Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
God with Us
10 Later on, the Lord spoke to Ahaz again: 11 “Ask a sign from the Lord your God. Make it as deep as Sheol[a] or as high as heaven above.”
12 But Ahaz replied, “I won’t ask! I won’t put the Lord to the test.”
13 In reply, the Lord[b] announced, “Please listen, you household of David. Is it such a minor thing for you to try the patience of[c] men? Must you also try the patience of[d] my God?
14 “Therefore the Lord[e] himself will give you a sign. Watch! The virgin[f] is conceiving a child, and will give birth to a son, and his name will be called[g] Immanuel.[h] 15 He’ll eat cheese[i] and honey, when he knows enough to reject what’s wrong and choose what’s right. 16 However, before the youth knows enough to reject what’s wrong and choose what’s right, the land whose two kings you dread will be devastated.”
For the Director of Music: According to “The Lilies”. A testimony of Asaph. A psalm.
A Prayer for Jerusalem
80 Shepherd of Israel, listen!
The one who leads Joseph like a flock,
the one enthroned on the cherubim,
display your glory.[a]
2 Reveal[b] your power before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
then come to our rescue.
3 God, restore us,
show your favor[c] and deliver us.
4 Lord God of the Heavenly Armies,
when will your smoldering anger[d]
toward your people’s prayers cease?[e]
5 You fed them tears as their food,
and caused them to drink a full measure of tears.
6 You have set us at strife against our neighbors
and our enemies deride us.
7 God of the Heavenly Armies, restore us
and show your favor,[f]
so we may be delivered.
17 May you support the man at your right hand;
the son of man whom you have raised for yourself.
18 Then we will not turn away from you.
Restore us, so we can call upon your name.
19 God of hosts, restore to us the light of your favor.[a]
Then we’ll be delivered.
Greetings from Paul
1 From:[a] Paul, a servant of Jesus the Messiah,[b] called to be an apostle and set apart for God’s gospel, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding[c] his Son. He was a descendant of David with respect to his humanity 4 and was declared by the resurrection from the dead to be the powerful Son of God according to the spirit[d] of holiness—Jesus the Messiah,[e] our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and a commission as an apostle to bring about faithful obedience among all the gentiles for the sake of his name. 6 You, too, are among those who have been called to belong to Jesus the Messiah.[f]
7 To: Everyone in Rome,[g] loved by God and called to be holy.[h]
May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[i] be yours!
The Birth of Jesus(A)
18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah[a] happened in this way. When his mother Mary was engaged[b] to Joseph, before they lived together she was discovered to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to disgrace her, decided to divorce her secretly.
20 After he had thought about it, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” he said, “don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus,[c] because he is the one who will save his people from their sins.”
22 Now all this happened to fulfill what was declared by the Lord through the prophet when he said,
23 “See, a virgin will become pregnant
and give birth to a son,
and they will name him Immanuel,”[d]
which means, “God with us.” 24 When Joseph got up from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary as[e] his wife. 25 He did not have marital relations with[f] her until she had given birth to a son;[g] and he named him Jesus.
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