VERSION: 9 April 2002
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR C
In 2003: 7 Dec
In 2006: 10 Dec
In 2009: 6 Dec
In 2012: 9 Dec
In 2015: 6 Dec
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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.
I will send my messenger to prepare the way for me.
Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his temple.
(Mal 3:1 TEV)
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
Malachi 3:1-4 The day of judgment is near
PSALM
Psalm: Luke 1:68-79 Song of Zechariah (Benedictus).
(See below under 'Hymns and songs', 'Song of Zechariah', for suggested sung versions.)
Antiphon:
In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us. (Luke 1:78 ELLC)
SECOND READING
Philippians 1:3-11 Be ready for the day of Christ
ALLELUIA VERSE (Luke 3:4)
Alleluia, alleluia.
A voice cries out in the desert:
Prepare the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 3:1-6 All people will see the salvation of our God
PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Thank you, Lord Jesus,
for coming to bring God's salvation.
Help us to prepare the way for your coming.
Amen.
OFFERING PRAYER
Loving God, lead us to listen
to the message of your salvation
and to live as your people,
always ready for the day when Christ will return.
Help us to use our time
in service to you and to other people.
Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Call to prayer
John the Baptist came to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. Let us pray for God's help and healing through Christ.
The regular response, OR:
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Suggested intercessions
*
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for the messengers of God: pastors and bishops, evangelists and missionaries
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*
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for those who, like Paul, are imprisoned for their faith
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*
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for the rulers of the earth, especially for our own state and federal governments
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*
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for those who have sinned, that they repent and believe in Christ
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*
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that we prepare the way for the gospel by pursuing justice in our society
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*
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that just as we await summer and the harvest and holidays, we may be prepared for the coming day of the Lord
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Concluding prayer
Lord God, as your servant John the Baptist called your people to prepare a way for the Lord, let us always be prepared to receive the blessings that you freely give us through our Lord Jesus Christ, 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 peace, producing the harvest of righteousness that comes through 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: Malachi 3:1-4
LHS
1
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Hark, a herald voice is calling* G7
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8
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Rise, children of the kingdom* G4
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485
|
The day is surely drawing near* (vv 1,6) G5
|
AT
-
TIS
264
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Hark! a herald voice is calling
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Second reading: Philippians 1:3-11
LHS
355
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May we Thy precepts, Lord, fulfil* G3
|
381
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O God our Father, throned on high G7 (alt tune 391, G9)
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AT
357
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Give us hearts to know you, Lord
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TIS
442
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All praise to our redeeming Lord
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640
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Kneels at the feet of his friends
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Gospel: Luke 3:1-6
LHS
6
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Ye sons of men, in earnest* G3
|
12
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Comfort, comfort ye My people* G4
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13
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On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry G4
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732
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Comfort, comfort all my people GS
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737
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Prepare the royal highway G4
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AT
TIS
270
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On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry
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346
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Prepare the royal highway
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647
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Comfort, comfort all my people
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SONG OF ZECHARIAH (BENEDICTUS)
There are several versions of the Song of Zechariah readily available for the congregation to sing. Texts for this canticle may be found on the disk of Approved Services of the LCA.
Matins (Supplement to Lutheran Hymnal)
Modern Matins (Worship Today) - Metrical paraphrase by David Schubert. Note that this can be sung to a slightly modified version of LH 377 Savannah ('Take my life and let it be').
LH 652, 653, 654 - Revised Standard Version text
Music Packages 7 and 9
TIS 284 O bless the God of Israel
NOTES ON THE READINGS
See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Notes on the readings', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.
MALACHI 3:1-4: By the mid fifth century BC, the people of Judah had more or less given up on the God of Israel. They did not experience the expected prosperity on their return from Babylon and so lapsed into half-hearted worship and cynical morality. In these verses the prophet predicts that God, in an act of grace, will send his special messenger before he himself comes to purify the worship and cleanse the lives of the people. With this cleansing, the people will again be able to serve in righteousness. John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord.
PHILLIPIANS 1:3-11: Paul expresses his joy in praise and thanks to God for the fellowship he had experienced with the Philippian believers in proclaiming the gospel. This wonderful quality continued in their witness of the gospel and in their support of him even though he was now in prison. He was confident that God would continue this work in them until the day of Jesus Christ. However, his constant continuing prayer was that they, living in God's love, might grow also in accompanying knowledge and insight. In this way they would be ready and prepared when Jesus comes again. This is when the righteousness which is by faith will show as a fruitful harvest.
LUKE 3:1-6: Luke signifies the importance of the event of John the Baptist's preaching with very careful precision in marking the year. He further locates the place of John's ministry in God's long-term plan for salvation by citing the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3-5. In this figurative language it is clear that lives are to be straightened out and unnecessary hindrances to God's grace are to be removed. This process of turning in repentance to receive forgiveness was, and still is, the only proper preparation to receive God's Messiah.
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 of John the Baptist preaching, or symbols of John (eg baptismal shell, belt and locust) could accompany the gospel.
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 gospel could be read by two readers: narrator (pastor), and Isaiah (verses 4b-6).
CHILDREN
READINGS
Children could be involved in making and displaying pictures (gospel). See above under 'Visuals for the readings'.
TALKING WITH THE CHILDREN
The children could be told 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 is: 'The birth of John the Baptist'. Material for this story may be found in
Original Edition, 2 Advent, year C (in 3rd Series B book)
OR
Revised RCL Edition, same
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