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Daily Readings:
Saints/Heroes/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: Advent of the Nativity
Scriptural Readings:
ELCA Readings:
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Psalm 146:5-10
5Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God,
6who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
7who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
9The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord!
Ruth 1:16-18
Ruth 1:16-1816But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; Where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17Where you die, I will die— there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!” 18When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.
2 Peter 3:1-10
2 Peter 3:1-10
3This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; in them I am trying to arouse your sincere intention by reminding you 2that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles.
3First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts 4and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!” 5They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, 6through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. 7But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless.
8But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.
9The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
LCMS Readings:
December 9th, 2010
Thursday of Populus Zion (Advent 2)
Read today's Higher Things Daily Reflection
December 9, 2010 - Thursday of the Second Week of Advent
Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 26:1-19; 1 John 3:1-24
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks. (Isaiah 26:1)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What is it that protects you from sin, death and the devil? Ancient cities used to have walls built around them to keep out their enemies. What walls protect you from your enemies? These enemies attack you. They lay siege to you. Those wicked thoughts stewing in your head, about what you're going to say or do to those who hurt you. That confusion because of what your teacher told you, challenging what you learned from your pastor. The devil, whispering in your ear that you can't be a Christian. What defends you against those kinds of attacks?
The prophet Isaiah says that the walls that defend God's people are salvation. And salvation means the Lord working to save sinners. That means Jesus and His perfect life and death on the cross. That is the wall that defends you, because Christ's death and resurrection destroy the power of your enemies.
Now, some preachers will tell you that the only way to overcome these evils is to resist them, try harder, and get more faith. But if it's left up to you, that's like a weak spot in a wall that is easily breached so the enemy army can come in.
But with Christ's salvation as your defense, the enemies can't get inside. The devil can try to accuse you, but the cross—put upon you in Baptism and given in the supper—says you cannot be accused. The world can rail against you but the Savior who walked away from His grave has overcome this world. And your flesh will even attack you, but the pure flesh of Christ that you eat will overcome even your sinful flesh, and your Baptism has drowned it!
Your enemies―the devil, world and sinful nature―are coming against you. Advent promises that Christ has come and is coming again in glory and will come again by His Word and gifts to stop them from harming you. The salvation of God in Jesus Christ is your sure defense. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Let the earth now praise the Lord, Who has truly kept His word And at last to us did send Christ, the sinner's help and friend. (LSB 352:1)
Questions or comments regarding the Reflections may be sent to the Rev. Mark Buetow, Reflectons Editor, reflections@higherthings.org.
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Collect
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading: Is. 26:1-19
You Keep Him in Perfect Peace
1In that day(A) this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
"We have a strong city;
he sets up(B) salvation
as walls and bulwarks. 2(C) Open the gates,
that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. 3(D) You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you. 4Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. 5(E) For he has humbled
the inhabitants of the height,
the lofty city.He lays it low, lays it low to the ground,
casts it to the dust. 6The foot tramples it,
the feet of(F) the poor,
the steps of the needy."
7The path of the righteous is level;
(G) you make level the way of the righteous. 8In the path of your judgments,
O LORD, we wait for you;(H) your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul. 9My soul yearns for you in the night;
my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.(I) For when your judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. 10(J) If favor is shown to the wicked,
he does not learn righteousness;in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly
and does not see the majesty of the LORD. 11O LORD,(K) your hand is lifted up,
but(L) they do not see it.Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed.
Let(M) the fire for your adversaries consume them. 12O LORD, you will ordain(N) peace for us,
for you have indeed done for us all our works. 13O LORD our God,
(O) other lords besides you have ruled over us,
(P) but your name alone we bring to remembrance. 14They are dead, they will not live;
they are shades, they will not arise;to that end you have visited them with destruction
and wiped out all remembrance of them. 15(Q) But you have increased the nation, O LORD,
you have increased the nation; you are glorified;
(R) you have enlarged all the borders of the land.
16O LORD,(S) in distress they sought you;
they poured out a whispered prayer
when your discipline was upon them. 17(T) Like a pregnant woman
who writhes and cries out in her pangs
when she is near to giving birth,so were we because of you, O LORD;
18(U) we were pregnant, we writhed,
but we have given birth to wind.We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth,
and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen. 19(V) Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!For(W) your dew is a dew of light,
and the earth will give birth to the dead.
Cross references:Isaiah 26:1 : Isaiah 27:2 Isaiah 26:1 : Isaiah 60:18 Isaiah 26:2 : Psalm 118:19, 20 Isaiah 26:3 : Isaiah 30:15 Isaiah 26:5 : Isaiah 25:12 Isaiah 26:6 : Isaiah 25:4 Isaiah 26:7 : 1 Sam 2:9; Psalm 37:23 Isaiah 26:8 : Exodus 3:15 Isaiah 26:9 : Isaiah 26:16; 2 Chr 33:12 Isaiah 26:10 : Psalm 73:3-11 Isaiah 26:11 : Mic 5:9 Isaiah 26:11 : Isaiah 5:12 Isaiah 26:11 : Psalm 21:9; Isaiah 33:14 Isaiah 26:12 : Isaiah 9:7; Mic 5:5 Isaiah 26:13 : Isaiah 2:8; 2 Kgs 16:3, 4 Isaiah 26:13 : Isaiah 2:20; Psalm 20:7; 2 Kgs 18:4-6 Isaiah 26:15 : Isaiah 9:3 Isaiah 26:15 : Isaiah 54:2, 3 Isaiah 26:16 : Hos 5:15; Isaiah 37:1-4 Isaiah 26:17 : Isaiah 13:8 Isaiah 26:18 : Isaiah 26:17 Isaiah 26:19 : Ezek 37:12; Dan 12:2; Hos 13:14 Isaiah 26:19 : Hos 14:5
Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-24
1See(A) what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called(B) children of God; and so we are. The reason why(C) the world does not know us is that(D) it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are(E) God’s children(F) now, and what we will be(G) has not yet appeared; but we know that(H) when he appears[a](I) we shall be like him, because(J) we shall see him as he is. 3And everyone who(K) thus hopes in him(L) purifies himself as he is pure.
4Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness;(M) sin is lawlessness. 5You know that(N) he appeared to(O) take away sins, and(P) in him there is no sin. 6No one who abides in him keeps on sinning;(Q) no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7Little children,(R) let no one deceive you.(S) Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8(T) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was(U) to destroy the works of the devil. 9(V) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s[b] seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God,(W) nor is the one who(X) does not love his brother.
Love One Another
11For(Y) this is the message that you have heard from the beginning,(Z) that we should love one another. 12We should not be like(AA) Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him?(AB) Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13Do not be surprised, brothers,[c](AC) that the world hates you. 14We know that(AD) we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15(AE) Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that(AF) no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16By this we know love, that(AG) he laid down his life for us, and(AH) we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17But(AI) if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet(AJ) closes his heart against him,(AK) how does God’s love abide in him? 18Little children, let us not(AL) love in word or talk but in deed and(AM) in truth.
19By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21Beloved,(AN) if our heart does not condemn us,(AO) we have confidence before God; 22and(AP) whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and(AQ) do what pleases him. 23And this is his commandment,(AR) that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and(AS) love one another,(AT) just as he has commanded us. 24(AU) Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God,[d] and God[e] in him. And(AV) by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Footnotes:1 John 3:2 Or when it appears 1 John 3:9 Greek his 1 John 3:13 Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God’s family, the church; also verses 14, 16 1 John 3:24 Greek him 1 John 3:24 Greek he
Cross references:1 John 3:1 : 1 John 4:10; John 3:16 1 John 3:1 : John 1:12 1 John 3:1 : 1 John 4:17 1 John 3:1 : John 16:3; 17:25 1 John 3:2 : 1 John 3:1 1 John 3:2 : Rom 8:15; Gal 3:26; Eph 1:5 1 John 3:2 : Rom 8:18; 2 Cor 4:17 1 John 3:2 : 1 John 2:28 1 John 3:2 : Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:11; Phil 3:21; 2 Pet 1:4 1 John 3:2 : John 17:24; 1 Cor 13:12; Rev 22:4 1 John 3:3 : Rom 15:12 1 John 3:3 : 2 Cor 7:1 1 John 3:4 : 1 John 5:17; Rom 4:15 1 John 3:5 : Heb 9:26; 1 John 1:2 1 John 3:5 : Isa 53:11, 12 1 John 3:5 : 1 Pet 2:22 1 John 3:6 : 1 John 2:4; 4:8; 3 John 11 1 John 3:7 : 1 John 2:26 1 John 3:7 : 1 John 2:29 1 John 3:8 : Matt 13:38; John 8:44 1 John 3:8 : Heb 2:14; Gen 3:15; Luke 10:18; John 16:11 1 John 3:9 : 1 John 5:18 1 John 3:10 : 1 John 4:8 1 John 3:10 : 1 John 4:20, 21 1 John 3:11 : 1 John 1:5; 2:24 1 John 3:11 : John 13:34 1 John 3:12 : Gen 4:4, 8; Heb 11:4; Jude 11 1 John 3:12 : Psalm 38:20; Prov 29:10 1 John 3:13 : John 15:18; 17:14 1 John 3:14 : John 5:24 1 John 3:15 : Matt 5:21, 22 1 John 3:15 : Gal 5:21; Rev 21:8 1 John 3:16 : John 15:13 1 John 3:16 : Phil 2:17 1 John 3:17 : James 2:15, 16 1 John 3:17 : Deut 15:7 1 John 3:17 : 1 John 4:20 1 John 3:18 : Ezek 33:31; Eph 4:15 1 John 3:18 : 2 John 1; 3 John 1 1 John 3:21 : 1 Cor 4:4 1 John 3:21 : 1 John 5:14; Job 11:15; 22:26; Rom 14:22 1 John 3:22 : Matt 7:7 1 John 3:22 : John 8:29 1 John 3:23 : John 6:29; Acts 18:8 1 John 3:23 : 1 John 3:11 1 John 3:23 : 1 John 2:8 1 John 3:24 : John 6:56; 14:20; 15:4, 5; 17:21 1 John 3:24 : 1 John 4:13; Rom 8:9
Thursday Father Reading
"We eat the Bread which is from heaven, that is, Christ, who was made like us. But Christ was and it God, coming from above, from the Father, and He is King and Lord above all, over all things." [St. Cyril of Alexandria. "Of Worship in Spirit and in Truth," book 13. 5th Century]
All Scripture Readings: English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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