FIRST SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28TH, 2025​

​

INTRODUCTION​

As we celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas, our gospel today confronts us
     with the death of innocent children at the hands of Herod. The birth of Christ does
     not remove the power of evil from our world, but its light gives us hope as we
     walk with all the “holy innocents” of past generations and today who have
     suffered unjustly. In our gathering around word and meal, God continues to
     redeem us, lift us up, and carry us as in days of old.

​

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord God, you know that we cannot place our trust in our own powers. As you
     protected the infant Jesus, so defend us and all the needy from harm and
     adversity, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with
     you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.​

FIRST READING

ISAIAH 63:7-9
God does not delegate divine intervention to a messenger or angel. God’s own
     presence brings salvation. The prophet and all who read these words join in
     celebrating God’s gracious deeds. God trusts that God’s people will not act falsely.

7 I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord,
the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us
and the great favor to the house of Israel
that he has shown them according to his mercy,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
8 For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not act deceitfully,”
and he became their savior
9 in all their distress.
It was no messenger or angel
but his presence that saved them;
in his love and pity it was he who redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

​​​​​

PSALM

PSALM 148
(Response) The splendor of the Lord is over earth and heaven. (Ps. 148:13)

1 Hallelujah! Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise God in the heights.
2 Praise the Lord, all you angels;
sing praise, all you hosts of heaven.
3 Praise the Lord, sun and moon;
sing praise, all you shining stars.
4 Praise the Lord, heaven of heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
who commanded, and they were created,
6 who made them stand fast forever and ever,
giving them a law that shall not pass away.

(Response) The splendor of the Lord is over earth and heaven. (Ps. 148:13)

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps;
8 fire and hail, snow and fog,
tempestuous wind, doing God’s will;
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars;
10 wild beasts and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds;
11 sovereigns of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the world;
12 young men and maidens,
old and young together.
(Response) The splendor of the Lord is over earth and heaven. (Ps. 148:13)

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
whose name only is exalted, whose splendor is over earth and heaven.
14 The Lord has raised up strength for the people and praise for all faithful servants,
the children of Israel, a people who are near the Lord. Hallelujah!
(Response) The splendor of the Lord is over earth and heaven. (Ps. 148:13)

SECOND READING

HEBREWS 2:10-18
Through Jesus’ suffering and death, the trail to eternal salvation has been blazed
     for us. We do not fear death, because he has conquered the power of death.
     Thus Christ, our merciful and faithful high priest, has the final say over the destiny
     of our lives.

10 It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing
     many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through
     sufferings. 11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have
     one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and
     sisters, 12 saying,
     “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters;
     in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”
     13 And again,
     “I will put my trust in him.”
     And again,
     “Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”
     14 Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise
     shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has
     the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who all their lives were
     held in slavery by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he did not come to help
     angels but the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to become like his
     brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and
     faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the
     sins of the people. 18 Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is
     able to help those who are being tested.

​

​​​​GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, and let the word of
     Christ dwell in you richly. Alleluia. (Col. 3:15, 16)

GOSPEL READING

MATTHEW 2:13-23
In a dream, Joseph is warned to flee to Egypt to protect the infant Jesus from the jealousy of Herod.

13 Now after [the magi] had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a
     dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and
     remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy
     him.” 14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to
     Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had
     been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he was infuriated, and
     he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years
     old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the magi. 17 Then
     what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
     18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
     wailing and loud lamentation,
     Rachel weeping for her children;
     she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to
     Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the
     land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21 Then
     Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.
     22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling Judea in place of his father
     Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went
     away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in a town called
     Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled,
     “He will be called a Nazarene.”

​

LICENSES & EXPIRATION DATES
Worship Service Content is used via permission through Augsburg Fortress Liturgies

Annual License #SB144368. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 2/28/2026.
Our Hymns and Worship Music are used via permission through CCLI One
License #11327166. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 1/31/2026.

​

​SERMONS​
(AVAILABILITY VARIES PENDING ON THE MINISTER)

BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 4TH, 2026

DID YOU MISS SERVICE ON SUNDAY?
GET WHAT YOU NEED RIGHT HERE!