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Worship at Home 6th December 2020 – Advent 2Rachel MitchellBut do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.As He promised, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (from 2 Peter 3)We light our second Advent candle…STF 178: Long ago prophets knew ago, prophets knew, Christ would come, born a Jew. Come to make all things new;Bear his People's burden, freely love and pardon.Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!When he comes, when he comes,Who will make him welcome?God in time, God in man, this is God's timeless plan: He will come, as a man,Born himself of woman, God divinely human.Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring….We will make him welcome!Fred Pratt Green, ? 1971 Stainer & Bell LI number 23859/643667/643643 - Calamus 19446.Let us pray…Almighty and Eternal Lord,God of all that has been, is, and will be,we join together to bring you our praise. For you have prepared the way for us, that we may come to you and find our homes in your eternal kingdom of righteousness, loving kindness, peace and joy. Yet today we are also reminded that we too have work to do – that we are called to prepare the way for you – to make straight the paths that we walk in and open up the gates of our hearts. Lord God, in your love, come and work in us again, cleansing us, filling in the pot-holes in our lives and leveling the mountains that overshadow us. We invite you once more to come and cleanse from us all that saddens or has dishonoured you. Forgive too, our thoughts and words and deeds, done and left undone, that have diminished or hurt our neighbours. Call us back - to walk again in your paths of grace and righteousness, for we ask this in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.The Lord’s prayerRead: Isaiah 40 verses 1-11Isaiah speaks words of hope that God will bring comfort to, and restore his people…MP 249: How lovely on the mountains lovely on the mountains are the feet of himWho brings good news, good news,Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness,Our God reigns, our God reigns.Our God reigns…(x4)You watchmen lift your voices joyfully as one,Shout for your King, your King.See with your eyes God restoring Zion:Your God reigns, your God reigns!Our God reigns…(x4)Waste places of Jerusalem break forth with joy,We are redeemed, redeemed.The Lord has saved and comforted His people:Your God reigns, your God reigns! Our God reigns…(x4)Ends of the earth, see the salvation of your God,Jesus is Lord, is Lord. Before the nations He has bared His holy arm:Your God reigns, your God reigns!Our God reigns…(x4)Leonard E Smith Jr., ? 1974, 1978 New Jerusalem Music, Adm Read: Mark 1 verses 1-8Mark starts his gospel of good news with John the Baptist echoing the prophecy of Isaiah – words that speak of God’s promise, which is to be fulfilled in Jesus…Reflection on the readings If you were starting a book, I wonder how you would start it? As children I am sure many stories we hear started with “Once upon a time…” Today we start to look at the gospel of Mark and he starts his story by introducing the man sent to prepare the way for Jesus, his central character.Mark tells how John recalls the words of other prophets who spoke of Jesus and of him too... I will send a messenger, to prepare the way…John was one of a whole succession of messengers sent by God to speak his words. Some had challenging messages, and John’s were no exception, yet Mark focuses our attention on John’s purpose and how he begins this “Good News” story. By starting in this way, he encourages us to keep listening. After all, we all love a “good news” story, don’t we?In recent days we too have had some good news stories; of vaccines, lower Covid case numbers, and of singing outside at Christmas. Yet these things are all trivial compared with Mark and John’s good news. The news that God was finally coming to be with us, to comfort and to save us – just as he had promised.To us, who take travel by road for granted, the idea of preparing a road may seem odd, yet in ancient times, when a King wanted to go to a new place, it was usual for a team of servants to be sent ahead of his carriage to prepare the way – to fill in the potholes and remove any obstacles. Even to make a road that didn’t exist before. When people saw these road-makers they knew the king was really on his way.As we travel through advent, we too need to be reminded that the King is on his way. Not just as the baby Jesus who came at Christmas, but also as the all-conquering Jesus who will come again to rule over us all, with goodness, grace, justice and truth. This week we focus our thoughts on what we need to do to prepare the way, not for us to travel to God, but for him to travel to us. Maybe you noticed that Isaiah’s words talked not of the activity of men and women, but of the activity of God. John too, even in his activity of baptizing people, is readying hearts and minds to eventually receive the Holy Spirit – to allow God in. All he was doing was “his part” in making the road – he could do no more.I wonder what the road to your heart looks like?Have you noticed, over the past few years, there have been many complaints about the state of the roads? Large potholes that re-appear with depressing regularity. Until these holes are dealt with, the road may be not fit for purpose and needs to be travelled with care. What a relief when they are dealt with.I wonder if the roads to our hearts also have some potholes that need attending too? When there is a significant pothole in the road we have a helpline we can call and the council will come and fill it in. They come with their lorries and machines and make good the road again. I wonder, is there something similar for the road to our hearts? The potholes in the road to our hearts, a bit like the ones in the tarmac, often just come from daily wear-and-tear as we live our everyday lives, particularly through difficult times. In such times our faith may be battered and our joy diminished, our hope less certain and our peace trampled on. Yet these are all things we can give to God in prayer and ask him to deal with – to make our roads good again. And when we do put these things in God’s hands and give him the space to work in us, we find his Spirit goes to work, mending our potholes – a sure sign that the King and his Kingdom are on the way. So today, or this week, I would like to encourage you to take time to notice the potholes that may have developed in your life over these past months. And having noticed them, don’t dwell on them. Instead, give them to God, trusting that he can and will send his Spirit to repair you and make good again the road to your heart, so that you will be ready when he comes - but also know him with you now.MP 966: Wonderful Grace grace that gives what I don’t deservePays me what Christ has earnedThen lets me go free - Wonderful grace that gives me the time to changeWashes away the stain that once covered me.And all that I am I lay at the feetOf the wonderful Saviour who loves me.Wonderful love that held in the face of deathBreathed in its final breath Forgiveness for me - Wonderful love whose power can break every chainGiving us life again, setting us freeAnd all that I am I lay at the feetOf the wonderful Saviour who loves me.John Pantry ? 1986 HarperCollins Religious (Admin. by Song Solutions )Prayers of IntercessionAlmighty God,Christmas will soon be here. As we prepare ourselves to welcome you anew, we hear your call to prepare the way. For you call us all to prepare the way, not just to our own hearts, but into all the world. So, we bring to you now our brothers and sisters all across your world. As we look forward to your coming, we pray especially today for:Your church – may we work as one to reveal your love to those around us, both here in our own towns and villages as well as across the world. May we prepare the way.Those who rule over us – that they may do so with wisdom and grace, collaborating with each other for the good of all. May they prioritise our needs above their wants and ideals, and do this with humility, courage and compassion. Key workers – those who work to build and mend roads, those who travel them to ensure our shops are stocked, shop and healthcare workers; carers and all who work to create the fabric of our communities – we give thanks for all they are /do. Those not looking forward to Christmas. We know this can be a hard time of year for many people, especially those who cannot be with the ones they love, or just feel alone. We ask you to bring them the comfort they need.Those who feel inadequate or unprepared for any reason, and those who are afraid. Finally, we pray for those on our prayer list today, knowing that you know all their stories…. … and for those we miss, or are concerned for, near or far away, who need our prayers today. Bless them with your peace, healing, forgiveness and hope, each according to their need.We bring all these prayers, and the unspoken prayers of our hearts to you in the mighty name of Jesus trusting in your mercy and grace. AmenSTF 188 There’s a light upon the mountains ’s a light upon the mountains, and the day is at the spring, when our eyes shall see the beauty and the glory of the King; Weary was our heart with waiting, and the night-watch seemed so long, but His triumph-day is breaking, and we hail it with a song.There’s a hush of expectation, and a quiet in the air;And the breath of God is moving in the fervent breath of prayer;For the suffering, dying Jesus is the Christ upon the throne, and the travail of our spirit is the travail of His own.Hark! we hear a distant music, and it comes with fuller swell; ’Tis the triumph song of Jesus, Of our King Emmanuel;Zion, go ye forth to meet Him, and my soul, be swift to bring all thy sweetest and thy dearest For the triumph of our King.Henry Burton (1840-1930)BlessingGracious God, you have come to us in Jesus, and you promise never to leave us. As we look forward to Christmas, help us to be confident in your presence and your promise.And may the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us; may he light our way and grant us his peace, now and always. Amen ................
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