BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, 2023

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, 2023

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT​

INTRODUCTION​

Stir up your power, and come! The psalmist’s plea in Psalm 80:2 has become
     familiar to us in the Advent prayers. Isaiah wants God to rip the heavens open.
     Both cry out for an apparently distant, angry God to show up, to save, to restore.
     When we hear Jesus describing the coming of the Son of Man with stars falling
     from heaven, it can sound dire and horrible, not like anything we would ever hope
     for. But when we really look at the suffering of people God loves, we can share
     the hope that God would tear open the heavens and come.

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PRAYER OF THE DAY

Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection awaken us
     to the threatening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of
     your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God,
     now and forever. Amen.

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FIRST READING

ISAIAH 64:1-9
 This lament comes from a people who have had their hopes shattered. The
     visions of a rebuilt Jerusalem and a renewed people of God, spoken of in Isaiah
     40–55, have not been realized. Instead, the people experience ruin, conflict, and
     famine. This lament calls God to account—to be the God who has brought
     deliverance in the past.

 1O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the mountains would quake at your presence—
2as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4From ages past no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.
5You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.
  But you were angry, and we sinned;
  because you hid yourself we transgressed.
  6We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7There is no one who calls on your name,
or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
8Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
and do not remember iniquity forever.
Now consider, we are all your people.

PSALM
PSALM 80:1-7, 17-19
(Response) Let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved. (Ps. 80:7)

 1Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
stir up your strength and come to help us.
3Restore us, O God;
let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved.
4O Lord God of hosts,
how long will your anger fume when your people pray?

(Response) Let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved. (Ps. 80:7)

5You have fed them with the bread of tears;
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6You have made us the derision of our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved.
17Let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one you have made so strong for yourself.
(Response) Let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved. (Ps. 80:7)

18And so will we never turn away from you;
give us life, that we may call upon your name.
19Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved.
(Response) Let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved. (Ps. 80:7)

SECOND READING

1ST CORINTHIANS 1:3-9
As the Christians in Corinth await the advent of Jesus, Paul reminds them how
     the Lord has already enriched them through spiritual gifts and will continue to
     strengthen them until the coming day of the Lord.

3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has
     been given you in Christ Jesus, 5for in every way you have been enriched in him,
     in speech and knowledge of every kind—6just as the testimony of Christ has
     been strengthened among you—7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
     as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will also strengthen
     you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus
     Christ. 9God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son,
     Jesus Christ our Lord.

​​​​GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. Alleluia. (Ps. 85:7)

GOSPEL READING
MARK 13:24-37

Jesus encourages his followers to look forward to the day when he returns in
     power and glory to end all suffering.

[Jesus said:] 24“In those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
25and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

     26Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and
     glory. 27Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four
     winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

     28“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and 
     puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see
     these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30Truly I
     tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
     31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

     32“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor
     the Son, but only the Father. 33Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the
     time will come. 34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and
     puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to
     be on the watch. 35Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the
     master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or
     at dawn, 36or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37And
     what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

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LICENSES & EXPIRATION DATES
Worship Service Content is used via permission through Augsburg Fortress Liturgies

Annual License #SB144368. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 2/29/2024.
Our Hymns and Worship Music are used via permission through CCLI One
License #11327166. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 1/31/2024.

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​SERMONS​
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