Lectionary - Advent 2 Year C

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Malachi 3:1-4 I am sending my messenger to prepare the way.
Luke 1:68-79 [for the psalm] The song of Zechariah, father of John the Baptist.
Philippians 1:3-11 Good work completed by the day of Jesus Christ.
Luke 3:1-6 The voice of one crying in the wilderness.

Suggested Hymns (From Denis Towner. TIS = Together in Song; AHB = Australian Hymn Book; SA = Sing Alleluia)
 
Hymns for Advent 2, Yr.C
lesson hymn TIS AHB SA
E All praise to our redeeming Lord 442 367
O Angels from the realms of glory 309 235
G Christ when for us you were baptized 250 20
G Come thou long-expected Jesus 272 200
E Father we give you thanks, who planted 495 416
O God has spoken by his prophets 158 92
O God himself is present 121 47
s Hail to the Lord's anointed 275 203
G Hark a herald voice is calling 264 192
O How firm a foundation you people of God 578 491
Ca I want to walk as a child of the light 643
G In Christ there is no east or west 459 391
G Let all mortal flesh keep silence 497 418
s Long ago, prophets knew 283 61
O Love divine all loves excelling 217 148
G Make me a channel of your peace 607 66
O/Ca O bless the God of Israel 284
G O come O come, Emmanuel 265 193
G O let the Son of God enfold you 655
G O Spirit of the living God 405 318
G On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry 270 199
O/G Prepare the royal highway 346
E Robe yourself my soul, in gladness 503 [424]
G The people that in darkness walked 274 202
O The voice of God goes out to all the world 282 86
O There's a light upon the mountains 276 207
s You servants of God your Master proclaim 215 144

Other Possible Hymns
(Numbers refer to The Australian Hymn Book and Sing Alleluia.)
SA 76 Sent forth by God's blessing
47 (TIS 121) God himself is present
208 Lord Christ, when first you came to men
212 (TIS 279) The king of glory comes
228 (TIS 304) O come all you faithful
229 (TIS 305) Let earth and heaven combine
339 (TIS 431) Thanks to God whose Word was spoken
446 (TIS 523) Here Lord we take the broken bread
528 (TIS 604) Make me a captive, Lord

Sermon summary (click here for complete sermon)

Preparing the way - repentance

We look forward to the coming of the Lord. John the Baptist, came with warnings and a call to repentance, like the old prophets seeing God as one who sifts and refines: Malachi 3:3 That also became Christian experience: Compare with 1 Peter 1:7 - your faith--being more precious than gold ... is tested by fire.

Compare with human love and security. If you are confident of the love of God, you can repent and start again. The child who has confidence in the love of parents, can confess; or the husband or wife whose marriage has laid a good foundation. Your can always make a new start. The Christian gospel is very different at this point from secular self seeking, self fulfilment in autonomy.

Turning away from the old, is a cleansing and renewal, a radical change

Ephesians 4:22-24 - to be renewed in the spirit of your minds. It is God himself who renews: Zechariah 13:9; Isaiah 44:22 - I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like mist; Jeremiah 31:33.

The possibility of forgiveness

John the Baptist, the last and greatest of the prophets, added something new - forgiveness; and The preaching of Jesus resembles that of John the Baptist, but with greater hope, the Kingdom of God being at hand. Repentance means becoming another person. Matthew 18:3; Luke 5:32 I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.

The time has come for what the prophets expected to be fulfilled. Resurrection is a possibility. So the apostolic preaching: linking repentance and forgiveness: Acts 3:19; Acts 5:31; and the beginning of a new life: Acts 2:38; Acts 20:21; 2 Corinthians 5:17 - if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! Jesus came, announcing the good news. Mark 1:14-15.
 

Order of Service - Advent 2 Year C | DB Home | RCL Resources Index |

The Gathering of the People of God

CALL TO WORSHIP
Grace to you and peace. 1 Thessalonians 1:1b
Let us worship God.
In the name of Christ. Amen
I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me,
and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.
Malachi 3:1

HYMN 47 God himself is present

LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE: Second Sunday
[A family group or individual comes to the table and one reads:]
On this second Sunday in Advent we remember John the Baptist who came to announce the coming of the light of the orld.
[Two coloured candles are lit (including the one lit last week), and reading continues.]
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. John 1:6-9

PRAYER OF ADORATION
CONFESSION [In three parts, concluding ...] Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
-- 1 Timothy 1:15
Hear then Christ's word of grace to us: Your sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.

DOXOLOGY: Gloria in Excelsis [Sing Alleluia 100b]

Service of the Word

INTRODUCTION OF THEME: The promise of light and mercy
FIRST READING Malachi 3:1-4 I am sending my messenger to prepare the way.
FOR THE PSALM The song of Zechariah [Luke 1:68-79]
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us
that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.
By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.

ANTHEM The Secret

EPISTLE Philippians 1:3-11 Good work completed by the day of Jesus Christ
GOSPEL Luke 3:1-6 The voice of one crying in the wilderness.
HYMN 199 On Jordan's bank

SERMON
CREED

OFFERING
SHARING TIME [Notices, Celebrations and requests for intercessions]
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE COLLECT FOR THE DAY
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who fives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

The Lord's Supper

THE PEACE
HYMN 446 Here Lord we take the broken bread
GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Thanks and praise ..... in the eternal hymn: [SA 100c and 100d]

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We thank you ....

[The great prayer of thanksgiving continues, recalling God's goodness in caring for his people, the life and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ, how he commanded his disciples to remember him with the bread and the wine, and we pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit on us and what we do.]

THE LORD'S PRAYER [Front of hymn book]
BREAKING THE BREAD Choir: We break this bread
THE LAMB OF GOD [Sing Alleluia 100e]
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us. Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us. Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace. Grant us peace.

COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

The Sending Forth of the People of God

HYMN Make me a channel of your peace TIS 607 SA 66 or The Lord's Messiah comes
WORD OF MISSION
BLESSING
DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.

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