02. Year A - Second Sunday in Advent

Top Previous Next

VERSION: 9 April 2002

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR A

In 2001: 9 Dec

In 2004: 5 Dec

In 2007: 9 Dec

In 2010: 5 Dec

In 2013: 8 Dec

- - -

Note: For explanations and suggestions on the various resources provided, see the documents 'General notes and resources' and 'Advent season' in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

LITURGY

SENTENCE

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for suggestions on using a Sentence.

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch shall grow out of his roots. (Isa 11:1 NRSV)

OR

The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations;

the Gentiles will hope in him. (Rom 15:12 NIV)

OR

Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight. (Matt 3:3 NRSV)

OR, use the standard Advent Sentence in the document 'Advent season', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

OR, use one of the general Sentences in the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)

Traditional

Stir up our hearts, O Lord,

to prepare the way for your only Son,

so that by his coming

we may be enabled to serve you

with pure minds;

through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, modernised traditional

Stir up our hearts, Lord,

to prepare the way for your only Son.

Help us by his coming

to serve you with pure hearts and minds.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, new (revised alternative)

(Let us pray that we are ready for Christ's coming. [silence])

Merciful God,

you sent your messengers to preach repentance

and prepare the way for our salvation.

Turn us away from our sins,

so that we greet our coming redeemer,

Jesus Christ, with joy.

For he lives

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

FIRST READING

Isaiah 11:1-10 The longed-for Messiah

PSALM

Psalm 72:1-7,18,19

Antiphon:

In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound.

(Ps 72:7 NRSV)

SECOND READING

Romans 15:4-13 Good news for the Gentiles

ALLELUIA VERSE (Isa 40:3 comp)

Alleluia, alleluia.

A voice cries out in the desert:

'Prepare the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight.'

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Matthew 3:1-12 The kingdom of heaven is at hand!

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Lord Jesus, thank you for coming

and bringing the kingdom of heaven.

Lead us to repent, and fill us with your Spirit.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

Great and loving God,

we thank you for all your goodness.

Help us to prepare a road for you

by the way we live.

Use us and our gifts

in building up your kingdom.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Call to prayer

John the Baptist urges us: 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.' Let us come before our Father in heaven In repentance and recognition of our need..

The regular response, OR:

Lord, hear our prayer.

Lord, come and save us.

Suggested intercessions

Concluding prayer

Merciful Father and eternal judge, your Son will come to judge all people and will reveal the secrets of all hearts. Make us trustworthy servants, so that we may praise you on the day when Jesus Christ returns, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

SEASONAL PREFACE

It is indeed right and good,

Lord God, holy Father,

that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks to you,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You fulfilled your promise to comfort your people

by sending Jesus the Redeemer,

and to make all things new through him

when he comes to judge the world

and set it right.

And so, with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we adore and praise your glorious name:

COMMUNION INVITATION

Blessed are those who have been invited

to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

(Thanks be to God.)

Come, everything is ready.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

For an Advent post-communion prayer, see the document 'Advent season', under 'Prayer after communion', in the 'General and seasonal' folder. Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows.

Merciful God,

you sent your messengers to preach repentence

and prepare the way for our salvation.

May the body and blood of Christ

which we have received in this meal

give us strength to turn away from our sins,

so that we may greet our coming redeemer,

Jesus Christ, with joy.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

SEASONAL BLESSING

This seasonal blessing is used together with (ie before) the usual blessing in the order of service.

Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, shine on you and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory . . .

DISMISSAL

Go in joy and peace, as you trust in the Lord.

Thanks be to God. OR In the name of Christ. Amen.

HYMNS AND SONGS

FOR THE READINGS

Please note:        * =        Modernised version available

      G3, G4 . . . =        Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . . .

      GS =        Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

First reading: Isaiah 11:1-10

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading: Romans 15:4-13

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12

LHS

AT

TIS

PSALM 72:1-7,18,19

For musical settings of Psalm 72:1-7,18,19, see Music Package 1.

A paraphrased version of Psalm 72 from the Iona Community may be found in John L Bell, Psalms of patience, protest and praise on page 37.

Another metrical version of Psalm 72:1-7,18,19, by David Sch¸tz, is given here to be sung to the tune Dix (LH 40, TIS 314). If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

Give the King your justice, God,

give his son your righteousness.

With your righteous justice, Lord,

he will act for those oppressed.

So the fruit of justice spills

from the mountains and the hills.

He will crush those who oppress,

use his power to save the poor.

He'll endure like sun and moon

through the ages evermore.

Like the rain upon the field,

justice brings a prosperous yield.

Praise be to the Lord our God,

to the God of Israel,

who alone does marvellous deeds,

who alone does all things well.

Praise be to his glorious name.

Fill the whole earth with his fame.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Notes on the readings', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

ISAIAH 11:1-10: Amid disaster prophesied for the Kingdom of Judah, Isaiah here prophesies a glorious future hope. This disaster will bring low the line of kings descended from David. This death of the kingship is depicted as the all but dead stump of Jesse, David's father. However, out of the original line will come a ruler who will rule in perfect power, wisdom and knowledge, because the Spirit of the Lord will be upon him. In this way righteousness and peace will prevail in the rule of the earth. Harmony will also be restored in the creation. No king ever met this description in Jewish history. Christ, our Lord, has demonstrated his messianic kingship and will continue to fulfil this prophecy into the coming of the new heaven and the new earth.

ROMANS 15:4-13: Christ's sacrificial servanthood brought about the redemption of people, regardless of racial background. Christ's servants, therefore, are to offer like-minded service to all peoples, regardless of origin or status. St Paul cites in this section the passage from Isaiah which is today's first reading. It is very clear from the last verse of Isaiah 11:1-10 that the shoot from Jesse's stump would be the messianic King to all peoples of the world, Jew and Gentile alike. This universal principle of the Kingdom also opens for us the boundaries of unity in our present Christian living.

MATTHEW 3:1-12: The recurring requirement of John the Baptist's call for preparation for the coming Messiah is 'repentance'. At that time, when non-Jews wished to be received into the Jewish faith, it was necessary for them to be baptised with water. John thereby forcefully indicated to those who came to hear him that it was not simply enough to be Jewish children of Abraham in order to be admitted to the messianic kingdom. Ordinary people and Pharisees alike were called upon to repent, expressed in baptism and a change in life. God's judgment was indeed met by the Messiah. Whoever comes to him needs to receive renewal of heart and life.

VISUAL

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS

Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings. For instance, a picture could be made based on the first reading from Isaiah 11:1 depicting a shoot coming out of a stump. This may be done by the children of the Sunday school or its local equivalent as part of their Christmas preparations. A good example of an image for this may be found in Daniel Erlander's book Baptized We Live: Lutheranism as a way of life, page 7. Or an illustration like that in the TEV Bible for Isaiah 11:16 could be used.

The gospel could be illustrated with a drawing of John the Baptist, or a symbol of him, such as a baptismal shell or a leather belt and a locust.

JESSE TREE

The first reading of the day speaks of the Messiah coming from the 'stump of Jesse'. See the document 'Advent season', under 'Jesse tree', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for information on making a Jesse tree.

DRAMA

'MEGA DRAMA'

See a drama for the day in Mega Drama resources (Openbook Publishers), originally included in these worship resources when they were released on disks.

DRAMATISING THE READINGS

The readings can be read by more than one person to make the dramatic meaning of the text clearer. For instance, the second reading could be read by two readers: St Paul, and quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures; and the gospel could be read by two (or three) readers: the narrator (pastor), John the Baptist (, Isaiah).

CHILDREN

CHILDREN AND THE READINGS

See above under 'Visuals for the readings' re illustrations of the first reading and the gospel.

TALKING WITH THE CHILDREN

Talk about John the Baptist (or next week).

'COME AND SEE JESUS'

The Come and See Jesus curriculum published by Openbook Publishers has a wealth of material and ideas that may be adapted for use in worship. Please note that a new edition of this material is now available for the Revised Common Lectionary.

This week's story for Lower Level is 'God's peaceful kingdom (Isa 11:6-9)'. Material for this story may be found in

Original Edition, 2 Advent, year A (in 3rd Series C book)

OR

Revised RCL Edition, same

The story for Middle and Upper Levels  is 'Jesus' family tree' (from Matt 1 and Luke 3). Material for this story may be found in

Original Edition, 2 Advent, year A (in 3rd Series C book)

OR

Revised RCL Edition, same