Visual Resources for the Lectionaries

This post offers visual resources for the Revised Common Lectionary and the Narrative Lectionary for December 24, 2023.  This is the fourth week of Advent AND Christmas Eve. We light the candle of LOVE and Celebrate the Nativity. The RCL takes us to 2 Samuel, Psalms, Romans, and Luke. The NL makes the big jump to the Christian Scripture as we look at the story of Zechariah’s vision and the birth of John the Baptist. We will also look at a plethora of visual resources to celebrate the birth of Jesus!

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Jump to Narrative Lectionary resources.

As I’ve meditated on all the readings for this week, they seem to focus on the promise of God to David to establish his house and his throne forever. The Davidic King who was to come, the Messiah/Anointed One, would be a righteous king who would reflect the steadfast love (chesed) and faithfulness (emunah) of God. 

Let’s Begin with the Nativity

Sunday, December 24 poses a challenge for preachers and congregations. It is both Advent 4 and Christmas Eve. Strict followers of the liturgical calendar will hold an Advent 4 service in the morning, then hold Christmas Eve Services in the Evening. Other congregations have chosen to bump Advent up a week and observed Advent 1 on Christ the King Sunday. Thus, I have been a week behind for them. 

Ultimately, what unites us this Sunday is that everyone will be celebrating Christmas Eve. 

Tell the Christmas story in a fresh way this year. Download PowerPoints, Image Packs, and printable handouts that will allow you to tell the Christmas story, panel-by-panel, in your own timing. These images cover Luke chapters 1 and 2.

This download includes Three PowerPoint with a total of 61 slides, 2 Images Packs of 61 .jpg files, and two printable handout PDFs.

Preview the PowerPoints HERE.

Feel free to use this reading of Luke 2:1-20 in your service.

Love, Mary, and the Magnificat

Both Lectionaries also invite us to reflect on Mary’s song in Luke 1. Here is a PowerPoint I made for a sermon on this text a few years ago.

[slideshare id=126754221&doc=adeeperlove-hill-181226151929&w=800]

Now, On to Advent 4: LOVE…

Revised Common Lectionary

Here are quick links to all the texts for this week:

The reading is 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16. God establishes a covenant with David to preserve his house and his throne.

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26

The RCL Gospel Reading is Luke 1:26-38.

Here is the Nativity from page 1 and page 2 in A Cartoonist’s Guide to Luke.

Preview PowerPoint

Feel free to use any or all of these slides and images in your own preaching and teaching.

[slideshare id=239810128&doc=acartoonistsguidetoluke2-201206142644&w=800]

Narrative Lectionary

The NL reading is Luke 1:5-25, 57-80. Scroll up to see the Gospel resources for the RCL from Luke 1-2.

One Final Christmas Gift

The scriptures this week inspired this image. I was thinking about God’s Promise to David that his house would sit on a throne of righteousness. When you think about Mary’s song of how her son would bring down the proud and exalt the lowly in light of God’s promise to David, it reminded me that Jesus’ throne is the cross and his crown is made of thorns. God emptied Godself into humanity and took the suffering of the cross to reveal the true glory of God. The breath of God — ruach, pnuema, spirit — breathes life, washes clean, and ignites the energy to love one another the way Jesus demonstrated love. I invite you to meditate on this image.

Enjoy this PowerPoint that walks through creation to the Cross. This is still a work in progress.

[slideshare id=264723039&doc=trinity2023-231217233028-0071e470&w=800]

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