Psalm 65 and Isaiah 49:1-12

PSALM 65
1   Praise is due to you,
          O God, in Zion;
     and to you shall vows be performed,
2        O you who answer prayer!
     To you all flesh shall come.
3   When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
          you forgive our transgressions.
4   Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
          to live in your courts.
     We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
          your holy temple.

5   By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
          O God of our salvation;
     you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
          and of the farthest seas.
6   By your strength you established the mountains;
          you are girded with might.
7   You silence the roaring of the seas,
          the roaring of their waves,
          the tumult of the peoples.
8   Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;
          you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

9   You visit the earth and water it,
          you greatly enrich it;
     the river of God is full of water;
          you provide the people with grain,
          for so you have prepared it.
10  You water its furrows abundantly,
          settling its ridges,
     softening it with showers,
          and blessing its growth.
11  You crown the year with your bounty;
          your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
12  The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
          the hills gird themselves with joy,
13  the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
          the valleys deck themselves with grain,
          they shout and sing together for joy.

----------------------------------------------------------------

ISAIAH 49:1–12
1   Listen to me, O coastlands,
          pay attention, you peoples from far away!
     The LORD called me before I was born,
          while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.
2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
          in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
     he made me a polished arrow,
          in his quiver he hid me away.
3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,
          Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
4   But I said, “I have labored in vain,
          I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
     yet surely my cause is with the LORD,
          and my reward with my God.”
5   And now the LORD says,
          who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
     to bring Jacob back to him,
          and that Israel might be gathered to him,
     for I am honored in the sight of the LORD,
          and my God has become my strength —
6   he says,
     “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
          to raise up the tribes of Jacob
          and to restore the survivors of Israel;
     I will give you as a light to the nations,
          that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

7   Thus says the LORD,
          the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
     to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
          the slave of rulers,
     “Kings shall see and stand up,
          princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
     because of the LORD, who is faithful,
          the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

8   Thus says the LORD:
     In a time of favor I have answered you,
           on a day of salvation I have helped you;
     I have kept you and given you
          as a covenant to the people,
     to establish the land,
          to apportion the desolate heritages;
9   saying to the prisoners, “Come out,”
          to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.”
     They shall feed along the ways,
          on all the bare heights shall be their pasture;
10  they shall not hunger or thirst,
          neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down,
     for he who has pity on them will lead them,
          and by springs of water will guide them.
11  And I will turn all my mountains into a road,
          and my highways shall be raised up.
12  Lo, these shall come from far away,
          and lo, these from the north and from the west,
          and these from the land of Syene.

Psalm 146 and Isaiah 48:12-21

PSALM 146 
1   Praise the LORD!
     Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2   I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
          I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

3   Do not put your trust in princes,
          in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4   When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
          on that very day their plans perish.

5   Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
          whose hope is in the LORD their God,
6   who made heaven and earth,
          the sea, and all that is in them;
     who keeps faith forever;
7        who executes justice for the oppressed;
          who gives food to the hungry.

     The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8        the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
     The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
          the LORD loves the righteous.
9   The LORD watches over the strangers;
          he upholds the orphan and the widow,
          but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10  The LORD will reign forever,
          your God, O Zion, for all generations.
     Praise the LORD!

--------------------------------------------------------------

ISAIAH 48:12–21
12  Listen to me, O Jacob,
          and Israel, whom I called:
     I am He; I am the first,
          and I am the last.
13  My hand laid the foundation of the earth,
          and my right hand spread out the heavens;
     when I summon them,
          they stand at attention.

14  Assemble, all of you, and hear!
          Who among them has declared these things?
     The LORD loves him;
          he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,
          and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.
15  I, even I, have spoken and called him,
          I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.
16   Draw near to me, hear this!
          From the beginning I have not spoken in secret,
          from the time it came to be I have been there.
     And now the Lord GOD has sent me and his spirit.

17  Thus says the LORD,
          your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
     I am the LORD your God,
          who teaches you for your own good,
          who leads you in the way you should go.
18  O that you had paid attention to my commandments!
          Then your prosperity would have been like a river,
          and your success like the waves of the sea;
19  your offspring would have been like the sand,
          and your descendants like its grains;
     their name would never be cut off
          or destroyed from before me.
20  Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,
          declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,
     send it forth to the end of the earth;
          say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”
21  They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;
          he made water flow for them from the rock;
          he split open the rock and the water gushed out.

Psalm 57 and Mark 5:21-43

PSALM 57
1   Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
          for in you my soul takes refuge;
     in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
          until the destroying storms pass by.
2   I cry to God Most High,
          to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3   He will send from heaven and save me,
          he will put to shame those who trample on me. Selah 
     God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.

4   I lie down among lions
          that greedily devour human prey;
     their teeth are spears and arrows,
          their tongues sharp swords.

5   Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
          Let your glory be over all the earth.

6   They set a net for my steps;
          my soul was bowed down.
     They dug a pit in my path,
          but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah 
7   My heart is steadfast, O God,
          my heart is steadfast.
     I will sing and make melody.
8        Awake, my soul!
     Awake, O harp and lyre!
          I will awake the dawn.
9   I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
          I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10   For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens;
          your faithfulness extends to the clouds.

11   Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
     Let your glory be over all the earth.

----------------------------------------------------

MARK 5:21–43
21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” 24 So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Psalm 51 and Isaiah 42:1-6

PSALM 51

¹   Have mercy on me, O God, 
          according to your steadfast love; 
     according to your abundant mercy 
          blot out my transgressions. 
²   Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, 
          and cleanse me from my sin.

³   For I know my transgressions, 
          and my sin is ever before me. 
⁴   Against you, you alone, have I sinned, 
          and done what is evil in your sight, 
     so that you are justified in your sentence 
          and blameless when you pass judgment. 

⁵   Indeed, I was born guilty, 
          a sinner when my mother conceived me.

⁶   You desire truth in the inward being; 
          therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 
⁷   Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; 
          wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 
⁸   Let me hear joy and gladness; 
          let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. 
⁹   Hide your face from my sins, 
          and blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰  Create in me a clean heart, O God, 
          and put a new and right spirit within me. 
¹¹  Do not cast me away from your presence, 
          and do not take your holy spirit from me. 
¹²  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, 
          and sustain in me a willing spirit.

¹³  Then I will teach transgressors your ways, 
          and sinners will return to you. 
¹⁴  Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, 
          O God of my salvation, 
          and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

¹⁵  O Lord, open my lips, 
          and my mouth will declare your praise. 
¹⁶  For you have no delight in sacrifice; 
          if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. 
¹⁷  The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; 
          a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

¹⁸  Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; 
          rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, 
¹⁹  then you will delight in right sacrifices, 
          in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; 
          then bulls will be offered on your altar.

---------------------------------------------------

ISAIAH 42:1–16

¹   Here is my servant, whom I uphold, 
          my chosen, in whom my soul delights; 
     I have put my spirit upon him; 
          he will bring forth justice to the nations. 
²   He will not cry or lift up his voice, 
          or make it heard in the street; 
³   a bruised reed he will not break, 
          and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; 
          he will faithfully bring forth justice. 
⁴   He will not grow faint or be crushed 
          until he has established justice in the earth; 
          and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

 

⁵   Thus says God, the LORD, 
          who created the heavens and stretched them out, 
          who spread out the earth and what comes from it, 
     who gives breath to the people upon it 
          and spirit to those who walk in it: 
⁶   I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, 
          I have taken you by the hand and kept you; 
     I have given you as a covenant to the people, 
          a light to the nations, 
⁷        to open the eyes that are blind, 
     to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, 
          from the prison those who sit in darkness. 
⁸   I am the LORD, that is my name; 
          my glory I give to no other, 
          nor my praise to idols. 
⁹   See, the former things have come to pass, 
          and new things I now declare; 
     before they spring forth, 
          I tell you of them.

 

¹⁰  Sing to the LORD a new song, 
          his praise from the end of the earth! 
     Let the sea roar and all that fills it, 
          the coastlands and their inhabitants. 
¹¹  Let the desert and its towns lift up their voice, 
          the villages that Kedar inhabits; 
     let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy, 
          let them shout from the tops of the mountains. 
¹²  Let them give glory to the LORD, 
          and declare his praise in the coastlands. 
¹³  The LORD goes forth like a soldier, 
          like a warrior he stirs up his fury; 
     he cries out, he shouts aloud, 
          he shows himself mighty against his foes.

 

¹⁴  For a long time I have held my peace, 
          I have kept still and restrained myself; 
     now I will cry out like a woman in labor, 
          I will gasp and pant. 
¹⁵  I will lay waste mountains and hills, 
          and dry up all their herbage; 
     I will turn the rivers into islands, 
          and dry up the pools. 
¹⁶  I will lead the blind 
          by a road they do not know, 
     by paths they have not known 
          I will guide them. 
     I will turn the darkness before them into light, 
          the rough places into level ground. 
     These are the things I will do, 
          and I will not forsake them. 

Isaiah 41:17-29 and Ephesians 2:14-22

ISAIAH 41:17–29
17  When the poor and needy seek water,
          and there is none,
          and their tongue is parched with thirst,
     I the LORD will answer them,
          I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
18  I will open rivers on the bare heights,
          and fountains in the midst of the valleys;
     I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
          and the dry land springs of water.
19  I will put in the wilderness the cedar,
          the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive;
     I will set in the desert the cypress,
          the plane and the pine together,
20  so that all may see and know,
          all may consider and understand,
     that the hand of the LORD has done this,
          the Holy One of Israel has created it.

21  Set forth your case, says the LORD;
          bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob.
22  Let them bring them, and tell us
          what is to happen.
     Tell us the former things, what they are,
          so that we may consider them,
     and that we may know their outcome;
          or declare to us the things to come.
23  Tell us what is to come hereafter,
          that we may know that you are gods;
     do good, or do harm,
          that we may be afraid and terrified.
24  You, indeed, are nothing
          and your work is nothing at all;
          whoever chooses you is an abomination.

25  I stirred up one from the north, and he has come,
          from the rising of the sun he was summoned by name.
     He shall trample on rulers as on mortar,
          as the potter treads clay.
26  Who declared it from the beginning, so that we might know,
          and beforehand, so that we might say, “He is right”
     There was no one who declared it, none who proclaimed,
          none who heard your words.
27  I first have declared it to Zion,
          and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good tidings.
28  But when I look there is no one;
          among these there is no counselor
          who, when I ask, gives an answer.
29  No, they are all a delusion;
          their works are nothing;
          their images are empty wind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

EPHESIANS 2:14-22
14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. 15 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17 So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.

Psalm 89:1-18; Ephesians 2:1-10

PSALM 89:1–18 

1   I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever;
          with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
2   I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
          your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

3   You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
          I have sworn to my servant David:
4   ‘I will establish your descendants forever,
          and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

5   Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
          your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
6   For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?
          Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,
7   a God feared in the council of the holy ones,
          great and awesome above all that are around him?
8   O LORD God of hosts,
          who is as mighty as you, O LORD?
          Your faithfulness surrounds you.
9   You rule the raging of the sea;
          when its waves rise, you still them.
10  You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
          you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11  The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours;
          the world and all that is in it — you have founded them.
12  The north and the south — you created them;
          Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13  You have a mighty arm;
          strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14  Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
          steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15  Happy are the people who know the festal shout,
          who walk, O LORD, in the light of your countenance;
16  they exult in your name all day long,
          and extol your righteousness.
17  For you are the glory of their strength;
          by your favor our horn is exalted.
18  For our shield belongs to the LORD,
          our king to the Holy One of Israel.

-------------------------------------------------

EPHESIANS 2:1–10

1 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Psalm 46 and John 2:1-11

PSALM 46

¹   God is our refuge and strength, 
          a very present help in trouble. 
²   Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, 
          though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 
³   though its waters roar and foam, 
          though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah

⁴   There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, 
          the holy habitation of the Most High. 
⁵   God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; 
          God will help it when the morning dawns. 
⁶   The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; 
          he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷   The LORD of hosts is with us; 
          the God of Jacob is our refuge.Selah

⁸   Come, behold the works of the LORD;
          see what desolations he has brought on the earth. 
⁹   He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; 
          he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; 
          he burns the shields with fire. 
¹⁰  “Be still, and know that I am God! 
          I am exalted among the nations, 
          I am exalted in the earth.” 
¹¹  The LORD of hosts is with us; 
          the God of Jacob is our refuge.Selah

------------------------------------------

JOHN 2:1–11

¹On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ²Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” ⁶Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. ⁹When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom ¹⁰and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”¹¹Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Isaiah 60:1-6 and Matthew 2:1-12

ISAIAH 60:1–6

 

1   Arise, shine; for your light has come, 

          and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 

2   For darkness shall cover the earth, 

          and thick darkness the peoples; 

     but the LORD will arise upon you, 

          and his glory will appear over you. 

3   Nations shall come to your light, 

          and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

 

4   Lift up your eyes and look around; 

          they all gather together, they come to you; 

     your sons shall come from far away, 

          and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms. 

5   Then you shall see and be radiant; 

          your heart shall thrill and rejoice, 

     because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, 

          the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 

6   A multitude of camels shall cover you, 

          the young camels of Midian and Ephah; 

          all those from Sheba shall come. 

     They shall bring gold and frankincense, 

          and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.

--------------------------------------------

MATTHEW 2:1–12

 

1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 

6   ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, 

          are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; 

     for from you shall come a ruler 

          who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

 

7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Psalm 99 and Joshua 1:1-9

PSALM 99

1   The LORD is king; let the peoples tremble!
          He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2   The LORD is great in Zion;
          he is exalted over all the peoples.
3   Let them praise your great and awesome name.
          Holy is he!
4   Mighty King, lover of justice,
          you have established equity;
     you have executed justice
          and righteousness in Jacob.
5   Extol the LORD our God;
          worship at his footstool.
          Holy is he!
6   Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
          Samuel also was among those who called on his name.
          They cried to the LORD, and he answered them.
7   He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
          they kept his decrees,
          and the statutes that he gave them.

8   O LORD our God, you answered them;
          you were a forgiving God to them,
          but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
9   Extol the LORD our God,
          and worship at his holy mountain;
          for the LORD our God is holy.

----------------------------------------------------------------

JOSHUA 1:1-9

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, 2 “My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. 5 No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. 9 I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Advent - Week 3 - Love - Revelation 21:22-22:5 and Luke 1:39-56

REVELATION 21:22–22:5

22 I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will never be shut by day - and there will be no night there. 26 People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4 they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LUKE 1:39–56

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

46 And Mary said,
     "My soul magnifies the Lord,
47       and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48  for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
          Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49  for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
          and holy is his name.
50  His mercy is for those who fear him
          from generation to generation.
51  He has shown strength with his arm;
          he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52  He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
          and lifted up the lowly;
53  he has filled the hungry with good things,
          and sent the rich away empty.
54  He has helped his servant Israel,
          in remembrance of his mercy,
55  according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
          to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Advent - Week 3 - Joy - Isaiah 11:10-16 and Psalm 130

ISAIAH 11:10-16 

¹⁰On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

 

¹¹On that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Ethiopia, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. 
¹²  He will raise a signal for the nations, 
          and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, 
     and gather the dispersed of Judah 
          from the four corners of the earth. 
¹³  The jealousy of Ephraim shall depart, 
          the hostility of Judah shall be cut off; 
     Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah, 
          and Judah shall not be hostile towards Ephraim. 
¹⁴  But they shall swoop down on the backs of the Philistines in the west, 
          together they shall plunder the people of the east. 
     They shall put forth their hand against Edom and Moab, 
          and the Ammonites shall obey them. 
¹⁵  And the LORD will utterly destroy 
          the tongue of the sea of Egypt; 
     and will wave his hand over the River 
          with his scorching wind; 
     and will split it into seven channels, 
          and make a way to cross on foot; 
¹⁶  so there shall be a highway from Assyria 
          for the remnant that is left of his people, 
     as there was for Israel 
          when they came up from the land of Egypt.

----------------------------------------

PSALM 130

¹   Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD. 
²       Lord, hear my voice! 
     Let your ears be attentive 
          to the voice of my supplications!

³   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, 
          Lord, who could stand? 
⁴   But there is forgiveness with you, 
          so that you may be revered.

⁵   I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, 
          and in his word I hope; 
⁶   my soul waits for the Lord 
          more than those who watch for the morning, 
          more than those who watch for the morning.

⁷   O Israel, hope in the LORD! 
          For with the LORD there is steadfast love, 
          and with him is great power to redeem. 
⁸   It is he who will redeem Israel 
          from all its iniquities.

Advent - Week 3 - Joy - Isaiah 11:1-9 and Ephesians 6:1-10

ISAIAH 11:1–9

¹A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, 
     and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 
²The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, 
     the spirit of wisdom and understanding, 
     the spirit of counsel and might, 
     the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 
³His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

 

He shall not judge by what his eyes see, 
     or decide by what his ears hear; 
⁴but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, 
     and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; 
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, 
     and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 
⁵Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, 
     and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

⁶The wolf shall live with the lamb, 
     the leopard shall lie down with the kid, 
the calf and the lion and the fatling together, 
     and a little child shall lead them. 
⁷The cow and the bear shall graze, 
     their young shall lie down together; 
     and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 
⁸The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, 
     and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. 
⁹They will not hurt or destroy 
     on all my holy mountain; 
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD 
     as the waters cover the sea.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

EPHESIANS 6:10-20

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. ¹⁵As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. ¹⁶With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 

¹⁸Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. ¹⁹Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

Advent - Week 3 - Joy - Psalm 50 and Mark 1:1-8

PSALM 50

¹The mighty one, God the LORD,

speaks and summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting.

²Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines forth.

³Our God comes and does not keep silence,

before him is a devouring fire,

and a mighty tempest all around him.

⁴He calls to the heavens above

and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

⁵"Gather to me my faithful ones,

who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!"

⁶The heavens declare his righteousness,

for God himself is judge. Selah

⁷"Hear, O my people, and I will speak,

O Israel, I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

⁸Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;

your burnt offerings are continually before me.

⁹I will not accept a bull from your house,

or goats from your folds.

¹⁰For every wild animal of the forest is mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

¹¹I know all the birds of the air,

and all that moves in the field is mine.

¹²"If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and all that is in it is mine.

¹³Do I eat the flesh of bulls,

or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,

and pay your vows to the Most High.

¹⁵Call on me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."

¹⁶But to the wicked God says:

"What right have you to recite my statutes,

or take my covenant on your lips?

¹⁷For you hate discipline,

and you cast my words behind you.

¹⁸You make friends with a thief when you see one,

and you keep company with adulterers.

¹⁹"You give your mouth free rein for evil,

and your tongue frames deceit.

²⁰You sit and speak against your kin;

you slander your own mother's child.

²¹These things you have done and I have been silent;

you thought that I was one just like yourself.

But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you.

²²"Mark this, then, you who forget God,

or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to deliver.

²³Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me;

to those who go the right way

I will show the salvation of God."

-----------------------------------------------------

MARK 1:1–8

¹The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

 

²As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, 
     "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, 
          who will prepare your way; 
³     the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 
          'Prepare the way of the Lord, 
          make his paths straight,'" 
⁴John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Advent - Week 3 - Joy - Psalm 33 and Isaiah 9:2-7

PSALM 33

¹   Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous.
          Praise befits the upright. 
²   Praise the LORD with the lyre; 
          make melody to him with the harp of ten strings. 
³   Sing to him a new song; 
          play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

⁴   For the word of the LORD is upright, 
          and all his work is done in faithfulness. 
⁵   He loves righteousness and justice; 
          the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

⁶   By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, 
          and all their host by the breath of his mouth. 
⁷   He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; 
          he put the deeps in storehouses.

⁸   Let all the earth fear the LORD; 
          let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 
⁹   For he spoke, and it came to be; 
          he commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰  The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; 
          he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 
¹¹  The counsel of the LORD stands forever, 
          the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 
¹²   Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, 
          the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.

¹³  The LORD looks down from heaven; 
          he sees all humankind. 
¹⁴  From where he sits enthroned he watches 
          all the inhabitants of the earth — 
¹⁵  he who fashions the hearts of them all, 
          and observes all their deeds. 
¹⁶  A king is not saved by his great army;
          a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 
¹⁷  The war horse is a vain hope for victory, 
          and by its great might it cannot save.

¹⁸  Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, 
          on those who hope in his steadfast love, 
¹⁹  to deliver their soul from death, 
          and to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰  Our soul waits for the LORD; 
          he is our help and shield. 
²¹  Our heart is glad in him, 
          because we trust in his holy name.
²²  Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, 
          even as we hope in you.

------------------------------------------

ISAIAH 9:2–7

²The people who walked in darkness 
     have seen a great light; 
those who lived in a land of deep darkness — 
     on them light has shined. 
³You have multiplied the nation, 
     you have increased its joy; 
they rejoice before you 
     as with joy at the harvest, 
     as people exult when dividing plunder. 
⁴For the yoke of their burden, 
     and the bar across their shoulders, 
     the rod of their oppressor, 
     you have broken as on the day of Midian. 
⁵For all the boots of the tramping warriors 
     and all the garments rolled in blood 
     shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 
⁶For a child has been born for us, 
     a son given to us; 
authority rests upon his shoulders; 
     and he is named 
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 
     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
⁷His authority shall grow continually, 
     and there shall be endless peace 
for the throne of David and his kingdom. 
     He will establish and uphold it 
with justice and with righteousness 
     from this time onward and forevermore. 
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Advent - Week 3 - Joy - 2 PETER 1:1–11 and PSALM 67

2 PETER 1:1–11

¹Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

³His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.⁴Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. ⁵For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, ⁶and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, ⁷and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. ⁸For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹For anyone who lacks these things is nearsighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. ¹⁰Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. ¹¹For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

------------------------------------------------

PSALM 67

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,Selah
²that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations.
³Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

⁴Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
⁵Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

⁶The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us.
7 May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.

Advent - Week 2 - Peace - Isaiah 7:10-17 and Psalm 16

ISAIAH 7:10–17

¹⁰Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, ¹¹Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. ¹²But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.¹³Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. ¹⁵He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. ¹⁶For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. ¹⁷The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on your ancestral house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah - the king of Assyria."

--------------------------------------------------

PSALM 16

¹   Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 
²   I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; 
          I have no good apart from you.”

³   As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, 
          in whom is all my delight.

⁴   Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; 
          their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out 
          or take their names upon my lips.

⁵   The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; 
          you hold my lot. 
⁶   The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 
          I have a goodly heritage.

⁷   I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; 
          in the night also my heart instructs me. 
⁸   I keep the LORD always before me; 
          because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

⁹   Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; 
          my body also rests secure. 
¹⁰  For you do not give me up to Sheol, 
          or let your faithful one see the Pit.

¹¹  You show me the path of life. 
          In your presence there is fullness of joy; 
          in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Advent - Week 2 - Peace - Psalm 18:1-20 and Psalm 126

PSALM 18:1–20

¹I love you, O LORD, my strength.

²The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,

my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

³I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

so I shall be saved from my enemies.

⁴The cords of death encompassed me;

the torrents of perdition assailed me;

⁵the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

⁶In my distress I called upon the LORD;

to my God I cried for help.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry to him reached his ears.

⁷Then the earth reeled and rocked;

the foundations also of the mountains trembled

and quaked, because he was angry.

⁸Smoke went up from his nostrils,

and devouring fire from his mouth;

glowing coals flamed forth from him.

⁹He bowed the heavens, and came down;

thick darkness was under his feet.

¹⁰He rode on a cherub, and flew;

he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.

¹¹He made darkness his covering around him,

his canopy thick clouds dark with water.

¹²Out of the brightness before him

there broke through his clouds

hailstones and coals of fire.

¹³The LORD also thundered in the heavens,

and the Most High uttered his voice.

¹⁴And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;

he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them.

¹⁵Then the channels of the sea were seen,

and the foundations of the world were laid bare

at your rebuke, O LORD,

at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

¹⁶He reached down from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of mighty waters.

¹⁷He delivered me from my strong enemy,

and from those who hated me;

for they were too mighty for me.

¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my calamity;

but the LORD was my support.

¹⁹He brought me out into a broad place;

he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

²⁰The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.

------------------------------------------------

PSALM 126

¹   When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, 
          we were like those who dream. 
²   Then our mouth was filled with laughter, 
          and our tongue with shouts of joy; 
     then it was said among the nations, 
          “The LORD has done great things for them.” 
³   The LORD has done great things for us, 
          and we rejoiced.

⁴   Restore our fortunes, O LORD, 
          like the watercourses in the Negeb. 
5   May those who sow in tears 
          reap with shouts of joy. 
⁶   Those who go out weeping, 
          bearing the seed for sowing, 
     shall come home with shouts of joy, 
          carrying their sheaves.