Worship

Worship: reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; also: an act of expressing such reverence; a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual; extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem 1

As I was searching for a definition of Worship in a Bible Dictionary, I came across the following statement: "Yet truly defining worship proves more difficult because it is both an attitude and an act." 2

I was struck the other day by a simple truth. Jesus Christ is worthy of our worship. He just simply is. Not because He healed the sick (Mt. 8:14-15), made the lame walk (Mt. 9:6-7), the deaf hear (Mt. 11:5), the mute speak (Mt. 9:32-33), blind see (Mt. 9:29-30), raised the dead (Mt. 9:24-25), the waters still and the wind cease (Mt. 8:26), the water wine (John 2:7-8), or the demons leave(Mt. 8:31-32). Not because He suffered, was crucified, died and rose again (John 19-20). Not because He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf (Romans 8:34). Although, all those things are true and cause us to give praise, adoration and thanks, they are not why Jesus is worthy of our worship.
Jesus is worthy of our worship because He is the second person of the Holy Trinity, the only begotten Son of God. He is God, the self-existent One. He has no beginning, and will have no end. He was with the Father before the creation of the world. John 1:1-2, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God." He was worthy of our worship before He came to earth or did a single thing recorded in the Gospels. He was and is worthy. Revelation 4:12, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing."
The verse that caused me to reflect on this truth was Matthew 2:11, "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him." The wise men worshiped the Christ Child before He performed any of the aforementioned miracles. Jesus is worthy of worship because of who He is not what He has done.
Do you love Jesus because of who He is or what He does for you?

Diane
1 Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary accessed 12 28 06.
2 Elwell, Walter A. "Entry for 'Worship'". "Evangelical Dictionary of Theology". <http://www.biblestudytools.net/Dictionaries/BakerEvangelicalDictionary/bed.cgi?number=T745>. 1997. accessed 12/28 06.org