Father, break our hearts with what breaks yours. Open our eyes and ears that we may see where you are at work. Strengthen our muscles and resolve so that we may be your hands and feet. Use us as the people you have created us to be, for your glory and for your kingdom. Amen.
Jeremy Camp – The Way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q6o4sbndVE
Today’s Passage: Matthew 2:13-23
Message [used with permission from A Sermon for Every Sunday]: In Search of a Happy Ending – First Sunday After Christmas by Father Michael Renninger, pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia.
“If the perfect Son of God were born into a perfect family, in a perfect way, in a perfect town, at a perfect time, then his message would probably only apply to perfect people,” says Father Michael Renninger. In today’s passage, Matthew 2:13-23, we learn that Jesus’ birth was not a perfect situation for Joseph, Mary, or Jesus. Listen as Renninger explains how the Holy Family’s imperfect situation brings hope for imperfect people today.
The Parable of the Wandering Sheep
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Matthew 18:12-14 (NIV)
1 Peter 5:8-9 (NLT)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
Chris Tomlin – A Christmas Alleluia (Live) ft. Lauren Daigle, Leslie Jordan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG347euXoTM&t=0s&index=9&list=PL5o2Uu3rC4m5ONKvTeJSDlCA8b_JomJ8k
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Matthew 18:1-5 (NIV)
If we know that the aim of the Holy Spirit is to lead man to the place of self-control, we shall not fall into passivity but shall make good progress in spiritual life. “The fruit of the Spirit is self-control” – Watchman Nee
Chris Tomlin – Noel (Live) ft. Lauren Daigle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vwu-t7QRaE
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1 John 5:1-12 (NIV)
Faithfully Yours Forever 