First Sunday of Advent

Malachi 1:1-14

Psalm 18

Luke 1:1-25

Hebrews 1:13-2:4

CALL TO WORSHIP                                   

Call upon the LORD who is worthy to be praised!

For God is our stronghoId, our shield, the horn of our salvation!

            The LORD hears the cries of his people.

            From his temple, God hears our cries of distress.

The LORD has bowed the heavens and come down!

He has reached down from on high and drawn us out of mighty waters.

            Lead us out, O God, into a broad place.

            For you have delivered a humble people.

It is you, O LORD, who light this lamp!

The LORD our God lights up our darkness!

            For this we extol you, O LORD, among the nations!

            We shall forever sing praises to your holy name!

                       

OPENING PRAYER

Lord GOD of hosts, your name is great among the nations. From the rising of the sun to its setting, let your name be exalted, and let pure and worthy offerings be made to you. For you are the beloved of Jacob, great beyond the borders of Israel, and honor and respect are due you. Therefore, let our worship of your name be pure and pleasing to you. Look with favor upon us, take away our disgrace, let us hear and believe your holy Word, neither let us fall silent concerning your Son, but give us courage to tell the good news at home and abroad, that your people everywhere will return to you.

CALL TO CONFESSION 

Every transgression and every disobedience have received a just penalty! But how shall we escape if we neglect to own up to our need for God's justice, if we fail to grasp the enormity of God’s grace in providing it, or fail to consider what it cost the Son of God, who died to save us? Therefore, let us consider our sin and confess our need for this great salvation!

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O LORD our God, we confess that we have been slow to believe your promises, and quick to drift away from you. We have paid far too little attention to your word, to your testimony, to your miraculous signs and wonders, and far too much attention to selfish concerns. We have held back from you our very best, even though you gladly and graciously sent us your beloved and only begotten Son. Forgive us, O God, for our sinful thoughtlessness! Let us never again neglect so great a salvation as you have provided for us in Jesus Christ!

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

The LORD shows himself loyal to those who show themselves loyal, but with the crooked he shows himself perverse. The way of God is perfect. The promise of the LORD proves true. He is a rock for all who take refuge in him. You who have confessed and cried out to the LORD, know that you are delivered and forgiven, and be at peace.


FEATURES OF NOTE:
On this very First Sunday of Advent, you will soon notice a peculiar feature of Year D. Some of the selections are quite long, and therefore you need to plan ahead if you wish to shorten the readings. 


Psalm 18, for example, is a rich and wonderful psalm with many unique spiritual and historical insights, but it is also much longer than the usual Psalm selection for a Sunday service. It falls to you to either make room for such a long psalm and cue the congregation that it will be a lengthy, or to make a shorter selection of key verses that you wish to accentuate. In this instance, Year D "narrows" the selection, but does not make the final cut for you. You must do this yourself. 


The Assurance above, for instance, makes use of the provocative, but intriguing language of Psalm 18:25-26, which contains (I suspect) an important perspective on the human experience of evil and a clue to the mysterious and troublesome doctrine of theodicy. These words will no doubt strike some as controversial, but to others, they issue a summons to self-examination and personal responsibility. The one undeniable thing is this: there they are ... in Scripture! 


May the Spirit inspire your study and planning!


TMS