Matthew 2:19-23 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,20 saying, “Rise, take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the Child and His mother and went to the land…
Matthew 2:13-18 Matthew 2:13-18 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the Child, to destroy Him.” 14 And he rose and…
Matthew 2:1-12 Today’s Scripture reading from Matthew recounts the story of the “wise men from the east” who come to Judea to worship to the newly born Savior. Though featured in countless popular Christmas scenes along with Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds and angels from Luke 2, the Magi and their gifts are more properly associated with the feast of…
Matthew 1:22-25 Many popular Advent and Christmas traditions come to us from the German-speaking world—the Advent wreath, the Advent calendar, the Christmas tree—and the hymnody of the season is no exception. Lo How A Rose E’er Blooming, written in a monastic community in Trier in the Rhineland-Palatinate, refers to Jesus as a flower much in the same way as the…
Matthew 1:18-21 In this morning’s sermon text from the Gospel of Matthew, an angel appears to Joseph to announce that the miraculous child in Mary’s womb “will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Many of the elements in the service today likewise focus on Christ’s coming as a Savior. Our Call to Worship is taken from Zechariah’s prophecy…
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord, Emmanuel. —Phillips Brooks Advent is usually observed as a season of confession, preparation, and anticipation, looking forward to the birth of Christ on Christmas Day. You’ll notice several added elements in the service this morning: lighting of candles during the Call to Worship, purple accents on the bulletin and the pulpit,…
In 1 Corinthians 4:6, Paul gives the Corinthian Christians a warning “not to go beyond what is written.” As Pastor Brian preached last week, their foundation was laid on things other than the Word of God. By contrast, every element in this morning’s service drives us back to the Scriptures. Passages from Matthew 4, Psalm 19, Isaiah 40, and Psalm…
Crown Him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways, From pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise… —Matthew Bridges Amid a long season of intense social, cultural, and political division, it isn’t uncommon to hear repeated calls to put differences aside for the sake of unity. I’ll confess that this sometimes strikes…
God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. —1 John 1:5 Light has been a consistent motive found in Christmas celebrations throughout history. From the legend of St. Lucy’s candle headdress which enlivens the winter solstice in Scandinavia, to the “star singer” processions of central Europe where children re-enact the visit of the Magi while singing hymns,…
 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. —Matthew 2:16 December 28 (or in our case,…