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First Sunday after
Christmas |
| Almighty God, who hast
poured upon us the new light of thine incarnate Word: Grant that the same
light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through the
same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. |
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Lesson |
Isaiah 61:10---62:3
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall exult in my God; for he
has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the
robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as
a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its
shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord
GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the
nations. For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I
will not rest, until her vindication goes forth as brightness, and her
salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and
all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name which the
mouth of the LORD will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of
the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. |
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Epistle |
Galatians 3:23-25: 4:4-7
The Purpose of the Law
Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint
until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until
Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has
come, we are no longer under a custodian; But when the time had fully come,
God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those
who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And
because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying, "Abba! Father!" So through God you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then an heir. |
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Gospel |
John 1:1-18
The Word Became Flesh
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and
without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the
life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was
John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might
believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the
light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew
him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But
to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become
children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh
nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt
among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the
only Son from the Father. (John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he
of whom I said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before
me.'") And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the
law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No
one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he
has made him known. |
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