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Readings and Propers for the Fourth Sunday in Advent (Series C)

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

(23 December 2018)

Micah 5:2-5a; Ps. 80:1-7; Heb 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45, 46-56

Entrance: LSB 935 Tell Out, My Soul, the Greatness of the Lord

Of the Day: LSB 356 The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came

Offertory: LSB 353 Jesus Came, the Heavens Adoring

Distribution: LSB 357 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel;

LSB 332 Savior of the Nations, Come

Starts at 1:59:

Closing: LSB 387 Joy to the World

The Lord Comes to Visit Us in Peace

The Fourth Sunday in Advent turns our attention toward the Nativity of Our Lord. With Mary, we await the coming of the Christ, her Son, conceived in her womb by the Spirit of God. As the Lord dealt graciously with her and did great things for her (Luke 1:48–49), so also He manifests Himself and His glory to us in mercy and gentleness. He comes to rule His people in peace, to “shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD.” He comes forth not from the great capital city of Rome or Jerusalem, but from lowly little Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, 4). He comes to sacrifice Himself, in fulfillment of His Father’s will, for the salvation and sanctification of His people (Heb. 10:10). He who once visited Elizabeth while hidden in the womb of Mary (Luke 1:39–45) now comes to visit us today, hidden in the lowliness of simple water, bread and wine.

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Looking Forward to Sunday Morning (3-Year Lectionary): Mary Visits Elizabeth – Dr. Carl Fickenscher – Issues, Etc.

Dr. Carl Fickenscher of Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Ind., discusses the readings and the propers for the Fourth Sunday in Advent with Pr. Todd Wilken on Issues Etc (mp3, 57:22, 23.2 MB, 2015-Dec-15)

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Worldview Everlasting - Daily Fix: Blinded by Shadows

Why would you want a shadow of Christianity, when you can have the real thing? The book of Hebrews challenges you to go from milk-toast to meat by finding the real substance in the work of Jesus Christ.

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Lectionary Podcast - Advent 4 - Series C - Luke 1:39-45 with Dr. Arthur Just

Dr. Arthur Just, Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Ind., exegetes the Gospel for Advent 4

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Luke 1:39-45, 46-56 (SBLGNT)

39 Ἀναστᾶσα δὲ Μαριὰμ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὴν ὀρεινὴν μετὰ σπουδῆς εἰς πόλιν Ἰούδα,

40 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ζαχαρίου καὶ ἠσπάσατο τὴν Ἐλισάβετ.

41 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν τὸν ἀσπασμὸν τῆς Μαρίας ἡ Ἐλισάβετ, ἐσκίρτησεν τὸ βρέφος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπλήσθη πνεύματος ἁγίου ἡ Ἐλισάβετ,

42 καὶ ἀνεφώνησεν κραυγῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπεν· Εὐλογημένη σὺ ἐν γυναιξίν, καὶ εὐλογημένος ὁ καρπὸς τῆς κοιλίας σου.

43 καὶ πόθεν μοι τοῦτο ἵνα ἔλθῃ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ κυρίου μου πρὸς ἐμέ;

44 ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὡς ἐγένετο ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ ἀσπασμοῦ σου εἰς τὰ ὦτά μου, ἐσκίρτησεν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει τὸ βρέφος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ μου.

45 καὶ μακαρία ἡ πιστεύσασα ὅτι ἔσται τελείωσις τοῖς λελαλημένοις αὐτῇ παρὰ κυρίου.

46 Καὶ εἶπεν Μαριάμ· Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν κύριον,

47 καὶ ἠγαλλίασεν τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μου·

48 ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ, ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦσίν με πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί·

49 ὅτι ἐποίησέν μοι μεγάλα ὁ δυνατός, καὶ ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,

50 καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν.

51 Ἐποίησεν κράτος ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ, διεσκόρπισεν ὑπερηφάνους διανοίᾳ καρδίας αὐτῶν·

52 καθεῖλεν δυνάστας ἀπὸ θρόνων καὶ ὕψωσεν ταπεινούς,

53 πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν καὶ πλουτοῦντας ἐξαπέστειλεν κενούς.

54 ἀντελάβετο Ἰσραὴλ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ, μνησθῆναι ἐλέους,

55 καθὼς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

56 Ἔμεινεν δὲ Μαριὰμ σὺν αὐτῇ ὡς μῆνας τρεῖς, καὶ ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς.

Literal Translation

(39) And rising up in these days, Mary went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah.
(40) And she entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
(41) And it happened, as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe in her womb leaped, and Elizabeth was filled of the Holy Spirit.
(42) And she cried out with a loud voice and said, You are being blessed among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
(43) And why is this to me that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
(44) For behold, as the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped in exultation.
(45) And blessed is she believing, because there will be a completion to the things spoken to her from the Lord.
(46) And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord,
(47) and my spirit exulted in God My Savior.
(48) For He looked upon the humiliation of His slave woman. For, behold, from now on all generations will count me blessed.
(49) For the Mighty One did great things to me, and holy is His name.
(50) And His mercy is to generations of generations to those fearing Him.
(51) He performed mightily with His arm; He scattered proud ones in the thought of their heart.
(52) He put down powerful ones from thrones, and exalted lowly ones.
(53) He filled the hungry with good things, and He sent the rich away empty.
(54) He helped His servant Israel in order to remember mercy,
(55) even as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed to the age.
(56) And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

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