December 18 Reading

Advent – The Coming of the Messiah

Psalm 2 (ESV)

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed

1 Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?

2The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers take counsel together,

against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,

3“Let us burst their bonds apart

and cast away their cords from us.”

4He who sits in the heavens laughs;

the Lord holds them in derision.

5Then he will speak to them in his wrath,

and terrify them in his fury, saying,

6“As for me, I have set my King

on Zion, my holy hill.”

7I will tell of the decree:

The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;

today I have begotten you.

8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,

and the ends of the earth your possession.

9You shall break them with a rod of iron

and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

10Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

be warned, O rulers of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord with fear,

and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son,

lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

John 1:6–13 (ESV)

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.