Cycle B Advent 4

12/21/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Ready Sunday

Sermon Title: Ready for the Word?

Previously:  

Sunday Title: Full Sunday

Sermon Title: Mary was the first one to carry the Gospel?

Sunday Title: Love Sunday 

Sermon Title: “Kingship”

Scripture Cuttings:

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle.

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”

-or-

Luke 1:47-55 “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Romans 16:25-27 but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—

Luke 1:26-38 “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

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 with respect,

pondering anew what the Almighty will do. (pause)

  Most High God,

C:  our plans are not yours,

  our ways are not yours.

Yet you would choose to use us

  and we would take your choice as our license

    and choose to use you.

You reveal your glory,

  and we hide it away.

You plant your word within us,

  we pick and choose our words,

    building our fiefdom

      instead of proclaiming your Gospel.

Forgive us Lord the sins we name,

Save us Lord from the sins we evade.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  The Most high God is sending a son: Jesus, his reign is without end. It is for the sake of Jesus the Christ that our sins are forgiven. God’s faithfulness is revealed to bring our obedience in faith, that we to might say:

C : “Here am I, the servant of the Lord;

let it be with me according to your word.”

P: To the glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!

Cycle B Advent 3

12/14/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Ready Sunday

Sermon Title: Who are you?

Previously:

Sunday Title: Identity Sunday

Sermon Title: Who are you?

Sunday Title: Peace Sunday

Sermon Title: “Words of Encouragement?”

Sunday Title: Peace Sunday

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

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.

Psalm 126 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

John 1:6-8, 19-28 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.

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:  God who calls us is faithful to us,

Let us be faithful in our confession. (pause- what is faithful?)

  O God,

C: so little of our lives are devoted to you

We only turn to our relationship with you,

  when we need something special.

We count on your everlasting covenant

  but our prayers end quickly

    and our thanks are only for exceptionally good things;

      all for our own interests, so they do not to display your glory.

You even give to us the light of the world,

  but we turn off our relationship

    and hold fast to evil

      and abstain from what is good.

Save us Lord from the sins we know.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

  (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  Light is coming into the world , witnesses testify to the light that we may become believers through him. Our God sends to us Jesus Christ so our relationship with God may be restored. For Christ’s sake our sins are forgiven. Christ is that light, revealing the glory of the Lord. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!