Cycle B Advent 2

12/7/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Ready Sunday

Sermon Title: Ready for God’s Victory?

Previously:

Sunday Title: Beginning Sunday

Sermon Title: When does this start?

Sunday Title: Peace Sunday

Sermon Title: “Words of Encouragement?”

Sunday Title: Peace Sunday

Sermon Title: "Where Does True Peace Come From?"

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 40:1-11 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.

2 Peter 3:8-15a But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient on your account not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

Mark 1:1-8 I have baptized you in water; but he will baptize you with in the Holy Spirit.

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  Let us approach the Lord in repentance,

seeking the forgiveness of our sins. (pause)

  O God,

C: we rely on our history and tradition

  to secure relationship with you.

We take lightly this act of confession,

  as if the depth of your mercy

    excludes the need for self-examination.

Our lists do not include you.

  We are too hurried

    and do not make a straight paths in our hearts,

      and we ignore your messenger.

We are not preparing ourselves to come into your presence.

Save us Lord from the sins we know.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God is sending one who will baptize us with the Holy Spirit. It is God’s own Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Because of Christ, our sins are forgiven. But our baptism may count for even more than the forgiveness of sins. We may receive the power of the Holy Spirit and become the messengers crying out in our wilderness the hope of our coming Lord. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw