Nativity of Our Lord • Year A

Historical Collect

Almighty God, grant that the new birth of your only-begotten Son in the flesh may set free all who are held in servitude under the yoke of sin; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Gelasian Sacramentary, 7th Century)

Thematic Collect

God of majesty, open our eyes to see the light of your presence in the world around us; open our ears to hear your message of mercy and grace revealed through the birth of your Son, who took on our human existence. Sustain us through the Word made flesh, so that we might be your body in the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Common Thread

Today we celebrate the radiance of God’s glory, he who made the world, coming into the world so that all the earth may see the salvation of God. The Son, who upholds all creation through the word of his heavenly power, becomes the Word made flesh, dwelling with us on earth. He is the exact glory of the Father, light shining upon our darkness. He is the “one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made.” Today, he is set upon the holy hill called Zion, where God has come to dwell among us. 

First Reading • Isaiah 52:7–10

Luther wrote that here, "The prophet compares Law and Gospel." Throughout the troubled mountains of the world, "the voice of the Gospel is a most agreeable voice for afflicted consciences" (Luther's Works, Vol. 17). What might this publication of peace be other than the Gospel? Nothing but free forgiveness of sins brings peace of mind and heart; nothing but the grace of God in Christ effects such comfort. This is the salvation of our God: he gives us such reassurances here and now so that we may continue in faith.

Psalm • Psalm 2:1–12

What can the world do? Our struggle is not with such so-called power. The Gospel will prevail. Our battle is with other principalities (Eph. 6:12), but even dark powers of true evil are futile in their plots against the Lord and against his Christ. We tend to stress over the raging of government against the Church, but the Lord sits in the heavens and laughs because his King is already enthroned. Make peace with the Son while you can.

Second Reading • Hebrews 1:1–6, 7–12

Observe how many ways God has spoken to us. Yet, we disobeyed his one word in the garden. We ignored his Ten Words to Moses. We refused his commentary on the commandments. Then we snubbed the prophets’ exhortations. All of these were only meant to keep us near our Father, but, like delinquent adolescents, we turned from his love.

Praise God that his love for us is far greater than our disobedience to him. After all his efforts, he sent his own Son in these last days. Here is the Father’s final effort to show his love to an unloving world. In the Son is the exact, radiant glory of the Father. In Christ, we see the Father’s love in ways we never did or could in the law and the prophets. In Christ, whose years have no beginning or ending, the eternal love of the Father is made clear.

Gospel • John 1:1–14, 15–18

Who is this “only God, who is at the Father’s side” (v. 18), except the Son of whom the text speaks? It is the Son who is God and who has made God known to us. He is the Light who shines in our darkness, causing us to finally realize the love of God. Here is the Word of God, begotten in flesh so that we may know God. Jesus told Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). We do not need to be shown the Father because we have seen him in the Light of his Son. If we know Jesus, we know the Father (John 14:7).

This is the wonder of Christmas: God sent his Son so that we might know God—and his great love for us.