Today is the third Advent Sunday, and we are following the Out of the ordinary service. Preparing for the extraordinary. Theme ‘Pointing to the Light’.
Opening liturgy
Our Advent candles flicker, casting shadows spreading light, giving witness in the everyday, telling stories old and new. Advent God, shine from us today.
When we’ve encountered God, we have a truth to tell. When we have seen God’s light, we have a light to share. Advent God, shine from us today.
When our lives seem ordinary and full of faltering steps, God’s light still shines and bids us go and tell. Advent God, shine from us today.
We share our very ordinary, our sorrows, joys and faith, and trust that those we share with will glimpse the light of God. Advent God, shine from us today.
Advent God, we may feel we are not worthy to share your extraordinary message. We may feel we’ll get it wrong; we don’t know all the answers. We may feel we do not have the words; not erudite enough. Shine upon us, light our path that we may speak and show and tell what you have done for us.
Amen.
A call to worship:
The third Advent candle could be lit.
We come to worship with our questions.
We come to worship to discover something new.
We come to worship to find truth.
We come to see God’s light shine in the world today.
Amen.
A gathering prayer
Father God, thank you for your presence here today.
Thank you that you speak to us through our worship.
Thank you that you speak to us through your Word.
Thank you that you speak to us through each other.
Help us to listen to your voice as we worship.
Help us to listen to your voice as Scripture is read.
Help us to listen to your voice as we seek your truth.
Amen.
StF 264 Make way, make way, for Christ the King
Make Way, Make Way, for Christ The King
In Splendour Arrives;
Fling Wide The Gates And Welcome Him
Into your lives.
Make Way! (Make Way!)
Make Way! (Make Way!)
For the King Of Kings!
(For the King Of Kings!)
Make Way! (Make Way!)
Make Way! (Make Way!)
And let His Kingdom In!
He Comes the Broken Hearts To Heal,
The Prisoners To Free;
The Deaf Shall Hear, The Lame Shall Dance,
The Blind Shall See.
Make Way! (Make Way!)
Make Way! (Make Way!)
For The King Of Kings!
(For The King Of Kings!)
Make Way! (Make Way!)
Make Way! (Make Way!)
And Let His Kingdom In!
Bible Readings
Isaiah 61:1-4, Isaiah 61:8-11
The Year of the Lord’s Favour
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendour.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
8 “For I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”
10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.
John 1 : 6 – 8, 19 – 28
John the Baptist denies being the Messiah
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah.’
21 They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’
He said, ‘I am not.’
‘Are you the Prophet?’
He answered, ‘No.’
22 Finally they said, ‘Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Make straight the way for the Lord.”’
24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, ‘Why then do you baptise if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’
26 ‘I baptise with water,’ John replied, ‘but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
Prayers of intercession
We pray today for all who are downtrodden, all who are oppressed, all who know the heavy hand of marginalisation on them. God, we turn to you, remembering the words of Mary, praying that you will lift up the lowly, you will raise the voice of justice, and you will scatter oppression. May all who are oppressed be set free.
We ask this, in joy and gratitude.
In your name we pray.
We pray that we might find rhythms of life that sustain us here. Rhythms for cultivating and renewing the earth; human community; justice; and creativity. We ask this, in joy and gratitude.
In your name we pray.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Please use the version that you prefer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
Now and for ever.
Amen.
Time to reflect:
Today is the third Sunday in Advent where we are looking at the Out of the Ordinary preparing for the extraordinary, and today’s theme is pointing to the light.
Just the other day we were looking in the Bible at Roade we read out these verses where Jesus was handed the scroll to read from the lectionary, which was given in the Jewish Law. ‘The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the broken hearted and to proclaim that captives will be released, and prisoners will be freed’. During the COVID pandemic I had many telephone conversations with everyone in our church and I used to say every conversation is church, as we can all share our faith with and pray with, and for other people. How true it is today; we all have Faith stories to share. This is why I include good news times in our services, giving us a time to share something we want to share.
Here are some questions to reflect on.
When was the last time you were inspired by someone else’s God story?
When did you last encounter God’s presence recently?
How do you feel about telling your Faith story?
We are currently aware that there are many refugees who are fleeing conflict. Last year I heard of a minister in Poland who is helping refugees who have left Kiev and have provided accommodation in a summer camp helping many hundreds who have been displaced. When I was in Lowestoft, prior to coming to Northampton, all denominations including, Methodist, Baptist, Anglican, Catholic and Free church worked to together to provide facilities, clothing and food for refugees arriving from the Ukraine.
This project not only brought the churches together but provided support and friendship for those needing help.
John’s Gospel is one of the most challenging theological books I know. One key that unlocks this Gospel is in John chapter 20 v 31 which says, ‘But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name’. The word believe in the Greek suggests that we should continue to believe, John wanted his listeners to go on believing.
In John’s gospel when he says ‘He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. I remember looking at Stained glass windows in a Cathedral on a dark grey day and light was still coming through the window to brighten up the inside of the Cathedral. Our lives can reflect our beliefs as we go about our daily lives, whether it is a dull day or bright sunshine.
To conclude today I recall playing a CD called ‘Come to the Cradle’ by Michael Card to our sons David, Andrew and Matthew when they were very young and one of the songs talks about Jesus as the light. This could be used as our prayer today.
You are the Light of the World oh Lord
You make Your servants shine
So how could there be any darkness in me
If You are the Light of the World
You are the Light of the World
You are the Bread of Life oh Lord
Broken to set us free
So how could there be any hunger in me
If You are the Bread of Life You are the Bread of Life You’ve overcome the world oh Lord And given us victory.
Amen
StF 186 – Tell out my soul
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word –
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done; his mercy sure, from age to age the same –
his holy name: the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by;
proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure:
tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore!
A sending out prayer:
Lord, help us to reflect you at work.
Help us to reflect you at school.
Help us to reflect you at home.
Help us to reflect you when we’re out.
Help us to reflect you with our friends.
Help us to reflect you to our neighbours.
Shine your light so all may see your love this Christmas.
Amen.
