Advent Readings and Sermons for 2011

Luke 1:4-24/67-80   

(Angel visits Zechariah)      PROPHET

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In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who
belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a
descendant of Aaron.
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Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's
commandments and regulations blamelessly.
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But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both
well along in years.

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Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest
before God,
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he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into
the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
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And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled
worshipers were praying outside.

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11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of
the altar of incense.
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When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
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But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has
been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him
the name John.
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He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his
birth,
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for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or
other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from
birth.
<http://www.sermoncentral.com/bible.asp?sscat=bible&sitesearch=ros-luke%201&
rk=luke%201&Keyword=luke%201#fn1> [b]
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Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.
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And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to
turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the
wisdom of the righteous-to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

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18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man
and my wife is well along in years."

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19 The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I
have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
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And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens,
because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper
time."

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21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he
stayed so long in the temple.
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When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a
vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable
to speak.

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23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
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After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained
in seclusion.
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"The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his
favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

67-80

Zechariah's Song

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67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

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68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
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because he has come and has redeemed his people.

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69 He has raised up a horn
<http://www.sermoncentral.com/bible.asp?sscat=bible&sitesearch=ros-luke%201&
rk=luke%201&Keyword=luke%201#fn3> [d] of salvation for us
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in the house of his servant David

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70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),

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71 salvation from our enemies
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and from the hand of all who hate us-

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72 to show mercy to our fathers
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and to remember his holy covenant,
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the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

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74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
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and to enable us to serve him without fear
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in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

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76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
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for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

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77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
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through the forgiveness of their sins,

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78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
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by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

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79 to shine on those living in darkness
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and in the shadow of death,
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to guide our feet into the path of peace."

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80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the
desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.







Matt 1:18-25      (Angel visits Joseph)                PRIEST


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18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was
pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was
found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
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19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose
her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.


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20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in
a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home
as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
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21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,
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arch=&sscat=bible&keyword=matthew+1&version=NIV&SearchOptions=All&lstLimitSe
arch=1&lstFromBook=&lstToBook=#fn2> [c] saves. because he will save his
people from their sins."


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22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the
prophet:
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23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they
will call him Immanuel"
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arch=&sscat=bible&keyword=matthew+1&version=NIV&SearchOptions=All&lstLimitSe
arch=1&lstFromBook=&lstToBook=#fn3> [d]-which means, "God with us."


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24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took Mary home as his wife.
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25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave
him the name Jesus.





Luke 1:26-56          (Angel visits Mary)              KING

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26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in
Galilee,
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to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of
David. The virgin's name was Mary.
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The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The
Lord is with you."

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29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting
this might be.
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But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor
with God.
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You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the
name Jesus.
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He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God
will give him the throne of his father David,
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and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never
end."

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34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

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35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of
the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called
<http://www.sermoncentral.com/bible.asp?sscat=bible&sitesearch=ros-luke%201&
rk=luke%201&Keyword=luke%201#fn2> [c] the Son of God.
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Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and
she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
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For nothing is impossible with God."

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38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have
said." Then the angel left her.

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38 39

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39 Mary Visits Elizabeth

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39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of
Judea,
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where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
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When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is
the child you will bear!
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But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
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As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb
leaped for joy.
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Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be
accomplished!"

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45 46

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46 Mary's Song
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1:46-53pp - 1Sa 2:1-10

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46 And Mary said:
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"My soul glorifies the Lord
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and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

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48 for he has been mindful
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of the humble state of his servant.
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From now on all generations will call me blessed,
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for the Mighty One has done great things for me-
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holy is his name.

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50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
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from generation to generation.

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51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
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he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

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52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
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but has lifted up the humble.

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53 He has filled the hungry with good things
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but has sent the rich away empty.

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54 He has helped his servant Israel,
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remembering to be merciful

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55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
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even as he said to our fathers."

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56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.






Luke 2:1-20    (Angels visit the shepherds) MESSIAH

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In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken
of the entire Roman world.
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(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of
Syria.)
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And everyone went to his own town to register.

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So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to
Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of
David.
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He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him
and was expecting a child.
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While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
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and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and
placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
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The Shepherds and the Angels

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And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over
their flocks at night.
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An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone
around them, and they were terrified.
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But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of
great joy that will be for all the people.
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Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ
<http://www.sermoncentral.com/bible.asp?sscat=bible&sitesearch=ros-luke%202&
rk=luke%202&Keyword=luke%202#fn0> [a] the Lord.
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This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying
in a manger."

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13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,
praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest,
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and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

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15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to
one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has told us about."

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16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was
lying in the manger.
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When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told
them about this child,
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and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
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But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
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The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they
had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.