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

Revised Common Lectionary - Nativity of the Lord - Proper II

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

God of incarnation,

your angel host announces

that peace has been born among us,

embodied in fragile flesh.

With confidence in the power of that miracle,

we bring before you our prayers for the church and the world.

Prayers of the People, concluding with:

By your grace, transform our prayers from words to deeds,

that we may live as a holy people

in the dawn of your peace,

redeemed from all that divides us. Amen.

Scripture

Christ, our God,

whom humble shepherds worshiped at a manger,

you are holy and most high, merciful and mighty.

Startle us to wakefulness,

that we may rejoice in your new and glorious dawn,

and, in your holy name,

act to mend this suffering world. Amen.

OR

Tender and precious God,

from ancient times

the promise of your salvation

has sustained your people. With Mary and Joseph,

teach us to treasure in our hearts the birth of Jesus,

and with shepherds and angels,

lead us to praise his holy name. Amen.

Isaiah 62: 6 Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,

    I have posted sentinels;

all day and all night

    they shall never be silent.

You who remind the Lord,

    take no rest,

7 and give him no rest

    until he establishes Jerusalem

    and makes it renowned throughout the earth.

8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand

    and by his mighty arm:

I will not again give your grain

    to be food for your enemies,

and foreigners shall not drink the wine

    for which you have labored;

9 but those who garner it shall eat it

    and praise the Lord,

and those who gather it shall drink it

    in my holy courts.

10 Go through, go through the gates,

    prepare the way for the people;

build up, build up the highway,

    clear it of stones,

    lift up an ensign over the peoples.

11 The Lord has proclaimed

    to the end of the earth:

Say to daughter Zion,

    “See, your salvation comes;

his reward is with him,

    and his recompense before him.”

12 They shall be called, “The Holy People,

    The Redeemed of the Lord”;

and you shall be called, “Sought Out,

    A City Not Forsaken.”

Psalm 97: The Glory of God’s Reign

1 The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice;

    let the many coastlands be glad!

2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;

    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him,

    and consumes his adversaries on every side.

4 His lightnings light up the world;

    the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,

    before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness;

    and all the peoples behold his glory.

7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,

    those who make their boast in worthless idols;

    all gods bow down before him.

8 Zion hears and is glad,

    and the towns[a] of Judah rejoice,

    because of your judgments, O God.

9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;

    you are exalted far above all gods.

10 The Lord loves those who hate[b] evil;

    he guards the lives of his faithful;

    he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.

11 Light dawns[c] for the righteous,

    and joy for the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,

    and give thanks to his holy name!

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 97:8 Heb daughters

b. Psalm 97:10 Cn: Heb You who love the Lord hate

c. Psalm 97:11 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb is sown

Titus 3: 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water[a] of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Footnotes:

a. Titus 3:5 Gk washing

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 62:6-12

Verse 6. Day nor night - There shall be a vigilant and industrious ministry. Ye - That is, are his servants. And here especially are meant his servants in ordinary, his remembrancers, such as put God in mind of his promise, and such as make the Lord to be remembered, putting his people in mind of him.

Verse 7. A praise - By sending the Messiah, and those labourers into his vineyard, whereby the church may be established, and settled on sure foundations, and so become a matter of praise to God. All the nations shall praise him for her.

Verse 9. But - Thou shalt not sow, and another reap, as formerly. Courts - In my courts: holiness being put for God himself.

Verse 10. Go through - It is doubled by way of emphasis. Go meet the Gentiles, whom God purposes to bring into the church. Prepare - Let them not have any obstructions in their way. Stones - That there be no stumbling-stone, or offense in their way. Standard - An allusion to soldiers, that set up their standard that the army may know where to repair from all quarters.

Verse 11. Zion - To Jerusalem, or the church. Thy salvation - Thy saviour. Reward - The reward due to the work.

Psalm 97

S 97 Christ is the Alpha and Omega in this psalm. His government speaks terror to his enemies, ver. 1-7. And comfort to his friends, whom he preserves and delivers, ver. 8-12.

Verse 1. Isles - The Gentile nations, as this word, used Isaiah xlii, 4, is expounded, Matt. xii, 21.

Verse 2. Darkness - A dark cloud doth encompass him.

Verse 6. Heavens - The angels, yea God himself from heaven.

Verse 7. Confounded - Let them be ashamed of their folly. Gods - All you whom the Gentiles have made the objects of their worship.

Verse 8. Zion - Thy people dwelling in Zion or Jerusalem, to whom Christ came. Heard - The fame of thy judgments, and the setting up the kingdom of the Messiah.

Verse 11. Light - Joy and happiness. Sown - Is laid up for them.

Titus 3:4-7

Verse 4. When the love of God appeared - By the light of his Spirit to our inmost soul.

Verse 5. Not by works - In this important passage the apostle presents us with a delightful view of our redemption. Herein we have,

1. The cause of it; not our works or righteousness, but "the kindness and love of God our saviour."

2. The effects; which are, (1.) Justification; "being justified," pardoned and accepted through the alone merits of Christ, not from any desert in us, but according to his own mercy, "by his grace," his free, unmerited goodness. (2.) Sanctification, expressed by the laver of regeneration, (that is, baptism, the thing signified, as well as the outward sign,) and the renewal of the Holy Ghost; which purifies the soul, as water cleanses the body, and renews it in the whole image of God.

3. The consummation of all; - that we might become heirs of eternal life, and live now in the joyful hope of it

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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