The Greatest Christmas Song: Come and Worship!

This post is the fifth in a series about “the greatest Christmas song”. If you’ve missed the previous posts, here’s the introduction, the reveal, and then verse 1 and verse 2.

Today I’m going to cheat, and include three verses. The first one is probably the most familiar to you:

These verses point us to the examples that we see in Scripture from the story of Christ’s birth.

Some Christians are skittish about celebrating Christmas. I see nowhere in Scripture where our modern Christmas celebration is mandated (or prohibited). But I do see Scripture calling us to look at the colourful, majestic, mysterious events that surrounded the incarnation, and calling us to worship. And so I think that there is a proper celebration. (By the way, on the topic of Christmas history, if you really want to dig deep, check out the series from 2016 – When Was Jesus Born?)

Although we know that the Bible never exactly says that the angels “sang” (check it for yourself), they did rejoice in a very poetic way! So in this verse, we call on them to sing in praise, and to give God the glory. Psalm 148 is a glorious example of this – calling on all creation to praise God. You can read it for yourself, but here’s the first bit:
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise him, all his angels;
Praise him, all his hosts!

… and so they did! And we call on them to continue!

Then the example of the shepherds – summoned by the angels – they leave their flocks, and gaze at the Baby. So do we make an intentional effort to focus on this story in Scripture at this time of year, and gaze in wonder.

Then come the Magi. Now, if there’s anything that might make me a little uncomfortable here, it’s that the focus is so much on the “Child” that we might forget – we do not somehow worship a “Christ Child” as some kind of separate entity or image. We recognize that the Child is now the God-Man who rules in Heaven. We do gaze and worship as we see Him in the Scripture – but we never separate that from who He is in eternity, and who He is today.

That being said, we do worship. “Oblations” refers to a worshipful gift, or offering. We present much more than riches – we offer sacrifices of praise and worship from our hearts (and so we offer all our riches as well!).

In both the Old and New Testament, “sacrifices” were symbols for something more than just literal burnt offerings:

• Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High… (Psalm 50:14)
• The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)
• …let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! (Psalm 107:22)
• Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. (Hebrews 13:15)
• Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. (Hebrews 13:16)

Our sacrifices are very “Christmassy” things – giving thanks, humility and repentance, singing to Him with joy, and giving to others. So come, let us adore Him!

(To be continued next week)