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Daily and Christmas Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Heroes/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: Feast of the Nativity, first Day of Christmastide
December 25th, 2010
The Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Dawn)
Christmastide I
Read today's Higher Things Daily Reflection
December 25, 2010 - The Nativity of Our Lord: Christmas Day
Today's Reading: John 1:1-18
Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 49:1-18; Matthew 1:1-17
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Merry Christmas! Christ is born! People want to see the glory of God. They imagine His splendor and majesty and bright, shining face. But St. John tells us that to behold the glory of God, to look upon His glory, is to see a baby in a manger. The glory of God is seen in Jesus—hidden in Jesus where it can't hurt us. Who can fear an itty, bitty baby after all? God has become man and been born.
No other god did that. Moses died. Buddha and Mohammed are dead. And they were just prophets, anyway. Every other religion teaches ways in which you are supposed to get to God. It is only the true religion— the Christian faith—in which God Himself teaches us by His Word that He has come down to us. In our need, shackled by sin and death, He comes to us to save us and set us free.
To behold God's glory doesn't require super-sunglasses and sinlessness. His glory is that His Son is here, in a manger, on a cross, alive three days later. To see God's glory is to see Jesus and all He has done for us: His life, His death, His resurrection. To behold God's glory is to behold Jesus. Watch out for any religion and preaching that points you away from Jesus to seek God's glory. There isn't any glory that's worth seeing in God apart from Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Think about what the angels sang: “Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth!” The highest, most awesome glory and greatest peace of God is that His Son, the Word was made flesh and born for you.
Today, on the Nativity of Our Lord, behold the glory of God. There it is, in the baby who lies in the manger. That's the Word-made-flesh for you. He's the glory of God for you. Merry Christmas in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Lord God, gracious Father, who in the fullness of time sent Your Son to become man, assume our flesh, and become our Brother, we implore You to keep us in true knowledge of our Redeemer, by whose birth we are delivered from sin, death, Satan, and hell, that with all the holy angels we may rejoice at His Nativity and behold Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Christmas Dawn)
Questions or comments regarding the Reflections may be sent to the Rev. Mark Buetow, Reflectons Editor, reflections@higherthings.org.
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Collect
Most merciful God, You gave Your eternal Word to become incarnate of the pure Virgin. Grant Your people grace to put away fleshly lusts, that they may be ready for Your visitation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Old Testament: Exodus 40:17-21; Exodus 40:34-38
Epistle: Titus 3:4-7
4But when(A) the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us,(B) not because of works done by us in righteousness, but(C) according to his own mercy, by(D) the washing of regeneration and(E) renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he(F) poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that(G) being justified by his grace we might become(H) heirs(I) according to the hope of eternal life.
Cross references:Titus 3:4 : Rom 2:4 Titus 3:5 : Rom 3:27 Titus 3:5 : Eph 2:4; 1 Pet 1:3 Titus 3:5 : John 3:5; 1 Cor 6:11; 1 Pet 3:21 Titus 3:5 : Rom 12:2 Titus 3:6 : Joel 2:28; Acts 2:33; 10:45; Rom 5:5 Titus 3:7 : Titus 2:11 Titus 3:7 : Rom 8:17 Titus 3:7 : Titus 1:2
Gospel: Luke 2:15-20
15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby(A) lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But(B) Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned,(C) glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Cross references:Luke 2:16 : Luke 2:7, 12 Luke 2:19 : Luke 2:51; Luke 1:66; Gen 37:11 Luke 2:20 : Luke 7:16
Daily Lectionary
First Reading: Is. 49:1-18
The Servant of the LORD
1Listen to me,(A) O coastlands,
and give attention, you peoples(B) from afar.(C) The LORD called me from the womb,
from the body of my mother he named my name. 2(D) He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
(E) in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away. 3And he said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel,(F) in whom I will be glorified."[a] 4(G) But I said, "I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;yet surely my right is with the LORD,
and my recompense with my God."
5(H) And now the LORD says,
he(I) who formed me from the womb to be his servant,to bring Jacob back to him;
and that Israel might be gathered to him—for(J) I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,
and my God has become my strength— 6he says:"It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;(K) I will make you(L) as a light for the nations,
that(M) my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
7Thus says the LORD,
(N) the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,(O) to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,
the servant of rulers:(P) "Kings shall see and arise;
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
The Restoration of Israel
8Thus says the LORD:(Q) "In a(R) time of favor I have answered you;
in a day of salvation I have helped you;I will keep you(S) and give you
as a covenant to the people,to establish the land,
(T) to apportion the desolate heritages, 9(U) saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,'
to those who are in darkness, 'Appear.'(V) They shall feed along the ways;
on all bare heights shall be their pasture; 10(W) they shall not hunger or thirst,
neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,for he who has pity on them(X) will lead them,
and by springs of water will guide them. 11(Y) And I will make all my mountains a road,
and my highways shall be raised up. 12(Z) Behold, these shall come from afar,
and behold,(AA) these from the north and from the west,[b]
and these from the land of Syene."[c]
13(AB) Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!For the LORD(AC) has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted.
14But Zion said,(AD) "The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me."
15(AE) "Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you. 16Behold,(AF) I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me. 17Your builders make haste;[d]
(AG) your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you. 18(AH) Lift up your eyes around and see;
they all gather, they come to you.(AI) As I live, declares the LORD,
(AJ) you shall put them all on as an ornament;
you shall bind them on as a bride does.
Footnotes:Isaiah 49:3 Or I will display my beauty Isaiah 49:12 Hebrew from the sea Isaiah 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim Isaiah 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste
Cross references:Isaiah 49:1 : Isaiah 11:11 Isaiah 49:1 : Isaiah 33:13 Isaiah 49:1 : Isaiah 44:2 Isaiah 49:2 : Isaiah 11:4; Hos 6:5; Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16 Isaiah 49:2 : Isaiah 51:16 Isaiah 49:3 : Isaiah 44:23 Isaiah 49:4 : Isaiah 65:23; Isaiah 50:6-8; 53:10-12 Isaiah 49:5 : Isaiah 50:4 Isaiah 49:5 : Isaiah 49:1 Isaiah 49:5 : Isaiah 52:13 Isaiah 49:6 : Cited Acts 13:47 Isaiah 49:6 : Isaiah 42:6 Isaiah 49:6 : Psalm 98:3 Isaiah 49:7 : Isaiah 48:17 Isaiah 49:7 : Isaiah 49:1; Isaiah 53:3; Isaiah 50:6, 7 Isaiah 49:7 : Isaiah 49:23 Isaiah 49:8 : Cited 2 Cor 6:2 Isaiah 49:8 : Psalm 69:13 Isaiah 49:8 : Isaiah 42:6 Isaiah 49:8 : Isaiah 61:4 Isaiah 49:9 : Isaiah 42:7 Isaiah 49:9 : Isaiah 41:18 Isaiah 49:10 : Cited Rev 7:16 Isaiah 49:10 : Rev 7:17; Isaiah 40:11 Isaiah 49:11 : Isaiah 40:4 Isaiah 49:12 : Isaiah 43:5, 6 Isaiah 49:12 : Psalm 107:3 Isaiah 49:13 : Isaiah 44:23 Isaiah 49:13 : Isaiah 40:1 Isaiah 49:14 : Isaiah 40:27; 54:6; 62:4 Isaiah 49:15 : Isaiah 43:1; Psalm 27:10 Isaiah 49:16 : Song 8:6; Rev 13:16 Isaiah 49:17 : Zech 1:18-21 Isaiah 49:18 : Isaiah 60:4 Isaiah 49:18 : Num 14:21; Ezek 5:11 Isaiah 49:18 : Jer 43:12
Second Reading: Matt. 1:1-17
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
1(A) The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,(B) the son of David,(C) the son of Abraham.
2(D) Abraham was the father of Isaac, and(E) Isaac the father of Jacob, and(F) Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3and(G) Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,[a] 4and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5and Salmon the father of Boaz by(H) Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6and(I) Jesse the father of David the king.
And(J) David was the father of Solomon by(K) the wife of Uriah, 7and(L) Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,[b] 8and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,(M) and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,[c] and Amos the father of Josiah, 11and(N) Josiah the father of(O) Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12And after the deportation to Babylon:(P) Jechoniah was the father of(Q) Shealtiel,[d] and(R) Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16and Jacob the father of(S) Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
17So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to(T) the Christ fourteen generations.
Footnotes:Matthew 1:3 Greek Aram; also verse 4 Matthew 1:7 Asaph is probably an alternate spelling for Asa; some manuscripts read Asa; also verse 8 Matthew 1:10 Amos is probably an alternate spelling for Amon; some manuscripts read Amon; twice in this verse Matthew 1:12 Greek Salathiel; twice in this verse
Cross references:Matthew 1:1 : Luke 3:23-38 Matthew 1:1 : 2 Sam 7:12-16; Psalm 132:11; Isa 11:1; Jer 23:5; Luke 1:32, 69; John 7:42; Acts 2:30; 13:23; Rom 1:3; 2 Tim 2:8; Rev 22:16 Matthew 1:1 : Gen 22:18; Gal 3:16 Matthew 1:2 : Gen 21:3 Matthew 1:2 : Gen 25:26 Matthew 1:2 : Gen 29:35 Matthew 1:3 : Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Chr 2:1-15 Matthew 1:5 : Josh 6:25 Matthew 1:6 : 1 Sam 16:1; 17:12 Matthew 1:6 : 2 Sam 12:24 Matthew 1:6 : 2 Sam 12:10 Matthew 1:7 : For Matthew 1:7-10, 1 Chr 3:10-14 Matthew 1:8 : 2 Kgs 15:1; 1 Chr 3:11, 12 Matthew 1:11 : 1 Chr 3:15, 16 Matthew 1:11 : Esth 2:6; Jer 24:1; 27:20 Matthew 1:12 : 1 Chr 3:17-19 Matthew 1:12 : Luke 3:27 Matthew 1:12 : Ezra 3:2 Matthew 1:16 : Luke 3:23 Matthew 1:17 : Matthew 2:4; 11:2; 16:16; 22:42; 23:10; Mark 8:29; Luke 3:15; John 1:41; 4:25
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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