After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph were careful to follow the required Jewish Ceremonies. They demonstrated how obedience can be worship.
Matthew 2: 21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” 24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—”either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” [1]
Explanation of the Ceremonies
God had given Abraham circumcision as the sign of their covenant. Genesis 17: 11 You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth.[2] Thus, Jesus became part of the Abrahamic covenant in this ceremony. The baby was also formally named at his circumcision. Mary and Joseph followed God’s instructions. Scripture doesn’t give the details, but more than likely this took place in Bethlehem.
Any contact with blood rendered a person “unclean.” Since blood is present during childbirth, Leviticus 12 enumerated the rules for a woman to become ceremonially clean. Again, Mary did precisely what was required. She presented a sacrifice at the Temple. It is interesting to note that the sacrifice of the birds was for those who couldn’t afford a lamb. Mary and Joseph were not wealthy people.
Attitude Makes the Difference
What is worship? “A simplified definition of worship can be stated as a continual heart attitude of bowing down in reverence and humility before the supreme Lord and Creator of the universe.”[3]
Moses told the people to love God and obey His commands. Deuteronomy 6: 4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.[4]
Mary and Joseph could have assumed that they were special and above God’s law because God had chosen them to parent Jesus. This was not the case. They humbled themselves to follow God’s instructions. Mary and Joseph didn’t have much money, yet they traveled from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to make an offering. They elevated what God commanded over anything they wanted. This is a form of worship. I have observed some church members who are obedient only when it is convenient for them. They will attend a Sunday service if they don’t have anything better to do. This kind of attitude elevates their desires above God and demonstrates an attitude of limited commitment to God. Our God desires all of us, and our obedience can be worship with the right heart attitude. To find out more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/the-gifts-of-praise
[1,2,4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.