Daily Readings - Tue Dec 24 2024
2 Samuel
1And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;2That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.3And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.4And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,5Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?8Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:9And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.10Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,11And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.12And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
Luke
67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;70As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;73The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,74That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,75In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,78Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Sermon
In today's readings, we reflect on the themes of God's covenant and redemption, woven through the stories of King David and Zechariah's prophecy. The first reading from 2 Samuel recounts God's promise to David, establishing his dynasty and the Davidic covenant. This covenant is not about David building a house for God, but God building a lasting legacy through David's descendants. The second reading from Luke presents Zechariah's song, celebrating the fulfillment of God's promises through the house of David, with John the Baptist preparing the way for the Messiah.
Both readings highlight God's faithfulness and the importance of preparation. In 2 Samuel, David's humility and trust in God's plan are evident as he accepts that his role is not to build a temple but to trust in God's timing. In Luke, Zechariah's prophecy underscores John's role in preparing the way for Jesus, illustrating the need for each of us to clear the path for others to encounter God.
These readings invite us to trust in God's promises and timing in our lives. Just as David trusted God's plan, we too can have faith that God is working in our lives, even when our plans differ from His. Similarly, like John the Baptist, we are called to prepare the way for others, whether through acts of kindness, sharing our faith, or simply being present for those in need.
As we reflect on these readings, let us embrace the call to be faithful and open to God's plan. May we trust in His promises and actively prepare the way for others to experience His love and redemption.