God's return to reign
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series II
Exegetical note: Deutero-Isaiah's enthronement announcement - "Your God reigns!" - and vision of Yahweh's return to Zion with salvation for all the world to see certainly were "good tidings of good" to a people demoralized by their captivity in Babylon. Verse 10, however, suggests that this good news is not restricted to that particular people or their historical situation, but is indeed universal and timeless.
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 98)
Leader:
Let all the earth make a joyful noise to God!
People:
LET ALL ITS PEOPLE SING SONGS OF JOY!
Leader:
For our God has not forgotten us!
People:
OUR GOD HAS DONE A MARVELOUS THING!
Collect
God of majesty, you have always brought good tidings of redemption to people in every sort of captivity. Let your message of hope resound among us and within us: that, in the birth of the Christ, we may see the first light of the dawning of your blessed Reign and hear the marvelous news that will free us indeed. In his holy name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
God of mercy, it is shameful how easily we accommodate ourselves to our captivity to the world and to the powers and principalities that govern it, and how consistently we forfeit the vision of your promised Reign, which alone can free us. Forgive us, O God, and let the coming of the Christ-child deepen our discontent with the world as it is, and heighten our hope for the world as it can be now that your divine grace and saving presence have come. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen
Christmas, Third Proper
(Christmas Eve/Day)
Second Lesson: Hebrews 1:1-12
Theme:
A comprehensive, cosmic Christ
Exegetical note: The author here begins his tight argument for the superiority of Christianity over Judaism by forging a Christology that has both Jewish Wisdom and Hellenistic elements. Though lacking any reference to Incarnation, the author speaks of the Christ in a protological ("through whom he created the world") and an eschatological ("the heir of all things") light, but depicts his real significance as being in the present, as the (1) reflection of God's nature and glory, (2) providential upholder of the cosmos, and (3) purifier of sins.
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 98)
Leader:
Let the sea roar, and everything in it!
People:
LET THE WORLD SHOUT, AND ALL ITS PEOPLE!
Leader:
Let the rivers and hills clap and sing!
People:
FOR GOD COMES! HALLELUJAH!
Collect
Majestic and glorious God, you have sent us a child to be the Christ. Let the good news of his holy coming ring again in our hearts: that, despite the image of his humble birth, we may yet see his cosmic meaning as your creative, sustaining, and purifying agent of grace for this, our troubled world. In his magnificent name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Mighty and generous God, we humbly confess our limited imaginations when it comes to your workings, and especially with respect to your actions in Christ Jesus, whom we tend to view through our narrow vision and in light of our restricted desires. Forgive us, O God, and let the words of your holy Word remind us of the true magnitude of this Holy One, not only for us, our world, and our age, but for the infinities of time and space. In the name of the One who was, is, and is to be we pray. Amen
Christmas, Third Proper
(Christmas, Eve/Day)
Gospel:
John 1:1-14
Theme: The creativity of the Christ
Exegetical note: In this quintessential protological (literally!) passage, the Christ is portrayed as the Incarnation ("enfleshment") of the Word (Logos) that, like the Jewish concept of Wisdom, was active in creation. But unlike Wisdom, which had been seen as the first creature, the Logos is here depicted as the uncreated, creative dynamic that was with God from the very beginning, and, presumably, active in history forever.
Call to Worship
Leader:
In the beginning was the Word!
People:
THE WORD WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD!
Leader:
All things were made through the Word: for in the Word was life!
People:
AND THAT WORD, WHO WAS LIFE, BECAME LIFE IN CHRIST! THANKS BE TO GOD!
Collect
Eternal God, you made your uncreated and creative Word to become one of us in order to bring us life and light. Prepare us to receive him anew: that, by the power of the Incarnation in Christ Jesus, we may be refashioned as new creatures in his likeness and your image. In his ageless name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Everliving and everloving God, we admit with dismay our penchant for reversing your miracle of incarnation, by remaking the Word, whom you made flesh in Christ Jesus, into some pure divinity who is only vaguely human rather than truly one of us. Forgive us, we pray, and help us to see and feel in him an actual person and true brother, in whom your divine and gracious presence nevertheless dwells, bringing us your life and light. In his sacred and saving name we pray. Amen
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 98)
Leader:
Let all the earth make a joyful noise to God!
People:
LET ALL ITS PEOPLE SING SONGS OF JOY!
Leader:
For our God has not forgotten us!
People:
OUR GOD HAS DONE A MARVELOUS THING!
Collect
God of majesty, you have always brought good tidings of redemption to people in every sort of captivity. Let your message of hope resound among us and within us: that, in the birth of the Christ, we may see the first light of the dawning of your blessed Reign and hear the marvelous news that will free us indeed. In his holy name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
God of mercy, it is shameful how easily we accommodate ourselves to our captivity to the world and to the powers and principalities that govern it, and how consistently we forfeit the vision of your promised Reign, which alone can free us. Forgive us, O God, and let the coming of the Christ-child deepen our discontent with the world as it is, and heighten our hope for the world as it can be now that your divine grace and saving presence have come. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen
Christmas, Third Proper
(Christmas Eve/Day)
Second Lesson: Hebrews 1:1-12
Theme:
A comprehensive, cosmic Christ
Exegetical note: The author here begins his tight argument for the superiority of Christianity over Judaism by forging a Christology that has both Jewish Wisdom and Hellenistic elements. Though lacking any reference to Incarnation, the author speaks of the Christ in a protological ("through whom he created the world") and an eschatological ("the heir of all things") light, but depicts his real significance as being in the present, as the (1) reflection of God's nature and glory, (2) providential upholder of the cosmos, and (3) purifier of sins.
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 98)
Leader:
Let the sea roar, and everything in it!
People:
LET THE WORLD SHOUT, AND ALL ITS PEOPLE!
Leader:
Let the rivers and hills clap and sing!
People:
FOR GOD COMES! HALLELUJAH!
Collect
Majestic and glorious God, you have sent us a child to be the Christ. Let the good news of his holy coming ring again in our hearts: that, despite the image of his humble birth, we may yet see his cosmic meaning as your creative, sustaining, and purifying agent of grace for this, our troubled world. In his magnificent name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Mighty and generous God, we humbly confess our limited imaginations when it comes to your workings, and especially with respect to your actions in Christ Jesus, whom we tend to view through our narrow vision and in light of our restricted desires. Forgive us, O God, and let the words of your holy Word remind us of the true magnitude of this Holy One, not only for us, our world, and our age, but for the infinities of time and space. In the name of the One who was, is, and is to be we pray. Amen
Christmas, Third Proper
(Christmas, Eve/Day)
Gospel:
John 1:1-14
Theme: The creativity of the Christ
Exegetical note: In this quintessential protological (literally!) passage, the Christ is portrayed as the Incarnation ("enfleshment") of the Word (Logos) that, like the Jewish concept of Wisdom, was active in creation. But unlike Wisdom, which had been seen as the first creature, the Logos is here depicted as the uncreated, creative dynamic that was with God from the very beginning, and, presumably, active in history forever.
Call to Worship
Leader:
In the beginning was the Word!
People:
THE WORD WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD!
Leader:
All things were made through the Word: for in the Word was life!
People:
AND THAT WORD, WHO WAS LIFE, BECAME LIFE IN CHRIST! THANKS BE TO GOD!
Collect
Eternal God, you made your uncreated and creative Word to become one of us in order to bring us life and light. Prepare us to receive him anew: that, by the power of the Incarnation in Christ Jesus, we may be refashioned as new creatures in his likeness and your image. In his ageless name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Everliving and everloving God, we admit with dismay our penchant for reversing your miracle of incarnation, by remaking the Word, whom you made flesh in Christ Jesus, into some pure divinity who is only vaguely human rather than truly one of us. Forgive us, we pray, and help us to see and feel in him an actual person and true brother, in whom your divine and gracious presence nevertheless dwells, bringing us your life and light. In his sacred and saving name we pray. Amen
