Mark on Christmas Eve

liturgy

Be near us Lord Jesus we ask you to

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 28:20, John 14:23, Luke 24:13-35, Isaiah 7:14, John 1:14, Luke 2:1-20, Psalm 23:4, Zephaniah 3:17, Mark 4:35-41, John 14:2-3, Revelation 21:3-4, Matthew 17:1-8

Be near us Lord Jesus we ask you to stay, close by us forever and love us we pray. Immanuel, we invite you to draw near and dwell with us. Surround and sustain us with your tender caring presence tha...

Quote

Author

Dale Evans

Keywords

Scripture

John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-11, Acts 20:35, Luke 2:1-20, Luke 10:25-37, Mark 12:41-44

Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.

Quote

Author

Mother Teresa

Keywords

Christmas

Scripture

Matthew 22:37-39, Luke 10:25-37, 1 John 3:18, John 13:1-17, Matthew 25:31-46, 1 John 4:7-12, Acts 2:44-45, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Mark 6:30-44, Galatians 5:22-23

It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you.

illustration

Humble

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Philippians 2:5-8, Luke 2:6-7, Isaiah 53:2-3, John 13:4-5, Hebrews 2:14-17, Luke 22:27, Mark 10:42-45

Humble. Before Jesus, almost no pagan author had used “humble” as a compliment. Yet the events of Christmas point inescapably to what seems like an oxymoron: a humble God. The God who came to earth ca...

illustration

Easter is the Main Event

Author

John Irving

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 1:3, Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, John 11:25-26, John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

I find that Holy Week is draining; no matter how many times I have lived through his crucifixion, my anxiety about his resurrection is undiminished—I am terrified that, this year, it won’t happen; tha...

Quote

Author

Steve Maraboli

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 25:31-46, Matthew 7:12, Luke 10:25-37, Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew 18:21-22, Mark 2:1-12, Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 5:7, Acts 4:32-35, John 6:1-14

Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Quote

Author

E. B. White

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:6-7, Luke 2:8-14, Luke 1:46-55, Matthew 2:1-12, Isaiah 53:2-3, Matthew 6:19-21, John 2:13-16, 1 Samuel 16:7, Philippians 4:11-13, Mark 10:17-22

To perceive Christmas through its wrapping becomes more difficult with every year.

Quote

Author

Karl Barth

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 1:23, Matthew 28:20, Luke 2:10-11, John 10:11, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 14:22-33, Philippians 4:5-7, Mark 2:1-12, John 14:16-17, Hebrews 13:5

“He stands by you:” A drowning man cannot pull himself out of the water by his own hair. Neither can you do it. Someone else must rescue you. This is the good news of Christmas. He who stands by you a...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Mark 1:1-8

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 1:1-8, Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 4:5-6

Advent 2023: Make some noise! Echoes of a Dream AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? Good News for Whom? When we read the gospels, we have three distinct audienc...

lectionary

Second Sunday of Advent

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 1:1-8, Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 4:5-6

Advent 2023: Make some noise! Echoes of a Dream AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? Good News for Whom? When we read the gospels, we have three distinct audienc...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Mark 13:24-27

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 13:24-27, Daniel 7:13-14, Revelation 21:null, Revelation 21:3-4

Ancient lens What's the historical context? The Worst Is Yet To Come I wonder if some of Jesus’ Galilean crew regretted volubly admiring the beauty of Herod the Great’s temple. I can see Pete...

lectionary

First Sunday of Advent

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 13:24-37, Daniel 7:13-14, Revelation 21:null, Revelation 21:3-4

Advent 2023: Make some noise Alive, Awake, and Alert AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? The Worst Is Yet To Come I wonder if some of Jesus’ Galilean crew regre...

liturgy

Gracious and faithful God–our Creator,

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Psalm 25:4-5, Matthew 1:23, James 5:14-15, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Luke 2:10-11, Isaiah 9:6, Jeremiah 29:11, Matthew 25:35-36, Proverbs 21:1, Matthew 5:14-16, Matthew 28:19-20, John 14:13, Luke 2:1-20, Mark 5:25-34, John 11:17-44

Gracious and faithful God–our Creator, Redeemer and Comforter: When we don’t know the way–You show us the way; and when we can’t find a way–You make a way. Thank you! Thank you for Your gift of a Sav...

blog

The Surprising Advent of the Trinity

Author

Bill Gaultiere

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 7:14, Mark 1:10-11, John 10:29, Matthew 12:32, John 6:44, Luke 24:49, Acts 16:7, John 3:8, John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 8:15, 1 Corinthians 12:13, John 17:22, Romans 8:11

Advent is a celebration of the coming of Christ — and the whole Trinity! I wonder if you’ve ever meditated on the Trinity? This has been one of the most important practices in my life. What a bles...

illustration

What Does it Mean to Be Blessed?

Author

H. Norman Wright

Keywords

Blessing

Scripture

Genesis 12:1-4, Mark 10:13-16, Psalm 1:1-3, Matthew 5:3-12, Galatians 3:8-9, Matthew 19:13-15, Numbers 6:24-26, Luke 18:15-17, Luke 24:50-51, Genesis 27:1-40

Ask a dozen people what the word blessing means and you’ll probably get a dozen different answers. For many people, it means financial security. For some, it means good health- For yet others, it mean...

Quote

Author

James I. Packer

Keywords

Christmas

Scripture

Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:1-7, John 1:14, Luke 2:10-11, Philippians 2:5-8, John 10:14-18, Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 20:17-19, Mark 15:33-39, 1 Peter 1:3-4

The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity--hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory--because at the Father's will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable s...

illustration

Restlessnes Keeps the Pedal to the Metal

Author

Ryan P. Tinetti

Keywords

Scripture

Habakkuk 2:5, James 3:16, Mark 8:36, Luke 12:15, Isaiah 57:20, 1 Timothy 6:9, 1 John 2:16

Restlessness keeps the pedal to the metal. To offer a suggestive analogy in this vein: several years ago there was a recall on some Toyota vehicles. Evidently the cars would be given to sudden and unc...

Quote

Author

Billy Graham

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 1:21, John 1:29, Isaiah 53:4-5, Hebrews 10:10, Mark 10:45, 1 John 4:9-10

The very purpose of Christ’s coming into the world was that He might offer up His life as a sacrifice for the sins of men. He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas.

Quote

Author

Source Unknown

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 18:2-4, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 2:8-20, Psalm 8:2

It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.

liturgy

Dear Heavenly Father, We confess that

Author

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Keywords

Christmas

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-14, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25, Mark 1:1-8, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 1:46-56, Luke 2:1-21

Dear Heavenly Father, We confess that we have not sat quietly with You and listened for Your voice Through the hustle of Christmastime and navigating our world, we have given up the quiet space alloca...

Quote

Author

Richard Rohr

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 1:1-8, Isaiah 11:1-9, Matthew 2:1-2

Advent is not about a sentimental waiting for the Baby Jesus.

illustration

What Do You Want for Christmas?

Author

Rick Warren

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 13:37, Philippians 4:4-5, James 1:17, Psalm 95:2-3, 2 Corinthians 9:7, Matthew 2:10-11

What do you want for Christmas this year? If you were to ask a typical little boy, he’d probably give you two words: video games. There’s a little boy I know named Brian. For weeks he bugged his paren...

Quote

Author

N. T. Wright

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 6:33, Luke 2:16-19, Mark 1:15 , Isaiah 9:6, John 1:15, Matthew 1:23, Colossians 1:15-17

The kingdom of the Christ-child gets to work when we stop, and pause, and look in wonder once more at the baby lying in the manger, and like Mary ponder in our hearts what it all means. Only through d...

Quote

Author

Phillip Yancey

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:6-7, Philippians 2:6-7, Matthew 2:1-12, Mark 5:25-34, Matthew 5:3-10, Micah 6:8, Isaiah 61:1

Yet as I read the birth stories about Jesus I cannot help but conclude that though the world may be tilted toward the rich and powerful, God is tilted toward the underdog.

liturgy

From the Easter Sermon of John Chrysostom

Author

John Chrysostom

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 1:3, Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, John 11:25-26, John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God? Let us enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Is there anyone who is a grateful servant? Let us rejoice and enter into the joy of our Lord! Are ther...

illustration

A Day with Jesus

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 10:13-16, Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 9:10-13, John 15:15, Mark 5:35-43

A group of fourth-graders at a Christian school was given an assignment to draw what they would like to do if Jesus spent a day with them. After working diligently on their pictures, one little girl a...

Quote

Author

Augustine of Hippo

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:14, Luke 2:4-7, Matthew 4:1-2, John 4:6-7, Mark 4:38-39, John 4:6

Man's maker was made man that He, Ruler of the stars, might nurse at His mother's breast; that the Bread might hunger, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired on its journey; th...

lectionary

Second Sunday of Advent

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:1-11, Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 1:17, Lamentations 1:21, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:2-3, Luke 3:4-6, John 1:23

Advent 2020: Tear Down the Heavens Comfort My People Updated & expanded for 2023 AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? Longing created by exile While crise...

liturgy

For those who first went out into the

Author

Ann Siddall

Keywords

Easter

Scripture

1 Peter 1:3, Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, John 11:25-26, John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

For those who first went out into the early dawn, when the sky was grey, taking spices to the tomb, there was terror, and surprise. For us, resisting the impulse to sleep in as part of a long weekend,...

blog

Holy Week Meditations Series

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19

Joining the Pilgrims on the Way to Jerusalem For most Christians observing Lent, Holy Week marks the height of the drama of the Christian year. The pilgrims who have made the long journey through Len...

Scripture guides

liturgy

illustration

illustration

scripture guide

lectionary

scripture guide

lectionary

liturgy

blog

illustration

illustration

liturgy

illustration

liturgy

illustration

lectionary

liturgy

blog

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

O

P

R

S

T

W

Genesis

Exodus

Isaiah

Daniel

Zechariah

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

1 Corinthians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Peter

Revelation