The Service in PDF format is at: December 3, 2020 Service
Video of service is at: Facebook Video
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
December 6, 2020
THEME: Welcome to our Advent worship series, “Stop, Look, and Listen!” Today we are reminded of the first person who encouraged other people to look at Jesus, John the Baptist. John the Baptist once said when pointing to Jesus, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” Looking to Jesus makes all the difference in the world. We see His perfection. We see His love. We see that He is for us.
RINGING OF THE BELL
OPENING SONG “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice” LBW 55
INVOCATION AND CALL TO WORSHIP
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: Amen.
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
L: On the four Sundays in Advent, we light a new candle each week. We mark the four candles with these four words: hope, peace, joy, and love. Jesus Christ is the hope of all nations.
C: We wait for the Lord, and in His Word do we hope.
L: Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace,
C: We wait for the Lord, and His Word do we rest.
The first and second candles are lit during the Advent Song.
WE CONFESS OUR SIN…
L: Holy Lord, merciful God, You sent John the Baptist to be a burning and shining light.
C: Forgive us, Father,
L: For too often, we fail to reflect Your burning light.
C: Our hearts become hard and our words harsh.
L: Forgive us, Father,
C: For too often we fail to embrace Your shining light.
L: Then our thoughts become selfish and our judgments sinful.
C: Forgive us, Father,
L: For too often, we fail to shine with Your marvelous light.
C: Our minds become darkened and our motives deceitful. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Silence for reflection
…HEARING GOD’S FORGIVENESS
L: Though God sees all of our sin, He also sees Jesus, who was born for us, suffered for us, died for us and lives for us. In Christ’s name we are forgiven and cleansed in His blood.
C: Amen.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS
The First Lesson: Isaiah 40:1-11
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
The Gospel Lesson: John 1:19-34
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight[h] the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son[i] of God.”
L: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
L: Almighty God, we give thanks this day for calling us and the whole world to repentance and faith by Your prophets, by Your servant John the Baptist, and by Your own Son. Grant that we all who hear His voice remain faithful in the fellowship of Your Holy Church. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Continue to give Your blessing, power, and grace to Your Church, especially all pastors and servants You have called and given to guard, feed, and teach Your flock. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Give stability to our country, supplying all who make, administer, and judge our laws with wisdom and goodwill toward all people. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: By Your Word and Spirit comfort all who are in sorrow, need, sickness, or adversity, (especially…….). Support all who suffer persecution of faith. Have mercy on those to whom death draws near. Give Your tender care to all. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Your Son, Jesus, our Lord.
C: Amen.
CLOSING SONG: “Angels We Have Heard on High” LBW 71
P: Go in peace! Serve the Lord!
C: Thanks be to God!