Our futile present vs. God's future presence
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series II
Exegetical note: In its original setting, this famous prophecy was directed at a reluctant recipient, King Ahaz of Judah, and promised him, despite the seeming futility of his present political situation, a sign of eventual success over his enemies in the person of one to be born to a girl (almah) and to be named, symbolically, "God with us." The passage reflects the Old Testament pattern of promising future divine presence and providence to the hard-pressed, and to that extent points to Jesus as a medium of God's saving activity.
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 24)
Leader:
The earth is God's in all its fullness!
People:
THE WORLD AND ALL ITS INHABITANTS BELONG TO GOD!
Leader:
For God founded it upon the seas!
People:
GOD ESTABLISHED IT UPON THE FLOODS!
Collect
God of holy power, you have always set the prospects of your marvelous future presence before those whose present seemed futile. Persuade us with your promises to expect great things: that, seeing beyond our own limited possibilities and powers, we may look in hope to a time when you will bring redemption and peace once and for all to this troubled world. Amen
Prayer of Confession
God of heavenly presence, it shames us to admit how difficult we find it to look beyond the defects of the present age and to generate hope even in your power to redeem and restore. Forgive us our skepticism and cynicism, and move us with the image of Jesus, who came, comes, and will certainly come again as Immanuel, "God with us," bringing the unity, wholeness love, and peace that only you and your grace can give. In his holy name we pray. Amen
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Second Lesson: Romans 1:1-7
Theme:
Holy power in a humble person
Exegetical note: In the longest of all of his epistolary salutations, Paul here provides the Roman Christians, whom he had not yet visited, with a concise compendium of his Christology. Its heart is the parallel construction in vv. 3 and 4, which sets Jesus' fleshly descendency from David over against his spiritual "designation" as Son of God "by his resurrection from the dead." The wording of the latter component of this parallel is especially ambiguous, and at least hints of "adoptionist" sentiments. But the real point withal seems to be the contrast between the power of the resurrected Christ and the humility of his earthly life.
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 24)
Leader:
Lift up your heads, O gates!
People:
BE LIFTED UP EVERLASTING DOORS!
Leader:
That the God of glory may enter!
People:
THAT THE GOD OF HOSTS MAY BE PRAISED!
Collect
Wondrous God, you stunned the world by hiding your majesty in a person lowly born and modestly reared. Attune us to your surprising ways of salvation: that, impressed with the image of one manger-born, we may seek you in the least and lowliest, the meekest and the mildest, the most humble and human. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Wonder-working God, we confess that we tend to reverse the miracle of the Incarnation in our own lives: instead of reflecting Jesus' humility in his earthly life, and hoping for a measure of his resurrection power, we seek worldly power, prestige, and possessions in this life, and virtually ignore the promises of life eternal offered to us by your grace. Forgive us, we pray, and transform us into the image of the Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Gospel:
Matthew 1:18-25
Theme:
God's disruptive agenda
Exegetical note: Matthew's purpose in this well-known passage is theological rather than genealogical, not to prove Jesus' divinity, however, but only his fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14. To what extent the tradition about this miraculous conception was influenced, or even generated by the Greek Septuagint's rendering of the Hebrew almah as parthenos is unclear. But the real focus of this account is Joseph and his willingness to set aside his deeply-ingrained moral standards and best-laid plans in order to cooperate in God's extraordinary (and disruptive!) agenda.
Call to Worship
Leader:
Rejoice, Christians, for the Christ is at hand!
People:
LET US TURN OUR EYES TO GOD'S FUTURE, WHICH STRETCHES BEFORE US!
Leader:
Let us worship the God whose grace violates our standards!
People:
LET US WORSHIP THE GOD WHOSE LOVE DISRUPTS OUR PLANS!
Collect
Creative God, throughout history you have taken people unawares and unsettled them with your extraordinary acts. Open us to your unpredictable workings: that, when confronted with divine activity, we shall be more ready and willing to set aside our petty plans and priorities for your grand and gracious goals. In the name of the Virgin-born we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Caring God, we confess how often we let our values and standards, plans and objectives rule our lives, and our reluctance to let them be interrupted, even by your gracious interventions. Forgive us, we pray, and make us more alert and receptive to the many times you attempt to intrude into our pedestrian lives with redemptive events. Mindful of One of exceptional birth we pray. Amen
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 24)
Leader:
The earth is God's in all its fullness!
People:
THE WORLD AND ALL ITS INHABITANTS BELONG TO GOD!
Leader:
For God founded it upon the seas!
People:
GOD ESTABLISHED IT UPON THE FLOODS!
Collect
God of holy power, you have always set the prospects of your marvelous future presence before those whose present seemed futile. Persuade us with your promises to expect great things: that, seeing beyond our own limited possibilities and powers, we may look in hope to a time when you will bring redemption and peace once and for all to this troubled world. Amen
Prayer of Confession
God of heavenly presence, it shames us to admit how difficult we find it to look beyond the defects of the present age and to generate hope even in your power to redeem and restore. Forgive us our skepticism and cynicism, and move us with the image of Jesus, who came, comes, and will certainly come again as Immanuel, "God with us," bringing the unity, wholeness love, and peace that only you and your grace can give. In his holy name we pray. Amen
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Second Lesson: Romans 1:1-7
Theme:
Holy power in a humble person
Exegetical note: In the longest of all of his epistolary salutations, Paul here provides the Roman Christians, whom he had not yet visited, with a concise compendium of his Christology. Its heart is the parallel construction in vv. 3 and 4, which sets Jesus' fleshly descendency from David over against his spiritual "designation" as Son of God "by his resurrection from the dead." The wording of the latter component of this parallel is especially ambiguous, and at least hints of "adoptionist" sentiments. But the real point withal seems to be the contrast between the power of the resurrected Christ and the humility of his earthly life.
Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 24)
Leader:
Lift up your heads, O gates!
People:
BE LIFTED UP EVERLASTING DOORS!
Leader:
That the God of glory may enter!
People:
THAT THE GOD OF HOSTS MAY BE PRAISED!
Collect
Wondrous God, you stunned the world by hiding your majesty in a person lowly born and modestly reared. Attune us to your surprising ways of salvation: that, impressed with the image of one manger-born, we may seek you in the least and lowliest, the meekest and the mildest, the most humble and human. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Wonder-working God, we confess that we tend to reverse the miracle of the Incarnation in our own lives: instead of reflecting Jesus' humility in his earthly life, and hoping for a measure of his resurrection power, we seek worldly power, prestige, and possessions in this life, and virtually ignore the promises of life eternal offered to us by your grace. Forgive us, we pray, and transform us into the image of the Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Gospel:
Matthew 1:18-25
Theme:
God's disruptive agenda
Exegetical note: Matthew's purpose in this well-known passage is theological rather than genealogical, not to prove Jesus' divinity, however, but only his fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14. To what extent the tradition about this miraculous conception was influenced, or even generated by the Greek Septuagint's rendering of the Hebrew almah as parthenos is unclear. But the real focus of this account is Joseph and his willingness to set aside his deeply-ingrained moral standards and best-laid plans in order to cooperate in God's extraordinary (and disruptive!) agenda.
Call to Worship
Leader:
Rejoice, Christians, for the Christ is at hand!
People:
LET US TURN OUR EYES TO GOD'S FUTURE, WHICH STRETCHES BEFORE US!
Leader:
Let us worship the God whose grace violates our standards!
People:
LET US WORSHIP THE GOD WHOSE LOVE DISRUPTS OUR PLANS!
Collect
Creative God, throughout history you have taken people unawares and unsettled them with your extraordinary acts. Open us to your unpredictable workings: that, when confronted with divine activity, we shall be more ready and willing to set aside our petty plans and priorities for your grand and gracious goals. In the name of the Virgin-born we pray. Amen
Prayer of Confession
Caring God, we confess how often we let our values and standards, plans and objectives rule our lives, and our reluctance to let them be interrupted, even by your gracious interventions. Forgive us, we pray, and make us more alert and receptive to the many times you attempt to intrude into our pedestrian lives with redemptive events. Mindful of One of exceptional birth we pray. Amen
