First Sunday of Advent - Year A
From the archives of November 27, 2022 (and December 1, 2019, November 16, 2016, and December 1, 2013, below)
Worship Resources for November 27, 2023—First Sunday of Advent
Revised Common Lectionary: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
Narrative Lectionary: Faith as a Way of Life, Habakkuk 1:1-7; 2:1-4; 3: (3b-6), 17-19 (Matthew 26:36-38)
Happy New Year, Church! The first Sunday of Advent begins a new year in the Revised Common Lectionary, and we are beginning year A.
Isaiah 2:1-5 contains a vision shared with Micah 2:1-4. Both prophets witnessed terrible violence and the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel, but they had hope that the southern kingdom of Judah might learn and change their ways. The two prophets shared a hope that the people would turn back to God and gather in Jerusalem at the temple, a hope the people would turn away from violence and war and instead turn to God, and other nations would follow suit, with lessons learned going forth from Jerusalem: peace in God’s name.
Psalm 122 is a prayer for Jerusalem, the holy city, calling the people into worship and into God’s ways of peace. Both the temple for God and the throne of David were established in Jerusalem, and the psalmist calls the people into worship, into a litany of praying for peace for the city and its people. For the sake of God, the psalmist prays that those who gather in worship seek the goodness and well-being of the city.
For Advent, the Epistle readings follow Romans (except for the third Sunday when the reading is from James). In Romans 13:11-14, Paul writes near the end of his letter that this is the time to wake up. This is the time to pay attention to how we live and act in this world. Paul is hoping that Christ’s return is eminent, but even if it is not, this is always the time to live into the light, to live as if everything about us is exposed, and we have nothing to hide. Instead of acting in the way of this world and trying to mask who we are, Paul calls the believers to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, to let Christ be the face the world sees.
Jesus calls the disciples to keep awake in part of his final discourse in Matthew 24:36-44. Jesus shares the story of Noah as a warning, that people didn’t heed the signs of the flood and simply focused on living their own lives. For those who do not pay attention to what is going on and focus on only themselves, they can neither perceive where God is at work nor how evil is at work in the world around us. Jesus then tells of the coming of the Son of Man, where some are taken and some left—not a “rapture” as mythologized among some, but rather a metaphor to be ready, for Christ is at work in our world and lives and will be in a new, unexpected way. Like an owner of a house who would be prepared for anything if he was expecting a thief, so we must, as faithful followers of Jesus, be ready for Christ.
The Narrative Lectionary focuses on Faith as a Way of Life in Habakkuk. Part of Habakkuk was the reading for the Revised Common Lectionary’s second selection of Hebrew scriptures on October 2nd, and the first selection on October 30th. Habbkuk prophesied right before the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem. Habakkuk argues with God in 1:1-4, because all the prophet experienced was violence. He couldn’t see any hope from God to deliver him or the people from evil. Justice was not possible because the law couldn’t be upheld. However, in 2:1, the prophet remained faithful to God, keeping their position at the fortress, watching and waiting for God to respond in 2:2-4. God told the prophet to write a vision, so simple that a runner could read it, because there was still a vision for their time. Whether it was a vision of hope, or a vision of doom, is unknown, but God would answer if the people waited for it. For the righteous live by their faith and are justified, unlike the proud who live for themselves. In chapter 3, Habakkuk lifts up a prayer, and the language shifts to an ancient poetic understanding of God strolling along the earth, making it quake and tremble, with the power of destruction at God’s hands. The prophet concludes that even though there are no signs of goodness on the earth, they still rejoice in God, for God is their strength and salvation, in whom they have their whole hope.
The supplementary verses are Matthew 26:36-38, when Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane and asks the disciples to stay with him and stay awake while he prays, grieved and agitated.
Keep awake! This is the call of the prophets and of Jesus. Pay attention to what is happening in the world! Too many people want to bury their head in the sand. The world’s problems are too big. There’s too much evil in the world, too many things we can’t fix on our own. Far too often we’ve passed the buck on caring for creation to the next generation. It’s too difficult for us to change our ways so we hope the next generation will. Perhaps the next generation will hold the largest pollutants accountable because we haven’t. Someone else will figure out the debt crisis and healthcare and so many other things. Someone else will get our government to move past the stalemates and help the most vulnerable among us. Wake up! Jesus is calling out to us. Jesus is also calling to those of us who sit comfortably in our faith and believe we will have all the answers in eternity and we don’t need to do anything on this earth, in this life. Wake up! This very night your life might be demanded of you, as Jesus told in a parable in Luke 12:20. Wake up and keep awake, for Christ is at work in our world and in our lives, and we may be too stuck on ourselves to perceive it.
Call to Worship
Wake up! The time for dreaming is over,
It is time to live into our dreams and hopes.
Keep awake! Look for the signs,
Christ is already at work in our lives.
Be alert! Take notice where God is present,
For the Holy Spirit is stirring in our world!
Surprise! The time is now,
This is Advent, the Arrival, the Coming Into View,
For God is here, making all things new!
Prayer of Brokenness/Confession
God of Wonder, God of Light, we confess that we enter this season caught up in the busy-ness. One holiday ends and we have to prepare for the next. We get caught in the rush of wanting to preserve tradition, create new memories, and do all the things. Sometimes we’re also caught in waves of grief—what we have lost the past two years and who we have lost. Help us to be gentle with ourselves, Loving One. May we be tender with our hearts and allow us space to not do it all perfectly. Remind us to slow down and to experience the wonder and joy of the stories we tell this season, including the story of Your incarnation, the Word made Flesh. May we feel the magic of this time in a new way, to be transformed to love one another more deeply and to truly live into Your peace on earth, no matter how much or how little we find to celebrate. May we be wakened to what You are doing in our world and in our lives, so we might love one another as You loved us, enough to live as one of us. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Blessing/Assurance
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. From the beginning we were never alone. From the beginning there was always life and light. From the beginning God speaks, and God creates, and God lives. God is always making everything new, including ourselves. You are loved by God. Go and share this love with one another, and the knowledge that God continues to move, mold, and shape us into who we are as God’s children: into new creations in Christ. Amen.
Prayer
“Stay here, and keep watch with me.” O Lord, You asked Your disciples long ago to remain awake and they could not. We know that we have been caught in the ways of this world and not simply in worldly measures of success, but the desire to make a better future for our children, to make things easier for our loved ones. Sometimes we sacrifice our ideals for a better world for others to focus on the here and now. Sometimes that is all we can do for the time being. Help us, O God, to wake up, and recognize where You are calling us in this world. Help us to wake up and be alert, when the world drags us down. Help us not to daydream for a better world but to build it, to live into it, for the sake of the most vulnerable among us. We pray all things in Christ, who calls us to wake up. Amen.
Worship Resources for December 1st, 2019—First Sunday of Advent
Revised Common Lectionary: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
Narrative Lectionary: Promise of the Messiah, Jeremiah 33:14-18 (Mark 8:27-29)
The season of Advent begins with a word of hope from the prophet Isaiah. In this section, commonly called First Isaiah by scholars, the prophet speaks hope to a people who have gone astray and have abandoned God’s ways. Though the exile is imminent, one day, people from all nations will come to Jerusalem seeking the wisdom of God. A time of peace will come, when God judges and arbitrates between the people, and they choose to turn their weapons of destruction into farming tools, and war will cease.
The psalmist calls upon the congregation to pray for the city of Jerusalem in Psalm 122. The city houses the temple, the home of God among the people as well as the throne of David. All tribes go to Jerusalem to worship, and the psalmist calls them to pray for the peace and prosperity of the city.
Paul tells the church in Rome to be ready, that dawn is approaching. Paul believed that the return of Christ might come in his lifetime and warns them to change their ways and be ready. They need to be witnesses of Christ in their lives, and to not give in to the ways of the world around them. They must outwardly express their faith in Christ through their actions by “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ” instead of the actions of quarreling, jealously, and disorderly conduct.
Jesus speaks of the coming of the Son of Man at an unexpected hour in Matthew 24:36-44. No one knows when the day will come, but when Christ comes again, it will be unexpected, as he came to us before. Be ready, Jesus warns his disciples, for the people of Noah’s day weren’t, and the flood came unexpectedly to a people who were focused on living their own lives and not living into God’s ways. Keep awake, as if you expected a thief to come in the middle of the night. Be ready. Christ will come again, into our world and lives in an unexpected way.
The Narrative Lectionary focuses on the promise of the one coming in the line of David in Jeremiah 33:14-18. The prophet speaks a word of hope to a people going into exile that God will fulfill the promise and raise up a king in the line of David, one who will save Judah and rescue the city of Jerusalem. The priesthood will be restored, and the line of David will be established forever.
Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” in Mark 8:27-29. They respond that some think he’s John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets. But when Jesus asks them that same question, Peter answers, “You are the Messiah.”
Thinking of the liturgical calendar like a spiral that overlaps itself, Advent is the time of year when we look to the end to find our beginning again. We read passages referring the Day of the Lord, the day of judgment, the second coming of Christ. We read passages from the prophets about the coming of a new king—which they hoped for in their time while they faced utter destruction. In those passages, we find hope for our own time. We are preparing for Christmas and the coming of the Christ-child, but in reality, we are reminding ourselves to be awake, to be ready, for Christ will return to our world and lives in an unexpected way. We are waiting for the fulfillment of the kingdom of Christ, by preparing again for Christ to come.
Call to Worship
Awake, for a new day is dawning;
Hope sparks and catches flame.
Arise, for the time is approaching;
Peace seizes the hearts of the people.
Announce to the world that the Lord is coming;
Joy fills the air, moves us into the dance of the Spirit.
The Advent of our God is here!
God’s Love is coming into our world and lives in a new way.
Prayer of Brokenness/Confession
Hope of the World, You rise like a shoot from a stump. You are the Resurrection and the Life, springing forth from what was dead and forgotten. You are making all things new. May Your new life spring inside us when we are numb from the world’s despair. May Your new life shine a path for us when we cannot perceive taking the next step. May Your hope spark in us like a match struck that cannot be put out, and may we shine bright, for the world desperately needs it. We pray in the name of Christ, who is coming. Amen.
Blessing/Assurance
When we cannot hope, others hope for us. We find our hope in the courage and compassion of those around us. God created us to be together, for it is by loving one another that we know God’s love. When you feel hopeless, know that others are praying for you and with you. Draw near to one another, and you will draw near to God. Know that God loves you, even when it’s hard to find hope. Encourage one another, pray with one another, and know that you are not alone. The Hope of the World is with you. Amen.
Prayer
Light of the World, shine through the cracks in our brokenness. Light of the World, shine a way forward when we cannot discern where to go. Light of the World, guide us with Your wisdom, may Your words be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Light of the World, shine in us, so we might become living hope for others who cannot find the light. Light of the World, burn bright, for much of the universe is in darkness. Sun of Righteousness, rise with healing in your wings, and bring Your light to the world. Amen.
Worship Resources for November 27, 2016—First Sunday of Advent
Revised Common Lectionary: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
Narrative Lectionary: Daniel’s hope in God, Daniel 6:6-27 (Luke 23:1-5)
Advent! The season of active watching and waiting for the coming of God to enter our world and our lives in a new way! My personal favorite season, today marks the new year of the church!
The prophet Isaiah speaks of the hope of a future reign, in which authority comes from the temple, the home of God, rather than the home of the earthly king, and God will be the one who judges over all. When that time comes, peace will come, for there will be no reason to war any longer, for God will reign above and over all.
Psalm 122 is a call to prayer and blessing, giving thanks for the city of Jerusalem, the center of worship and authority. This is where the authority rests, not only upon the throne of David, but upon the throne of God. The psalmist calls for prayers for peace for this city, and in the prayers for peace, the psalmist calls to make peace with one’s relatives and friends, and with all.
Paul says, “Now is the time to wake up,” in Romans 13:11-14. Now is the time to be actively watching and waiting, putting on the armor of light, being ready for God’s return into our world and lives in a new way. Instead of the ways of this world, put on Christ and live as Christ has called us to live, so that we are ready.
In Jesus’ final days before his death, he instructed the disciples at the temple, after some of the disciples had marveled at the large stones and beautiful buildings. Jesus remarks that these things are temporary, and he is asked what the signs will be of his coming and the end of the age. Jesus remarks that no one knows, and that it will happen unexpectedly, and so they are to keep awake. They are to be alert, actively watching and waiting, for Christ will come at an unexpected hour, like a thief in the night.
*Daniel survives the lion’s den in the Narrative Lectionary selection of Daniel 6:6-27. The leaders did not like Daniel and how close he was to King Darius of Persia, so they set out to trap him by getting the king to issue an edict that anyone who worshiped any deity or person that was not the king would be thrown into the lion’s den. Of course, Daniel is thrown in, because he is faithful, but he is not harmed, because he is faithful. Daniel declares to Darius that angels shut the mouths of the lions and protected him because he stayed faithful to God. Darius is so angry about what happened that he has those leaders who were trying to get Daniel killed thrown in the lion’s den instead.
The end times! Times of war and destruction and rapture! But don’t believe all the hype. Don’t believe everything you read and see, for much of it is entertaining fiction and nothing more. Don’t be lured into a false sense that everything must be coming to an end. Because we are called to actively watch and wait, we are called to live into God’s ways of love, justice, and peace, and we know that there is no chronological time set on these things to happen. Rather, we must help bring the reign of God to be on earth, and be ready at all times, for God will be made known to our world and in our hearts in a new way at an unexpected time.
Call to Worship
The busy-ness of the season is upon us: shopping and decorating and wrapping;
The Son of Man, the Child of Humanity, is coming at an unexpected hour!
The world tells us we need to buy more, to give more, to get more;
Emmanuel, God With Us, is coming at an unexpected hour!
Society tells us that those who have more will get more, that those who have little will have nothing;
The babe will be born in the manger, and will enter our world at an unexpected hour!
Come away from the ways of the world, and prepare the way of the Lord!
Come, for God is ready to do a new thing.
Come, for Christ is entering our world and our lives in a new way!
Prayer of Brokenness/Confession
We confess that we have worshiped the false idols of the world: wealth, worldly success, fame, power over others. We confess that we have desired these things more than You, O God who came to us as a little helpless, homeless child, born in a stable. We confess that we try to justify our ways over Your ways. Forgive us, O God, for seeking the temples and sanctuaries of this world that will crumble and disappear. Forgive us, O God, for seeking the things that will trap us and ensnare us. Lead us into Your way of love, a love that frees us from the temporary restraints of the world, and leads to eternal life, justice, and peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Blessing/Assurance
Arise, shine, your light is coming! Arise, shine, the light of the world is in you! Arise, shine, be the light of change you wish to see in the world. Arise, shine, knowing that God has forgiven you, loves you, and restores you. Arise, shine, and share the Light of the World. Amen.
Prayer
In this season of darkness, God who created Light, may we sit in the darkness. May we sit in solidarity with those for whom there is little hope, joy, peace, or love. May we sit in the darkness as we remember those who are in prison. May we sit in the darkness as we think of those who have no homes. May we sit in the darkness as we sit with those who have experienced hate because of the color of their skin, because of the language they speak, the way they worship, or the clothing they wear. May we sit in the darkness, as You, once long ago, cried out in the darkness of the night of Your birth. May we cry out, and may we remember that this is a season of waiting. Hope, joy, peace, and love will come, but they are not here yet. We must actively watch and wait. May we do so, knowing that You are also waiting with us in the darkness, waiting for Your light to shine through us and in our world in a new way. Amen.
Worship Resources for December 1, 2013—First Sunday of Advent
Revised Common Lectionary: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Matthew 24:36-44; Romans 13:11-14
The prophet Isaiah gives a glimpse of hope in a time to come for a people who are suffering and will continue to suffer. Israel in the north has fallen and Judah will suffer the same fate a hundred years after Isaiah prophesies. But these words of hope for peace are repeated by the prophet Micah (4:1-3). God will send a new word from Jerusalem, a new instruction for people. God will judge from Zion, and the judgment will cause people to beat their swords into plowshares. There is hope for peace in the future, though now the people only know war and destruction.
Psalm 122 sings of peace for Jerusalem, praying for peace in this city that has known siege after siege. Indeed, Jerusalem has been an occupied city since the book of Joshua. One group after another after another has come in and the city has not known peace. We pray this prayer along with our ancestors and our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters. We pray for a day when this city will know peace, and our hope is that we all will learn the ways of peace.
Matthew 24:36-44 is Jesus warning to keep watch, that the “Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour” (vs. 44). Jesus compares the Second Coming to the time of Noah, and uses language of being taken away. While some have used this to elude to an idea of rapture, we remember that with Noah, God was doing something new—there was a new creation. In Advent, we prepare for Christmas, the celebration of Jesus’ birth, as a way of remembering to prepare for Christ to enter our world and our lives in a new way—a way in which we will see things in a new way, suddenly. So stay alert and keep watch for the new ways God is working in our world.
Romans 13:11-14 also reminds us that God is about to do something new. Paul, among other early Christians, hoped that Jesus would return in his lifetime. Paul is concerned with how we live our lives right now, so that we are ready for what Jesus will do with our lives. We are called to wear the “armor of light” (vs. 12). Paul calls us to put away the ways of darkness, which look to selfish ambition, fleeting pleasures, and giving in to envy and greed, and “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” and live for Christ and others.
Call to Worship
Advent is upon us, a season of wondering, watching, and waiting
Come into our world, Lord Jesus
We look for signs of God’s presence around us, waiting for God to come in new ways
Come into our lives, Lord Jesus
We wait with hope, peace, joy, and love
Come into our hearts, Lord Jesus
Come! Let us worship God who is breaking into our world, our lives and our hearts in new ways!
Come unto us, Lord Jesus, and do something new in us. Amen.
Prayer of Brokenness/Confession
Holy God, we are an impatient people. We want what we want when we want it. At times we want things so much we put aside the needs of others, and we cause harm to our neighbors. Help us to slow down and live in Your pace, where we have the wisdom to remember the needs of others above our own desires. Guide us away from the temptations of the world to consume to extremes, and call us back to Your commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to seek their well-being. In the name of Christ, who is coming into our lives and into our world in a new way, we pray. Amen.
Blessing/Assurance of Pardon (Romans 13:10)
“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.” When we love one another with the love of Christ, we seek forgiveness when we have gone wrong and know that we are forgiven. God loves you, forgives you, and seeks your restoration and wholeness. Know this, and live.
Prayer
Great Creator, in this season of Advent we are preparing for You to enter our world and do something new. You are coming into our lives in a new way now. Help us to be open to You: from the scriptures of old, and to new understandings. Help us to be waiting for You: from the traditions of old, and to new ways of remembering and celebrating. Help us to be ready for You: by loving our neighbors as ourselves, and turning back to Your ways of love, peace and justice. In the name of Your Son Jesus, who is coming again, we pray. Amen.