21 December 2025
10:30 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
Isaiah 7:10-16
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying,
“Ask a sign of the Lord your God;
let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
But Ahaz said, “I will not ask,
and I will not put the Lord to the test.”
Then Isaiah said, “Hear then, O house of David!
Is it too little for you to weary mortals
that you weary my God also?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.
Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son
and shall name him Immanuel.
He shall eat curds and honey by the time
he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.
For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good,
the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.
Romans 1:1-7
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus,
called to be an apostle,
set apart for the gospel of God,
which he promised beforehand
through his prophets in the holy scriptures,
the gospel concerning his Son,
who was descended from David according to the flesh
and was declared to be Son of God with power
according to the spirit of holiness
by resurrection from the dead,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
through whom we have received grace and apostleship
to bring about the obedience of faith
among all the gentiles for the sake of his name,
including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
To all God’s beloved in Rome,
who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1:18-25
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
The birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.
When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit.
Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man
and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace,
planned to divorce her quietly.
But just when he had resolved to do this,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,
for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a son,
and you are to name him Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place
to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke from sleep,
he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him;
he took her as his wife
but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son,
and he named him Jesus.
