Fourth Week of Advent
December 23, 2020

Call to Worship

L: We come from a world of darkness

P: Into Christ’s world of light.

L: We come from a world of weariness

P: Into God’s strength and hope.

L: We come from a slumbering world.

P: Strengthened by the Spirit, we come to awaken our souls and watch for the coming of Christ.

  

First Reading – Luke 1:46-55 (NLT)

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.

    How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,

    and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

For the Mighty One is holy,

    and he has done great things for me.

He shows mercy from generation to generation

    to all who fear him.

His mighty arm has done tremendous things!

    He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.

He has brought down princes from their thrones

    and exalted the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

    and sent the rich away with empty hands.

He has helped his servant Israel

    and remembered to be merciful.

For he made this promise to our ancestors,

    to Abraham and his children forever.”

 

Prayer

L: Anticipation grows within us.
P: The day of Your incarnation is very near.
L: There is no power nor ruler who does not owe their allegiance to You.

P: The day of Your incarnation is very near.
L: There is no universe that is without purpose, no world that cannot name its True Leader.
P: The day of Your incarnation is very near.
L: Every man, woman and child is made to dance within Your Law of Love.

P: The day of Your incarnation is very near.
L: In this fourth week of Advent, we sing with the prophets.
P: That One will come who trump the powers of every age – and show us the way to be truly human.
L: In this fourth week of Advent, we shout with the children.
P: King of the Universe, dwell in our midst and teach us the ways of Your Everlasting Kingdom.
L: In this fourth week of Advent, we pray with believers around the world.

P: Ruler of Heaven and Earth, sovereignly act to restore loving leadership among those who bear Your image.
ALL: King of the Ages, we are broken in our understanding of loving leadership, and have lost the capacity to understand the ways of a benevolent Sovereign. Show us Your face, teach us your ways, elevate the law of Love among us, and help us to receive Your Guidance on our ashamed planet.

 

Silence

Second Reading – Luke 1:68-79 (NLT)

“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.

He has sent us a mighty Savior
    from the royal line of his servant David,

just as he promised
    through his holy prophets long ago.

Now we will be saved from our enemies
    and from all who hate us.

He has been merciful to our ancestors
    by remembering his sacred covenant—

the covenant he swore with an oath
    to our ancestor Abraham.

We have been rescued from our enemies
    so we can serve God without fear,

in holiness and righteousness
    for as long as we live.

“And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.

You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.

Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

 

Lighting of the Advent Wreath

As the candle is lit, we proclaim together:

Let your love fall on us, Jesus, that we might be a light to the world.

 

Closing Prayer

God of hope,
Prince of peace,
Jubilee Judge,
and Lord of love,
your goodness is beyond our wildest imaginings.
You give us more than we can think to ask,
coming to us with impossible possibility
in the union of flesh and spirit.
Teach us to love this world and all people
as you love us in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
God of promise, God of hope,
into our darkness come.