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Daily Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Heroes/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: Advent of the Nativity
Scriptural Readings:
ELCA Readings:
Saturday, December 11, 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!
1 Samuel 2:1-8
1 Samuel 2:1-8
2Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in my God. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory. 2“There is no Holy One like the Lord, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 3Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. 5Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. 6The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. 8He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.
Luke 3:1-18
Luke 3:1-18
3In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” 7John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” 12Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” 14Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”
15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
LCMS Readings:
December 11th, 2010
Saturday of Populus Zion (Advent 2)
Read today's Higher Things Daily Reflection
December 11, 2010 - Saturday of the Second Week of Advent
Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 28:14-29; 1 John 5:1-21
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 from the Introit for Advent 3)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Be happy! But what is there to be happy about? For many, the Christmas holiday season is a time of gloom and sadness. The absence of loved ones who have died, families broken by divorce and estrangement, the overwhelming burden to do so many “holiday” activities, the short days and long nights, the burden of schoolwork before the break—all of these can weigh us down while all around us the world blares its Christmas music and blinds us with all the glitter and glitz.
Against all of this, St. Paul's words ring out: Rejoice! Rejoice! Be happy! Why? Because Christ is coming! Tomorrow, as you go to God's house for the Divine Service, rejoice! Rejoice that the Lord has rescued you in Christ from every evil of body and soul. Christ didn't come so we have another holiday to celebrate. He came to save us from our sins. From ourselves. From the devil. From the world. From the judgment of the Law. From death.
Advent in Christ's church is the celebration that what we are waiting for is more than a morning to tear through presents. We join with the saints of old who were longing for the coming of their Savior, only where they waited for Him to appear in the flesh, we celebrate that He has come in the flesh and we now await His coming glory.
Tomorrow in church, as you sing the hymns of Advent and hear the readings of expectation and longing, rejoice that Christ is coming. As you hear of John the Baptist pointing to Christ, rejoice that your Savior has come. As your pastor reminds you of your Baptism, absolves you and feeds you with Christ's body and blood, rejoice that your sins are forgiven and that your heavenly Father loves you in Christ, no matter what's going on in this world and in your life.
Christ has come for you. You are His. He is your Savior. His coming is no burden, but a delight. Not to be feared, but awaited eagerly. His advent is our light and life and hope and joy. And we await His coming as we receive Him coming to us in His Word and Sacraments. Rejoice! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
O Bride of Christ, rejoice; Exultant raise thy voice To hail the day of glory Foretold in sacred story. Hosanna, praise and glory! Our King, we bow before Thee. (LSB 335:1)
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. 28:14-29
A Cornerstone in Zion
14Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you(A) scoffers,
who rule this people in Jerusalem! 15Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death,
and with Sheol we have an agreement,when the(B) overwhelming whip passes through
it will not come to us,for we have made(C) lies our refuge,
and in falsehood we have taken shelter"; 16therefore thus says the Lord GOD,(D) "Behold, I am the one who has laid[a] as a foundation(E) in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
'Whoever believes will not be in haste.' 17And I will make justice(F) the line,
and righteousness the plumb line;and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,
and waters will overwhelm the shelter." 18Then(G) your covenant with death will be annulled,
and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;when the overwhelming scourge passes through,
you will be beaten down by it. 19As often as it passes through it will take you;
(H) for morning by morning it will pass through,
by day and by night;and it will be(I) sheer terror to understand the message. 20For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on,
and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in. 21For the LORD will rise up(J) as on Mount Perazim;
(K) as in the Valley of(L) Gibeon he will be roused;to do his deed—strange is his deed!
and to work his work—alien is his work! 22Now therefore do not(M) scoff,
lest your bonds be made strong;for I have heard(N) a decree of destruction
from the Lord GOD of hosts against the whole land.
23Give ear, and hear my voice;
give attention, and hear my speech. 24Does he who plows for sowing plow continually?
Does he continually open and harrow his ground? 25(O) When he has leveled its surface,
does he not scatter dill, sow cumin,and put in wheat in rows
and barley in its proper place,
and emmer[b] as the border? 26(P) For he is rightly instructed;
his God teaches him.
27Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge,
nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin,but dill is beaten out with a stick,
and cumin with a rod. 28Does one crush grain for bread?
No, he does not thresh it forever;[c]when he drives his cart wheel over it
with his horses, he does not crush it. 29This also comes from the LORD of hosts;
he is(Q) wonderful in counsel
and excellent in wisdom.
Footnotes:Isaiah 28:16 Dead Sea Scroll I am laying Isaiah 28:25 A type of wheat Isaiah 28:28 Or Grain is crushed for bread; he will surely thresh it, but not forever
Cross references:Isaiah 28:14 : Isaiah 28:22; Isaiah 29:20 Isaiah 28:15 : Isaiah 28:2, 18; Isaiah 8:7, 8 Isaiah 28:15 : Rom 1:25 Isaiah 28:16 : Cited Rom 9:33; 1 Pet 2:6; Psalm 118:22; Matt 21:42; Acts 4:11 Isaiah 28:16 : Isaiah 14:32 Isaiah 28:17 : 2 Kgs 21:13 Isaiah 28:18 : Isaiah 28:15 Isaiah 28:19 : Isaiah 50:4 Isaiah 28:19 : 2 Chr 32:18 Isaiah 28:21 : 2 Sam 5:20; 1 Chr 14:11 Isaiah 28:21 : Josh 10:10-14 Isaiah 28:21 : 1 Chr 14:16; Josh 9:3 Isaiah 28:22 : Isaiah 28:14 Isaiah 28:22 : Isaiah 10:23 Isaiah 28:25 : Isaiah 55:10, 11 Isaiah 28:26 : Isaiah 21:10 Isaiah 28:29 : Jer 32:19; Isaiah 9:6
Second Reading: 1 John 5:1-21
Overcoming the World
1(A) Everyone who believes that(B) Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and(C) everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2(D) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3For(E) this is the love of God, that we(F) keep his commandments. And(G) his commandments are not burdensome. 4For(H) everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—(I) our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes(J) that Jesus is the Son of God?
Testimony Concerning the Son of God
6This is he who came(K) by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And(L) the Spirit is the one who testifies, because(M) the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: 8the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9(N) If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God(O) that he has borne concerning his Son. 10Whoever believes in the Son of God(P) has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God(Q) has made him a liar,(R) because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11And this is the testimony, that God gave us(S) eternal life, and(T) this life is in his Son. 12(U) Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
That You May Know
13I write(V) these things to you who(W) believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 14And this is(X) the confidence that we have toward him, that(Y) if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and(Z) God[a] will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death.(AA) There is sin that leads to death;(AB) I do not say that one should pray for that. 17(AC) All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
18We know that(AD) everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but(AE) he who was born of God(AF) protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
19We know that we are from God, and(AG) the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20And we know that the Son of God has come and(AH) has given us understanding, so that we may know(AI) him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and(AJ) eternal life. 21Little children,(AK) keep yourselves from idols.
Footnotes:1 John 5:16 Greek he
Cross references:1 John 5:1 : John 1:12 1 John 5:1 : 1 John 2:22 1 John 5:1 : John 8:42 1 John 5:2 : 1 John 2:5; 3:24; 4:13 1 John 5:3 : 2 John 6; John 14:15 1 John 5:3 : 1 John 2:3 1 John 5:3 : Matt 11:30 1 John 5:4 : 1 John 3:9; 4:4; John 16:33 1 John 5:4 : 1 Cor 15:57; Eph 6:16 1 John 5:5 : 1 John 4:15 1 John 5:6 : 1 John 5:8 1 John 5:6 : John 15:26; Acts 5:32 1 John 5:6 : John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13 1 John 5:9 : John 5:34, 36, 37; 8:17, 18 1 John 5:9 : Matt 3:17 1 John 5:10 : Rom 8:16; Gal 4:6; Rev 12:17; 19:10 1 John 5:10 : 1 John 1:10; John 3:33 1 John 5:10 : John 5:38 1 John 5:11 : 1 John 2:25; 1 John 4:9 1 John 5:11 : John 1:4 1 John 5:12 : John 3:15, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47 1 John 5:13 : John 20:31 1 John 5:13 : John 1:12 1 John 5:14 : 1 John 2:28; 3:21; 4:17 1 John 5:14 : 1 John 3:22; Prov 10:24 1 John 5:16 : Job 42:8; James 5:15 1 John 5:16 : Matt 12:31, 32; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10; Heb 6:4-6; 10:26 1 John 5:16 : Jer 7:16; 14:11 1 John 5:17 : 1 John 3:4 1 John 5:18 : 1 John 3:9 1 John 5:18 : John 1:18 1 John 5:18 : John 17:12 1 John 5:19 : Luke 4:6; Gal 1:4 1 John 5:20 : Luke 24:45 1 John 5:20 : John 17:3; Rev 3:7 1 John 5:20 : 1 John 5:11-13 1 John 5:21 : 1 Cor 10:7, 14
Saturday Father Reading
"We eat His Body and drink His Blood, that as it passes visibly into our inward parts, so we may be inwardly united to Him and transformed. For it is a Sacrament and a Mystery." [St. Etherius. "Against Elipandus," book 1. 8th 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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