Prayer & Praise

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

Collect

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and as we are sorely hindered by our sins from running the race that is set before us, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever.  Amen.

 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,  the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.”  And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in?  I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling.  In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges[a] of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’  Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince[b] over my people Israel.  And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.  And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,  from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.  When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,  but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.  And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”  In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

Psalm 132:(1-7) 8-19

Lord, remember David, * and all his tribulations;

How he swore unto the Lord, * and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob:

“I will not come within the tabernacle of my house, * nor climb up into my bed;

I will not allow my eyes to sleep, nor my eyelids to slumber, * neither the temples of my head to take any rest,

Until I find a place for the temple of the Lord, * a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.”

Lo, we heard of the ark at Ephrathah * and found it in the wood.

We will go into his tabernacle, * and fall low on our knees before his footstool.

Arise, O Lord, into your resting-place, * you and the ark of your strength.

Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, * and let your saints sing with joy.

For your servant David’s sake, * turn not away the presence of your Anointed.

The Lord has made a faithful oath unto David, * and he shall not shrink from it:

“Of the fruit of your body * shall I set upon your throne.

If your children will keep my covenant, and my testimonies that I shall teach them, * their children also shall sit upon your throne for evermore.”

For the Lord has chosen Zion for himself; * he has longed for her to be his habitation:

“This shall be my rest for ever; * here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.

I will bless her provisions with increase, * and will satisfy her poor with bread.

I will clothe her priests with salvation, * and her saints shall rejoice and sing.

There shall I make the horn of David flourish; * I have prepared a lantern for my Anointed.

As for his enemies, I shall clothe them with shame; * but upon his head shall his crown flourish.”

Romans 16:25-27

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—  to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.  And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[c]

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”  And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[e] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.