Lectionary Calendar

Tuesday, December 24th, 2024
Christmas Eve

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Living in the Spirit

(Galatians 5:16-26)

¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus^(a).² For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set you^(a) free from the law of sin and death.³ For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,⁴ so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.⁵ Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.⁶ The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,⁷ because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.⁸ Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.⁹ You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit gives you life^(a) because of righteousness.¹¹ And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead^(a) is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

Heirs with Christ

(Genesis 21:1-8; Galatians 4:1-7)

¹² Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.¹⁵ For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”¹⁶ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

¹⁷ And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Future Glory

(2 Corinthians 5:1-10)

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.¹⁹ The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope²¹ that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.²³ Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.²⁴ For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.²⁷ And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

God Works In All Things

(Ephesians 1:3-14)

²⁸ And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

²⁹ For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.³⁰ And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

³¹ What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?³² He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?³³ Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.³⁴ Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.

More than Conquerors

(Psalm 44:1-26)

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?³⁶ As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.