First Sunday after Christmas	December 28, 2025
Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you have given us your only-begotten Son to take our nature and be born of the Virgin Mary. Grant that we, having been redeemed and made your children by grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 63:7-14 
7I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. 8For he said, “Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.” And he became their Savior. 9In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 10But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them. 11Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit, 12who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name, 13who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble. 14Like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name.
Psalm 111 (LBW)
1Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord with | my whole heart,*
	in the assembly of the upright, in the | congregation.
2Great are the deeds | of the Lord!*
	they are studied by all who de- | light in them.
3His work is full of majes- | ty and splendor,*
	and his righteousness en- | dures forever.
4He makes his marvelous works to | be remembered;*
	the Lord is gracious and full | of compassion.
5He gives food to | those who fear him;*
	he is ever mindful | of his covenant.
6He has shown his people the power | of his works*
	in giving them the lands | of the nations.
7The works of his hands are faithful- | ness and justice;*
	all his command- | ments are sure.
8They stand fast forev- | er and ever,*
	because they are done in | truth and equity.
9He sent redemption to his people; he commanded his cove- | nant forever;*
	holy and awesome | is his Name.
10The fear of the Lord is the begin- | ning of wisdom;*
	those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise en- | dures forever.
Psalm 111 (ESV)
1Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.
3Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.
4He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful.
5He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
6He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy;
8they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
Second Reading: Galatians 4:4-7 
4When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Gospel: Matthew 2:13-23
13When {the wise men} had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, 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.” 14And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 16Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” 19But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Lessons for Next Week
1 Kings 3:4-15; Psalm 119:97-104; Ephesians 1:3-14; Luke 2:40-52