Third Week of Advent: Joy
Third Week of Advent: Joy
(December 14-20)
1st Reading–Luke 1:46-56
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” 56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
*Meditate on the passage
Consider: Why is Mary rejoicing? How is Mary’s song our song?
Prayer
Intercession- pray for unbelievers, the distraught and depressed, our church.
Pray the Lord’s Prayer
Closing Prayer:
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.
-Book of Common Prayer
Second Reading–John 1:1-19
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Meditate on the passage
Consider: What does Christmas tell us about God’s glory? If he “dwelt among us” then, how will he dwell among us when he returns?
Prayer:
Confession: For the known sins on your conscience; for the unknown sin in your life. Your incessant question in life will always be: Can I be forgiven?
Assurance of Pardon: For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Benediction:
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Hymn– “The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns”
The King shall come when morning dawns
and light triumphant breaks,
when beauty gilds the eastern hills
and life to joy awakes.
Not as of old a little child,
to bear, and fight, and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.
O brighter than the rising morn
when He, victorious, rose
and left the lonesome place of death,
despite the rage of foes.
O brighter than that glorious morn
shall this fair morning be,
when Christ, our King, in beauty comes,
and we His face shall see.
The King shall come when morning dawns
and earth's dark night is past;
O haste the rising of that morn,
the day that aye shall last.
And let the endless bliss begin,
by weary saints foretold,
when right shall triumph over wrong,
and truth shall be extolled.
The King shall come when morning dawns,
and light and beauty brings;
"Hail, Christ the Lord!" Thy people pray,
come quickly, King of kings!
Meditate on, listen to, & sing the hymn
Prayer
Thanksgiving: thank the Lord for who He is and what He’s done in Christ; for all the ways He’s protected, provided, and given you grace this year.
Pray the Lord’s Prayer
Closing Prayer:
O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your unending day upon us who watch for you,
that our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship may give you glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
-Book of Common Prayer
St. John the Baptist Preaching, Mattia Preti, 1665
Consider the Painting: To where does John point? And to whom? Notice your attention is drawn to the ominous clouds and then to the onlooking lamb.
“Advent is a season for waiting; we wait for the coming of God. We need him to come. Our world is messed up and we are messed up. We lament our condition and long for God to set things right, to make us better. So we pray and watch for signs of his presence. We do all we know to do so that we are open and ready. In the midst of hardship and disappointment, we continue to wait. We wait in hope. We believe that something is happening in our world, something is taking shape in our lives, something large, light-filled and life-giving. Even in December’s lengthening darkness, this seed of joyful hope grows within us. We are pregnant with it. In our waiting, we are enlarged. God is coming!”
- Bobby Gross, “Living the Christian Year”
