More Than Fruitcake And Lutefisk

Week 1 – Joy

Week 2 – Peace

Week 4 – Love

Week 1

Isaiah 9:2-7

And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His government and its peace will never end.

He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.

The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.

For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice.

They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder.

For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.

You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.

The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned.

They will be fuel for the fire.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

Week 2

Matthew 1:21-23

And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! 

She will give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel, 

which means ‘God is with us.’”

Luke 1:31-33

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!

Week 3

Luke 2:10-14

But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”