Call
to worship
Shout
with joy to the Lord
His
faithfulness endures forever
Sing
with joy to the Lord
We
celebrate His promise to set captives free
The
Lord our God is faithful
Let us
be joyful and give thanks always.
Hymn-
TIS 210 “O for a thousand tongues to sing” The triumphs of his grace are life
and health and peace: you would wonder why we hang back and refuse to grasp the
promise of such a life. We really are pretty thick sometimes, thinking we have
a better way.
Prayers
of Praise and Thanksgiving. Jan thanked the God of Wisdom for the relief being able to
celebrate the reality of his being. A being far beyond us in majesty and whose
love surpasses anything that exists. You would wonder at the time and
resources we give to other things that look real when we know this.
Prayer
of Confession/Words of Assurance Jan confessed for all of us, the times that we fail
our Lord and God and the times we fail our own expectations. She thanked God
for his unchanging nature and that Jesus came to show us another way. She
confessed how we hesitate to act and even though we hear the message of hope
and healing: how we live with uncaring attitudes, basing our assessments of
others on materialistic values rather than seeing people as being made in God's
image. Jan asked for forgiveness, placing our hope in Jesus and message. She
asked for healing restoration and blessing. Then she told us to hear Christ's
word of Grace. "Our sins are forgiven". Confessing is easy
compared with accepting forgiveness but the process isn't complete until we do.
Lighting
the Advent candles- Candle of joy was lit by Max. At this time was born:
our Mighty Counsellor; our Everlasting Father; the Prince of Peace. Joy to the
world.
Sometimes when joy is offered to us, we would rather complain about
some insignificant negative than welcome the joy. We are really a weird mob.
Bible
words for today for children Oliver read Psalm 18 v.24: This is the day the Lord has made.
And every day and every thing!
Offering
Oliver
and Callie gathered the offering which were offered for God's work with thanks
and praise for all the good things we have received. We are so good at
thinking we have earned things or that something is just there and don't
recognize the wonderful gifts we have been given.
Hymn TIS 447 “Lord
your almighty word.” God's Word, God's Grace. With
them comes light but not if we don't
listen; not if we don't humbly bow to change; not if we don't open our
hearts and minds to anything God's work in our lives.
Bible
Readings-
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11. An uplifting
word of promise to all of us. In public we can always put in a good show and a
brave face but what are we in private (which is never private from God). Are we
broken-hearted and mourning because of unfulfilled promise or loss? Have we
given up on what we believed could have been? Good news is at hand. It's still
ours to believe and act on.
Luke 1:39-55 The words given to Mary
"Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed." Why?
Because he has filled the hungry with good things, things that satisfy like
nothing from this world can.
Sermon-
“Waiting with expectation
and Joy”
At the beginning of Jan's sermon a saying was posted in the screen:
"The worst part of life is waiting. The best part of life is having
someone worth waiting for" Think on that awhile.
Jan began by speaking about the gifts of creation we enjoy in
Australia and, as a result of overseas travel, how it is clear to her what
security and stability we enjoy here. This led to a reflection on how
comforting it would have been for the people of Judah to hear that God was going
to provide a way home for them from exile. The effect of the return was freedom
and the chance to worship as they had previously and rebuild their nation. So.
Rejoice! We, here, are reminded that God is faithful and will bring joy out of
pain and suffering and that he also brings unexpected blessings, as he did to
Mary and Elizabeth who shared their amazing news with each other.
The
stories of Mary and Elizabeth point us to the sorts of attitudes we should have
- trusting in God; rejoicing in his plan for us even if it looks as though the
way ahead will be difficult.
Jan
then challenged us: "What are the things that you are waiting for in life?
Are you waiting with joy and expectation for what God is doing in your life at
the present? Is the waiting hard, lonely, faithful or a struggle? It may be
risky or costly, but as we are[1] reminded both in Isaiah
and Luke, we keep faith and trust alive and growing." Amen. It is all very well when we see
God's plan unfold before us but when we don't know what is happening or if
anything is happening it can be very difficult.
Hymn-
TIS 268 “Joy
to the world, the Lord is come.”
"Let every heart prepare him room" or it's been for nothing.
Prayers
of Intercession-
Jan prayed to our loving God as we came with our hearts looking outward to
others in the community, that all will experience his healing touch and know
his presence and peace. For us, Jan prayed for individuals known to us, that
God will be near them, gathering them close, so that they will know his
presence. She prayed for those with mental health problems, that they will,
with patience, experience acceptance. She prayed for the lonely that they
should have a deep sense of God's presence and that the local community will be
open to the Good News and be given hope and purpose through God's message. Jan
prayed for the church at its various levels, for wisdom and faithfulness in its
decision making. She then turned her attention to places of war and strife and to
the refugees and asylum seekers who look for new homes as a result of the
conflict around the world, asking that world leaders will make wise decisions
and instigate prompt processes, respecting the basic human rights of these
people. We then joined in The Lord's Prayer.
Hymn TIS 272 "Come thou long expected Jesus" Our affirmation
that we receive the gifts that Jesus' birth brought to us and our confession
that without those gifts we are nought.
Blessing May the peace that passes all understanding keep your hearts
and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his son our Lord Jesus Christ
and the blessing of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you and amongst
you always. Amen
Blessing
Song TIS 778
“Shalom to you now, shalom my friends”
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