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Essentials of True Worship:
Replacing Frankincense in Worship
by Rev. Moses K. Ndereva, Pastor – Lifeline Community Fellowship
Text Scripture:Matthew 2:10-12 (NIV)
10.When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11.On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12.And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
- Wise men follow the leading of the Spirit. They hear the voice of God and are able to discern between voices.
- Wise men seek God until they find Him.
- Wise men open their treasures to God and worship Him with their substance.
- Wise men heed instruction and correction. The wise men obeyed not to go back to Herod.
Application: The Importance of Frankincense:
Frankincense is a pure sweet smelling ingredient of incense vital for sacrifice in worship. As it burns, it releases a sweet smelling fragrance which pleases God. It is also an essential ingredient in anointing oil.
We need to know that we are today offering ourselves as living sacrifices according to
Romans 12:1. We expect to be "holy and acceptable" but owing to our canal minds, we frequently find ourselves unpleasant, repelling, and even unacceptable let alone being holy.
Live sacrifices seem to have problematic odors instead of releasing sweet fragrance. Our common odors come from our human (natural man) character. People have developed a common saying in reference to character and habits. They say "he/she stinks". They do not refer to hygiene! They refer to the characteristics of the flesh, which the bible says are clearly manifest.
To make our worship consistent with the frankincense fragrance in the nostrils of God;
- We must have the same mind as was in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). Only then can we experience the Change Jesus brings. Jesus had a humble mind that died to self and gave up itself fully for others who never deserved it in the first place. He did all things to the glory of the Father. He is the gift of God to man and He is the reason we worship!
- To obtain this mind, we must have the Holy Spirit in us, on us and with us so that we can produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us true worship of the King of Kings.
- We must recognize that sacrifices must be put on fire while still fresh. Delayed sacrifice will spoil, stink and become waste. Seek the Lord and worship God while He may be found, the bible says. We must remain on the altar of the fire of the Holy Spirit until our canal minds are fully consumed by the fire of the Holy Spirit. He seeks those that will worship him in truth and in spirit.
- We must know that we are ingredients in worship. Our worship and anointing is complete only when we are in true fellowship with one another. Frankincense is just a part of the main essentials of incense and anointing oil. We too are incomplete without one another as much as we may smell good individually. Fellowship in Christ completes us.
We (the Christians) are today’s frankincense in the altar of sacrifice. When we pray, give, or serve the Lord by serving His people in whatever calling, we must aim at releasing the sweetness and treasures the Lord has deposited in each of us. Remember that treasures must be opened up in order to benefit another person. Mary had to break the alabaster jar of perfume in order to anoint Jesus. In the same way, our bodies, hearts and minds must be broken to release the fragrance God has put in us.
What do you release when you burn on the altar of sacrifice? What do people sense around you? Are you willing to open up your treasures to the Master, Savior, Lord and King of Kings,
Jesus Christ?
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