Lectio Concordia

The Signs of Immanuel – Saturday

Preparing for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

Series: Lectio Concordia

December 21, 2024 By Rev. Mark Ryman

• Online jigsaw puzzle of today's reading • Index

• Collect: Lord God, manifest the glory of Christ in my life so that, by your grace, I may know the joys of your steadfast love, O blessed Trinity: Father, Son, and Spirit holy. Amen.

• Psalm 98:1–9

• Zechariah 9:9–10

• When it is taught that because of his ascension into heaven Christ is so enclosed and restricted with his body in a definite place in heaven that with his body he cannot or will not be truly present with us in the Supper, which is celebrated according to the institution of Christ upon earth, but that he is as far and remote from it as heaven and earth are from one another. Some Sacramentarians have wilfully and wickedly falsified the text (Acts 3:21) “Christ must occupy heaven” for the confirmation of their error. Instead, they have rendered it, “Christ must be received or be limited and enclosed by heaven or in heaven” so that in his human nature he can or will in no way be with us upon earth. (The Formula of Concord, The Holy Supper, Negative Statements)

• “O Come, O Come, Immanuel” Tune

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain

O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave. Refrain

O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode. Refrain

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light. Refrain

O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain

• Benediction: May the Lord lift up the light of his face upon you and put joy and peace deeply within your heart. Amen.

• Memory Verse: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

• Memory Verse Aid: FTUACIB, TUASIG; ATGSBUHS, AHNSBC WC, MG, EF, POP. (Isaiah 9:6)