Deuteronomy 6:10-15 and Matthew 4:8-11 tell us, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve." This is a temptation with international and even cosmic consequences. And it is resumed in Matt 16:21-26. The temptation is to skip the cross for a crown. The question is whether we are seeking crowns like power and money or are we taking up our cross -- are we worshiping and serving God alone.

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Labels: cross, deuteronomy, Matthew, money, power, serve, temptation, worship

Matthew 2:1-12 shows us the cost of Christmas. Usually we mean this negatively -- what is Christmas going to cost me? There is a dark side to Christmas as Herod kills the infant children in the region of Bethlehem. But the cost of Christmas we tend to think of is money. Instead, I propose that the "cost" (if we even want to call it that, though it would be considered a cost to unbelievers) of Christmas is rejoicing exceedingly with great joy whenever someone sees the path to Christ, falling down and worshiping Him and nothing else, and giving our treasures to Him. All of these are gifts we give to God. God wants us for Christmas.

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Labels: herod, joy, money, offering, Sunday worship