this child
is
is yet
more evidence
that he
is indeed
the promised
king
of kings
see God
wants everyone
everywhere
to see
who the true
king is
and to
respond
appropriately
how do you
respond
to a king
showing up?
interestingly
enough
it's not
always easy
to respond
appropriately
to a king
is it?
I remember
when I was
a boy
going to
play a game
called
king of the hill
we'd play
during the high
school football
games when I
was younger
and you'd
find a good
hill
maybe you've
seen this
before
it would
have worked
really well
as a children's
moment
but Derek
missed the
opportunity
you have
one kid
stand up
here
and he
pushes
all the
other ones
down
right?
whoever
can stay
up on the
hill
it would
have been
great
y'all
would have
loved it
and he
is king
of the hill
as long
as he
can stay
on top
not my
favorite
game
I didn't
like all
the pushing
and shoving
but I
like kind
of sneaking
in the
side
and whenever
one kid
would kind
of get
on top
and right
as he
yelled
I'm
king
of the
hill
I like
to try
to knock
his feet
out
from under
him
and make
him seem
not so
big
and strong
I just
didn't
really
want to
face
him
maybe
Herod
played
that game
as a
boy
what happens
when he
hears about
a potential
king of
the Jews
someone
climbing the
hill toward
him
he's
troubled
angry
worried
we know
from other
historical
sources
that Herod
became
frantic
and paranoid
about protecting
his throne
during his
latter years
he attempts
to exert
control
doesn't
he
through
the
magi
and then
when they
don't
play
along
he
is
furious
the word
ramps
up
he
orders
the
killing
of
young
boys
in an
effort
to
eliminate
a threat
to his
dynasty
and maybe
your first
response
to that
is that
is crazy
and rightly
so
you're not
wrong
but stop
to think
how we
respond
when our
control
is
threatened
when our
sovereign
rule
over our
self
is
challenged
when our
autonomy
the great
unchallenged
assumed
good
of modern
America
our sacred
freedom
to manage
our own
lives
the way
we want
when that's
taken away
how do
we respond
we protect
our hill
our throne
passionately
don't we
have you
ever felt
something like
Jesus
you are
disrupting
my plans
for my
life
your rules
your
priorities
your
providences
in my
life
they're
really
frustrating
sometimes
Jesus
will you
let God
ask you
today
what he
asked
Jonah
after
Nineveh
repented
he said
do you
do right
to be
angry
that's a
hard
question
are you
like me
needing
to repent
of self
protective
control
wanting
to have
things
my way
whether
that's
the way
God
wants
them
or not
I
don't
care
all the
time
I
just
want
them
to be
my
way
I
forget
who
the
true
king
is
and
that
it's
not
me
see
that
kind
of
anger
will
eat
you
alive
from
the
inside
and
it
will
spill
over
to
destroy
others
too
still
happens
just
as it
did
with
Herod
the
more
power
you
have
and
the
more
protective
you
are
of
your
power
the
more
devastation
you'll
tend
to leave
in your
wake
if you
refuse
to bow
the knee
to
king
Jesus
that's
one bad
response
maybe a
little more
familiar
painfully
to us
now
but it's
interesting
that Herod
was not
the only
one
troubled
at the
news
of a
coming
king
was he
it says
all
of
Jerusalem
with
him
everybody
stirred
up
about
this
it's
a
big
deal
in
town
and so
Herod
turns
to these
Jewish
chief
priests
and
scribes
they're
the
religious
and the
social
leaders
of the
day
among
the
Jews
and
they
locate
the
birthplace
immediately
Bethlehem
nailed
it
the
king
awaited
for
generations
is being
born
in
Bethlehem
look
they open
it up
they read
it
your
ruler
is here
your
shepherd
is here
they all
see it
and so
they organize
a search
party
no
so
they call
for a
coronation
and start
planning
the celebration
no
so
they rearrange
their schedules
to join
the magi
on their
journey
to be
among
the first
to see
the promised
Christ
they've
been
waiting
for
no
isn't
that
odd
the
very
people
who
knew
the
most
notice
he
assembled
all
of
them
but
none
of
them
can
make
the
six
mile
journey
to
Bethlehem
on
behalf
of
King
Herod
he
has
to
send
foreigners
to
find
the
baby
and
report
back
meanwhile
we got
lots
to do
in
Jerusalem
they
got
the
right
answer
they
knew
facts
about
the
child
but
they
missed
the
child
they
missed
the
whole
thing
can
you relate
to that
is life
pretty
busy
just a
little
so
much
so
sometimes
that
it
distracts
you
from
making
a
priority
of
Jesus
I
mean
you
hang
around
the
church
enough
to
know
plenty
of
things
about
him
or
maybe
you
don't
maybe
you
avoid
church
altogether
but
you
went
to
church
as
a
child
or
you
been
on
the
internet
recently
you
know
some
stuff
but
if
you're
honest
you've
got
important
things
going
on
in your
life
I've
got
to
enjoy
college
only
got
a
few
years
I've
got
to
advance
my
career
how
else
am
I
going
to
be
successful
I've
got
to
enjoy
my
grandchildren
good
things
but
is
anything
causing
you to
miss
the
king
your
schedule
your
commitments
your
religious
duty
even
is
there
any
chance
that
your
life
looks
pretty
similar
to
what
it
would
look
like
if
Jesus
had
never
been
born
are
you
like
the
other
good
people
in
Jerusalem
accidentally
perhaps
indifferent
to
the
true
king
y'all
may
that
not
be
true
in
our
lives
accidental
indifference
distracted
indifference
let's
repent
of that
indifference
today
to celebrate
Christmas
afresh
it's not
too late
to turn
from the
busyness
to be honest
and say
Jesus
I've been
missing you
maybe for
days
maybe for
years
but I
don't want
to miss
you anymore
God
wants me
to see
you
as king
see
God
is
highlighting
the
true
king
so that
everyone
everywhere
will
respond
appropriately
that
earth
that's
all of
us
and all
of
creation
let
earth
receive
her
king
which
means
according
to the
song
that I
really
like
that
every
heart
must
prepare
him
room
have you
thought about
that
how do
you
prepare
room
for a
king
there is
one way
you make
it his
you
vacate
the throne
right
you
clear
the hill
he can
have it
repentance
and faith
you focus
all that
place
in this
case
your heart
if you're
preparing
your heart
you focus
all of
it on
him
you want
to know
how worthy
king
Jesus
is
of your
heart's
attention
and affection
just watch
the magi
it's
beautiful
I don't
even know
all they
knew or
understood
about
Jesus
probably
less
than the
scribes
in
Jerusalem
but they
came
likely
on a
journey
of
months
to
worship
him
they
put
their
lives
on
hold
to be
with
him
they
were
the
furthest
thing
from
indifferent
weren't
they
worshipped
him
and not
just a
going
through
the
motions
kind
of
worship
because
it
was
Christmas
and there
were some
fun songs
to sing
and they
thought
they'd
show up
no
verse
10
they
rejoiced
exceedingly
!
with great
joy
that's
four times
a lot
of joy
in case
you didn't
notice
then
when they
saw
Jesus
they
fell
down
and
worshipped
him
clearly
he's
the
king
of
more
than
the
Jews
if
these
foreigners
are
already
bowing
before
him
and
then
they
bring
him
gifts
worthy
of a
king
for
sure
costly
sacrificial
gifts
perhaps
indicating
more than
they
understood
about
the
identity
of
the
king
gold
for
a
king
who
would
be
the
perfect
priest
and
sacrifice
frankincense
who
would
die
and
be
buried
for
our
sins
myrrh
but
for
sure
giving
their
best
to
the
one
who
deserved
it
all
and
then
they
obeyed
what
God
told
them
in
a
dream
see
they're
really
clear
on
who
the
true
king
!
is
aren't
they
and
it's
not
easy
Herod
seems
to
have
the
power
right
I
mean
maybe
these
guys
just
came
to
curry
favor
from
a
nearby
king
butter
him
up
a
little
bit
improve
relationships
no
they
came
to
bow
before
the
true
king
heartfelt
joy
humble
!
worship
sacrificial
giving
willing
obedience
the
response
that God
wants
everyone
everywhere
to have
to his
son
given to
us
worship
Christ
he says
the
newborn
king
won't you
come this
morning
and bow
before him
with all
that you
are
with all
that you
have
listen
if you're
someone who
hears that
invitation
but you
feel far
off
from God
if you're
honest
you're like
I don't
know
I would
have a
lot of
questions
to answer
I would
have a
lot of
things
to figure
out
I would
have a
lot of
stuff that
probably needs
to be
changed in
my life
before I
could even
hear or
consider
that
look the
invitation
of this
king
is come
today
you don't
have to
figure all
the other
stuff out
he is a
king who
welcomes
the worship
of those
who are
far off
who just
come to
bow before
him
if this
is the
very first
day you've
ever heard
an Old
Testament
prophecy
you've
never
even
heard of
it in
your life
God
has
indeed
arranged
the
circumstances
the events
of your
life and
the people
that you
don't even
know about
so that you
can be
here today
and hear
this good
news
then come
and worship
Jesus
born to
die for
you
to rise
and live
forever
for you
and for
me
come worship
him
today
maybe
you're
more of
a nearby
person
maybe
you're
surrounded
by the
things
of God
Christmas
feels like
it comes
all the
time
you're
quoting
the
prophecies
yourself
now
but you're
just kind
of waiting
for an
extraordinary
communication
from God
and then
you'll
rearrange
your life
for Jesus
you need
to take
this passage
as a
warning
as well
as an
invitation
warning
it is
easy
to drift
into
indifference
about
Jesus
especially
when you're
surrounded
by all
of these
things
all the
things of
God
around you
all the
time
it's easy
to drift
and to
miss the
fact
that God
has
communicated
extraordinarily
through
his
son
not by
a dream
not by
a star
this time
but by
his very
son
come
in the
flesh
there's
no more
extraordinary
communication
come
for you
that is
the point
of Matthew
2
the king
has
come
he's
here
friends
come and
worship
slow
down
and
worship
repent
and
worship
bring
gifts
and
worship
change
your
schedule
and
worship
do
what
he
says
and
worship
it
could
be
Christmas
in a
new
way
for
you
even
though
you're
here
every
year
this
Christmas
I
urge
you
there
are
many
good
things
on
your
calendars
in
the
next
few
days
I'm
quite
sure
there
are
many
important
people
there
is
only
one
worthy
of
your
worship
bow
in
worship
for a
while
this
Christmas
start
right
now
make
time
this
afternoon
figure
out
how
you're
going
to
bow
in
worship
right
now
and
then
one
day
at a
time
next
year
worship
with
all
you
are
and
all
you
have
worship
Christ
the
newborn
king
let's
pray
God
may
our
hearts
hear
that
call
as we
hear
your
word
and
as
you
bring
us
to
bow
down
would
you
help
us
by
your
spirit
that
life
may
not
be
about
us
that
the
hurry
may
not
be
the
focus
of
the
next
few
days
but
that
King
Jesus
would
be
on
the
throne
of
our
hearts
would
you
prepare
our
hearts
!
for
that
we
ask
in
his
name
amen
for
more
information
visit
us
online
at
southwood.org