Holy Cross Lutheran Church
1020 Mocho
Street
Times 5:00 and 8:00PM
Our Candlelight services are lovely, joyful and prayerful services that
remind us that Christmas is always in our hearts and shared with each
other every day of the year.
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Christmas Scriptures
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a
land of deep darkness on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and
the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as
on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all
the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child
has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and
he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless
peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The
zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. -- (Isaiah 9:2-7)
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world
should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while
Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered.
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of
David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of
David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was
expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her
child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of
cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over
their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory
of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to
them, "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for
all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is
the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child
wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to
God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" When
the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and
Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known
what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at
what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and
pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and
praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. -- (Luke
2:1-20)
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother
Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found
to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man
and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.
But just when he had resolved to do 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 as
your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear
a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their
sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through
the prophet:
“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him
Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did
as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no
marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise
men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been
born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to
pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all
Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of
the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told
him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the
rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people
Israel.’”
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact
time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and
search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so
that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set
out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising,
until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star
had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the
child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then,
opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and
myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for
their own country by another road.
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream
and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain
there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy
him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to
Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had
been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my
son.”
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated,
and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two
years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.
Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel
weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
-- (Matthew 1:18 to 2:18)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and
without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life
was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not
overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to
bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the
light, but came to bear witness to the light.
The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in
the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He
came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who
received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God;
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man,
but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we
have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John bore
witness to him, and cried, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me
ranks before me, for he was before me.’”) And from his fulness have we all
received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth
came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the
bosom of the Father, he has made him known. -- (John 1:1-18)
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