+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening sentence
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (Mark 1:2-3 NLT)
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Morning Reading: Psalm 89:1-4 NLT
Russian icon of St. David, the Prophet and King, 18th century (iconostasis of Kizhi monastery)
I will sing of the lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
The lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant. I have sworn this oath to him: ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever; they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’”
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Prayer:
Gracious God: Thank You for Your unfailing love and faithfulness revealed to us in Jesus Christ.
+ Make Your home in my heart – that I may be rooted in Your love.
+ Fulfill Your requirements in me – that I may do no wrong to others.
+ Strengthen my faith in Christ – that I may love Your people everywhere.
+ Fill me with Godly compassion – that I may generously respond to people in need.
Thank You, Father, for calling me Your child – may I begin to understand the depth of Your love for me and live as a royal heir of my King. Through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever faithful. Amen.
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“Once in Royal David’s City”
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Canticle
Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. (Revelation 22:20-21 NLT)
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening sentence
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (Mark 1:2-3 NLT)
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Morning Reading: Acts 3:17-26 NLT
“Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah — that he must suffer these things. Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’
“Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”
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Prayer:
Mighty and Everlasting God: Send us a season of refreshment; fill the whole world with the glory of Your presence.
+ We turn away from the sin and death that has corrupted our world and co-opted our participation. Forgive us Lord.
+ We turn to You today to linger in Your presence and be filled with Your Spirit. Show us Your glory, Lord.
+ Shape the way we think, they way we feel, the way we act by Your Word. Write Your Word on our hearts, Lord.
+ Live and move in us today for apart from You we can do no good thing. Examine our hearts, Lord.
+ Give us a willing and humble spirit that is ready to love and serve You. Lead on, Lord.
Restore us, refresh us, we pray – through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. Amen.
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“Immanuel” – Songs Of Praise
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Canticle
Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. (Revelation 22:20-21 NLT)
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Traditionally, today is called Gaudete Sunday, which means ‘a day for rejoicing.’ The reason for celebration is that the day of the Lord’s coming is nearer.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening Prayer:
Almighty God, You sent your Son into a world where the wheat must be winnowed from the chaff and evil clings even to what is good. Let the fire of Your Spirit purify our hearts and consecrate our lives so that we may find our peace in You and You may delight in us. Grant this through Him whose coming is certain, whose day draws near: Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
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Hymn: “O Come O Come Emmanuel” – Enya
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A Reading from the Old Testament: Zephaniah 3:14-18a (NLT)
[Zephaniah appeals for joy. The Lord is in the midst of the people, so there is no need for fear.]
Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! For the Lord will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.
On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid! For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
“I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more.
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A Reading of a Psalm: Isaiah 12:2-6 (NLT)
See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”
With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day you will sing: “Thank the Lord! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is! Sing to the Lord, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world. Let all the people of Jerusalem shout his praise with joy! For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.”
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“Made me glad” – Hillsong
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A Reading from the Letters: Philippians 4:4-7 (NLT)
[Be happy, says Paul, and be considerate: the Lord is very near.]
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again — rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 3:10-18 (NLT)
[John the Baptist announces the Good News, and declares he is not the Messiah.]
St. John the Baptist Preaching Mattia Preti, c. 1665 Museum of Fine Arts, San Francisco
The crowds asked, “What should we do?”
John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”
Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?”
He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”
“What should we do?” asked some soldiers.
John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”
Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am — so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.
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Hymn: “God is the strength of my heart”
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Intercessions:
Lord God: You are our strength and our salvation – hear our prayers.
+ For all who follow Christ – that we may have joy as we prepare for the Lord’s coming…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those who suffer from hunger and want – that we may generously share what we have…. Lord, hear us.
+ For all whose hearts are broken – that we may remember them and befriend them…. Lord, hear us.
+ For refugees and all who are far from home – that they find comfort and peace at Christmas…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those suffering from the devastation of terrorism – that they may find strength and courage in You, God…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those we love and people who are in any kind of need – that You, God, may be with them…. Lord, hear us.
+ For all who have died in Christ – that the peace and joy of eternal life may be theirs…. Lord, hear us.
God our Savior, we rejoice in Your mighty deeds, help us now through these troubled times, we pray, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Hymn: “Gaudete” – Steeleye Span
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Benediction:
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21)
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening sentence
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (Mark 1:2-3 NLT)
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Morning Reading: 1 Samuel 3:19-20 NLT
The icon of the prophet Samuel from the collection of the Donetsk regional art museum, Ukraine
As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.
Morning Reading: 1 Samuel 7:5-17 NLT
Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)
When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching. “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel. So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.
Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them. The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.
Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!”
So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the Lord’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines. The Israelite villages near Ekron and Gath that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.
Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life. Each year he traveled around, setting up his court first at Bethel, then at Gilgal, and then at Mizpah. He judged the people of Israel at each of these places. Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.
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Prayer:
Promise-Keeping God: Remind me today of the help You have given me up to this point in my life –
+ You made me on purpose and gave me a future and a hope….
+ You placed me in a birth family and adopted me into Your forever family….
+ You forgave me when I disappointed You and wandered off Your narrow path….
+ You always welcomed me home with open arms and never stopped loving me….
+ You light my way through the darkness and lift me up when I fall down….
+ You guide me through the wilderness and protect me through the storms….
+ You give me Your Word to to teach me what’s true, show me what’s wrong, and enable me to do what’s right….
+ You give me Your Spirit so that I can live in Your presence and fulfill Your purpose for me….
Lord God Almighty: Thank You for the help You have given me up to this point… and Your promise to be with me forever. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who secured Your promises with His life, death, and resurrection. And thank You for Your Spirit who lives in me and works through me. You, O Lord, have exceeded all my expectations – I look forward with joyful anticipation to the future You unfold for me. Amen.
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“My Help Comes From The Lord” – The Museum
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Canticle
Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. (Revelation 22:20-21 NLT)
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening sentence
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (Mark 1:2-3 NLT)
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Morning Reading: Deuteronomy 18:18 NLT
I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him.
Morning Reading: Deuteronomy 34:10-12 NLT
There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. The Lord sent him to perform all the miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, and all his servants, and his entire land. With mighty power, Moses performed terrifying acts in the sight of all Israel.
Fresco of Jesus with the Moses and Elijah P Verkade, 1927 side altar in Carmelites church in Dobling , Vienna
Morning Reading: Matthew 4:23 NLT
Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.
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Prayer:
Lord God Almighty: You gave the prophet Moses to Israel – You knew him face to face.
+ Thank You for this encouraging example of Your relationship with flawed humanity.
+ Thank You for speaking through Moses words of command, words of guidance, and words of prophecy.
+ Thank You for working through Moses to perform signs and wonders for all to see.
Lord God Almighty: You gave Your Son, Jesus, to the world – Your glory revealed and coming again.
+ Thank You for this matchless gift of love come down, love moving among us, and love sacrificed for us.
+ Thank You for the break out of Your Kingdom in Jesus’ person, presence and power.
+ Thank You for the promise of His immanent return to bring all things under His Kingship.
Lord God Almighty: During this season of preparation and waiting, quiet our hearts and calm our spirits – that we may rest in You and enter into Your promised peace. Through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
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“No Other Like You” – Chris Quilala – Jesus Culture Music
You were innocent and condemned | Broken and You bore our sins | Laid Your life down | Through the sacrifice of Your son | The power of death was overcome | Laid Your life down on the cross
There’s no other like You, nothing compares to Your great Love | Highly exalted, forever seated on the throne | We stand in awe of You, We stand in awe of You | Nothing else compares God | We stand in awe of You
By the blood of Christ, we boldly come | All of heaven welcomes us | Lord we thank You for the cross
We will exalt You | Forever, forever | We will worship | Forever, forever
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Canticle
Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. (Revelation 22:20-21 NLT)
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Peanut Gallery 