End-time expectations
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series II
Exegetical note: The warning of Amos is against the presumption of those among his own people who were looking forward to "the day of the Lord" - i.e., Jahweh's ultimate eschatological act on their behalf - with great anticipation. His suggestion is that those who want it most to come are those who understand it least, for t will be an event of darkness and gloom (i.e., catastrophe) for everyone.
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 50)
Leader:
Let us offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving!
People:
LET US PAY OUR VOWS TO THE MOST HIGH!
Leader:
Let us call upon God in the day of trouble!
People:
FOR GOD WILL DELIVER US, AND WE SHALL GLORIFY GOD!
Collect
God of redemption, you have instilled in us a hope for your final consummation of history. Keep us now from idle speculation: that, trusting you to act in good time, we may make every moment count in your service and to your glory. In Jesus' holy name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
God of reconciliation, we confess that we are guilty of using the expectation of your end-time victory over evil as an excuse to neglect our present-day responsibility to minister to the world's need in your name. We spend more time wondering about when the Christ will come again than being the body of the Christ now. Forgive us, we pray, and make our expectation of your glorious Reign an inspiration for us to manifest its mercies in the here-and-now. In the name of the coming Christ we pray. Amen
Proper 27
Sunday between November 6 and November 12 inclusive
Second Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Theme:
Unity with Christ Jesus
Exegetical note: Despite Paul's earlier assurances of the imminence of Jesus' parousia, some of the faithful Thessalonians have died waiting for it, and their loved ones are grieving that the departed will not participate in the anticipated event. His hope and his imagery sound dated today, but not his assurance in verse 18 of the ongoing "togetherness" of the Christian believer with the Christ.
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 50)
Leader:
From the rising to the setting of the sun, God shines forth!
People:
GOD SPEAKS AND SUMMONS THE WORLD!
Leader:
Our God does not come quietly, but in tempest and fire!
People:
GOD CALLS TO THE HEAVENS, AND THEY DECLARE GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Collect
Almighty God, you have given us a tremendous source of hope in the promise of the second coming of your Christ. Make us now aware of our ongoing oneness with him: that, realizing our present unity with him, we may be active in our continuing mission until he comes. In his precious name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Faithful God, we confess that, when we look at our troubled world, we often despair at our ability to do anything at all to help it, and sometimes use the conviction that Jesus will come again and fix it all as an excuse to sit back and do nothing except long for that day. Forgive us, we pray, and make our faith in the coming of the Christ a stimulus rather than a sedative: let it inspire us and instill in us a righteous resolve to spread your love, justice, and peace until Jesus comes. In his name we pray. Amen
Proper 27
Sunday between November 6 and November 12 inclusive
Gospel:
Matthew 25:1-13
Theme:
Parousia and preparedness
Exegetical note: On the lips of Jesus this parable was probably about the coming Reign of God and the urgency of preparedness. But for Matthew it is about the delay of the parousia experienced by the Church of his own day (some half-century later), which by the twentieth century looks more like a non-occurrence. The challenge today, then, is to interpret meaningfully how the Christ comes "again" in our own time and what Christian watchfulness might mean now.
Call to Worship
Leader:
Sisters and brothers, we are called to be prepared!
People:
WE ARE CALLED TO BE READY FOR THE COMING OF THE CHRIST!
Leader:
For the work of God is not yet finished!
People:
THE REIGN OF GOD IS NOT YET ESTABLISHED!
Collect
Holy God, your scriptures give us hope for the coming of both your Reign and the Christ. Guide us now in the meantime: that, inspired by these future prospects, we may remain prepared for their arrival and preoccupied with our task to realize their glories in our own ministries. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Heavenly God, we confess that we often let the prospects of the dawn of your Reign and of the arrival of the Christ fade from our minds, and that we therefore do not use them as images to inspire us or goals to guide us in our ongoing discipleship in the name of Jesus. Forgive us, we pray, and keep us constantly prepared, not just for the Reign that is to come but for the Reign that is already in our midst, and not just for the ultimate Second Coming, but for all of the many present comings of the Christ, especially in the least of our brothers and sisters. In his name we pray. Amen
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 50)
Leader:
Let us offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving!
People:
LET US PAY OUR VOWS TO THE MOST HIGH!
Leader:
Let us call upon God in the day of trouble!
People:
FOR GOD WILL DELIVER US, AND WE SHALL GLORIFY GOD!
Collect
God of redemption, you have instilled in us a hope for your final consummation of history. Keep us now from idle speculation: that, trusting you to act in good time, we may make every moment count in your service and to your glory. In Jesus' holy name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
God of reconciliation, we confess that we are guilty of using the expectation of your end-time victory over evil as an excuse to neglect our present-day responsibility to minister to the world's need in your name. We spend more time wondering about when the Christ will come again than being the body of the Christ now. Forgive us, we pray, and make our expectation of your glorious Reign an inspiration for us to manifest its mercies in the here-and-now. In the name of the coming Christ we pray. Amen
Proper 27
Sunday between November 6 and November 12 inclusive
Second Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Theme:
Unity with Christ Jesus
Exegetical note: Despite Paul's earlier assurances of the imminence of Jesus' parousia, some of the faithful Thessalonians have died waiting for it, and their loved ones are grieving that the departed will not participate in the anticipated event. His hope and his imagery sound dated today, but not his assurance in verse 18 of the ongoing "togetherness" of the Christian believer with the Christ.
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 50)
Leader:
From the rising to the setting of the sun, God shines forth!
People:
GOD SPEAKS AND SUMMONS THE WORLD!
Leader:
Our God does not come quietly, but in tempest and fire!
People:
GOD CALLS TO THE HEAVENS, AND THEY DECLARE GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Collect
Almighty God, you have given us a tremendous source of hope in the promise of the second coming of your Christ. Make us now aware of our ongoing oneness with him: that, realizing our present unity with him, we may be active in our continuing mission until he comes. In his precious name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Faithful God, we confess that, when we look at our troubled world, we often despair at our ability to do anything at all to help it, and sometimes use the conviction that Jesus will come again and fix it all as an excuse to sit back and do nothing except long for that day. Forgive us, we pray, and make our faith in the coming of the Christ a stimulus rather than a sedative: let it inspire us and instill in us a righteous resolve to spread your love, justice, and peace until Jesus comes. In his name we pray. Amen
Proper 27
Sunday between November 6 and November 12 inclusive
Gospel:
Matthew 25:1-13
Theme:
Parousia and preparedness
Exegetical note: On the lips of Jesus this parable was probably about the coming Reign of God and the urgency of preparedness. But for Matthew it is about the delay of the parousia experienced by the Church of his own day (some half-century later), which by the twentieth century looks more like a non-occurrence. The challenge today, then, is to interpret meaningfully how the Christ comes "again" in our own time and what Christian watchfulness might mean now.
Call to Worship
Leader:
Sisters and brothers, we are called to be prepared!
People:
WE ARE CALLED TO BE READY FOR THE COMING OF THE CHRIST!
Leader:
For the work of God is not yet finished!
People:
THE REIGN OF GOD IS NOT YET ESTABLISHED!
Collect
Holy God, your scriptures give us hope for the coming of both your Reign and the Christ. Guide us now in the meantime: that, inspired by these future prospects, we may remain prepared for their arrival and preoccupied with our task to realize their glories in our own ministries. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Heavenly God, we confess that we often let the prospects of the dawn of your Reign and of the arrival of the Christ fade from our minds, and that we therefore do not use them as images to inspire us or goals to guide us in our ongoing discipleship in the name of Jesus. Forgive us, we pray, and keep us constantly prepared, not just for the Reign that is to come but for the Reign that is already in our midst, and not just for the ultimate Second Coming, but for all of the many present comings of the Christ, especially in the least of our brothers and sisters. In his name we pray. Amen
