December 24, 2022, 6:30 PM Candlelight Service —
December 25, 2022 9 AM Festival Communion Service —
The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord is also known as Christmas, a merging and shortening of the words Christ and Mass. Mass, a word also used in our Lutheran Confessions, means Communion Service. Especially on the high “Feast Days” of the Liturgical Year, such as Christmas Day, it is customary to celebrate the Feast of the Lord’s Supper. It is especially appropriate on this Feast, because this is the day our Lord Himself came into the world as our flesh and blood Savior. He is the same Savior who established the feast of His human-divine body and blood and told us to “do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.”
One of the most fantastic Christmas Carols of all time begins, “For Unto Us a Child Is Born.” It’s one of the most beautiful pieces in the story of “The Messiah” as set to music by George Fredrick Handel. Almost beyond comprehension is that the words of that song were written down by Isaiah the prophet 700 years before the birth even occurred! In our Old Testament Lesson on this festival day, that same prophet who foretold the Messiah’s birth tells God’s people to rejoice because God surely keeps His promises and steps into our world to act. He sent Jesus to rescue us all from sin and death and give us eternal life in His Kingdom!
Our Epistle Lesson is a deep theological treatise on just who Jesus is: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of the divine nature. He sustains all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” On this Feast Day we celebrate the birth of God on earth—Immanuel, God with us.
In our Gospel Lesson the Apostle John further unwraps the mystery of God made man. Jesus is the eternal Son of God, begotten of the Father in eternity, conceived by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, come down from heaven to earth “full of grace and truth.”
Our Sermon will explore some of the truths in our Gospel Lesson: “Who Is This Little Baby Born in Bethlehem?” 1. He is the eternal Word of God. 2. He is full of grace and truth.
This Week’s Lessons:
Isaiah 52:7–10
Hebrews 1:1–9
John 1:1–14 (sermon text)
Psalm 98