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December 25, 2022

Signs of Our Time

Heather Murray Elkins   |   Read John 1:1-14

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Lectionary Week
December 19–25, 2022
Scripture Overview

Joy over the Christmas miracle is the theme that binds this week’s passages together—unrestrained joy over what God has done and over who God is. These texts celebrate a God who reigns in strength and brings peace and light—the beginning of a new reality. As worshipers, we join in rejoicing over the coming of the messenger “who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’” (Isa. 52:7) and the angel who brings “good news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10). We celebrate with all the earth by singing a new song (Ps. 96:1). The One who was present at creation, the eternal Word, “became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14).

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection

Read Isaiah 9:2-7. What or who in your life helps you to continue to walk in the world’s darkness?
Read Psalm 96. How do you join the earth in joy and worship? How does this allow you to shout for joy and sing to the Lord a new song?
Read Luke 2:1-20. Advent reminds us of Jesus’ bridging the gap between God and humanity. How does this reality change the way you experience the world?
Read John 1:1-14. Reflect on the incarnation of God in the form of a baby. In what ways does this influence the way you see and understand God’s nature?

Respond by posting a prayer .

John 1:1-14

1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. 2 The Word was with God in the beginning. 3 Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being 4 through the Word was life, In the Word was life and the life was the light for all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. 6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. 8 He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light. 9 The true light that shines on all people was coming into the world. 10 The light was in the world, and the world came into being through the light, but the world didn’t recognize the light. 11 The light came to his own people, and his own people didn’t welcome him. 12 But those who did welcome him, those who believed in his name, he authorized to become God’s children, 13 born not from blood nor from human desire or passion, but born from God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible. Used by permission.

Here is the Gospel text that illuminates this week’s calendar readings. In verses four and five it concentrates our salvation story into a single sentence that burns like the tungsten filament inside an incandescent light. Creation and Incarnation and Salvation are braided together. Time itself is burning like a star;...

O Morning Star, enter my soul and light my way home. Amen.


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