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Daily Readings:
Saints/Heroes/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: the Advent of the Nativity
Scriptural Readings:
ELCA Readings:
Friday, December 10, 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 4:13-17
Ruth 4:13-17
13So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. 14Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.” 16Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. 17The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.
2 Peter 3:11-18
2 Peter 3:11-18
11Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. 14Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. 17You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
LCMS Readings:
December 10th, 2010
Friday of Populus Zion (Advent 2)
Read today's Higher Things Daily Reflection
December 10, 2010 - Friday of the Second Week of Advent
Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 26:20-27:13; 1 John 4:1-21
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, (1 John 4:1-2)
In the Name of Jesus. Amen. Don't trust what is preached. Test it. That's what St. John says. Just because someone claims to be a Christian or even a Christian preacher, don't believe it, just because they say it. Test them to see whether they are preaching Christ faithfully. How do we do that? How do we recognize that what our pastors preach is right? How do we tell the difference between true preaching and false preaching? St. John gives us the answer: Everyone who confesses that Jesus has come in the flesh is of God.
Advent reminds us that God comes to us―that Jesus comes to us, in the flesh. As a man. Born of a woman. Born into this world to be like us without sin. True God and true man. God-with-us. God-in-the-flesh. Many religions deny that Jesus is God in the flesh. Many others deny that Jesus really came as a man. Either way, they're wrong. Jesus came in the flesh so that He could suffer and die for your sins. Any preacher who denies that Jesus did this is a false preacher. Any preacher who makes little or nothing of the fact that God became a man to take away your sins should not be trusted, but avoided.
But there's more coming in the flesh that Jesus does. He tells us to take eat and take drink His body and His blood. He tells us to feast upon His flesh so that we will have eternal life. To confess that Jesus comes in the flesh also means to confess and believe that He comes to us in His Supper in His flesh and blood. That is, He still comes to us in the flesh to save us and forgive us in His holy Sacrament. Beware of any preacher or teacher who denies this, too!
Jesus comes in the flesh for our salvation and comfort. He comes as a man to die for our sins and rise again. He gives you His flesh to eat so you can be certain that your sins are forgiven. That is the preaching of the true Holy Spirit, the one who delivers this flesh-having God to you for forgiveness and life. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
O Lord, we praise Thee, bless Thee and adore Thee, In thanksgiving bow before Thee. Thou with Thy body and Thy blood didst nourish Our weak souls that they may flourish: O Lord, have mercy! May Thy body, Lord, born of Mary, That our sins and sorrows did carry, And Thy blood for us plead In all trial, fear and need: O Lord, have mercy! (LSB 617:1)
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. 26:20-27:13
20Come, my people, enter your chambers,
and shut your doors behind you;hide yourselves(A) for a little while
until the fury has passed by. 21(B) For behold, the LORD is coming out from his place
to punish the inhabitants of(C) the earth for their iniquity,and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it,
and will no more cover its slain.
The Redemption of Israel
1In that day the LORD with his hard and great and strong(D) sword will punish(E) Leviathan the fleeing serpent,(F) Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.
2In that day,(G) "A pleasant vineyard,[a](H) sing of it!
3I, the LORD, am its keeper;
every moment I water it.
Lest anyone punish it,I keep it night and day;
4I have no wrath.(I) Would that I had thorns and briers to battle!
I would march against them,
I would burn them up together. 5Or let them lay hold of my protection,
let them make peace with me,
let them make peace with me."
6(J) In days to come[b] Jacob shall take root,
Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots
and fill the whole world with fruit.
7(K) Has he struck them(L) as he struck those who struck them?
Or have they been slain(M) as their slayers were slain? 8(N) Measure by measure,[c] by exile you contended with them;
(O) he removed them with his fierce breath[d] in the day of the east wind. 9Therefore by this(P) the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for,
and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:[e](Q) when he makes all the stones of the altars
like chalkstones crushed to pieces,
no(R) Asherim or incense altars will remain standing. 10(S) For the fortified city is solitary,
a habitation deserted and forsaken, like the wilderness;there the calf grazes;
there it lies down and strips its branches. 11When its boughs are dry, they are broken;
women come and make a fire of them.(T) For this is a people without discernment;
therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them;
he who formed them will show them no favor.
12In that day(U) from the river Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt the LORD will thresh out the grain, and you will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel. 13And in that day(V) a great trumpet will be blown,(W) and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt(X) will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
Footnotes:Isaiah 27:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts A vineyard of wine Isaiah 27:6 Hebrew In those to come Isaiah 27:8 Or By driving her away; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain Isaiah 27:8 Or wind Isaiah 27:9 Septuagint and this is the blessing when I take away his sin
Cross references:Isaiah 26:20 : Isaiah 10:25 Isaiah 26:21 : Mic 1:3 Isaiah 26:21 : Isaiah 24:5 Isaiah 27:1 : Jer 47:6 Isaiah 27:1 : Psalm 74:14 Isaiah 27:1 : Isaiah 51:9; Ezek 29:3 Isaiah 27:2 : Isaiah 5:7 Isaiah 27:2 : Isaiah 26:1 Isaiah 27:4 : Isaiah 10:17 Isaiah 27:6 : Isaiah 37:31; Hos 14:5, 6 Isaiah 27:7 : Hos 6:1, 2 Isaiah 27:7 : Isaiah 37:36-38 Isaiah 27:7 : Isaiah 37:18, 19 Isaiah 27:8 : Jer 10:24 Isaiah 27:8 : Jer 18:17 Isaiah 27:9 : Isaiah 22:14 Isaiah 27:9 : 2 Kgs 18:4 Isaiah 27:9 : Deut 16:21 Isaiah 27:10 : Isaiah 17:9; 32:14, 19; Hos 8:14; Mic 5:11 Isaiah 27:11 : Deut 32:28; Isaiah 30:16-18 Isaiah 27:12 : Gen 15:18 Isaiah 27:13 : Lev 25:9; Matt 24:31; Rev 11:15 Isaiah 27:13 : Isaiah 11:11, 16; Mic 7:12 Isaiah 27:13 : Isaiah 2:2
Second Reading: 1 John 4:1-21
Test the Spirits
1Beloved,(A) do not believe every spirit, but(B) test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for(C) many(D) false prophets(E) have gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God:(F) every spirit that confesses that(G) Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3and every spirit(H) that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and(I) now is in the world already. 4Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for(J) he who is in you is greater than(K) he who is in the world. 5(L) They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and(M) the world listens to them. 6We are from God.(N) Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know(O) the Spirit of truth and(P) the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7Beloved,(Q) let us love one another, for love is from God, and(R) whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8(S) Anyone who does not love does not know God, because(T) God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that(U) God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love,(V) not that we have loved God(W) but that he loved us and sent his Son to be(X) the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12(Y) No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and(Z) his love is perfected in us.
13(AA) By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And(AB) we have seen and testify that(AC) the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of(AD) the world. 15(AE) Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16So(AF) we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.(AG) God is love, and(AH) whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17By this(AI) is love perfected with us, so that(AJ) we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because(AK) as he is so also are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love, but(AL) perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not(AM) been perfected in love. 19(AN) We love because he first loved us. 20(AO) If anyone says, "I love God," and(AP) hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot[a] love God(AQ) whom he has not seen. 21And(AR) this commandment we have from him:(AS) whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Footnotes:1 John 4:20 Some manuscripts how can he
Cross references:1 John 4:1 : Jer 29:8 1 John 4:1 : 1 Thess 5:21; 1 Cor 12:10; 14:29; Rev 2:2 1 John 4:1 : 1 John 2:18 1 John 4:1 : 2 Pet 2:1 1 John 4:1 : 2 John 7 1 John 4:2 : 1 Cor 12:3 1 John 4:2 : 2 John 7 1 John 4:3 : 1 John 2:22; 2 John 7 1 John 4:3 : 1 John 2:18; 2 Thess 2:3-7 1 John 4:4 : Rom 8:31 1 John 4:4 : 1 Cor 2:12; John 12:31 1 John 4:5 : John 3:31; 8:23 1 John 4:5 : John 15:19 1 John 4:6 : John 8:47; 10:16; 18:37; 1 Cor 14:37 1 John 4:6 : John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13 1 John 4:6 : 1 Cor 2:12; 1 Tim 4:1 1 John 4:7 : 1 John 3:11 1 John 4:7 : 1 John 2:29 1 John 4:8 : 1 John 3:10 1 John 4:8 : 1 John 4:16; 2 Cor 13:11; 1 John 1:5; John 4:24 1 John 4:9 : John 3:16 1 John 4:10 : Rom 5:8, 10 1 John 4:10 : 1 John 4:9 1 John 4:10 : 1 John 2:2 1 John 4:12 : 1 John 4:20; John 1:18; 1 Tim 6:16 1 John 4:12 : 1 John 2:5 1 John 4:13 : 1 John 3:24 1 John 4:14 : 1 John 1:1, 2 1 John 4:14 : John 3:17 1 John 4:14 : 1 John 2:2 1 John 4:15 : 1 John 5:5; Rom 10:9; Matt 14:33 1 John 4:16 : John 6:69 1 John 4:16 : 1 John 4:8 1 John 4:16 : 1 John 4:12; 1 John 3:24 1 John 4:17 : 1 John 2:5 1 John 4:17 : 1 John 2:28; 3:21 1 John 4:17 : 1 John 3:1 1 John 4:18 : John 3:18; Rom 8:15 1 John 4:18 : 1 John 4:17 1 John 4:19 : 1 John 4:10 1 John 4:20 : 1 John 2:4; 3:17 1 John 4:20 : 1 John 2:9, 11 1 John 4:20 : 1 John 4:12; 1 Pet 1:8 1 John 4:21 : Gal 6:2 1 John 4:21 : 1 John 4:7; 1 John 3:11
Friday Father Reading
"The flesh which the Word of God the Father took in the virgin's womb, united to His Person, and the Bread which is consecrated in the Church, are the one Body of Christ. For just as that flesh is the Body of Christ, so this Bread is the Body of Christ." [St. Remigius. "Commentary on 1 Corinthians 10." 6th 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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