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12 Days of Christmas, Day 12

Revelation 21:1-6 TNIV

 1 Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

    5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

    6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

Philippians 2:5-11 TNIV

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had:

    6 Who, being in very nature God,
       did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

    7 rather, he made himself nothing
       by taking the very nature of a servant,
       being made in human likeness.

    8 And being found in appearance as a human being,
       he humbled himself
       by becoming obedient to death—
       even death on a cross!

    9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
       and gave him the name that is above every name,

    10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
       in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

    11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
       to the glory of God the Father.

12 Days of Christmas, Reading 11.

Psalm 8 TNIV

1 LORD, our Lord,
       how majestic is your name in all the earth!
       You have set your glory
       above the heavens.

    2 Through the praise of children and infants
       you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
       to silence the foe and the avenger.

    3 When I consider your heavens,
       the work of your fingers,
       the moon and the stars,
       which you have set in place,

    4 what are mere mortals that you are mindful of them,
       human beings that you care for them?

    5 You have made them a little lower than the heavenly beings
       and crowned them with glory and honor.

    6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
       you put everything under their feet:

    7 all flocks and herds,
       and the animals of the wild,

    8 the birds in the sky,
       and the fish in the sea,
       all that swim the paths of the seas.

    9 LORD, our Lord,
       how majestic is your name in all the earth!

12 Days of Christmas, Reading 10.

Psalm 147:12-20 TNIV

12 Extol the LORD, Jerusalem;
       praise your God, Zion.

    13 He strengthens the bars of your gates
       and blesses your people within you.

    14 He grants peace to your borders
       and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

    15 He sends his command to the earth;
       his word runs swiftly.

    16 He spreads the snow like wool
       and scatters the frost like ashes.

    17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
       Who can withstand his icy blast?

    18 He sends his word and melts them;
       he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

    19 He has revealed his word to Jacob,
       his laws and decrees to Israel.

    20 He has done this for no other nation;
       they do not know his laws.
       Praise the LORD.

Ephesians 1:3-14 TNIV

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

    11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

12 Days of Christmas, Reading 8.

Psalm 148:7-14 NIV

⁷ Praise the LORD from the earth,
       you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

 ⁸ lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
       stormy winds that do his bidding,

 ⁹ you mountains and all hills,
       fruit trees and all cedars,

 ¹⁰ wild animals and all cattle,
       small creatures and flying birds,

 ¹¹ kings of the earth and all nations,
       you princes and all rulers on earth,

 ¹² young men and maidens,
       old men and children.

 ¹³ Let them praise the name of the LORD,
       for his name alone is exalted;
       his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

 ¹⁴ He has raised up for his people a horn,
       the praise of all his saints,
       of Israel, the people close to his heart.
       Praise the LORD.

12 Days of Christmas, Reading 7.

Psalm 148 NIV

 ¹ Praise the LORD.
       Praise the LORD from the heavens,
       praise him in the heights above.

 ² Praise him, all his angels,
       praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

 ³ Praise him, sun and moon,
       praise him, all you shining stars.

 ⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens
       and you waters above the skies.

 ⁵ Let them praise the name of the LORD,
       for he commanded and they were created.

 ⁶ He set them in place for ever and ever;
       he gave a decree that will never pass away.

12 Days of Christmas, Reading 6.

Galatians 4:4-7 TNIV

4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7 So you are no longer slaves, but God's children; and since you are his children, he has made you also heirs.

12 Days of Christmas, Reading 4.

I delight greatly in the LORD;
       my soul rejoices in my God.
       For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
       and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
       as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
       and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

    11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
       and a garden causes seeds to grow,
       so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness
       and praise spring up before all nations.

Isaiah 62

Zion's New Name

 1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
       for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet,
       till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
       her salvation like a blazing torch.

    2 The nations will see your vindication,
       and all kings your glory;
       you will be called by a new name
       that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.

    3 You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand,
       a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

12 Days of Christmas, Reading 3.

Psalm 98 TNIV
 1 Sing to the LORD a new song,
       for he has done marvelous things;
       his right hand and his holy arm
       have worked salvation for him.

    2 The LORD has made his salvation known
       and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

    3 He has remembered his love
       and his faithfulness to the house of Israel;
       all the ends of the earth have seen
       the salvation of our God.

    4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
       burst into jubilant song with music;

    5 make music to the LORD with the harp,
       with the harp and the sound of singing,

    6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn—
       shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

    7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
       the world, and all who live in it.

    8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
       let the mountains sing together for joy;

    9 let them sing before the LORD,
       for he comes to judge the earth.
       He will judge the world in righteousness
       and the peoples with equity.

12 Days of Christmas, Reading 2.

Isaiah 52:7-10 TNIV

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.

John 1:1-14 TNIV

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 people. 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.

Christmas Day: God with us, Reading 1.

PRAYING THE WORD ON CHRISTMAS DAY

Christmas prayer:   Isa. 9:2-7; Ps.96; Titus 2:11-14; Lk 2:l-14

 

LEADER:              Sing  to the  Lord a  new  song;  sing  to  the  Lord, all  the earth (Ps. 96:1)

 

PEOPLE:            CHRIST  IS BORN  TODAY

 

LEADER:              The  people  walking in darkness have seen  a  great  light (Isa. 9:2)

 

PEOPLE:               CHRIST  IS  BORN  TODAY

LEADER:              ON  THOSE  LIVING IN THE  LAND OF THE SADOW OF DEATH A LIGHT HAS DAWNED (vs. 2)

 

PEOPLE:            CHRIST  IS BORN  TODAY

 

LEADER:            For  as in  the day  of  Median’s defeat, you  haav e  shattered  the  y9oke that  burdens   them (vs4)

 

PEOPLE:            CHRIST  IS BORN  TODAY

 

LEADER:            EVERy  warriar’s boot  used  in  battle and every garment  rolled  in  blood  will be destined for burning  ,  will be  fuel for  the  fire. {vs/ 5)

 

PEOPLE:            CHRIST  IS BORN  TODAY

 

LEADER:            the  government will be  on  his  shoulders..Of  the  increase of his government and  peace  there  will  be  no  end {vss. 6b and 7a)

 

PEOPLE:            CHRIST IS  BORN TODAY

 

LEADER:            He  will  reign  on  David’s throne  and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding  it with  justice  and  righteousness  ,  fom this  time  on  and forever (vs. 7b)

 

PEOPLE:            CHRIST IS BORN TODAY.....

 

LEADER:            O LORD, CHRIST,  Your  presence fills  our hearts   and  our worship  today.  Splendor  and majesty, strength  and glory  belong  to  you.   We  ascribe  to  you  the  glory  due your  nbame (Ps. 96:8) Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting  Father,   Prince of   Peace(Isa. 9:6)

 

Christ  whose  glory  fills  the  skies

Sun  of  Righteousness,  arise

Dayspring from on high be  near

Daystar in my heart appear.

We live with your Word, today...the  story  that   began  not   in  a  stable  in  Bethlehem but  in the  garden  of creation;  the  story  of  your  glory  bestowed  upon  us, made  in  your  image;  the  story  of our fall,  our  grasping  at control  and power,  wanting to be  you (god) not  like  you;  the  story of  patriarchs, priests and  prophets, of exile  and  exodus;  the  story of deliverance  and  new creation.    We live with  your  word,  your story, and celebrate   THE  WORD,  the  word become   flesh  to dwell  among us

We think not  only  of  Bethlehem, shepherds  watching there,  a  frightened homeless woman having  a  baby,  we think   of  Nazareth,  the  boy  Jesus  apprenticed  to  his carpenter  father,  of  Galilee,  a wandering  prophet, teaching  and preaching the  eternal  word  that sounded strange  even  to those steeped  in Scriptures.  How dumb  our ears  can  be, how selective  our hearing.  We    think of  Calvary,  its glory  and  dismay, especially  of  the  now  announced  Messiah,  the  Lamb of God, hanging  on  a tree.

We  live with  your word  today.  We realize  that the word of anybody is the  attempt  of  a  living being  to  communicate something.  You are  alive,  O God, and your  word  is  not  merely  some expression of  history, or  a repository   of  fact  and truth, or  a  collection  to  be handled  gingerly,  but  something  that   is  alive; even  as sharp  as  a two-edged sword.  We  don’t  approach  it abstractly,  but  as  emotionally involved  as  Mary  and  Joseph  handling  that new  baby; as mystified  and  challenged by  it  as  they were  as they  sought to comprehend the meaning  of  shepherds and  stars  and  wise men  and angels.

We  live with  your word  and  it comes  to  focus  in  a special  way  today:  God becomes  incarnate, physical,  in the world.  God  is made  truly  human  in the  womb  of  Mary  and  is  born  into the world just like us. Jesus  Christ walks  around,  talks  and eats  with  sinners, and  doesn’t  always  wash  his hands.  God  reveals  himself  in human flesh...skin and  teeth,  and  tongue.  He lives, he suffers, he dies.  And   he  rose,  Christ  our  Lord,  announced  and  adored  by sheep,  shepherds,  wise men  and  angels,  raised to  glory  the  the  Father,  mighty  to save, “for  the  grace of  God  has  appeared,  bringing  salvation  to  all(Titus 2:11)

And  so  to you,  O God, who  sits upon  the throne,  and  to  Christ  the  Lamb  be  worship  and praise,  dominion and  splendor  for ever  and  ever. Amen.

Prayer taken from Praying the Story, (Dunnam & Walt)