Sunday, January 7, 2024
Sermon: “A Subtle But Radiant Light”
Steve Jacobsen delivers the message “A Subtle But Radiant Light” with music from Katheen Sieck and the Music Team.
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Leader: Give the King your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the King’s Son; that he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice;
People:That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, and the little hills bring righteousness.
Leader: He shall defend the needy among the people; he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.
People: He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another.
Leader: He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, like showers that water the earth.
People: In his time shall the righteous flourish; there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.
Leader: The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts. All kings shall bow down before him, and all the nations do him service.
People: For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, and the oppressed who has no helper.
Leader: He shall have pity on the lowly and poor; he shall preserve the lives of the needy.
People: He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, and dear shall their blood be in his sight. Amen!
Martthew 2:1-12
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.