Christmas | Monday – 26 Dec 2022: Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4; John 1:1-14 ~ The Word became human and made his home among us.

Christmas | Monday – 26 Dec 2022

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

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 Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the same
Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

So the Word became human and made his home among us.
He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.
And we have seen his glory,
the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
(John 1:14)

__________

How Beautiful On The Mountains (Isaiah 52:7) – Paul M Harvey

__________

OT Reading: Isaiah 52:7-10 (NLT)

52:7 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,
the good news of peace and salvation,
the news that the God of Israel reigns!
The watchmen shout and sing with joy,
for before their very eyes
they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem.
Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song,
for the Lord has comforted his people.
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has demonstrated his holy power
before the eyes of all the nations.
All the ends of the earth will see
the victory of our God.

__________

From Psalms: Psalm 98 – The Lord Has Revealed To The Nations – Francesca LaRosa

__________

NT Reading: Hebrews 1:1-4 (NLT)

Jesus Christ Is God’s Son

1:1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.

__________

“Behold Our God” – Sovereign Grace Music

https://youtu.be/Qx9-0v9m2Sg?rel=0
__________

Gospel Reading: John 1:1-14 (NLT)

Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word

1:1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

__________

Gloria – Chris Tomlin

__________

Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Almighty God, from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed: Kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all people the true love of peace, and guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth; that in tranquility your kingdom may go forward, till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God, you made us in your own image, and you have redeemed us through your Son Jesus Christ: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

__________

Closing: Deep Peace – A Gaelic Blessing – Libera

RuCo28

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Christmas Day | Sunday – 25 Dec 2022: Isaiah 62:6-12; Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:8-20 ~ Glory to God, and peace on earth!

Christmas Day | Sunday – 25 Dec 2022

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take
our nature upon him, and to be born [this day] 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 Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the same
Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
(Luke 2:14)

__________

O Daughter Of Zion [Thine be the glory Risen conquering Son]
– André Rieu

__________

OT Reading: Isaiah 62:6-12 (NLT)

62:6 O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;
they will pray day and night, continually.
Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.
Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,
until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
The Lord has sworn to Jerusalem by his own strength:
“I will never again hand you over to your enemies.
Never again will foreign warriors come
and take away your grain and new wine.
You raised the grain, and you will eat it,
praising the Lord.
Within the courtyards of the Temple,
you yourselves will drink the wine you have pressed.”

Go out through the gates!
Prepare the highway for my people to return!
Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders;
raise a flag for all the nations to see.
The Lord has sent this message to every land:
“Tell the people of Israel,
‘Look, your Savior is coming.
See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’”
They will be called “The Holy People”
and “The People Redeemed by the Lord.”
And Jerusalem will be known as “The Desirable Place”
and “The City No Longer Forsaken.”

__________

From Psalms: Psalm 97 – The Lord Is King, The Most High Over All the Earth – Francesca LaRosa

__________

NT Reading: Titus 3:4-7 (NLT)

3:4 But—

When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

__________

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (Tune: W Żlobie Leży ) | Chet Valley Churches

__________

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:8-20 (NLT)

The Shepherds and Angels

2:8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

__________

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Live At The Helix In Dublin…

__________

Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

__________

Closing: Deep Peace – A Gaelic Blessing – Libera

RuCo28

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Christmas Eve | Saturday – 24 Dec 2022: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14 ~ Good News: Christ Jesus our Savior is born!

Christmas Eve | Saturday – 24 Dec 2022

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the
brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known
the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly
in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and
reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

And while [Mary & Joseph[ were [in Bethlehem],
the time came for her baby to be born.
She gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth
and laid him in a manger,
because there was no lodging available for them.
(Luke 2:6-7)

__________

Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness (Christ be Our Light) | Chet Valley Churches

__________

OT Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7 (NLT)

9:2 The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest
and like warriors dividing the plunder.
For you will break the yoke of their slavery
and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
The boots of the warrior
and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
They will be fuel for the fire.

For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!

__________

From Psalms: Psalm 96 – Today is Born Our Savior, Christ the Lord – Francesca LaRosa

__________

NT Reading: Titus 2:11-14 (NLT)

2:11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

__________

O Holy Night | Martina McBride

__________

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:1-14 (NLT)

The Birth of Jesus

2:1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

The Shepherds and Angels

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

__________

Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (Tune: Mendelssohn – 3vv) [with lyrics for congregations]

__________

Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

__________

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

(A Christmas Prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent | Friday – 23 Dec 2022: Luke 1:46b-55; 2 Samuel 7:18, 23-29; Galatians 3:6-14 ~ You are blessed through faith in Christ Jesus.

Advent | Friday – 23 Dec 2022

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

Stir up your power, O Lord,
and with great might come among us;
and as we are sorely hindered by our sins
from running the race that is set before us,
let your bountiful grace and mercy
speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom,
with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory,
now and for ever. Amen.

Through Christ Jesus,
God has blessed the Gentiles
with the same blessing he promised to Abraham,
so that we who are believers
might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
(Galatians 3:14)

__________

Mary’s Song of Praise – Magnificat | The ZOE Group

__________

OT Reading: 2 Samuel 7:18, 23-29 (NLT)

David’s Prayer of Thanks

7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,

“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

7:23 What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way. You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.

“And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.

“O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”

__________

Once In Royal David’s City – Traditional Choir

Megan Smith

__________

NT Reading: Galatians 3:6-14 (NLT)

3:6 In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.

What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.

__________

The Blessing (Symphonic Version) – Passion City Church

__________

Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ Almighty God, you have not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; grant that we, who for our evil deeds deserve to be punished, by the might of your grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

+ Almighty God, in your great mercy, you have promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to you, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

__________

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

Open eyes and hearts,
that this might be
an Advent of hope to the world.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent | Thursday – 22 Dec 2022: Luke 1:46b-55; Isaiah 33:17-22; Revelation 22:6-7, 18-20 ~ Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

Advent | Thursday – 22 Dec 2022

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says,
“Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
(Revelation 22:20)

__________

Mary’s Song of Praise – Magnificat | Reawaken Hymns

__________

OT Reading: Isaiah 33:17-22 (NLT)

33:17 Your eyes will see the king in all his splendor,
and you will see a land that stretches into the distance.
You will think back to this time of terror, asking,
“Where are the Assyrian officers
who counted our towers?
Where are the bookkeepers
who recorded the plunder taken from our fallen city?”
You will no longer see these fierce, violent people
with their strange, unknown language.

Instead, you will see Zion as a place of holy festivals.
You will see Jerusalem, a city quiet and secure.
It will be like a tent whose ropes are taut
and whose stakes are firmly fixed.
The Lord will be our Mighty One.
He will be like a wide river of protection
that no enemy can cross,
that no enemy ship can sail upon.
For the Lord is our judge,
our lawgiver, and our king.
He will care for us and save us.

__________

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus | First City Church

__________

NT Reading: Revelation 22:6-7, 18-20 (NLT)

22:6 Then the angel said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon.”

Jesus Is Coming

22:7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.”

22:18 And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

__________

Come, Lord Jesus | Prayers of the Saints Live