Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Saturday after the Fourth Sunday in Advent, Christmas Eve

http://lifeinthescriptures.blogspot.com/2011/12/saturday-after-fourth-sunday-in-advent.html

Lectionary

Morning - Ps. 50, Lk. 1:67-80
Evening - Ps. 85, Zech. 2:10, Mt. 1:18

Commentary

It does not surprise us to see Christ reigning in eternal peace over an adoring throng of men and angels, as we see Him in the final chapters of the book of Revelation. But tonight we turn to something entirely unexpected. Tonight we see Him as a helpless, human infant, completely dependent on people for His every need. We cannot imagine the sacrifice this was for God. If we think of ourselves stripped of everything dear to us, and of every comfort we now take for granted, homeless, hungry, cold, and sick, we have not even come close to understanding what Christ gave up to come to earth. Yet, there He is. The virgin conceived and brought forth a Son and called His name Jesus, Saviour, and this tiny child is nothing less than God with us. Among all the gifts and trimmings of Christmas, let us also be glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of God's own Son, and let us joyfully receive Him for our Redeemer.

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