Blessed are you, holy and living One.
You come to your people and set them free. Amen.
Let us pray together.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lighting of the Advent Wreath
Fourth Candle — Candle of Love
Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Last Sunday, we lit the Candle of Joy. We light it and the Candles of Hope and Peace again as we remember that Jesus, born in Bethlehem, will come again to fulfill all of God's promises and bring us everlasting peace and joy.
Light the Candles of Hope, Peace, and Joy here if you have an Advent Wreath. If not, any candles will do.
Today, we light the Fourth Candle of Advent, the Candle of Love. In their old age, God gave to Zechariah and Elisabeth a son called John. John spoke to the people bravely in the desert denying his own comforts and prepared to die for what he believed. John taught that we should share what we have with others, treat each other kindly and show Gods love. He did this because he cared for people and wanted them to repent and find God's forgiveness.
Light the Fourth Candle, the Candle of Love here.
Love is like a candle shining in a dark place. As we look at the light of this candle we celebrate the love we have in Christ.
Let us pray:
Lord God, Your witness John the Baptist grew up strong in spirit and prepared people for the coming of the Lord. He loved your people and baptized them in the River Jordan to wash away their sins. Help us to have the same love that we would be witnesses to him and spread the good news of your love. As Christmas draws closer day by day, help us to be ready to welcome him. Amen.
The Collect of the Day
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
When the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent." Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you."
But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?" Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.
Canticle 15 —The Song of Mary
Luke 1:46-55 Magnificat
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Epistle Romans 16:25-27
Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith-- to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
The Gospel Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
The Sermon Fr. Nelson Gaetz
Here we are at the fourth Sunday of Advent already. Christmas is just 5 days away.
And now we finally find Mary. I’ll have a lot more to say about her in a Christmas sermon but for today I would like to focus on her in one very special way: She is part of a stunning tradition of women. A long list of women that God called to mighty acts:
• God used Miriam’s bravery as she kept an eye on her brother Moses, floating in a basket. She would go on to lead her people in praising God after they were brought out of Egypt.
• God raised up Deborah to free her people from the Canaanite king, Sisera.
• Esther discovered that she had been placed in King Xerxes’ palace in order to rescue her people from death.
• The prophetess Anna saw the infant Jesus in the Temple and praised God, speaking of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
• An unnamed woman at a well in Samaria heard Jesus speaking and became an evangelist, bringing her village to faith.
• The wealthy businesswoman Lydia heard the Good News from Paul and became the first of her people to follow Jesus, using her means to support the new faith taking root in the Roman Empire.
Mary’s call came through the appearance of the Angel Gabriel. Even in Biblical times, hearing God speak audibly or having an angel appear with a message from God was a rare event. Mary’s response is part of a pattern woven into Scripture. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, and others heard God’s call and responded with those words in addition to all those women. Then we come to Mary in our Gospel reading for today. Gabriel lays out the plan for Mary, explaining how she is to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary’s response is the time-tested response of those who answered God’s call before her: “Here am I.”
The people of faith whose stories we named share the common attribute of making themselves available to God. God calls and they reply, “Here am I,” before they even know what God really has in mind for them.
In this, Mary is part of an ongoing pattern – and there is more. It seems God’s plan always involves using ordinary people to bring about extraordinary things.
Okay, I know that Mary’s call was extraordinary but, in their own way, all those other calls were too. God calls and uses ordinary and flawed people like me and ordinary and flawed people like you, fitting the pattern we see working its way through human history. Every Christian shares a common call to use the gifts God has given us toward the reconciliation of all the world.
But how might we hear God’s call? What is it like to discern how the Holy Spirit might use you? How do you know when it is the Holy Spirit who is guiding you? After all, we know that God can use your own interests and desires to call you, but your own interest and desire alone are not God’s call.
So, know that a call happens in community. If you are being led toward something, test whether or not it is God calling you – with prayer, by surrounding yourself with godly people who are also praying for your discernment. Then ask God to make a way or close the way. This is not about ordained ministry, certainly not that alone. God may call you to something – a vocation, whether as a teacher or physician or real estate agent, or as a foster parent or scout leader, or even just to reach out to one person on a given day. In fact, the Holy Spirit can use you anywhere to touch the lives of those around you.
It takes lots of spiritual discernment to determine when it is God and when it is just our own desires at play. When the Holy Spirit is really working to get your attention, God will use others to affirm what one is hearing. It is important when discerning God’s will to surround yourself with godly people and to ask them to pray as well.
But what if you have never experienced God calling you to do anything – ever? Fear not. Every Christian has been there. The appropriate response is still, “Here am I.” Offer your life to God and let the Holy Spirit guide you. While none of us will experience a call as world-changing as the one Gabriel announced to Mary, the effect of each follower of Jesus listening and discerning how God will use them is what the Holy Spirit uses to reconcile all creation to God. Amen.
THE NICENE CREED
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Brief silence
O Most High, You have favored us in the incarnation of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of Mary. In everything, let it be to us according to Your Word. Give us faith to believe that nothing is impossible with You, and so to pray boldly in childlike confidence. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Most High, You have revealed in Christ Jesus the mystery kept secret for long ages, now made known to all nations through the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures. According to Your eternal command, give us faithful preachers of Your Gospel to bring about the obedience of faith. Bless Michael and DeDe, our bishops, and Nelson, our Rector, and all the clergy. Strengthen Your Church in every place. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Most High, hear our prayers on behalf of our nation, its president, all legislators and judges, and those newly elected to serve. Preserve their lives and guide their actions for the good of our people. Give peace among the nations of the earth, and preserve us from pestilence and famine, war and bloodshed, sedition, rebellion and every evil. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Most High, look with compassion on the lonely, the depressed and the despairing. Grant healing to the sick, and give peace to the anxious and dying. Comfort all who mourn with the certain hope of the resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Most High, we give You thanks for Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Key of David and the scepter of the house of Israel. By His death, He has opened the kingdom of heaven for all who trust in Him. By His resurrection, He has rescued the prisoners who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. Grant that, as we recall with thanksgiving His advent in the flesh, we may always confess Him and remain watchful for His advent in glory at the Last Day; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Confession of Sin
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in life. Amen.
So now we pray with confidence to the Father the words our Lord Jesus taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by the Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Closing Blessing
May God almighty bless and keep us, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
We go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Amen.
church announcements:
REMINDER: If you haven’t mailed in your pledge card for 2021, we ask that you please do so, preferably before the end of the year if possible. One may pledge at any time, in any amount and pledges may be modified at any time. Thank you!
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE: An online Christmas Eve Service is being produced and either the video or a link to it will be available on our website and on Facebook. Please look for it on Christmas Eve!