Advent | The Pastor's Workshop

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How God Enters the World Matters

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Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 1:22-23, Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:46-55, Luke 2:1-7, Micah 5:2, Luke 2:8-11, Isaiah 9:6-7

When we turn toward Advent, the name on our lips is Emmanuel, God with us . So much in Christian faith relies on what the faithful actually mean when we say that name. Western Christianity has fo...

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The Greatest Promise in History

Author

Nancy Guthrie

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Scripture

Genesis 3:15, Genesis 22:18, 2 Samuel 7:12-13, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Habakkuk 2:3, Isaiah 40:31

When someone promises us something wonderful, we can hardly wait for that promise to be fulfilled. If the promise is something good, we want it now! We really don’t like to wait. And yet the very best...

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The Child Born in the Night Among Beasts

Author

Frederick Buechner

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Scripture

Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2-4, 1 Kings 19:11-13, Luke 2:6-7, Philippians 2:5-8, Psalm 22:6-8 , Matthew 1:22-25

In this excerpt, Frederick Buechner shares a meditation on the vulnerability of Jesus’ birth: The child born in the night among beasts. The sweet breath and steaming dung of beasts. And nothing is...

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Advent Blessings: Serve the Lord

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6-7, Micah 5:2-3, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:8-20, Psalm 23:1-6

Pastor: Go now in Advent hope. The God who created the universe dwells with you as you keep watch for the One whose Advent is promised. People: Amen. Pastor: As we await our coming ...

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A Prayer For Advent

Author

Kayla Craig

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6-7, Micah 5:2, Luke 2:8-20, Matthew 2:1-12, Psalm 9:1-2

O come, Emmanuel. Ignite in us the awe of a child, Looking into a manger scene As we wait on the promise Of the coming infant King In a humble stable. TO LIGHT THEIR WAY

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Go now in Advent Joy. The God who created the universe dwells

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Advent

Scripture

Luke 1:26-38, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 11:1-10, Matthew 1:18-25, Micah 5:2, John 1:1-14

Pastor: Go now in Advent Joy. The God who created the universe dwells with you as you keep watch for the King whose Advent is promised. People: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit re...

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Into the Darkest Hour

Author

Madeleine L'Engle

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6-7, Micah 5:2, Luke 2:1-20, John 1:5, Philippians 2:6-7, Luke 2:7, Revelation 3:20

It was a time like this, war and tumult of war, a horror in the air. Hungry yawned the abyss— and yet there came the star and the child most wonderfully there. It was a time like this ...

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Adapted from John Francis Wade’s "O Come, Let Us Adore Him"

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:10-11, Psalm 100:2, Luke 2:8-20, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-2, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:15-16, Revelation 19:16, Luke 2:8-20, Psalm 95:6, Philippians 2:10-11, Luke 2:25-38, John 1:14, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 2:11

Leader: O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant, People: O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Leader: Come and behold Him, Born the King of Angels! O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us ador...

lectionary

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

2 Samuel 7:1-11, Romans 16:25-27, 2 Samuel 7:1-11, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 1:46b-55, Psalm 89:1-4, Psalm 89:19-26, 1 Samuel 4:, Micah 5:2, Psalm 127:1

Advent 2020: Tear Down the Heavens God Builds the House Updated & expanded for 2023 AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? The Ark of God The ark of God tra...

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Author

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:1-15, Isaiah 9:2, Luke 1:78-79, Philippians 2:6-7, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Micah 5:2, Matthew 1:23

Just when everything is bearing down on us to such an extent that we can scarcely withstand it, the Christmas message comes to tell us that all our ideas are wrong, and that what we take to be evil an...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Micah 5:2-5a

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 5:2-5, John 3:30

Check out our video discussion of the text with Austin D. Hill & Stu Strachan. Click here to view! The small size of Bethlehem reminds one of a common biblical theme: When God is about to do ...

lectionary

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 5:2-5, Hebrews 10:5-10, Micah 5:2-5a, Luke 1:39-45, (46-55), Luke 1:46b-55, John 3:30

Check out our video discussion of the text with Austin D. Hill & Stu Strachan. Click here to view! AIM Commentary The small size of Bethlehem reminds one of a common biblical theme: When God...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16, 1 Samuel 4:11, Psalm 89:3-4, Luke 1:31-33, Matthew 2:null, Micah 5:2, Psalm 127:1, Mark 1:14

Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Ark of God The ark of God traveled with the people of Israel on their journey through the wilderness, accompanied them on their conques...

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Author

Augustine of Hippo

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:1-4, Philippians 2:6-8, Colossians 1:16-17, Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:12, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Luke 2:11-12

He by whom all things were made was made one of all things. The Son of God by the Father without a mother became the Son of man by a mother without a father. The Word Who is God before all time became...

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Author

Brian D. McLaren

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6, Philippians 2:6-7, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, Luke 2:10-12, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-2, 11, John 1:14, Isaiah 52:2-3, John 18:36

Politicians compete for the highest offices. Business tycoons scramble for a bigger and bigger piece of the pie. Armies march and scientists study and philosophers philosophise and preachers preach an...

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Managing the Big Battalions of Life

Author

Frank W Boreham

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 21:1-5, 1 Samuel 2:1-11, Luke 1:11-17, Luke 2:1-21, Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:21, Micah 5:2

A century ago, men were following with bated breath the march of Napoleon and waiting feverishly for news of the war. And all the while in their own homes, babies were being born. But who could think ...

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Author

Augustine of Hippo

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 1:14, Revelation 22:12, Hebrews 13:8, Galatians 4:4-5, Micah 5:2

Christmas is fast approaching. And now that Christ has aroused our seasonal expectations, he’ll soon fulfill them all!

advent from micah 5

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Genesis

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

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Isaiah

Micah

Habakkuk

Matthew

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Luke

John

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Philippians

Colossians

Hebrews

Revelation