The Season of Advent | 1st Sunday 03 Dec 2023
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
Almighty God, give us grace
to cast away the works of darkness,
and put on the armor of light,
now in the time of this mortal life in which
your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day, when he shall come again
in his glorious majesty
to judge both the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.
“Be careful! Watch!
You don’t know the exact time.”
(Mark 13:33)
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Comfort, Comfort All My People – Koine
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From the Old Testament: Isaiah 64:1-9 (GW)
64:1 If only you would split open the heavens and come down!
The mountains would quake at your presence.
Be like the fire that kindles brushwood and makes water boil.
Come down to make your name known to your enemies.
The nations will tremble in your presence.
When you did awe-inspiring things that we didn’t expect,
you came down and the mountains quaked in your presence.
No one has ever heard,
no one has paid attention,
and no one has seen any god except you.
You help those who wait for you.
You greeted the one who gladly does right and remembers your ways.
You showed your anger, because we’ve sinned.
We’ve continued to sin for a long time.
Can we still be saved?
We’ve all become unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like permanently stained rags.
All of us shrivel like leaves,
and our sins carry us away like the wind.
No one calls on your name
or tries to hold on to you.
You have hidden your face from us.
You have let us be ruined by our sins.
But now, Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay, and you are our potter.
We are the work of your hands.
Don’t be too angry, Lord.
Don’t remember our sin forever.
Now look, we are all your people.
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From Psalms: Psalm 80 (Responsorial) | “O God Bring Us Back” (C. Linford Nitin)
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From the Epistles: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 (GW)
1:3 Good will and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are yours!
I always thank God for you because Christ Jesus has shown you God’s good will. Through Christ Jesus you have become rich in every way—in speech and knowledge of every kind. Our message about Christ has been verified among you. Therefore, you don’t lack any gift as you wait eagerly for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will continue to give you strength until the end so that no one can accuse you of anything on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God faithfully keeps his promises. He called you to be partners with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
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In Christ Alone | Hebrew – Arabic – English | Garden Tomb | One for Israel Music
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Gospel Reading: Mark 13:24-37 (GW)
13:24 “Now, after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.
“Then people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. He will send out his angels, and from every direction under the sky, they will gather those whom God has chosen.
“Learn from the story of the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and it sprouts leaves, you know summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happen, you know that he is near, at the door.
“I can guarantee this truth: This generation will not disappear until all these things take place. The earth and the heavens will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
No One Knows When the Earth and the Heavens Will Disappear
13:32 “No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don’t know. Only the Father knows. Be careful! Watch! You don’t know the exact time. It is like a man who went on a trip. As he left home, he put his servants in charge. He assigned work to each one and ordered the guard to be alert. Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know when the owner of the house will return. It could be in the evening or at midnight or at dawn or in the morning. Make sure he doesn’t come suddenly and find you asleep. I’m telling everyone what I’m telling you: ‘Be alert!’ ”
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King of Glory – Heartcry of David (GloryToFatherGod)
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+ Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
+ Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who, in your great mercy, has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to you, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace*; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
May the Lord, when he comes,
find us watching and waiting.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
* Only One Solution for Peace – Tikkun Global
The Peanut Gallery 