Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                      18 December 2021

Micah 5:2–5a

₂But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

          who are too little to be among

          the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

          one who is to be ruler in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

          from ancient days.

₃Therefore he shall give them up until the time

          when she who is in labor has given birth;

then the rest of his brothers shall return

          to the people of Israel.

₄And he shall stand and shepherd his flock

in the strength of the Lord,

          in the majesty of the name of the Lord

          his God.

And they shall dwell secure,

for now he shall be great

          to the ends of the earth.

₅And he shall be their peace.

Psalm 80:1-7

₁Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph | like a flock!*

You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, | shine forth.

₂Before Ephraim and Benjamin

and Ma- | nasseh,*

          stir up your might and come to | save us!

₃Restore us, | O God;*

          let your face shine, that we | may be saved!

₄O Lord | God of hosts,*

          how long will you be angry

          with your | people's prayers?

₅You have fed them with the | bread of tears*

          and given them tears to drink

          in full | measure.

₆You make us an object of contention

for our | neighbors,*

          and our enemies laugh

          a- | mong themselves.

₇Restore us, O | God of hosts;*

          let your face shine, that we | may be saved!

Hebrews 10:5–10

          ₅When Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

          but a body have you prepared for me;

₆in burnt offerings and sin offerings

          you have taken no pleasure.

₇Then I said, ‘Behold,

I have come to do your will, O God,

          as it is written of me in the scroll

          of the book.’”

₈When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), ₉then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. ₁₀And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Luke 1:39–56

          ₃₉In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, ₄₀and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ₄₁And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ₄₂and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ₄₃And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ₄₄For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ₄₅And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

          ₄₆And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

          ₄₇and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

₄₈for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

          For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

₄₉for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

          and holy is his name.

₅₀And his mercy is for those who fear him

          from generation to generation.

₅₁He has shown strength with his arm;

          he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

₅₂he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

          and exalted those of humble estate;

₅₃he has filled the hungry with good things,

          and the rich he has sent empty away.

₅₄He has helped his servant Israel,

          in remembrance of his mercy,

₅₅as he spoke to our fathers,

          to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

₅₆And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.