Prelude

Welcome

Call to Worship & Greeting

The mouth of the Lord has spoken, Isaiah 40:1-5
“Comfort, comfort my people.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned.”

A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

The mouth of the Lord has spoken,
“And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together.”

God speaks: 2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.
Amen.

Song

In this age between Christ’s advents, we join the voice from Isaiah that cries, “Prepare the way of the Lord” (40:3). The text and music for this simple refrain are below. Kids, see if you can sing in a round with your parents! The refrain repeats for the first 1:20, after which the choir repeats the “Alleluia” for the final two minutes. This may be a good time to gather your Advent candles, and to light the first candle as you reflect on Christ’s presence with you and his coming again.  

Advent Candle Lighting

Song

Lament & Assurance

The Petition

We are waiting.
Isolated, alone, frustrated, cynical, despairing, tired.
We are waiting.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Prayer of Lament Psalm 85:4-7

Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
    and put away your indignation toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever?
    Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
    so that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.

The Assurance Psalm 85:8-9a, 12-13

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people,
    to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him.

The Lord will give what is good.
Righteousness will go before him,
    and will make a path for his steps.

The Peace

The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.

Song

We invite you to simply listen to this refrain from Psalm 116:1-2, reflect on the words, and sing along as you learn it.

I love the Lord; he heard my cry
and pitied every groan.
Long as I live and troubles rise,
I’ll hasten to his throne. 

Text: Isaac Watts (1674-1748), P.D.
Tune (I LOVE THE LORD; HE HEARD MY CRY): African American spiritual; harm. Richard Smallwood (b. 1948) © 1975 Century Oak Publishing Group / Richwood Music, admin. Conexion Media Group, Inc.; arr. Dave Maddux
Used by permission, CCLI# 220360

Affirmation of Faith

Our World Belongs to God, st. 10, 57

People of God,
what do you believe about the return of Jesus Christ?

On that day
we will see our Savior face to face,
sacrificed Lamb and triumphant King,
just and gracious.
He will set all things right,
judge evil, and condemn the wicked.
We face that day without fear,
for the Judge is our Savior,
whose shed blood declares us righteous.
We live confidently,
anticipating his coming,
offering him our daily lives—
our acts of kindness,
our loyalty, and our love—
knowing that he will weave
even our sins and sorrows
into his sovereign purpose.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Children’s Time: Advent Stories

Parents, if you would like, this is a good place to pull up the video linked here. Each week, Beth Cooke will tell an Advent Story in a creative way, and there will also be a link to a coloring page after the video.

Prayer of Illumination

The grass withers, the flower fades;
    but the word of our God will stand forever.
—Isaiah 40:8

Gracious Father,
like grass we wither and fade,
but your word remains forever.
Strengthen and confirm us by your word
as we await your arrival.
Amen.

Scripture Reading

Mark 1:1-8

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
    who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight,’”

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

2 Peter 3:8-15a

3 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Sermon

Song

Prayer of Spiritual Communion

As we await Christ’s return, he has given us his Table as a taste and anticipation of the heavenly feast we will one day enjoy in his presence. Away from gathered worship again, we find ourselves in a sort of “double advent,” awaiting Christ’s return and a return to our normal rhythms of worship. We miss being around the Table together. May this be a season that focuses our desire for deeper communion with Christ and with his people. In this in-between time, we invite you to pray for Christ’s fellowship and presence with you even now, by the Holy Spirit.

O Christ, we love you above all things,
and we desire, at all times and in all ways, to be fed by you.
And since we cannot now come to your Table,
we ask you to come by your Spirit into our hearts.
Unite us to you, together with all your faithful people,
and help us to embrace you with all our affections, body and soul.
Never permit us to be separated from you.
By your goodness we pray,
Amen.

Offering

In addition to our various funds (General, Building, Mission, Benevolence, Christian Education), online giving is also now available for today’s special offerings (Timothy Institute, World Renew, Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity) through the Give button below.

Song

God’s Parting Words

May the Lord make your love increase and
overflow for each other and for everyone else,
just as ours does for you.
May he strengthen your hearts
so that you will be blameless and holy
in the presence of our God and Father
when our Lord Jesus comes
with all his holy ones.

Our citizenship is in heaven.
And we eagerly await a Savior from there,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.
We are waiting and hastening.
—1 Thessalonians 3:11-13; Philippians 3:20-21; Revelation 22:20

Postlude