Come Worship Him

Come Worship Him:

Deciding What to Do with Jesus

Everyone must make a decision about Jesus. There is no middle ground: you either resist Him or you worship Him.

It sounds polarizing because it is. Many people are fine with "believing" in Jesus, liking His teachings, or doing a few good things in His name. But in Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus warns that many will say, "Lord, Lord," and point to their miracles or good deeds, only for Him to say, "I never knew you." These people did things Jesus liked, but they never actually worshipped the King.

The story of the wise men in Matthew 2:1-12 shows us what it truly looks like to seek, find, and worship the Savior.

Seek and You Will Find

Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod. This immediately sets up a conflict of kings. Herod was a Roman-appointed ruler, not of David’s line, who was so paranoid about losing power that he murdered his own sons. In contrast, Jesus is the rightful King.

Into this tension walk the "wise men." Tradition calls them three kings, but they were likely Babylonian or Persian priests who studied the stars. They saw a star and followed it to Jerusalem.

People often get caught up in the science of the star—was it a comet, a supernova, or a planet alignment? The Bible doesn’t care to tell us because the "how" isn't the point. The point is that God did this. He moved the heavens so that people far away would seek and find Him. God always reveals Himself to those who are truly looking.

Finding Jesus Demands a Response

When Herod heard about a new King, he was "deeply disturbed," and all of Jerusalem was disturbed with him. Why? Because the arrival of the Messiah meant their lives had to change.

God wasn't hiding. The chief priests knew exactly where the Messiah would be born because of the prophecies in Micah. This shows us that God doesn't withhold direction; we often withhold obedience. People today often claim God is "silent" or "far away," but the real question is: Are you doing what He has already told you to do?

We often want a God who blesses our plans rather than a God who directs our lives. Like a toddler who ignores a command but has "supersonic hearing" when they hear the word "candy," we tend to hear only what we want from God.

-The Wise Men went: They heard and moved.

-The Priests stayed: They knew the truth but didn't act on it.

-Herod rejected: He lied about wanting to worship so he could protect his own status.

Find, and You Must Worship

When the wise men finally found Jesus, they were "overwhelmed with joy." Jesus hadn't performed a miracle yet; He was just a baby in a house.

But they worshipped because they recognized He was the Rightful King.

They offered Him gold (for royalty), frankincense (for holiness), and myrrh (for His future sacrifice). They gave their best and they submitted.

We stand today knowing the end of the story—the cross and the resurrection. Yet, when was the last time God made you overjoyed? When was the last time you gave Him your best? You know you’ve put God first when you choose to forgive when you'd rather hold a grudge, or give when it means trusting Him with your security.

Worship and You Must Obey

After worshipping, the wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. They obeyed and went home a different way. Their obedience proved their worship was real.

When you truly understand who God is, it becomes foolish to be afraid of anyone else—whether it's a boss or a critic. It’s like the show Undercover Boss: workers only act right when they think the CEO is watching. But God is always there. When we realize His greatness, we stop living for the approval of others and start living for Him.

Worship should lead to change. If you come to church but zone out, your body is there, but your heart isn't. Real worship expects to encounter God and to walk out differently than you walked in.

Main Point: Worship Demands Obedience.

The wise men didn't just feel a religious emotion; they responded with their feet. What we do, how we pray, and where we choose to obey reveals what we actually think about Jesus. If He is truly the King of Kings, our entire lives must be submitted to Him—not just through admiration, but through actual submission.

Challenge

Pay attention to what shapes your decisions this week. Do you go to God first? Whatever directs your choices is where your worship really is. Ask yourself: "Did Jesus shape my week, or did something else?"