First Week of Advent
December 2, 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 – John 1:1-14 (NLT)
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
Prayer
L: Anticipation grows within us.
P: The day of Your incarnation is near.
L: There is no wound in the world that will not be healed.
P: The day of Your incarnation is near.
L: There is no darkness nor shadow that will be untouched by light.
P: The day of Your incarnation is near.
L: There is no evil on earth that will not be uncovered; no authority that will not kneel.
P: The day of Your incarnation is near.
L: In this first week of Advent, we sing with the prophets.
P: That One will come who will right the world.
L: In this first week of Advent, we shout with the children.
P: Hosanna, the Lord delivers us from fear.
L: In this first week of Advent, we pray with believers around the world.
P: Come Lord Jesus, come.
Silence
Second Reading – Isaiah 2:1-5 (NLT)
This is a vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house
will be the highest of all—
the most important place on earth.
It will be raised above the other hills,
and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of Jacob’s God.
There he will teach us his ways,
and we will walk in his paths.”
For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion;
his word will go out from Jerusalem.
The Lord will mediate between nations
and will settle international disputes.
They will hammer their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will no longer fight against nation,
nor train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord!
Lighting of the Advent Wreath
As the candle is lit, we proclaim together:
Our hope is in Jesus, the Light of the world. In his promises we are secure.
Closing Prayer
Faithful God,
out of war’s chaos,
you bring the order of peace. Renew us in hope,
that we may work toward Christ’s advent of peace
among all nations.
God of promise, God of hope, into our darkness come.
Come, let us walk
in the light of the LORD!