December 8, 2024 – Second Sunday of Advent

Lectionary Readings

Malachi 3:1–4
The Lord is like a refining fire; God’s messenger will prepare the way.

Luke 1:68–79
Zechariah’s song: Blessed is the Lord God, who has come to save us.

Philippians 1:3–11
The work that God has begun will be completed at Christ’s coming.

Luke 3:1–6
In the wilderness John cries out: Prepare the way of the Lord.

— Gathering —

Opening Sentences

A voice cries out; a prophet speaks:
In the wilderness, prepare the way.
The valleys are filled; the mountains are made low.
In the wilderness, prepare the way.
The winding roads are made level,
the rough ways made smooth.
In the wilderness, prepare the way.
God’s salvation has come
and even now it is on its way.
Blessed is the Lord God,
who has come to save us! Hallelujah!

Prayer of the Day

God of the wilderness,
you have always sent your prophets
to lead us to repentance,
to make a way for your salvation to arrive.
Help us this day to receive your presence,
removing every hindrance and obstacle
to your Spirit’s work.
Make your salvation known
from every segment of our lives
to every corner of this earth. Amen.

Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song

Thanksgiving For Baptism

At the baptismal font:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Incarnate One,
who claims us as your own
and comes into our lives yet again,
we give you thanks.
Through the waters of baptism
your Spirit prepares the way within us,
reshaping our lives.
Make us ready for the day
when you will scatter those
who take pride in their power,
and bring down from their thrones
those who rule with oppression and injustice,
when you raise up the lowly
and send away empty-handed
those with more than enough.
Open our eyes to see
the joy you are bringing,
that we may sing your praise. Amen.

Confession and Pardon

At the baptismal font:
In Jesus Christ
God seeks to smooth those places made rough by sin.
With humility and hope
let us make our confession.

Cleansing God,
we hear the call to repentance,
but we struggle to respond.
A voice tells us to turn around,
but we prefer our own ways.
You seek to purify us in love,
but we constantly elude your searching hand.
Our sin leads us in other directions,
away from you, away from life.
Look with mercy upon us.
Clear a place within us
so that something new might be born,
something that might return us
to the way you have shown us in Jesus Christ.

Lifting water from the font:
By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
This is good news!
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!

— Word —

Prayer for Illumination

At the lectern or pulpit:
God of hope,
who never lets us go,
draw near to us
in these ancient words.
By your Holy Spirit
may we be filled,
lifted up,
and leveled
as you prepare in our hearts
the path of your coming. Amen.

Scripture

Before the readings:
As God has spoken through the prophets,
God speaks now to us. 
Hear the word of the Lord. 
Luke 1:70

After the readings:
This is the promise of God 
to our ancestors and to us. 
Thanks be to God.
Luke 1:72

Sermon

Ascription of Praise

After the sermon:
Blessed be the Lord. Amen.
Luke 1:68

Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song

Affirmation of Faith

Out of Israel, God in due time raised up Jesus.
His faith and obedience were the response
of the perfect child of God.
He was the fulfillment
of God’s promise to Israel,
the beginning of the new creation,
and the pioneer of the new humanity.
He gave history its meaning and direction
and called the church to be his servant
for the reconciliation of the world.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.19