Worship Helps for Advent 3
Art: The Preaching of St. John the Baptist
Artist: Francesco Bacchiacca
Worship Theme: Most
people don’t want the Savior who promised to come. Do you?
The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete,
a Latin word that means “rejoice.” The rose candle is lit to emphasize this
theme of joy. It is a glimmer of gladness in an otherwise more solemn
season.
Prayer of the Day:
Hear our prayers, Lord Jesus Christ, and come with the
good news of your mighty deliverance.
Drive the darkness from our hearts and fill us with your light; for you
live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Old Testament: Malachi
4:1-6
Look! The day is coming, burning like a
blast furnace. All the arrogant and every
evildoer will be stubble. The day that is coming will set them on fire, says
the Lord of Armies, a day which
will not leave behind a root or branch for them. 2But for you who
fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise, and there will be healing in
its wings. You will go out and jump around like calves from the stall. 3You
will trample the wicked. They will surely be ashes under the soles of your feet
on the day when I take action, says the Lord
of Armies.
4Remember the law of my servant Moses,
which I dictated to him at Horeb to serve as statutes and judgments over
all Israel. 5Look! I am sending Elijah the prophet to you before the
great and fearful day of the Lord
comes! 6He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the
hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I would come and strike the
land with complete destruction.
1. Chapter 4 talks about the day of distinction. What
would happen to the wicked according to verse 1? What would happen to the
righteous according to verses 2 and 3?
2. Why is salvation pictured “like calves released from
the stall?”
3. Read Matthew 17:11-13 and Luke 1:17. Who is “Elijah”
(verse 5)?
Epistle: 1
Thessalonians 5:16-24
16Rejoice always. 17Pray
without ceasing. 18In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will
for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20Do
not treat prophecies with contempt. 21But test everything. Hold on
to the good. 22Keep away from every kind of
evil.
23May the God of peace himself
sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who
calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
4. What attitudes are to emerge from the Spirit-driven
change in us?
5. How in the world are we to keep our whole spirit, soul
and body blameless at the coming of the Lord Jesus?
Gospel: John 1:6-8,
19-28
6There was a man, sent from God, whose name
was John. 7He came as an eyewitness to testify about the light so
that everyone would believe through him. 8He was not the light, but
he came to testify about the light. 19This is the testimony John
gave when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are
you?”
20He confessed and did not deny. He
confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21And they asked him, “Who are you
then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he
answered. 22Then they asked him, “Who are you? Tell us so we can
give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23He said, “I am the voice of one
crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ just as
Isaiah the prophet said.” 24They had been sent from the Pharisees. 25So
they asked John, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, or
Elijah, or the Prophet?” 26“I baptize with water,” John answered.
“Among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the one coming after
me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” 28These things
happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
6. Who was the
focal point of John’s message?
7. What was John’s attitude toward Christ?
Answers:
1. The wicked would be destroyed. The righteous would be
filled with joy when they saw the “sun of righteousness” coming to them with
its forgiveness. And they would be able to crush the wicked.
2. Calves are kept in a pen for the first six months of
their lives. When they are finally let out onto the pasture, they leap and jump
because of their newly found freedom. Our first step into eternity will be
filled with that same joy!
3. Elijah is John the Baptist.
4. Joy, continual prayer life, unflappable thanks despite
obstacles, respect for God and his word all have a part in our Christian
living. In all things we are to stay away
from every brand of evil.
5. This is the working of the one who called us. Too often
we try to make these changes on our own and come up even more frustrated and
guilty. These are attitudes that emerge as a fruit of the Spirit as he works in
us. “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
6. Some
might have focused on John as their leader.
But John said he wasn’t the “light” but only the messenger to point out
the light. Jesus is the Light of the
world.
7. John didn’t want the spotlight on himself but on
Christ. His selfless humility is heard
as he voiced that he wasn’t even worthy to do slave duty for Christ. Can we
have any less an understanding of our relationship to Christ?
Putting your faith
into action
We tell godly minds to consider the promises, and we teach
about free forgiveness of sins and about reconciliation, which happens through
faith in Christ. Afterward, we add also
the teaching of the Law. It is necessary
to distinguish these things aright. We
must see what Scripture says about the Law and about the promises. For it praises works in such a way that it
does not remove the free promise.
Good works are to be done because of God’s command and for
the exercise of faith—confessing the faith and giving thanks. Good works are done in the flesh, which is
not as yet entirely renewed. The flesh
hinders the Holy Spirit’s motives and adds some of its uncleanness to the
works. Yet, because of Christ, they are
holy, divine works, sacrifices, and acts belonging to the rule of Christ, who
in this way displays His kingdom before this world. For in these works He sanctifies hearts and
represses the devil. In order to retain
the Gospel among people, He openly sets the confession of saints against the
kingdom of the devil and, in our weakness, declares His power. Consider the dangers, labors, and sermons of
the apostle Paul, Augustine, and the rest who taught the churches. These deeds are holy works and true sacrifices
acceptable to God. They are Christ’s
battles through which He repressed the devil and drove him away from those who
believed. – Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article V, Love and Fulfilling
the Law (paragraphs 67-69)
Arise, O Christian people! Prepare yourselves today.
Prepare to greet the Savior, Who takes your sins away.
To us by grace alone The truth and light was given;
The promised Lord from heaven To all the world is shown.
Prepare the way before him; Prepare for him the best.
Cast out what would offend him, This great, this heav'nly
guest.
Make straight, make plain the way: The lowly valleys
raising,
The heights of pride abasing, His path all even lay.
The humble heart and lowly God raises up on high;
Beneath his feet in terror The haughty soul shall lie.
The heart sincere and right, That heeds God's invitation
And makes true preparation -- It is the Lord's delight.
Prepare my heart, Lord Jesus; Turn not from me aside,
And help me to receive you This blessed Adventtide.
From stall and manger low Come now to dwell within me;
I'll sing your praises gladly And forth your glory show.
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