King and God and Sacrifice

I've long looked down on 'We Three Kings' as a Christmas carol. Sure it's traditional, but it's long, the melody line is hard to sing with a group, and it is so boring to play. I've never heard it and liked it (apart from the stellar version from the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLaughlin; but try getting your local church to play that version!) My other beef with the song is that it doesn't really give any spiritual insights to the Christmas story. Sure, it's about the journey of the wise men to see the Christ child, but that's about it. It's mostly a narrative of their trip. Look at the chorus even - it's all about the star that they followed, not even Jesus!

It was on the other day in the background, one of the many songs playing over and over on a Christmas only station, when one particular line nearly knocked me off my feet. "King and God and Sacrifice." Three words, linked together inequitably. King and God go together. Sacrifice does not. King and God are high positions, upper eschelon, top of the food chain. Sacrifice is the lowest of low - what you present to kings and gods. How amazing that Christ can be all in one equally - king and God and sacrifice.

Today we gloss over this fact. We've grown up hearing and reading about the sacrifice of God for us. God became flesh and dwelt among us. Christ took our sins upon himself, becoming the sacrifical lamb for humanity. We know this basic fact of Christianity like the back of our hand. But think about the radical idea that this was back at the first Christmas. The Jews were waiting for their King and their God to arrive boldly, to throw off the oppression. Instead, He came meekly and mildly, a helpless baby born to a young girl, with the spectre of death in His future. A sacrifice, yet King and God as well. This is the mystery and majesty of Christmas.

King and God and Sacrifice. All equal, all linked, all fulfilled in one Person.

Merry Christmas.