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The Nativity of Our Lord (Set I) – December 24/25

Be not afraid! (Satterlee.) Be filled with great joy. God indeed is with us, bringing God’s promised future. Turn from your fear. Like the shepherds, let’s go see.

Isaiah 9:2-7 

Psalm 96

Titus 2:11-14

Luke 2:1-14, (15-20) – Be not afraid. Mary treasured these things in her heart.

The Nativity of Our Lord (Set II) – December 24/25 

Isaiah 62:6-12

Psalm 97

Titus 3:4-7

Luke 2:(1-7), 8-20

The Nativity of Our Lord (Set III) – December 24/25

Isaiah 52:7-10

Psalm 98

Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)

John 1:1-14

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Jesus comes to us in visions, nudges and dreams. (Satterlee)

Isaiah 7:10-16

A young woman is with child and shall bear a son named “God With Us.”

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Stir up your power and come to save us. Restore us, O God. Let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Romans 1:1-7

Paul is set apart for the gospel of God, concerning Jesus, promised through the prophets, descended from David, and declared to be the Son of God by resurrection, according to the Spirit.

Matthew 1:18-25

An angel appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

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Jesus comes to us in our prisons. (Satterlee.) What is imprisoning you?

Isaiah 35:1-10


The wilderness and the dry and shall be glad. The desert will rejoice and blossom… Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong; do not be afraid!” Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped… And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads.

Psalm 146:5-10

Happy are those who hope in the LORD, who sets the prisoners free, who opens the eyes of the blind, who watches over strangers, who upholds the orphan and the widow, who brings the wicked to ruin.

OR

Luke 1:47-55 -- The Magnificat, Mary’s Song


My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior, who has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts, who has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly, who has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty…

James 5:7-10

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord, just as a farmer patiently waits for precious crops from the earth.

Matthew 11:2-11

John sent word to Jesus by his disciples: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.

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Isaiah 11:1-10

- A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

 - Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. 

Romans 15:4-13

 - May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:1-12

 - John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near…” Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

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These summary themes come from Dr. Craig Satterlee, former professor at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, currently serving as bishop of the NW Lower Michigan Synod.

Isaiah 2:1-5 – A hopeful vision of the end times… 

In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!

Psalm 122 – I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!"… Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers."

Romans 13:11-14 - You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness…

Matthew 24:36-44 – As we are vigilant in life, so we should be ready for the coming of Christ. 

But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

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Jeremiah 23:1-6 – Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord… The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

Luke 1:68-79 – The Song of Zechariah: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David.
OR
Psalm 46 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, we will not fear.

Colossians 1:11-20 – He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. He is the head of the body, the church. In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Luke 23:33-43 – The Crucifixion. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.

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Isaiah 65:17-25 – The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.
OR
Malachi 4:1-2 – The day is coming when the arrogant and evil-doers will be stumble. But for those who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.

Isaiah 12 – The First Song of Isaiah. Surely it is God who saves me. I will trust in him and not be afraid.
OR
Psalm 98 – Sing to the Lord a new song! Let the seas roar, and the floods clap their hands! Let the hills sing together for joy!

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 – Keep away from believers who are idle. Imitate us, for we were not idle when we were with you. We worked day and night to not be a burden. Do not grow weary in doing good.

Luke 21:5-19 – The destruction of the Temple foretold. Nation will rise against nation. They will arrest you and persecute you. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.

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Haggai 1:15b-2:9 – Haggai prophesies the future glory of the Temple. Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? Take courage people of God. The latter splendor of this house will be greater than the former.
OR
Job 19:23-27a – I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God.

Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 – One generation shall praise your works to another and declare your mighty acts.
OR
Psalm 98 – Sing to the Lord a new song! Let the seas roar, and the floods clap their hands! Let the hills sing together for joy!
OR
Psalm 17:1-9– Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17– Do not be alarmed or shaken by word, or by a letter, as though from us, that the day of the Lord has already come. Let no one deceive you.

Luke 20:27-38 – The Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, question Jesus. God is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.’

If you read the Job passage, consider singing “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” A little Easter in November.

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Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 – The holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever—for ever and ever.’

Psalm 149 - Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches. 

Ephesians 1:11-23 – He has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Luke 6:20-31 – Blessed are you poor, hungry, weeping. Surely your reward will be great in heaven. Woe to you rich, full, laughing.

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Jeremiah 31:31-34 – The days are coming when I will make a new covenant with Israel and Judah: law on their hearts.

Psalm 46 – The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Ps. 46:4)

Romans 3:19-28 – No one will be justified by the law. Now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed.

John 8:31-36 – You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.