Revised Common Lectionary - Nativity of the Lord - Proper I Tuesday, 24 December & Wednesday, 25 December 2013

Revised Common Lectionary - Nativity of the Lord - Proper I

Tuesday, 24 December & Wednesday, 25 December 2013

PRAYER: Thematic

O Holy One,

heavenly angels spoke to earthly shepherds

and eternity entered time in the child of Bethlehem.

Through the telling of the Christmas story,

let our temporal lives be caught up in the eternal

in that same child,

that we might join shepherds and all the heavenly host

in praising the coming of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

OR

God of glory,

your splendor shines from a manger in Bethlehem,

where the Light of the world is humbly born

into the darkness of human night.

Open our eyes to Christ's presence in the shadows of our world,

so that we, like him, may become beacons of your justice,

and defenders of all for whom there is no room. Amen.

OR

Light of life, you came in flesh,

born into human pain and joy,

and gave us power to be your children.

Grant us faith, O Christ, to see your presence among us,

so that all of creation may sing new songs of gladness

and walk in the way of peace. Amen.

OR

We bless you, Abba, Father,

for you have visited your people

in one like us in all things but sin,

and in human fragility you have revealed

the face of divinity.

Gather into your arms

all the peoples of the world,

so that in your embrace

we may find blessing, peace,

and the fullness of our inheritance

as your daughters and sons. Amen.

Intercessory

With the angels of heaven we proclaim your glory, O God.

As the radiance of your presence lights up the heavens,

we pray for enlightenment

for your church on behalf of the whole world.

Prayers of the People, concluding with:

Grant that, through our prayers,

our lives may radiate the presence of Christ

to all who dwell on earth,

for he is our Lord for ever and ever. Amen.

Scripture

God of all ages,

in the birth of Christ

your boundless love for your people

shattered the power of darkness.

Be born in us with that same love and light,

that our song may blend with all the choirs of heaven and earth

to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Isaiah 9: 2 [a] The people who walked in darkness

    have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness—

    on them light has shined.

3 You have multiplied the nation,

    you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

    as with joy at the harvest,

    as people exult when dividing plunder.

4 For the yoke of their burden,

    and the bar across their shoulders,

    the rod of their oppressor,

    you have broken as on the day of Midian.

5 For all the boots of the tramping warriors

    and all the garments rolled in blood

    shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

6 For a child has been born for us,

    a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

    and he is named

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 His authority shall grow continually,

    and there shall be endless peace

for the throne of David and his kingdom.

    He will establish and uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

    from this time onward and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Footnotes:

a. Isaiah 9:2 Ch 9.1 in Heb

Psalm 96: Praise to God Who Comes in Judgment

1 O sing to the Lord a new song;

    sing to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;

    tell of his salvation from day to day.

3 Declare his glory among the nations,

    his marvelous works among all the peoples.

4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

    he is to be revered above all gods.

5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

    but the Lord made the heavens.

6 Honor and majesty are before him;

    strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

    bring an offering, and come into his courts.

9 Worship the Lord in holy splendor;

    tremble before him, all the earth.

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord is king!

    The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.

    He will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

    let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

12     let the field exult, and everything in it.

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

13     before the Lord; for he is coming,

    for he is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

    and the peoples with his truth.

Titus 2: 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,[a] 12 training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior,[b] Jesus Christ. 14 He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Footnotes:

a. Titus 2:11 Or has appeared to all, bringing salvation

b. Titus 2:13 Or of the great God and our Savior

Luke The Birth of Jesus

2: In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah,[a] the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,[b] praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

    and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”[c]

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Footnotes:

a. Luke 2:11 Or the Christ

b. Luke 2:13 Gk army

c. Luke 2:14 Other ancient authorities read peace, goodwill among people

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John Wesley’s Notes and Commentary for:

Isaiah 9:2-7

Verse 2. The people - Israel and Judah. Darkness - The expression is general and so may well comprehend both calamity and ignorance, idolatry and profaneness, in which those parts were eminently involved. Have seen - Shall see at the coming of the Messiah.

Verse 3. Thou hast - Thou hast made good thy promise to Abraham concerning the multiplication of his seed, by gathering in the Gentiles to the Jews. Before thee - In thy presence, and in the place of thy worship.

Verse 4. The yoke - His burdensome yoke. The staff - The staff or staves by which he was forced to carry burdens upon his shoulders. The rod - Wherewith he beat him. Oppressor - Of all his oppressors, but especially of sin and the devil. As - When God destroyed the Midianites in so admirable a manner by three hundred men.

Verse 5. Noise - With the triumphant exclamations of the conqueror, and the bitter Lamentations of the conquered, and the different cries of the same persons, sometimes conquering, and sometimes conquered. Blood - With great difficulty and slaughter. But - But this victory which God's people shall have over all their enemies, shall be more terrible to their adversaries, whom God will utterly consume, as it were by fire.

Verse 6. For - Having spoken of the glorious light, and joy, and victory of God's people, he now proceeds to shew the ground of it. Us - Unto us Jews, of whom Christ was born, and to whom he was primarily sent. A child - The Messiah by the consent of interpreters, not only Christian, but Jewish: for so the ancient Hebrew doctors understood the place, and particularly the Chaldee paraphrast; although the latter Jews, out of opposition to Christ, wrest it to Hezekiah. Which extravagant conceit, as it hath no foundation in this or any other text of scripture, so it is fully confuted by the following titles, which are such as cannot without blasphemy and nonsense be ascribed to Hezekiah, nor indeed to any mere mortal man, as we shall see. Is born - Or, shall be born, as the prophets generally speak. The government - Of God's people, to whom he is given. Shoulders - Upon him, or in his hands. He mentions shoulders, because great burdens are commonly laid upon men's shoulders. His name - This is not to be taken for a description of his name, but of his glorious nature and qualities. Wonderful counsellor - And so Christ is, because he hath been the counsellor of his church in all ages, and the author and giver of all those excellent counsels delivered not only by the apostles, but also by the prophets, and hath gathered and enlarged, and preserved his church, by admirable counsels and methods of his providence, and, in a word, hath in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Colossiansii, 3. Mighty God - This title can agree to no man but Christ, who was God as well as man, to whom the title of God or Jehovah is given, both in the Old and New Testament. And it is a true observation, that this Hebrew word El is never used in the singular number, of any creature, but only of the almighty God. The father - The father of eternity. Who, though as man he was then unborn, yet was and is from everlasting to everlasting.

Verse 7. No end - His peaceable and happy government shall be extended to all the ends of the earth. The throne - Which was promised to David, and to his seed for ever. For ever - From the beginning of it to all eternity. The zeal - This great work shall be brought to pass by almighty God, out of that fervent affection which he hath to his own glory, to the honour of his son, and to his people.

Psalm 96

PS 96 This psalm is a part of that which was delivered to Asaph and his brethren, 1 Chron. xvi, 7, on occasion of bringing up the ark to the city of David. Here is a call to praise God, as a great and glorious God, ver. 1-9. To rejoice in his judging all the world, ver. 10-13.

Verse 1. O sing - Upon this new and great occasion, not the removal of the ark, but the coming of the Messiah.

Verse 4. Gods - The gods of the nations, as the next verse expounds it.

Verse 6. Before him - In his presence.

Verse 9. Beauty - Cloathed with all the gifts and graces, which are necessary in God's worship.

Verse 10. Reigneth - God hath now set up his kingdom in the world. Established - The nations of the world shall by the means of it enjoy an established and lasting peace.

Verse 13. Before - At the presence and approach of their Lord and Maker. Cometh - To set up his throne among all the nations of the earth.

Titus 2:11-14

Verse 11. The saving grace of God - So it is in its nature, tendency, and design. Hath appeared to all men - High and low.

Verse 12. Instructing us - All who do not reject it. That, having renounced ungodliness - Whatever is contrary to the fear and love of God. And worldly desires - Which are opposite to sobriety and righteousness. We should live soberly - In all purity and holiness. Sobriety, in the scripture sense, is rather the whole temper of a man, than a single virtue in him. It comprehends all that is opposite to the drowsiness of sin, the folly of ignorance, the unholiness of disorderly passions. Sobriety is no less than all the powers of the soul being consistently and constantly awake, duly governed by heavenly prudence, and entirely conformable to holy affections. And righteously - Doing to all as we would they should do to us. And godly - As those who are consecrated to God both in heart and life.

Verse 13. Looking - With eager desire. For that glorious appearing - Which we hope for. Of the great God, even our saviour Jesus Christ - So that, if there be (according to the Arian scheme) a great God and a little God, Christ is not the little God, but the great one.

Verse 14. Who gave himself for us - To die in our stead. That he might redeem us - Miserable bondslaves, as well from the power and the very being, as from the guilt, of all our sins.

Luke 2:1-20

Verse 1. That all the world should be enrolled - That all the inhabitants, male and female, of every town in the Roman empire, with their families and estates, should be registered.

Verse 2. When Cyrenius was governor of Syria - When Publius Sulpicius Quirinus governed the province of Syria, in which Judea was then included.

Verse 6. And while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered - Mary seems not to have known that the child must have been born in Bethlehem, agreeably to the prophecy. But the providence of God took care for it.

Verse 7. She laid him in the manger - Perhaps it might rather be translated in the stall. They were lodged in the ox stall, fitted up on occasion of the great concourse, for poor guests. There was no room for them in the inn - Now also, there is seldom room for Christ in an inn. Matt. i, 25

Verse 11. To you - Shepherds; Israel; mankind.

Verse 14. Glory be to God in the highest; on earth peace; good will toward men - The shouts of the multitude are generally broken into short sentences. This rejoicing acclamation strongly represents the piety and benevolence of these heavenly spirits: as if they had said, Glory be to God in the highest heavens: let all the angelic legions resound his praises. For with the Redeemer's birth, peace, and all kind of happiness, come down to dwell on earth: yea, the overflowings of Divine good will and favour are now exercised toward men.

Verse 20. For all the things that they had heard - From Mary; as it was told them - By the angels

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