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 worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2

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 worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11

I maintain a pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I continue using DesiringGod.com's Advent devotions where I pick up on Day 10.  Here, John Piper unpacks Matthew 2:10-11 where the magi worship the new born Jesus, and bring Him gifts.  Piper starts by referring us to Acts 17:25 where the scripture is clear that God does not need anything - He is not "served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."  So these men from the east, the magi - who are not Jews - worship Jesus and offer Him gifts.  Piper's devotion seeks to help us explore why these gifts were offered and the purpose they serve. The devotion states that these are not bribes - pointing us to Deuteronomy 10:17.  Instead, Piper shares that anytime gifts are given to wealthy, self-sufficient people, these gifts echo and intensify "the giver’s desire to show how wonderful the person is. In a sense, giving gifts to Christ are like fasting — going without something to show that Christ is more valuable than what you are going without."  Piper continues by sharing that "[w]hen you give a gift to Christ like this, it’s a way of saying, “The joy that I pursue (notice Matthew 2:10! “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy”) — the joy that I pursue is not the hope of getting rich by bartering with you or negotiating some payment. I have not come to you for your things, but for yourself. And this desire I now intensify and demonstrate by giving up things, in the hope of enjoying you more, not things. By giving to you what you do not need, and what I might enjoy, I am saying more earnestly and more authentically, ‘You are my treasure, not these things.’"  Piper concludes by sharing that it is his prayer that all people in all nations awaken to a desire for Christ Himself as their treasure above all else.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion.  Thank You Jesus - I seek to make You my treasure above all else - You are worthy.  Help me with this response to Your grace and compassion.  I need Your help desperately every day.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Leviticus 17

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Hebrews 9:11-14

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter fifteen - Laws of Worship Prefiguring Christ - covering Leviticus 17:1-16, looking specifically at the third theme for the chapter - God Commands Us to Worship through Blood.  In Leviticus 17, God commands Aaron and his sons, and all the Israelites, to offer sacrifices only to the Lord, and not to goat demons (v17:7). Any sacrifices not offered to the Lord will result in "bloodguilt" (v17:4), and being cut off from the people (v17:4,9). God also warns the Israelites to avoid eating blood to avoid similar punishment (v17:10,14). The commentary theme for today contrasts the Old Testament sacrificial system as described in Leviticus and how Jesus abolished (see post yesterday) and superseded this system.  We are referred to Hebrews 9:12-14 as the scriptural basis for this comparison.  The commentary also highlights the Westminster Confession of Faith, where it states in section XIX. Of the Law of God: "...God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits[.]"  This section of the Westminster Confession of Faith provides a number of additional scriptural references to unpack how the OT laws of worship prefigure Christ and according to the commentary "this is why we worship Jesus" - because of:

• His grace - 2 Corinthians 8:9
  
• His actions - John 10:17-18
  
• His sufferings - 1 Peter 3:18
  
• His benefits - Romans 5:9
  

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who died for me and You never leave or forsake me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I worry and have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.