Sunday, January 2, 2022

Pastor Karen Muntzing

A Light to the Nations: Outsiders becoming Insiders

Scripture Readings

Psalm 72 Common English Bible

God, give your judgments to the king.
    Give your righteousness to the king’s son.
Let him judge your people with righteousness
    and your poor ones with justice.
Let the mountains bring peace to the people;
    let the hills bring righteousness.
Let the king bring justice to people who are poor;
    let him save the children of those who are needy,
        but let him crush oppressors!
Let the king live as long as the sun,
    as long as the moon,
        generation to generation.
Let him fall like rain upon fresh-cut grass,
    like showers that water the earth.
Let the righteous flourish throughout their lives,
    and let peace prosper until the moon is no more.
Let the king rule from sea to sea,
    from the river to the ends of the earth.
Let the desert dwellers bow low before him;
    let his enemies lick the dust.
Let the kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute;
    let the kings of Sheba and Seba present gifts.
Let all the kings bow down before him;
    let all the nations serve him.

Let it be so, because he delivers the needy who cry out,
    the poor, and those who have no helper.
He has compassion on the weak and the needy;
    he saves the lives of those who are in need.
He redeems their lives from oppression and violence;
    their blood is precious in his eyes.

Let the king live long!
Let Sheba’s gold be given to him!
    Let him be prayed for always!
    Let him be blessed all day long!
    Let there be abundant grain in the land.
    Let it wave on the mountaintops.
    Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon.
    Let it thrive like grass on the land.
    Let the king’s name last forever.
    Let his name endure as long as the sun.
    Let all the nations be blessed through him and call him happy.

Bless the Lord God, the God of Israel—
    the only one who does wondrous things!
Bless God’s glorious name forever;
    let his glory fill all the earth!
        Amen and Amen!

The prayers of David, Jesse’s son, are ended.

Matthew 2:1-12 Common English Bible

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.”

When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and everyone in Jerusalem was troubled with him. He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born. They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote:

You, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
        by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah,
            because from you will come one who governs,
            who will shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod secretly called for the magi and found out from them the time when the star had first appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you’ve found him, report to me so that I too may go and honor him.” When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route.