Evening Prayer; Lessons and Carols
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Not in the birth of the murderous Cain. Not in the near sacrifice of the beloved son Isaac. Not in the monarchy of David. But in “that birth forever blessed, when the Virgin full of grace, by the Holy Ghost conceiving, bore the Savior of our race” (LSB 384:2). For when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that you might receive adoption as sons (Gal 4:4-5).
This evening’s readings are chronological; the chanting of the seers, the voices of the prophets, the reiteration of the promise from generation to generation. Yet to hear them correctly, you ought to begin at the end. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son of Father, full of grace and truth. St Augustine expressed it this way: “In the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed; in the New Testament, the Old Testament is revealed.”
Go, then, this night, with the shepherds to Bethlehem, peer into the manger-crib, unfold the swaddling clothes of the Infant and behold: the Word made flesh by Whom all things were made, without Whom was not anything made that was made. Behold the Babe, the world’s Redeemer, in the revelation of His sacred face is the One who is to come, the One from of old; He crushes the head of the Serpent.
Do not search the Scripture looking for rules by which to live. Do not mine them for stock tips, resume suggestions, or news headlines. They are these that testify of Christ! Put before you tonight are the lessons which give Handel’s Messiah its content and substance. All Scripture, Old and New Testaments, preach Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Savior; “Who in flesh the vict’ry won,” (LSB 332:6). Give ear to the Word of the Lord!
For this Christ is the Seed of Woman who puts enmity between you and the Serpent, stomping His head for you redemption.
He is the Angel of the Lord who stays Abraham’s hand and puts Himself under the knife for all you Isaacs.
He is the Light that shines, dispelling the great darkness of your sin.
He is the Son given in peace and righteousness establishing an everlasting Kingdom.
He is the Shoot from Jesse’s stump, who is the Tree of life, restoring fallen man and creating a new Eden.
He is the Ruler in Israel and the Shepherd of His flock the Church.
He is the Son of the Most High. He is Immanuel. He is Christ the Lord. He is the Word made flesh.
He is Jesus, Yeshua, YHWH in the flesh. He chased you down through history; like a hound coursing after a hare “with all deliberate speed.” He has saved you from your sins. He was in the form of God, but did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking on the form of a Servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a Cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Phil 2:6-10).
“Let creation praise its Lord;” your soul magnify the Lord and your spirit rejoice in God your Savior. He has given you the right to become children of God, born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (Jn 1:13).
A blessed Christmas.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Not in the birth of the murderous Cain. Not in the near sacrifice of the beloved son Isaac. Not in the monarchy of David. But in “that birth forever blessed, when the Virgin full of grace, by the Holy Ghost conceiving, bore the Savior of our race” (LSB 384:2). For when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that you might receive adoption as sons (Gal 4:4-5).
This evening’s readings are chronological; the chanting of the seers, the voices of the prophets, the reiteration of the promise from generation to generation. Yet to hear them correctly, you ought to begin at the end. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son of Father, full of grace and truth. St Augustine expressed it this way: “In the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed; in the New Testament, the Old Testament is revealed.”
Go, then, this night, with the shepherds to Bethlehem, peer into the manger-crib, unfold the swaddling clothes of the Infant and behold: the Word made flesh by Whom all things were made, without Whom was not anything made that was made. Behold the Babe, the world’s Redeemer, in the revelation of His sacred face is the One who is to come, the One from of old; He crushes the head of the Serpent.
Do not search the Scripture looking for rules by which to live. Do not mine them for stock tips, resume suggestions, or news headlines. They are these that testify of Christ! Put before you tonight are the lessons which give Handel’s Messiah its content and substance. All Scripture, Old and New Testaments, preach Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Savior; “Who in flesh the vict’ry won,” (LSB 332:6). Give ear to the Word of the Lord!
For this Christ is the Seed of Woman who puts enmity between you and the Serpent, stomping His head for you redemption.
He is the Angel of the Lord who stays Abraham’s hand and puts Himself under the knife for all you Isaacs.
He is the Light that shines, dispelling the great darkness of your sin.
He is the Son given in peace and righteousness establishing an everlasting Kingdom.
He is the Shoot from Jesse’s stump, who is the Tree of life, restoring fallen man and creating a new Eden.
He is the Ruler in Israel and the Shepherd of His flock the Church.
He is the Son of the Most High. He is Immanuel. He is Christ the Lord. He is the Word made flesh.
He is Jesus, Yeshua, YHWH in the flesh. He chased you down through history; like a hound coursing after a hare “with all deliberate speed.” He has saved you from your sins. He was in the form of God, but did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking on the form of a Servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a Cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Phil 2:6-10).
“Let creation praise its Lord;” your soul magnify the Lord and your spirit rejoice in God your Savior. He has given you the right to become children of God, born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (Jn 1:13).
A blessed Christmas.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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