1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
![Magi from the east](http://www.spurgeon.org/images/pyromaniac/TeamPyro/magi.jpg)
5For to which of the angels did God ever say,
- "You are my Son,
today I have begotten you"?
Or again,
"I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son"?
- "Let all God's angels worship him."
- "He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire."
- "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions."
26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to her. 28And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29But Mary was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He 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, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
34And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
35And 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 will be called holy--the Son of God. … 37For nothing will be impossible with God." 38And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."
19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
- 23"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
![Caesar Augustus](http://www.spurgeon.org/images/pyromaniac/TeamPyro/augustus.gif)
8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
- 14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
21And at the end of eight days, when [the child] was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."
(they said this because the prophet Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, and he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3and he took up his discourse and said,
- 17I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;")
11 comments:
The thing about Balaam is OT, and the citation of Hebrews is actually citing the OT.
You need to get out more, Mr. G. You have all the tender sweetness Of a seasick crocodile. Given the choice between the two of you, I'd take the seasick crockodile.
Gosh, all this strife and quoting secular songs. Here on Pyro! It's just awful.
I say we need a little Christmas. Right this very minute.
Frank:
Doncha just love those anonymous "Drive By Trolls?"
May all the Pyros here have a blessed Christmas celebrating the birth of God Incarnate. Emmanuel!
Sharon
And it gets even more substantive...
13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
That slays me every time I read it.
Thanks for taking the time.
Merry Christmas!
The Word became flesh . . . .
Merry Christmas Pyroboys!
Qohelet: War Eagle!
Merry Christmas Pyro guys!!
I sincerely appreciate you!
Merry Christmas Pyros!!
You have been such a source of inspiration, and encouragement.
For it is good to be children sometimes and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.
It is a fair even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good-humour.
"I don't know what to do!" cried Scrooge, laughing and crying in the same breath; and making a perfect Laocoön of himself with his stockings. "I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to every-body! A happy New Year to all the world! Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!"
"God bless us everyone!" said Tiny Timi, the last of all.
The Christmas Carol
oops..Tiny Tim. Not Timi. sheesh.
All quotes are from the Christmas Carol.
Wonderful blend of the Holy Word!
May you all have a most blessed, and joyful Christmas, in His mercy and rest.
Team Pyro is a true blessing from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Steve:
Be sure to come up and say "hi!" after the service! I'll be collecting music from the platform.
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