The Season of Advent | 2nd Wednesday 13 Dec 2023
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scriptures
to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn,
and inwardly digest them,
that by patience and the comfort of your holy Word
we may embrace and ever hold fast
the blessed hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
“I’m going to send my messenger,
and he will clear the way ahead of me.
Then the Lord you are looking for
will suddenly come to his temple.”
(Malachi 3:1)
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From Psalms: Psalm 27 – Poor Bishop Hooper
the lord is my light and my salvation
why should i ever be afraid
the lord is the strong hold upon my life and
of whom should i be afraid
even with false witness or constant breathe of violence
i know the one who cares for me is there
even if my father and my mother both abandon
i know the lord who cares for me is there
i have heard you saying seek my face and
come talk with me
come and talk with me
my heart responds in the way you made it
lord i am coming
i am coming
though the dark surrounds me i know i am protected
my heart will never be afraid
to gaze upon your beauty god and see you in your temple
i will stand hidden in you
i have heard you saying seek my face and
come talk with me
come and talk with me
my heart responds in the way you made it
lord i am coming
i am coming
i am certain i will live in
the house of the lord
all of my days
i know i will delight in
the house of the lord
all of my days
all of my days
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OT Reading: Malachi 2:10-3:1 (GW)
The People Break Their Marriage Vows
2:10 Don’t all of us have the same father? Hasn’t the same God created us? Why are we unfaithful to each other? And why do we dishonor the promise given to our ancestors? Judah has been unfaithful! A disgusting thing has been done in Israel and Jerusalem. Judah has dishonored the holy place that the Lord loves and has married a woman who worships a foreign god. May the Lord exclude anyone who does this, whoever he may be. May he exclude them from Jacob’s tents and from bringing offerings to the Lord of Armies.
Here is another thing you do: You cover the Lord’s altar with tears. You moan and groan because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them from you.
But you ask, “Why ⌞aren’t our offerings accepted⌟?” It is because the Lord is a witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been unfaithful. Yet, she is your companion, the wife of your marriage vows. Didn’t ⌞God⌟ make you one? Your flesh and spirit belong to him. And what does the same ⌞God⌟ look for but godly descendants? So be careful not to be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
“I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel. “I hate the person who covers himself with violence,” says the Lord of Armies. “Be careful not to be unfaithful.”
You have tried the patience of the Lord with your words.
But you ask, “How have we tried his patience?”
When you say, “Everyone who does evil is considered good by the Lord. He is pleased with them,” or “Where is the God of justice?”
The Coming of the Messenger of the Promise
3:1 “I’m going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way ahead of me. Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the promise will come. He is the one you want,” says the Lord of Armies.
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Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus – Fernando Ortega (Scott Bacher)
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NT Reading: Luke 1:5-17 (GW)
The Angel Gabriel Appears to Zechariah
1:5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division of priests named after Abijah. Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth had God’s approval. They followed all the Lord’s commands and regulations perfectly. Yet, they never had any children because Elizabeth couldn’t become pregnant. Both of them were too old to have children.
Zechariah was on duty with his division of priests. As he served in God’s presence, he was chosen by priestly custom to go into the Lord’s temple to burn incense. All the people were praying outside while he was burning incense.
Then, to the right of the incense altar, an angel of the Lord appeared to him. Zechariah was troubled and overcome with fear.
The angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you will name him John. He will be your pride and joy, and many people will be glad that he was born. As far as the Lord is concerned, he will be a great man. He will never drink wine or any other liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring many people in Israel back to the Lord their God. He will go ahead of the Lord with the spirit and power that Elijah had. He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children. He will change disobedient people so that they will accept the wisdom of those who have God’s approval. In this way he will prepare the people for their Lord.”
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Prepare The Way – Taizé
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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.
+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Set free the hostages, and deliver from bondage every person captivated by the evil death cult terrorizing the Middle East. And finally, grant heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, politically and diplomatically, as well as those who will restore Israel spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your Son, Christ Jesus, into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your faithful people in the Middle East, that his life-giving Gospel may be preached to every tribe and nation. Send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.
13 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”
The Peanut Gallery 