Second
Week of
Advent
CELEBRATE: CHRIST HAS COME!
Opening Candle Meditation
LEADER: If you, O Lord, should count our sins, Who of us, O Lord, could stand?
But with You there is forgiveness, that all might look to you.
I will wait for the Lord. PEOPLE: My soul waits, and in His word do I hope.
My soul waits for the Lord:
More than watchmen for the morning,
More than watchmen for the morning.
[ Spoken while lighting each appropriate candle ]
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.
[ Spoken after the candle is lit ]
Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God. Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
Liturgy of the already
LEADER: She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).
PEOPLE: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
Hymn
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
Hark, the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies,
With angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark, the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King.”
Christ by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see; Hail, the incarnate Deity;
Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark, the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King.”
Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace, Hail the Son of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give us second birth.
Hark, the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King.”
Come, Desire of Nations, come, Fix in us thy humble Home;
Rise, the Woman’s conq’ring seed, Bruise in us the Serpent’s Head;
Adam’s Likeness now efface, Stamp thine Image in its Place;
Second Adam from above, Re-instate us in thy Love.
Hark, the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King.”
WAIT: CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN!
A LITURGY OF THE NOT YET
LEADER: He who is seated on the throne says: “Behold, I am making all things new.”
PEOPLE: I believe, Lord help my unbelief.
Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them and they will be his people.
He will wipe every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more.
Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Hear our cry, O Lord, from the realm of the former things.
Hear our cry: How long?
Do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord
one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
We watch and wait with eager longing.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, he is patient toward us.
We watch and wait with eager longing.
The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing
with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
We watch and wait with eager longing.
My Father’s house has many rooms, I go to prepare a place for you.
According to his promise we are waiting for new heavens
and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.
Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await our Savior.
There is opportunity to turn back.
But we desire a better country, a heavenly one. We are seeking a homeland.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called your God,
for he has prepared for you a city.
We watch and wait with eager longing.
He who is seated on the throne says: “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Amen. Come Lord Jesus!
Hold Fast
What hope does everlasting life hold for us?
It reminds us that this present fallen world is not all there is; soon we will live with and enjoy God forever in the new city, in the new heaven and the new earth, where we will be fully and forever freed from all sin and will inhabit renewed, resurrection bodies in a renewed, restored creation. (New City Catechism Q52)
Reading & Prayer
Personal Bible Reading. This week’s sermon text: Revelation 21:1-27
Pray on behalf of family and friends, the church local and global.
Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and the comfort of your holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)
Closing Candle Meditation
LEADER: God of the watching ones, the waiting ones, the slow and suffering ones:
PEOPLE: Give us your benediction, your good word for our souls,
that we might rise and rest in the kindness of your company.
They will need no light of lamp or sun
For the Lord will be their light.
[ Spoken while extinguishing each appropriate candle ]
There is opportunity to return,
But we are seeking a homeland.
[ Spoken after all the candles are extinguished ]
He who testifies to these things says: “Surely I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.
Amen.