“Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” (Amos 5:23–24, NKJV)

We are preparing to celebrate the birth of our Lord. Over 2,000 years ago, He clothed Himself with human flesh. He became the Man Christ Jesus so that He could save the sons and daughters of Adam. He came to bridge the gap between God in His holiness and man in his sinfulness. He came to destroy the works of the devil, for Satan held us captive through sin and death.

But Jesus also came to restore true worship. While God established the sacrificial system of blood atonement, man had corrupted it. The offerings were intended to remind people of the cost of sin and the need for a substitute. My sins are so bad that someone else must die so that I may be forgiven. But the children of Israel thought that if they gave burnt offerings and sin offerings they could live however they wanted and disregard the commandments of the LORD. They could worship other gods, cling to their idols, and treat others with contempt, and everything would be fine. But God hated this kind of hypocritical worship and would soon send them away into captivity.

Jesus became the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world, but also to show us that the only way to please God is to receive Him by faith and to worship God in spirit and in truth. True worship of God results in justice and righteousness toward others, for how can we say that we love God whom we cannot see if we cannot love our brother whom we do see?

God delights in our worship when it comes from pure hearts, clean hands, and sincere love for our brothers and sisters. As we celebrate the birth of our King, may His justice, righteousness and love flow through us to others, for this is worship in spirit and truth.