The theme for the Fourth Sunday in Advent is How God Sent His Son.
Next Sunday, we turn our attention toward the Nativity of Our Lord. With Mary
we await the coming of the Christ, her Son, conceived in her womb by the Word
and Spirit of God. As the Lord dealt graciously with her and did great things
for her (Luke
1:48–49 ), so also he manifests Himself and His glory to us in
mercy and gentleness. He comes to rule His people in peace, to “shepherd His
flock in the strength of the Lord.” He comes forth not from the great
capital city of Jerusalem , but from lowly little
Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2 , 4 ). He comes to
sacrifice Himself, in fulfillment of His Father’s will, for the salvation and
sanctification of His people (Heb. 10:10 ). He who once visited Elizabeth while hidden
in the womb of Mary (Luke
1:39–45 ), now comes to visit us today, hidden in the lowliness of
simple water, bread and wine.
Time in the Word
14–19 December 2015
Preparation for next week, the Fourth Sunday in Advent
14–19 December 2015
Preparation for next week, the Fourth Sunday in Advent
Monday,
14 December 2015—1 Samuel 2:1b , 2 , 5b–7 ; Antiphon, Luke 1:46b–47 —As the birth of our Lord draws near, the
sense of anticipation and expectation is heightened. The antiphon is taken from
the Magnificat, the song of the blessed Virgin when she
visited and was blessed by Elizabeth, and the as-yet-unborn John leaped in
Elizabeth’s womb in joy of being in his Savior’s presence. The entire antiphon
looks forward to the salvation of the Lord, the salvation made concrete when
the Son of God assumed flesh, and the salvation which was accomplished when He
died on the cross. By His death and resurrection, He has brought us to life,
made us rich, and exalted us.
Tuesday,
15 December 2015—Psalm 80:1–7 —Twice
in this section (and thrice in the entire psalm), the refrain beseeches the
Lord, Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we | may be saved!
The immediate context of the psalm was the dark days which had fallen upon the
Northern Kingdom of Israel, the people and her kings having forsaken the true
God and lapsed into idolatry. For us, the darkness is that of sin, which we
desire to be put away and atoned for. Such has been accomplished for us
by the Savior of the world, God in man made manifest to us: Jesus Christ. He has
saved and restored us.
Wednesday,
16 December 2015—Micah 5:2–5a —Seven
hundred years before the birth of our Lord, the prophet Micah was sent by God
to rebuke the people for their idolatry and prophesy about the coming Christ.
Here, he tells where the Savior is to be born: Bethlehem, the city of David
(who was from the clan of Ephrathah). In his Gospel, St Matthew cites this
prophecy as fulfilled in Christ Jesus.
Thursday,
17 December 2015—Hebrews 10:5–10 —Christ
came as a tiny Baby born in a manger in Bethlehem, but let us take care not to
romanticize the scene too much. He came for one purpose, and that was to do
His Father’s will by offering up His body as a sacrifice for us, so that
we—who could never please God, whether by our conduct or by any sacrifices
which we ourselves could offer—so that we might be saved and made holy
through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Friday,
18 December 2015—Luke 1:39–45
(46–56)—The Gospel for Sunday tells of the Visitation, when the blessed
Virgin Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the
Baptist. Both John and Elizabeth were jubilant to be in the presence of the Son
of God, even while He was in the womb of His mother. John leaps, Elizabeth
blesses Mary, and Mary responds by singing the Magnificat.
Saturday,
19 December 2015—The hymn of
the day, Once in Royal David’s City (LSB 376), was designed by
composer by Cecil Frances Alexander as a catechism hymn, to go along with the
Second Article of the Creed: I believe in…Jesus Christ…conceived by the Holy
Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. It tells the story of the birth of Jesus
in a stable in Bethlehem, Royal David’s City, as foretold by the prophet
Micah.
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