Third Week of Advent: Monday

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

Jeremiah 23:5-6

"Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD,
"When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.

"In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
'The LORD our righteousness.'

(NASB)

Third Sunday in Advent

ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE SHEPHERDS IN BETHLEHEM'S FIELDS

Luke 2:8-20

8 And there were in the same country shepherds
abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:
and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for,
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you;
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone
away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another,
Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which
is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph,
and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad
the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things
which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things,
and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising
God for all the things that they had heard and seen,
as it was told unto them.
_______________________________

"A special treat for Advent Season"

I have always appreciated listening to the voice of Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, one of the four regular hosts on the White Horse Inn radio program. On the show, whenever they need someone to read a passage from Scripture or from other literature such as Pilgrim's Progress  or one of C.S. Lewis' classics, it is always "Dad" Rod who gets the assignment.  It was not until a recent post on the White Horse Inn blog, however, that I discovered that Dr. Rosenbladt is also a very good singer. Click the link below to hear Rod singing O Holy Night.

"O HOLY NIGHT" sung by Rod Rosenbladt

Second Week of Advent: Saturday

GOD'S SPIRIT IS UPON HIM

Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

To proclaim the year of the LORD's favor -
and the day of vengeance of our God.

To comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion.
To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

(NIV)

Second Week of Advent: Friday

 A MAN OF SORROWS

Isaiah 53

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

(NIV)

Second Week of Advent: Thursday

A SERVANT BRINGS SALVATION

Isaiah 49:1-7

Listen to me, you islands;
hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the LORD called me;
from my birth he has made mention of my name.
He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,[1]
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow[2]
and concealed me in his quiver.
He said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor."
But I said, "I have labored to no purpose;
I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing.[3]
Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand,
and my reward is with my God."[4]

And now the LORD says--
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,[5]
for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD
and my God has been my strength--

He says:
"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."[6]

This is what the LORD says--
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel--
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
"Kings will see you and rise up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

(NIV)

1. The servant conquers through preaching.
2. His words are effective.
3. The servant's complaint is fulfilled in Christ's rejection and suffering.
4. Vindicated and rewrded after his death and resurrection.
5. One purpose of the servant is to reconcile the Jews with God.
6. He will bring the gospel to the nations.
Today the ascended Christ brings the gospel to the nations through his body, the church. (Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Peter 2:9,10)
 
*Notes are based on those in the New Geneva Study Bible™ Copyright © 1995 by Foundation for Reformation.

Second Week of Advent: Wednesday

BEHOLD MY CHOSEN ONE

Isa 42:1-4


"Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;
My chosen one in whom My soul delights.
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the nations.

"He will not cry out or raise His voice,
Nor make His voice heard in the street.

"A bruised reed He will not break
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
He will faithfully bring forth justice.

"He will not be disheartened or crushed
Until He has established justice in the earth;
And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law."

(NASB)

* Matthew 12:14-21

Second Week of Advent: Tuesday

BEHOLD YOUR GOD

Isa 40:9-11

Get yourself up on a high mountain,
O Zion, bearer of good news,
Lift up your voice mightily,
O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;
Lift it up, do not fear.

Say to the cities of Judah,
"Here is your God!"
Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might,
With His arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His reward is with Him
And His recompense before Him.

Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
(NASB)

 
From Handel's MESSIAH:
 
O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion
 
He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd
 

_____________________________

 

The Monday - Saturday scripture readings for the first two weeks of Advent, and Monday - Thursday of week three, are Old Testament passages that speak of the coming Messiah. Michael Rydelnik, born to Orthodox Jewish parents, has written a book in which he "...makes the case that the Old Testament not only contains many direct Messianic prophecies, but itself is an eschatological, Messianic book, wholly pointing forward to Jesus the Messiah."

 

Dan Phillips posted an excellent review of The Messianic Hope on today's Pyromaniacs blog.

Second Week of Advent: Monday

A SAVIOUR AND DELIVERER

Isa 19:19-25

In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the LORD at its border. It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. So the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the LORD. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and keep them. The LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them.

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance."
(NIV)

___________________________

"For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

 ______________________________

"We know not of any event in which this prophecy can be thought to have its full accomplishment short of the conversion of Egypt to the faith of Christ, by the preaching (as is supposed) of Mark the Evangelist, and the founding of many Christian churches there, which flourished for many ages. Many prophecies of this book point to the days of the Messiah; and why not this? It is no unusual thing to speak of gospel graces and ordinances in the language of the Old-Testament institutions."

(from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-which means, "God with us."

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
(Matthew 1:18-25 NIV)


In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
(Luke 2:1-7 NIV)

 

The Collect.

BLESSED Lord, who has caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning;
Grant that we may in such wise hear them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

First Week of Advent: Saturday's Scripture Reading

A RIGHTEOUS JUDGE

Isaiah 11:1-5

A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him -  [Matthew 3:16]
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD -
and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, [John 7:24]
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Righteous will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist. [Eph. 6:14]
__NIV

First Week of Advent: Friday

A VIRGIN WITH CHILD

Isaiah 7:10-14

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, "Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."

But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test."

Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

NIV

Matthew 1:18-25
Luke 1:26-56

First Week of Advent: Thursday

A PROPHET WILL COME

Deuteronomy 18:15-19

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, "Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die."

The LORD said to me: "What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.

NIV

First Week of Advent: Wednesday

PROMISE OF REDEMPTION

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.

       NIV