The Daily Bible Readings and Prayers for Sunday, December 25, 2022 — Christmas Day — Nativity of Our Lord

 

The Daily Bible Readings and Prayers
Sunday, December 25, 2022
The Word, the Light, the Glory of God
Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4 [5-12]; John 1:1-14
with commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

The First Christmas

Introduction & Theme

Rescue, return, rejoicing, and recognition are the themes running through these scriptures. Reflecting forward, the prophet Isaiah and the psalmist foresaw the incarnation as an act that would expand God’s salvation from the family of the chosen people to the wider world, one that the entire creation would greet with rejoicing (Isaiah 52 and Psalm 98). The letter to the Hebrews and the opening verses of John’s Gospel reflect backward to this historic moment, placing Jesus as both the eternal and the human embodiment of the divine presence, the one who we must rightfully worship.

Opening Prayer
(Isa 52, Ps 98, John 1)

How beautiful upon the mountains, O God, are messengers of your light and love who come announcing peace.

How delightful in the congregation are voices singing the good news of our salvation.

How wonderful in the wretched places of our world are heralds of your justice and mercy who proclaim the coming of your reign.

Bring us your peace, Holy One, and remind us once more of the good news of our salvation, that we might sing with joy this day, and shout for all the world to hear.

Christ is born. Alleluia!

Call to Confession
(Isa 52, Heb 1)

God of new beginnings, when our eyes become fixed on the glitz of the season, turn our gaze once more to the hills, where your messengers come bringing news of hope and peace; when our attention becomes trapped in bitter conflicts of the past, remind us once more, that you speak a freeing word to us through your Son.

Free us from the surface trappings of this day, and refocus our hearts on the glory of Christ’s birth, that we may be messengers of peace and children of your Spirit. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon
(Ps 98, Heb 1)

With righteousness and equity, Christ has come to bring justice and grace, love and compassion. Through the tender mercies of our God, and the glorious love of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:
Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Jesus Christ came into the world to be our Prince of Peace—something that far exceeds what we experience on an earthly level. He also came to be our Wonderful Counselor through the Holy Spirit. And He came to reveal Himself as our Mighty God. He came to restore our relationship with Himself—our Eternal Father. Finally, He came to make us one with Himself.

Today’s Lectionary Readings:
From the Prophetic Books of Major prophets
Isaiah 52:7-10
Heralds Announce God’s Salvation

7 How beautiful on the mountains
     are the feet of those who bring good news,
  who proclaim peace,
     who bring good tidings,
     who proclaim salvation,
  who say to Zion,
     “Your God reigns!”
8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
     together they shout for joy.
  When the Lord returns to Zion,
     they will see it with their own eyes.
9 Burst into songs of joy together,
     you ruins of Jerusalem,
  for the Lord has comforted his people,
     he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm
      in the sight of all the nations,
   and all the ends of the earth will see
      the salvation of our God.

Commentary

The gospel proclaims liberty to those bound with fears. Let those weary and heavy laden under the burden of sin, find relief in Christ, shake themselves from the dust of their doubts and fears, and loose themselves from those bands. The price paid by the Redeemer for our salvation, was not silver or gold, or corruptible things, but his own precious blood. Considering the freeness of this salvation, and how hurtful to temporal comfort sins are, we shall more value the redemption which is in Christ. Do we seek victory over every sin, recollecting that the glory of God requires holiness in every follower of Christ? The good news is, that the Lord Jesus reigns. Christ himself brought these tidings first. His ministers proclaim these good tidings: keeping themselves clean from the pollutions of the world, they are beautiful to those to whom they are sent. Zion's watchmen could scarcely discern any thing of God's favor through the dark cloud of their afflictions; but now the cloud is scattered, they shall plainly see the performance. Zion's waste places shall then rejoice; all the world will have the benefit. This is applied to our salvation by Christ. Babylon is no place for Israelites. And it is a call to all in the bondage of sin and Satan, to use the liberty Christ has proclaimed. They were to go with diligent haste, not to lose time nor linger; but they were not to go with distrustful haste. Those in the way of duty, are under God's special protection; and he that believes this, will not hasten for fear.

A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions

Psalm 98
Cantate Domino

Leader: Sing to the LORD a new song,

People: for he has done marvelous things.

Leader: With his right hand and his holy arm

People: has he won for himself the victory.

Leader: The LORD has made known his victory;

People: his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.

Leader: He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel,

People: and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

Leader: Shout with joy to the LORD, all you lands;

People: lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.

Leader: Sing to the LORD with the harp,

People: with the harp and the voice of song.

Leader: With trumpets and the sound of the horn

People: shout with joy before the King, the LORD.

Leader: Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it,

People: the lands and those who dwell therein.

Leader: Let the rivers clap their hands,

People: and let the hills ring out with joy before the LORD, when he comes to judge the earth.

Leader: In righteousness shall he judge the world

People: and the peoples with equity.

O Father, Your holiness, love, and majesty fill the earth. All creatures praise You as God and King. We gather with thankful hearts, and join them in singing joyous songs of love for You. We long to express our love for You, but too often mere human words fail us. Forgive us for those times when we have had the opportunity to express our faith in You, but have remained silent. Forgive us for disappointing You by acting on some of our poor decisions. Lead us in the way that we should go when we pray as Jesus taught:

“Our 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, forever and ever. Amen.”

From the Epistles
Hebrews 1:1-4 [5-12]
God Has Spoken by a Son

1:1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

[5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

   “You are my Son;
      today I have become your Father”?

Or again,

   “I will be his Father,
      and he will be my Son”?

6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,

   “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

7 In speaking of the angels he says,

   “He makes his angels spirits,
      and his servants flames of fire.”

8 But about the Son he says,

   “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
      a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
      therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
      by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

10 He also says,

   “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
      and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
      they will all wear out like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a robe;
      like a garment they will be changed.
   But you remain the same,
      and your years will never end.”]

Commentary

Verses 1-3: God spake to his ancient people at sundry times, through successive generations, and in divers manners, as he thought proper; sometimes by personal directions, sometimes by dreams, sometimes by visions, sometimes by Divine influences on the minds of the prophets. The gospel revelation is excellent above the former; in that it is a revelation which God has made by his Son. In beholding the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ, we behold the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Father, John 14:7; the fullness of the Godhead dwells, not typically, or in a figure, but really, in him. When, on the fall of man, the world was breaking to pieces under the wrath and curse of God, the Son of God, undertaking the work of redemption, sustained it by his almighty power and goodness. From the glory of the person and office of Christ, we proceed to the glory of his grace. The glory of His person and nature, gave to his sufferings such merit as was a full satisfaction to the honor of God, who suffered an infinite injury and affront by the sins of men. We never can be thankful enough that God has in so many ways, and with such increasing clearness, spoken to us fallen sinners concerning salvation. That he should by himself cleanse us from our sins is a wonder of love beyond our utmost powers of admiration, gratitude, and praise.

Verses 4-12: Many Jews had a superstitious or idolatrous respect for angels, because they had received the law and other tidings of the Divine will by their ministry. They looked upon them as mediators between God and men, and some went so far as to pay them a kind of religious homage or worship. Thus it was necessary that the apostle should insist, not only on Christ's being the Creator of all things, and therefore of angels themselves, but as being the risen and exalted Messiah in human nature, to whom angels, authorities, and powers are made subject. To prove this, several passages are brought from the Old Testament. On comparing what God there says of the angels, with what he says to Christ, the inferiority of the angels to Christ plainly appears. Here is the office of the angels; they are God's ministers or servants, to do his pleasure. But, how much greater things are said of Christ by the Father! And let us own and honor him as God; for if he had not been God, he had never done the Mediator's work, and had never worn the Mediator's crown. It is declared how Christ was qualified for the office of Mediator, and how he was confirmed in it: he has the name Messiah from his being anointed. Only as Man he has his fellows, and as anointed with the Holy Spirit; but he is above all prophets, priests, and kings, that ever were employed in the service of God on earth. Another passage of Scripture, Psalms 102:25-27, is recited, in which the Almighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ is declared, both in creating the world and in changing it. Christ will fold up this world as a garment, not to be abused any longer, not to be used as it has been. As a sovereign, when his garments of state are folded and put away, is a sovereign still, so our Lord, when he has laid aside the earth and heavens like a robe, shall be still the same. Let us not then set our hearts upon that which is not what we take it to be, and will not be what it now is. Sin has made a great change in the world for the worse, and Christ will make a great change in it for the better. Let the thoughts of this make us watchful, diligent, and desirous of that better world. The Savior has done much to make all men his friends, yet he has enemies. But they shall be made his footstool, by humble submission, or by utter destruction. Christ shall go on conquering and to conquer. The most exalted angels are but ministering spirits, mere servants of Christ, to execute his commands. The saints, at present, are heirs, not yet come into possession. The angels minister to them in opposing the malice and power of evil spirits, in protecting and keeping their bodies, instructing and comforting their souls, under Christ and the Holy Ghost. Angels shall gather all the saints together at the last day, when all whose hearts and hopes are set upon perishing treasures and fading glories, will be driven from Christ's presence into everlasting misery.

Today’s Gospel Reading
John 1:1-14
The Word Became Flesh

John 1:1-14

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Commentary

Verses 1-5: The plainest reason why the Son of God is called the Word, seems to be, that as our words explain our minds to others, so was the Son of God sent in order to reveal his Father's mind to the world. What the evangelist says of Christ proves that he is God. He asserts, His existence in the beginning; His coexistence with the Father. The Word was with God. All things were made by him, and not as an instrument. Without him was not any thing made that was made, from the highest angel to the meanest worm. This shows how well qualified he was for the work of our redemption and salvation. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from him, and depends upon him. This eternal Word, this true Light shines, but the darkness comprehends it not. Let us pray without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened to behold this Light, that we may walk in it; and thus be made wise unto salvation, by faith in Jesus Christ.

Verses 6-14: John the Baptist came to bear witness concerning Jesus. Nothing more fully shows the darkness of men's minds, than that when the Light had appeared, there needed a witness to call attention to it. Christ was the true Light; that great Light which deserves to be called so. By his Spirit and grace he enlightens all that are enlightened to salvation; and those that are not enlightened by him, perish in darkness. Christ was in the world when he took our nature upon him, and dwelt among us. The Son of the Highest was here in this lower world. He was in the world, but not of it. He came to save a lost world, because it was a world of his own making. Yet the world knew him not. When he comes as a Judge, the world shall know him. Many say that they are Christ's own, yet do not receive him, because they will not part with their sins, nor have him to reign over them. All the children of God are born again. This new birth is through the word of God as the means, 1 Peter 1:23, and by the Spirit of God as the Author. By his Divine presence Christ always was in the world. But now that the fullness of time was come, he was, after another manner, God manifested in the flesh. But observe the beams of his Divine glory, which darted through this veil of flesh. Men discover their weaknesses to those most familiar with them, but it was not so with Christ; those most intimate with him saw most of his glory. Although he was in the form of a servant, as to outward circumstances, yet, in respect of graces, his form was like the Son of God His Divine glory appeared in the holiness of his doctrine, and in his miracles. He was full of grace, fully acceptable to his Father, therefore qualified to plead for us; and full of truth, fully aware of the things he was to reveal.

Here ends the Lessons

Click HERE to read today’s Holy Gospel Lesson message

The Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed

• We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

• And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried. The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end.

• And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord's Prayer - Our Father Who Art in Heaven

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that 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.

Holy Communion

Holy Communion
A nondenominational serving of bread and wine

Though no video can truly replace the experience of celebrating together in our places of worship, we know that where two or more are gathered, the Lord is present. This table is open to all who recognize Jesus Christ as healer and redeemer. This table is open to all who work to bring God’s Kingdom here on earth. No one is turned away because of life circumstances. No one is barred from this table. No one seeking God’s abundant grace and mercy is turned aside. We see before us the abundance that a life of faith offers as we respond to God’s everlasting mercy in prayer and deed.

Benediction

By the tender mercy of our God love has broken upon us! Light is given where once there was darkness and hope where there was only death. We go into this season knowing that God will guide our feet into the way of peace. Amen.

Mary Did You Know

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org. The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.

The Daily Bible Readings and Prayers
Sunday, December 25, 2022 — Christmas Day — Nativity of Our Lord
The Word, the Light, the Glory of God
Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4 [5-12]; John 1:1-14