CALL TO WORSHIP:  Based on Psalm 24

LEFT: The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,

RIGHT: the world, and those who live in it;

            L: for the Lord has founded it on the seas,

R: and established it on the rivers.

            L: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

R: And who shall stand in the Lord’s holy place?

            L: Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,

R: who do not speak or act in false or deceitful ways .

            L: They will receive blessing from the Lord,

R: blessing from the God of their salvation…

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TIS 512/AHB 286: “Ye gates, lift up your heads on high”

TIS 279/AHB 212: “The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices”

TIS 267: “Lift up your heads, you mighty gates”

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OPENING PRAYER

We rejoice, O God, that the earth and all who live in it are yours. We who live in the world count this a privilege beyond all other. We therefore ponder the question - who can stand before you - for we know that we do not always have clean hands and pure hearts. Yet we also know that you have reached out to us in Jesus and have reconciled us to you and to one another in him. So we lift up our heads and praise you for coming into our hearts through the risen Christ and the power of your Spirit. May this time of worship here today leave no doubt that you are the King of glory not only in our hearts and lives but also in our witness to those around us in this part of the world in which we live. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen

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TIS 718: “Glory to the King of kings”

SCRIPTURE IN SONG 159: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts”

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EPISTLE:

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SUGGESTION FOR CHILDREN’S TALK

If there is someone in the congregation with a family tree get them to bring it to church and briefly talk about people in it and how exciting it is to research one’s family tree…

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TIS 465/AHB 399: “Father in heaven, grant to your children...” or

TIS 459 “In Christ there is no east or west”

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LITANY OF CONFESSION

We read in Ephesians that we were chosen by God before the foundation of the world
to be holy and blameless before God in love.

    Such a privilege...

Such a responsibility....

    God chose us...to be holy and blameless.

We do try, but being holy all the time is not easy.

    Forgive us Lord, when we fail….

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We also read that we were marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit which is the guarantee of our inheritance as God’s own people...

    Such a privilege...

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ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

Hear again the good news: Because of the riches of God’s grace: in Jesus we have received the forgiveness of our trespasses - all gifts of God’s generous and amazing grace. Based on Ephesians 1: 7

    Thanks be to God!

 

TIS 129/AHB 56 “Amazing grace”

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OLD TESTAMENT:

GOSPEL:

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SERMON

I’m sure that there are times when we cringe over the amount of mail that arrives either in our snail mailbox or email ‘box’ - much of which is about the latest outreach plan which will increase church numbers and budgets - usually dramatically, with new prophets willing to share their non-fail mission plan for the church, lots of programmes designed to build up, reach out, draw in...

 

So, it is very refreshing to find that Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, speaks of something which we have not done for ourselves, have not achieved by hard work, new programmes, earnest endeavour or burning the midnight oil.  He speaks of our salvation, our relationship to God… 

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When we look closely at this first chapter of Ephesians, there is very little of us in it.  The words are mostly about God.  Paul is singing about what God has done, how God has chosen, adopted, forgiven us.

 

That could be a problem for us because so very often, we're programmed - me to preach, you to listen - to hear from a passage of scripture a message about what we have to do, rather than listening to songs about what God has done.  A lot of church activity is mostly about us, and too little about God…. 

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Church, Sunday morning, is not just a time to gather with our moral notepads and to receive our ethical assignment for the week.  Do this.  Don't do that. This wonderfully exuberant passage which begins Paul's letter to the Ephesians, reminds us that church is a place of praise.  Paul ecstatically describes the riches of God's purpose and God's grace… 

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TIS 416 “Great God, your Spirit like the wind”

TIS 398/AHB 310 “Come down, O Love divine”

 

PASSING THE PEACE

 

SUGGESTIONS FOR PRAYERS FOR OTHERS

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THE LORD’S PRAYER

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OFFERING

OFFERTORY PRAYER

God of extravagant grace who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing - what can we offer in return ? Surely nothing less than a similar extravagance. Bless and accept these gifts and our lives as our response to your gracious acts towards us. May we reflect such graciousness in all our dealings with others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen

 

TIS 560/AHB 465 “All my hope on God is founded”

TIS 650: “Brother, sister, let me serve you”

TIS 648: “Help us accept each other”

 

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BENEDICTION

Go,

Blessed and enriched with God’s glorious and extravagant grace,

Blessed and accepted as members of God’s family through our Lord Jesus Christ

Blessed, sealed and protected with God’s Holy Spirit.

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CALL TO WORSHIP 

Are we ready – God is coming – are we ready?

 

Advent calls us to make ourselves ready for the birth of Jesus – Emmanuel – God-with-us.
        We wait - with the hope that our hearts are ready.
We wait - with anticipation.

         We wait - blessed by God’s mercy and love.

 

TIS 273 Verses 1 and 4: “Lo! He comes with clouds descending”
TIS 275/AHB 203: “Hail to the Lord’s anointed”

TIS 688: “Come to be our hope, O Jesus”

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LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE  (1)

This is the waiting time.

        What are we waiting for?

We wait for the birth of hope.

        What are we hoping for?

We hope that Jesus’ life and love will be born anew in us.

        We light the candle of hope.  The first candle is lit.

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE  (2)

Today is the first Sunday in Advent - the time when we prepare once again for the coming of Jesus.

       We light a candle to remind us that Jesus brings light into the dark places of the world.

Through the prophets, God promised a future shaped by justice and righteousness. Jeremiah gave the people of Israel hope that such a future would be revealed through the ‘righteous Branch’ which would spring from the house of David.

We share this hope as we wait for the fulfillment of God’s promise in the birth of Jesus, promised Saviour, Light of the world.

       We light the candle of hope. The first candle is lit.

TIS 286: “Light one candle for hope”  Verse 1

ALL TOGETHER OK 313: Christ be our light” - Verses 1 and 5.

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PRAYER OF PRAISE AND ADORATION

Awesome God, creator of all that is, we praise and adore you. Your greatness and glory is far beyond our imagination. Yet you chose to show us the human face of your love by entering this world as we do – as a baby – dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.  As we wait once more for this wondrous event - teach us your ways - O God and guide us in your paths. Amen

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INTRODUCTION TO PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God is coming – are we ready?  Not just for parties or planning special meals,  Christmas lights, decorations , buying gifts - but are our hearts ready – our lives ready to receive the most wonderful gift of all – Jesus Christ.  Watch, pray, be ready for this gift who came in the past, comes in the present, and will come in the future.  Are we ready?

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (1)
Jesus’ words that heaven and earth will pass away sound a warning to us when we allow worldly values to replace God’s values of justice, love and peace.

 

When we ignore or forget these values and our lives reflect indifference to the pain and lack of justice in people’s lives:

        Forgive us, O God….

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PRAYER OF CONFESSION (2) Based on Psalm 25:1-4

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

         I put my trust in you, O God, do not let me be put to shame;

do not let my enemies exult over me.

         Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;

let those be ashamed who neglect your faithfulness, and who act with evil intent.

         Teach me your ways, O God and guide me in your paths…

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May our lives be marked by faith active in love as we watch and wait for your breaking into our world once more. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

 

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WORDS OF ASSURANCE:  based on Psalm 25:7
For your goodness’ sake, O God,  do not remember our sins or our transgressions. According to your steadfast love, remember us. And God’s goodness is made eternally visible in the person of Jesus Christ who makes all things new. The good news therefore, is this: in and through Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven.

         Thanks be to God!

 

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PASSING THE PEACE:
The love and peace of the Lord be with you always

    And also with you

 

EPISTLE: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 GOSPEL: Luke 21:25-36

 

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SERMON - LUKE 21: 25-36

Four weeks to Christmas  is that good news or bad news?

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Today, the first Sunday in Advent is the time when we can begin with a complete sense of expectation to look forward to Christmas…

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Advent is a time when our days are shaped by this sense of looking forward in the knowledge that something good is going to happen.

But that first Christmas – did the shepherds wonder if it was good news or bad news being choired to them by the heavenly host?  The message was pretty clear to the angels singing their hearts out. From their point of view they were singing good news, which would bring great joy to all the people.  And from our vantage point in history we know that it is good news – “Joy to the World” we will be singing at Christmas and meaning it – ‘The Lord is come let earth receive her King’

So we come on this first Sunday in Advent – hoping for a preview of the Christmas joy – and what do we have? Someone described our gospel as a white hot searing blast enough to singe ones eyebrows!  So, what is the point of such a blast from the lips of Jesus?

It wasn’t unusual for Jesus to use such language. It was a familiar way of speaking and writing in Jewish culture at that period of time – called apocalyptic language.  Such language – sun and moon, roaring seas, the heavens shaken,  the Son of Man riding on a cloud is a poetic and therefore realistic way of saying, through the inadequate  medium of mere words that GOD is coming.

 

All of that is a bit frightening when all we want to do is just get on with our planning for a joyful Christmas with family and friends.  But we cannot get to Christmas without experiencing Advent – these four weeks prior to the birth of Christ. Perhaps we have sentimentalized Christmas so much that we have forgotten that this event is God breaking into our human history. 

 

Today’s Gospel poses the question – are we ready?...

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We happen to be in the fortunate position of knowing in advance what happens at Christmas and perhaps that is the greatest part of the problem – that the Christmas story has become all too familiar. It’s a story that decorates -and sells – Christmas cards  a story that we hear carolled in stores from mid November if not earlier -  one that can sadly get packed away with the ornaments of the Christmas tree once Christmas is over…. 
 

I am sure many of you from time to time have felt that the end of the world as you had always known it had come – perhaps bad news regarding your health or that of someone close to you, or when the death of someone close to you occurs.  The end of a world which has been a familiar and well known and comfortable place to be.

 

A friend, Peter, had the last 12 years of his life turned upside down with numerous operations for cancer followed by times of remission, but this didn’t hold him back from working long hours building up his marine engineering business and not taking much time for holidays or family activities - until the day his doctor told him the cancer had returned and that more treatments of chemotherapy was his only hope.

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When Peter came to terms with that news he decided that he and his body could not handle the dehumanising effects he had previously endured.  He said that outwardly, nothing had really changed, but the more the news sunk in, the more he began to realize that he was “seeing” things and people with a new intensity.  Many of the things he held as important no longer held the same significance and urgency, and Peter came to understand that the most important aspects of his life were his relationships with God, his family and his friends.

Peter took to examining his possessions – the things he had previously held most dear – the special tools he used in his engineering business, his computer – always the latest model, his beloved camera and all that went with it, his large collection of books, his little yacht.

He brought people to mind whom he believed would treasure his treasures, and he invited them to his sick bed and one by one, gave away all his treasures to them.  The most real and beautiful gift of all was the intentional way he went about sharing what he had with people while he could – he called them his ‘going away gifts’.  He shared not only these precious possessions, but also his Christian faith which he realised was the foundation of all he did.  The people who received his love and friendship in this way will never forget the way that Peter was prepared to die.

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Peter’s one regret, he said, was that he had not been prepared to live all of his life so intentionally.

 

Today’s gospel says: “Be on guard…be alert…the Day of the Lord is near”.

 

These words do not reflect a counsel of despair but rather they are a rallying cry for a change of heart and an outpouring of love.

 

Pray that it might be so for each and every one of us not only during these weeks of Advent but each and every day of our lives.

 

 

TIS 272/AHB 200: “Come, thou long-expected Jesus”

TIS 264/AHB 192: Hark! A herald voice is calling”

 

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PRAYERS FOR OTHERS

OFFERING

OFFERTORY PRAYER

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GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

The God of peace be with you.

       And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

       We lift them towards God.

Let us offer our thanks to God.

        It is right to give God our thanks and praise.

It is right that we give you our thanks and praise, O God, creator of all things, visible and invisible. You revealed your glory in the wonders of your creation and in the way you lovingly formed people - male and female - in your image and entrusted them with the ongoing task of revealing the signs of your glory and love in the world. When they failed and turned from your ways you did not abandon them but spoke to them through the prophets about the One to come, who would bring healing and peace, justice and righteousness to the people. The day surely came when those prophetic words came to pass - and you broke into our history in the person of Jesus Christ- fulfillment of all your promises.

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And so, with all the company of heaven and earth we praise your holy name saying:

        Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

        heaven and earth are full of your glory.

        Hosanna in the highest.

        Blessed is the One whose coming we await with joy.

        Hosanna in the highest.

 

Blessed are you O God, and forever blessed are the people of this world since you chose to make your extravagant love so visible in Jesus and through all he said and did. That love was especially visible on the night when he washed his disciples’ feet and sat down at a table to share the meal with them.

On that night - the night of his betrayal - he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for everyone. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

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Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us, O God, and upon these gifts of bread and wine, that they may be for us the life of Christ and that we may make that life visible through serving as he served, and loving as he loved. This we pray in his name. Amen

 

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THE LORD’S PRAYER

 

BREAD-BREAKING PRAYER

The bread we break and the cup we now take are a sharing in the life of Christ.

The gifts of God for the people of God.

 

LAMB OF GOD

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Gracious God, we give you thanks for satisfying our hungry hearts...

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TIS 531 : “Sent forth by God’s blessing…”

TIS 282: “The voice of God goes out to all the world” Tune Woodlands TIS 411

TIS 265/AHB 193: “O come, O come, Emmanuel”

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BENEDICTION:

Go into this week

upheld by the promises of God,

blessed by the holiness of Jesus,

made strong by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

TIS 779: “May the feet of God walk with you”

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