Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                      28 December 2024

Exodus 13:1–3a, 11–15

        ₁The Lord said to Moses, ₂"Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine."

        ₃Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. . . .

        ₁₁"When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, ₁₂you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord's. ₁₃Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. ₁₄And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?' you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. ₁₅For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.'"

Psalm 111

₁Praise the Lord!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my | whole heart,*

        in the company of the upright, in the congre- | gation.

₂Great are the works | of the Lord,*

        studied by all who de- | light in them.

₃Full of splendor and majesty | is his work,*

        and his righteousness endures for- | ever.

₄He has caused his wondrous works to be re- | membered;*

        the Lord is gracious and | merciful.₅He provides food for those who | fear him;*

        he remembers his covenant for- | ever.

₆He has shown his people the power | of his works,*

        in giving them the inheritance of the | nations.

₇The works of his hands are faith- | ful and just;*

        all his precepts are | trustworthy;

₈they are established forever and | ever,*

        to be performed with faithfulness and up- | rightness.

₉He sent redemption to his people;

he has commanded his covenant for- | ever.*

        Holy and awesome | is his name!

₁₀The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

all those who practice it have a good nder- | standing.*

        His praise endures for- | ever!

Colossians 3:12–17

        ₁₂Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ₁₃bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ₁₄And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ₁₅And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ₁₆Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ₁₇And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Luke 2:22–40

        ₂₂When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ₂₃(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") ₂₄and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." ₂₅Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ₂₆And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. ₂₇And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ₂₈he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

₂₉"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

        according to your word;

₃₀for my eyes have seen your salvation

        ₃₁that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,₃₂a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

        and for glory to your people Israel."

        ₃₃And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ₃₄And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed ₃₅(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

        ₃₆And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ₃₇and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. ₃₈And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

        ₃₉And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ₄₀And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.