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"Look, the Lamb of God"

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                                  Monday musical meditations on God's good news      An opening prayer:      O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!      For sinners you became a child.      You came from heaven to fulfill      Your Father’s just and holy will.      O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!      O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!      With God we now are reconciled.      You have for all the ransom paid,      Your Father’s righteous anger stayed.      O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!      O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!      Joy fills the world which sin defiled.      Whate’er we have belongs to you;      Oh, keep us faithful, strong, and true.      O Jesus ...

"to fulfill all righteousness"

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                                 Monday musical meditations on God's good news      An opening prayer:      From wilderness to Jordan came       The final prophet to proclaim      That judgment soon was to begin       To punish mankind for its sin.      Although of Abraham’s descent,       Since all have sinned all must repent      And, like the Gentiles, undergo       Baptizing, and their sorrow show.      But when Christ came, no judgment dire      Did he pronounce with venging fire;      Himself baptizing underwent,       The sinless One, subservient.      On him the Spirit as a dove       Descended, and the Father’s love      Voiced h...

"The Word became flesh."

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                                 Monday musical meditations on God's good news      An opening prayer:      The only Son from heaven,      foretold by ancient seers,      by God the Father given,      in human form appears.      No sphere his light confining,      no star so brightly shining      as he, our Morning Star.     O  time of God appointed,      O bright and holy morn!      He comes, the King anointed,      the Christ, the virgin-born,      grim death to conquer for us,      to open heav'n before us      and bring us life again.     O  Lord, our hearts awaken      to know and love you more,      in faith to stand unshaken, ...

"He will be called a Nazarene"

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                                Monday musical meditations on God's good news      An opening prayer:      Let us all with gladsome voice      Praise the God of heaven      Who, to bid our hearts rejoice,      His own Son has given.      To this vale of tears he comes,      Here to serve in sadness,      That with him in heaven’s fair homes      We may reign in gladness.      We are rich, for he was poor;      Is not this a wonder?      Therefore praise God evermore      Here on earth and yonder.      O Lord Christ, our Savior dear,      Bless us and be near us.      Grant us now a glad new year.      Amen, Jesus, hear us! Matthew 2:13 –23 When they had gone...

"The least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John"

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                               Monday musical meditations on God's good news      An opening prayer:      Hark! The herald angels sing,      “Glory to the newborn King;      Peace on earth, and mercy mild,      God and sinners reconciled!”      Joyful, all ye nations rise,      Join the triumph of the skies;      With th’angelic host proclaim,      “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”           Hark! the herald angels sing,           “Glory to the newborn King!”      Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;     C hrist the everlasting Lord;      Late in time, behold Him come,      Offspring of a virgin’s womb.      Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;  ...

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance"

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                              Monday musical meditations on God's good news      An opening prayer:      On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry      announces that the Lord is nigh;      Come, then and listen, for he brings      good news about the King of kings.      Then cleansed be every life from sin;      and furnished for a guest within,      And let us all our hearts prepare      for Christ to come and enter there.      We hail you as our Savior, Lord,      our Refuge and our great Reward;      Without your grace we waste away      like flowers that wither and decay.      Stretch forth your hand, our health restore,      and lift us up to fall no more.      Oh, make your fac...

"the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him"

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                             Monday musical meditations on God's good news      An opening prayer:      The advent of our King      Our prayers must now employ,       And we must hymns of welcome sing       In strains of holy joy.      The everlasting Son      Incarnate deigns to be;     H imself a servant’s form puts on      To set His servants free.      O Zion’s Daughter, rise      To meet your lowly King,      Nor let your faithless heart despise      The peace He comes to bring.        As Judge, on clouds of light,      He soon will come again      And His true members all unite      With Him in heaven to reign.      Before t...