Podcasts about sunday after christmas

1st Sunday after Christmas - John Burruss - 12.31.2023 by Saint Stephen's

Dec. 31 2023 - The First Sunday after Christmas Day - Fr. Graham Marsh by All Souls' Episcopal Church

Old Test: Isaiah 11:1-5 Epistle: Gal. 4:1-7 Gospel: Luke 2:33-40

The First Sunday after Christmas December 31, 2023 - Revised Common Lectionary, Year b The Rev. Mary Koppel ⁠⁠Isaiah 61:10-62:3 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Psalm 147:13-21 Galatians 3:23-25, 4:4-7 John 1:1-18 Like what you hear? Find us online at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.(English Standard Version)

Luke 2:22-40

The Rev. John Wengrovius

The homily from Sunday, December 31st, 2023, and "Walking After Midnight," by Cameron Dezen Hammon and The Five O'Clock Band. Produced by St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Houston, TXMixed by Luke Brawner of Odd ParliamentAdditional music: Turning on the Lights by Blue Dot Sessions

Each week, we provide questions based on last Sunday's sermon. These questions are to encourage you to connect the scriptures to your own life and to invite you to grow deeper in your relationships with others at Faith by discussing the questions together. Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Matthew 1:1-16 Sermon: We view people according to their trespasses, but God views us according to our reconciliation in Christ. Questions: 1) Who are people in your family tree that, that a human perspective, might have embarrassingtrespasses? 2) In what ways did God use those people to help bring forth Christ into the world? 3) What New Year's Resolutions are you making? What do you give thanks about the old you that you are seeking to change?

St. Michael's by-the-Sea is an Episcopal Church located in the coastal Village of Carlsbad, California. As far as churches go, it's kind of a beachy version of the ancient Christian Faith, and is rooted in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. Whether you're in town for a week at the beach or a local pilgrim on a spiritual journey, you are welcome here! www.stmichaelsbythesea.org

Content makes the poor rich; discontent makes rich poor, is a famous quote that rings true in many situations...people who are content enjoy life, see the blessings and not only have joy for themself, but also share it with others/  This week in our service we will explore what it means to be content with God and all that He has given us, based on Galatians 4:4-7.     Todays sermon was preached by NSW Bishop Rob Bartholomaeus. Support the show

The Rev. Dr. Robert Black - Anglicans Are Christmas People

I wonder if grace could be better described as the warm waters of birth that nurture us in the womb, that bathe us in unconditional love, and then launch us into new light and life, no matter what our age.

The Sunday After Christmas 31-December-2023 Sermon Text: Galatians 4:1-7 Sermon Theme: “Our Christmas Adoption!” I. Our Adoption Is Never Earned! (Vs.1-3). II. The Father Sacrifices His Son To Adopt You! (Vs.4-5). III. The Father Sends The Spirit Making You His Own!(vs.6-7) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 at 10 am To follow along during the service and learn about upcoming events at Bethel UMC, view the bulletin here. Thank you for viewing

The Sunday after Christmas: In the Fullness of Time Isaiah 7:14-16, Galatians 4:1-7, & St. Matthew 1:18-25 by William Klock St. Luke tells the story of Jesus' birth, from the perspective of Mary.  In Luke's Gospel we see an angel come to a young girl to announce that she will bear Israel's Messiah.  We get a sense of her excitement.  Everyone was, after all, waiting for the Messiah.  Most people would have expected him to be born in a palace, so imagine Mary's utter shock to learn that she was to be the one.  Yes, her family had descended from David, but they weren't royals by any stretch of the imagination.  They were just simple, common people. St. Matthew, on the other hand, tells the same story from the perspective of Joseph.  He was anything but excited to hear the news that Mary was pregnant.  It's not hard to imagine the disappointment, the embarrassment, even the shame that he felt.  “It's not another man,” Mary told him.  “I'm pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  That's what the angel told me.  I don't understand how it can be, but he told me that this child is the Messiah.” Joseph knew where babies come from.  This was going to bring shame on him and so, Matthew says, Joseph made plans to quietly separate from Mary—to break off the engagement.  Hopefully he could distance himself from the whole fiasco, save some face, move on with life, and maybe find someone more respectable to marry. But then the angel appeared to Joseph.  “Joseph, son of David!” the angel greeted him.  Joseph was also a descendant of King David, but so were a lot of people.  This was the first time anyone had ever addressed Joseph as if he were a prince.  But the angel's making a point: Joseph is part of the royal family—the family from which the Messiah would come.  “Joseph, don't be afraid to follow through with this marriage to Mary.  She wasn't lying when she told you she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  She's not crazy.  A miracle has really happened.  She's going to have a son.  And, listen, when he's born, you are to name him ‘Jesus'.  Why?  Because he's the one who will save his people from their sins.” “Joseph, don't be afraid!”  This is where Mary's story and Joseph's story intersect.  When the angel appeared to Mary he said the same thing to her: “Don't be afraid!”  This is what happens every time someone in the Bible is met by an angel or given a message from God: Don't be afraid.  God announces that he's about to do something.  Maybe what he says he's going to do is itself scary and frightening.  Maybe it just seems crazy and impossible.  Sometimes it's something that sounds incredibly foolish.  This announcement about the baby, conceived by the Holy Spirit and the angel's urging Joseph to go ahead and marry Mary pretty well hits all these points.  If any two people needed this exhortation to “Fear not!”, Joseph and Mary needed it. But maybe we need it too as we read the Christmas story.  Is it really necessary to emphasise this particular part of the Christmas story?  I know a lot of people believe it, but they don't want to talk about.  It's fine for us, but people out there are going to think we're superstitious or naïve for believing in a virgin birth, because these things don't happen in the real world. There are people who throw this story out because they associate it with the later legend that grew up about Mary's supposed perpetual virginity and the teaching closely associated with it that sex is sinful or dirty.  Of course, the Bible says none of these things.  The Gospel-writers give us every reason to believe that after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary went on to have a perfectly normal married life and to have other children.  The reason Matthew and Luke tell us this story is because they believed it was true.  They had their own reasons to be afraid in telling it.  The pagans told stories about half-human men and women fathered by the gods.  Ancient mythology is full of those stories.  Matthew may have been afraid that people would think he was somehow borrowing from these myths.  He surely knew that some people would say that in reporting that Mary was pregnant by the Holy Spirit he was just covering for some indiscretion on Mary's part. Other people have said that Matthew invented this part of the story so that he could claim Jesus' birth was a fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy—the verse he quotes from Isaiah 7.  What's interesting about that is that there is no evidence whatsoever that anyone before Matthew had ever thought of Isaiah's prophecy being fulfilled in the birth of the coming Messiah.  No one had ever made the connection.  Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled in the days of King Ahaz.  Everyone knew that.  It was actually Matthew, knowing what Isaiah had said and the history that surrounded that prophecy, who saw there a sort of prefiguring of Jesus. There are all sorts of ways that people find something to be afraid of in this story—all sorts of reasons people find to reject it.  Neither Matthew nor Luke asks us to simply take their word for it.  Notice that Matthew, in particular, connects the story of Jesus' birth with a much bigger story—with the story of Israel and of Israel's God.  It's almost as if he was anticipating that someone would say, “Virgin birth?  Right, Matthew.  At your age, how can you not know where babies come from?  To the person who says, “The world doesn't work this way” and to the person who might say, “God doesn't work this way”, Matthew says, “Wanna bet?”  And he points us back to look at just how God has worked in history. This is the point of Matthew's quote from Isaiah 7 about the virgin conceiving and bearing a son named Immanuel.  Matthew ties the birth of Jesus into the larger story of redemption and the larger story of Israel and Israel's God. So roll the clock back about 730 years before Jesus was born.  That's when the events of Isaiah 7-9 took place.  It was a time in Israel's history when things were looking very bad.  The kingdom had been split for roughly two hundred years: Israel in the north and Judah in the south.  Ahaz was king of Judah.  Ahaz is one of those guys we read about in the book of Kings of which it is said, “He did evil in the sight of the Lord”.  It's worth noting that in pragmatic political terms, Ahaz was a pretty good king.  He played the political and foreign policy game in a way that kept Judah safe.  But that isn't how God judges kings.  The Lord had told his people to trust in him, not in foreign alliance with pagans, not in horses, not in chariots.  But those were the things Ahaz trusted in.  Assyria was the great power of the day and it threatened everyone around.  Israel and Syria made an alliance with each other for their security, but they still weren't strong enough.  The kings of Israel and Syria put pressure on Ahaz to bring Judah into their alliance. Ahaz could see that there was no hope in aligning himself with Israel and Syria and, instead, submitted Judah to the sovereignty of the Assyrians.  While he was in Assyria he fell under the influence of Assyrian religion.  When he returned to Jerusalem, he built an altar like ones he had seen in Assyria and had the temple re-arranged to accommodate it.  He introduced Assyrian astrological practises to Judah.  He even sacrificed one of his sons to the Assyrian god, Moloch.  In the midst of this, the Prophet Isaiah came to Ahaz. Isaiah was sent by the Lord to Ahaz the first time as the kings of Syria and Israel were urging Ahaz to ally with them against Assyria.  Isaiah didn't go alone.  The Lord told him to take his son, Shear-jashub, which means “A Remnant shall return”.  The message the Lord was sending through Isaiah and his son was a familiar one: “Don't be afraid”.  Israel and Syria were threatening to swoop down on Jerusalem with their combined armies, but the Lord said to Ahaz: “It shall not stand”.  The Lord was urging the king to trust in him.  He also said, through Isaiah, “If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all.” Ahaz waffled rather than standing firm.  The Lord warned him not to ally with Israel and Syria and Ahaz didn't, but it wasn't because of the Lord's warning.  Ahaz was afraid of Israel and Assyria and so, rather than trusting the Lord to take care of Judah, he was considering submitting himself and his people to Assyria.  And so the Lord sent Isaiah to him again with another warning.  This is the passage that Matthew draws on.  Isaiah said to the king: Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.  He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.  For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.   What the Lord was saying to Ahaz was, “Look.  Trust in me.  Don't trust in horses, don't trust in chariots, don't trust in pagan kings and pagan gods.  Trust in me and I will take care of you.  I am your God and you are my people.”  The Lord had Isaiah mention a young woman.  The Hebrew word refers to an unmarried girl.  Some Bible versions translate this as virgin, because, being unmarried, the girl was presumably a virgin, but this isn't a reference to Mary or to an earlier miraculous virgin birth.  We don't know who this girl was, but it seems to be someone known to the king.  It might have been one of the women in Isaiah's circle of disciples or it may have been a princess in the king's family, but whoever it was, Isaiah tells the king that she's going to have a child and he is to be named Immanuel.  Immanuel means “God is with us”.  And the Lord tells the king that by the time this child is eating solid food, by the time he's old enough to know the difference between good and evil, he, the Lord himself, will put an end to the threat posed by the kings of Israel and Syria.  Again: Don't trust in horses.  Don't trust in chariots.  Don't trust in pagan kings and pagan gods.  Trust in the Lord and walk with him. That wasn't the end of it.  The Lord sent Isaiah a third time to the king.  This time a woman referred to as “the prophetess”—probably Isaiah's wife—had borne a son named Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which means “the spoil speeds, the prey hastens”.  The Lord's message was again for Ahaz to trust in him.  Before this child was old enough to say the words “father” and “mother” the Lord would deal with the threat of Israel and Syria.  Again, don't trust in pagan kings and pagan gods, trust in the Lord.  “God is with us,” declared Isaiah.  “The Lord of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.  He will become a sanctuary, a stone one strikes against; for both houses of Israel he will become a rock one stumbles over—a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Now, is the Lord faithful?  Does he do what he promises?  Of course.  What the Lord promised was exactly what happened.  In a short time the king of Assyria crushed Syria and Israel.  The northern kingdom was destroyed and the people scattered.  The Lord delivered the people of Judah.  Ahaz, not surprisingly being the wicked king he was, made an alliance with Assyria anyway and brought the worship of the Assyrian gods to Israel.  His son, Hezekiah, spent most of his reign trying to undo the evil his father had done.  Judgement eventually came on Judah too, just as it had on Israel, because the kings of Judah—with a few notable exceptions—failed to trust in the Lord. Now, back to Matthew.  Why does he quote this prophecy about Immanuel that was fulfilled seven hundred years before?  Matthew does this because in the story of Isaiah and Ahaz we see how God works.  We see God's goodness and his faithfulness to his people and his call to his people to consistently trust in him.  We also see God's warning of judgement when his people are unfaithful to him and to the calling he has given.  Israel was, yet again, in another awful political spot in Matthew's day.  This time it was Rome, not the Assyrians.  Just as Ahaz turned to horses and chariots and to forbidden alliances instead of trusting the Lord, the Jews of Matthew's day were trusting in all sorts of things other than the Lord.  Jesus spent his entire ministry rebuking these different parties and interest groups.  The Zealots were ready to take up arms in a violent revolution.  The Essenes went off to hide in the desert and denounced everyone else as unfaithful.  The Sadducees sort of took the “If you can't beat 'em, join 'em” tack.  All of them needed to be reminded of who they were and to whom they belonged—and in whom they had every reason to trust. Isaiah made use of three different children.  Matthew could have pointed back to any one of them.  Just think, we could be singing “O come, O come, Maher-shalal-hash-baz” every Advent.  But Isaiah points back specifically to the child named Immanuel, “God with us”, because it is a poignant reminder that in Jesus, God truly is with his people.  This is what the people of Matthew's day needed to hear as a call back to faith in the Lord and in the Lord alone.  But in an even deeper way, in Jesus, the Lord is with us in a way he never has been before.  Whereas in Isaiah's day, the virgin and her child were a sign that the Lord was about to act, this time it was the child in whom the Lord was coming to take the decisive act in Israel's history.  In this baby born of Mary and the Holy Spirit—God became incarnate, God became one of us—to once and for all deliver his people from bondage and to make all things new.  And this leads Matthew directly to the angel's instruction to Joseph: You shall call him Jesus, for he shall save his people from his sins. Jesus, Yeshua and its slightly longer form, Yehoshua (Joshua in English) were common names.  It means “Yahweh Delivers”, which made it a popular name amongst Jews, but it was made even more popular because the most famous Joshua of all time was the Joshua who took over from Moses and led the Israelites into the promised land.  Jesus is not only God with us, but he is the one who will, like Joshua, fulfil what was begun in the Exodus.  Joshua led the people into the promised land and Jesus will free his people from their bondage to sin and death and lead them into the life of the age to come.  Matthew highlights the important truth for us that Jesus didn't just appear at any old point in history to any old group of people.  He came in the fullness of time, as St. Paul writes in our Epistle from Galatians.  He came when the time was just right.  He came as part of a much bigger story.  He came as the fulfilment of a promise to a people who had struggled, themselves, to be faithful.  He came to die for the sins of his people, to make them clean, and to fill them with his Spirit—again, to fulfil the story and to make good on God's promises—so that they—and, eventually, so that we, incorporated into their story—can truly love God with hearts and minds made new. This is what Paul is getting at in our Epistle, Galatians 41-7, where he writes: When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Brothers and Sisters, this is the story into which we have been baptised.  Think about that.  What's the formula we use in baptism?  It's in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  I don't think we think about this in terms of the story of redemption—at least not as much or as often as we should.  We too often think of this formula as specifying which God we're putting our faith in.  You know, I'm not baptizing you into the Mormon God or into Zeus or Krishna or the Great Spirit.  I'm baptizing you into the Triune God who exists as Father, Son, and Spirit—three in one and one in three.  That's part of it, but the more important aspect of it is that this is the God who has acted in history to redeem us and to redeem his Creation. We are baptised in the name of the Father meaning that we are being incorporated into the family of the God of Israel whose kingdom will come in judgement and restoration.  It means we are being baptised into the family that Isaiah called on to trust wholly in our God, for he is good and faithful.  When we look around at the sin and pain in the world, we can know that we belong to the God who is making all things new.  He is our God and we are his people.  As Jesus said and as Paul writes here, through our union with his Son, Jesus, we are the Father's adopted sons and daughters and can approach him as “Abba, Father”. We are baptised into the name of the Son, who in his own baptism committed himself in obedience and in faith to the saving plan of his Father—trusting not in human means and human plans, but in the goodness and faithfulness of the God of Israel.  Baptism into the name of the Son, also expresses a commitment to taking up our crosses as we follow him, knowing his promise of rejection, persecution, and even martyrdom for those who follow.  We are baptised, as Paul writes, into his death.  But we are also baptised into his resurrection.  When we are tempted to fear, we need only remember our baptism.  God has vindicated his Son and he will vindicate his adopted sons and daughters as well. And, finally, to be baptised into the name of the Holy Spirit is to be baptised into both a new life and a new mission.  Jesus gave the Spirit to his people to fulfil what had been promised long before—to give fallen men and women new hearts capable of trusting, obeying, and loving God.  But the Spirit also makes us a prophetic people—a people called to proclaim the good news to the world, the good news that this Jesus, born of Mary, who died and rose again, is the world's true Lord.  It is a call to the world around us to stop trusting in horses and chariots, in money, power, and sex, false gods and pretender kings, and to come to Jesus and to be baptised as we have—to submit to the Father's plan, to take up our crosses daily as we follow the Son into the life of the age to come, and to take up this Spirit-filled ministry of proclamation until he comes again.  There is no doubt that the task we have been given is a hard one, but Brothers and Sisters, today we are reminded: God is with us. Let us pray: Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin:  Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honour and glory, now and for ever.  Amen.

First Sunday after Christmas

Holy Eucharist Rite II

Word & Sermon Weekly – First Sunday after Christmas - December 31, 2023 Isaiah 61:10—62:3 Galatians 4:4–7 Luke 2:22–40 Learn more about Zion Lutheran Church and the Christian faith, by subscribing to this podcast, and joining us next Sunday by visiting www.zionhiawatha.org

Preacher: Pastor Earle Treptow

Isaiah 11:1-5; Galatians 4:1-7; Luke 2:22-40

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________ChristmastideAnd the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.Luke 2:10-11 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. ChristmasAlleluia! Unto us a Child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia. Venite Psalm 95:1-7Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Psalm 45 Eructavit cor meum1My heart is stirring with a noble song;let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.2You are the fairest of men; *grace flows from your lips,because God has blessed you for ever.3Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *in your pride and in your majesty.4Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *and for the sake of justice.5Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.6The peoples are falling at your feet, *and the king's enemies are losing heart.7Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;you love righteousness and hate iniquity. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsGalatians 4:1-7 English Standard Version4 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. You are God(Te Deum laudamus)You are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. Matthew 1:18-25 English Standard Version18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,    and they shall call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Praise(Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34)Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you.Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; * on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you, beholding the depths; * in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. ChristmastideAlmighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Sermon from The Rev. Dr. Clarke French on December 31, 2023

John 1:1-18   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

John 1

Rev. Christiansen-presiding pastor; Rev. Bender-assisting pastor

2023-12-31 Sermon - The First Sunday after Christmas, Luke 2:22-40

First Sunday after Christmas with the Rev. Dr. Mark H. Braaten. Jonah 2:2–9; Ephesians 6:10–20; John 11:17–27, 38–44; Psalms 98 & 150 (AM); Psalms 45 & 96 (PM) Read full devotion at thenalc.org/advent.

Text: Galatians 4:1-7, Matthew 1:18-end

December 31, 2023 Old Testament: Isaiah 61:10-62:3 Psalter: Psalm 148 Epistle Lesson: Galatians 4:4-7 Gospel Lesson: Luke 2:22-40 Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. S.D.G.

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________ChristmastideAnd the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.Luke 2:10-11 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. O Gracious Light Phos hilaronO gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life,and to be glorified through all the worlds. Psalm 8 Domine, Dominus noster1O Lord our Governor, *how exalted is your Name in all the world!2Out of the mouths of infants and children *your majesty is praised above the heavens.3You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *to quell the enemy and the avenger.4When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,5What is man that you should be mindful of him? *the son of man that you should seek him out?6You have made him but little lower than the angels; *you adorn him with glory and honor;7You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *you put all things under his feet:8All sheep and oxen, *even the wild beasts of the field,9The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.10O Lord our Governor, *how exalted is your Name in all the world! Psalm 113 Laudate, pueri1Hallelujah!Give praise, you servants of the Lord; *praise the Name of the Lord.2Let the Name of the Lord be blessed, *from this time forth for evermore.3From the rising of the sun to its going down *let the Name of the Lord be praised.4The Lord is high above all nations, *and his glory above the heavens.5Who is like the Lord our God, who sits enthroned on high *but stoops to behold the heavens and the earth?6He takes up the weak out of the dust *and lifts up the poor from the ashes.7He sets them with the princes, *with the princes of his people.8He makes the woman of a childless house *to be a joyful mother of children. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsJob 28:12-28 English Standard Version12 “But where shall wisdom be found?    And where is the place of understanding?13 Man does not know its worth,    and it is not found in the land of the living.14 The deep says, ‘It is not in me,'    and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.'15 It cannot be bought for gold,    and silver cannot be weighed as its price.16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,    in precious onyx or sapphire.17 Gold and glass cannot equal it,    nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;    the price of wisdom is above pearls.19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,    nor can it be valued in pure gold.20 “From where, then, does wisdom come?    And where is the place of understanding?21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living    and concealed from the birds of the air.22 Abaddon and Death say,    ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'23 “God understands the way to it,    and he knows its place.24 For he looks to the ends of the earth    and sees everything under the heavens.25 When he gave to the wind its weight    and apportioned the waters by measure,26 when he made a decree for the rain    and a way for the lightning of the thunder,27 then he saw it and declared it;    he established it, and searched it out.28 And he said to man,‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,    and to turn away from evil is understanding.'”Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Mary - MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as It was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Matthew 11:25-30 English Standard Version25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Simeon - Nunc dimittisLord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesThat this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. ChristmastideAlmighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceMost holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.A Collect for Aid against PerilsBe our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.For MissionKeep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionMay the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Romans 15:13

Songs of the Spirit - 31st December 2023 - 1st Sunday after Christmas - New Years Eve by 98.5 ONE FM

* Isaiah 61:10—62:3 * Psalm 111 * Galatians 4:4–7 * Luke 2:22–40

Isaiah 61:10—62: Psalm 148 Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:22-40

The Collect and Psalms will be read from The Episcopal Church book of Common Prayer. The Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel will be read from the New Revised Standard Version Bible Anglicized The Collect: Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our … Continue reading → The post First Sunday after Christmas, December 31 appeared first on Sunday's Lectionary.

Some people don't know Jesus. Some others know about Jesus, or think they do, but don't care about Jesus. Some really know Jesus, and hate Him for who He is. Seems impossible for all of these to coexist in the same communities, and yet they do managing neighborliness at the same time. So who is Jesus and what does He have to do with Christmas anyway? Many are asking that very question of Christians today.

Pr. Will Weedon, Host of The Word of the Lord Endures Forever The Word of the Lord Endures Forever Celebrating the Saints Thank, Praise, Serve and Obey See My Savior's Hands The post 3621. Looking Forward to Sunday Morning (One-Year Lectionary): First Sunday after Christmas – Pr. Will Weedon, 12/28/23 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Pr. Sean Daenzer Director of Worship for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod LCMS Worship The post 3611. Looking Forward to Sunday Morning (3 Year Lectionary): First Sunday after Christmas – Pr. Sean Daenzer, 12/27/23 first appeared on Issues, Etc..

First Sunday after Christmas Day (Year B, 2023-2024)Scripture Readings: Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Psalm 148, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:22-40

Gregory Mobley and Frederick J. (Jerry) Streets discuss the spiritual value of routine, Biblical-liturgical expression, and hope in Luke 2:22-40. The text is appointed for the First Sunday after Christmas, in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.More Yale Bible Study resources, including a transcript of this episode, at: https://YaleBibleStudy.org/podcastGregory Mobley is Visiting Professor of Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in Congregational Settings at Yale Divinity School. Frederick J. (Jerry) Streets is Adjunct Professor of Divinity and Social Work at Yale Divinity School.Connect with Yale Bible Study: Facebook: @YDSCCE Twitter: @BibleYale YouTube: youtube.com/c/YaleBibleStudy LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/yds-center-for-continuing-education Thank you for listening!

Episode Notes Fr. Dave Mowers, preaching John 1:1-18 Find out more at https://trinity-church-baraboo-sermons.pinecast.co

In this episode, we consider the readings for the first Sunday after Christmas, Year B:Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 147 or 147:13-21; Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7; John 1:1-18.We discuss the imagery of God's deliverance being like a torch in the darkness or the breaking of dawn and the prologue to the Gospel of John. Notes:--The Bible Project--Bible Project video on the prologue to John's Gospel"Any Greek reader would recognize the use of Logos (“In thebeginning was the Logos”) as their concept of a transcendent entity and would understand that John was proclaiming Jesus to be the embodiment of Logos.Similarly, any Jewish reader would recognize John's opening words in John 1:1 as a reference back to Genesis 1:1 (“In the beginning”) and would understand that John was proclaiming Jesus to be God and creator.In a few brief opening words, therefore, John captures the attention and instructs the minds of both Jews and Greeks. " Article by: Mwindula Mbewe of Logos10:05 Collect10:35  Isaiah 61:10-62:318:34 Psalm 147 or 147:13-2126:13 Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-744:58 John 1:1-18 Our outro music is an original song by our friend Dcn. Jeremiah Webster, a poet and professor whose giftedness is rivaled by his humbleness. You can find his published works, including After So Many Fires, with a quick Google.

01/01/23 Bp Emanuel Shaleta - 2nd Sunday After Christmas (Chaldean) by St. Peter's Chaldean Catholic Diocese

01/01/23 Bp Emanuel Shaleta - 2nd Sunday After Christmas (Arabic) by St. Peter's Chaldean Catholic Diocese

Pr. Sean Daenzer Director of Worship for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod LCMS Worship