Third Sunday of Advent Worship Bulletin

St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church         

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT   –   Coronavirus

12-12-2021     10:00AM Worship
(Welcome / Greeting by the Pastors)   

INTRODUCTORY WORDS TO TODAY’S WORSHIP:   

Welcome, brothers and sisters, in the mighty name of God, in the saving name of (+) Jesus, and in the strong name of the Spirit – Hallelujah! Once again we are confronted by John the Baptist. The message is as wild as the man who says it, as wild as the desert where he speaks. This bold man humbles the exalted and exalts the humble, blasts the satisfied and warns the willing, then confesses that he is not the Messiah, only the beginning of God’s new day. Someone’s coming! Something big is about to happen! So you better get ready! WHAT SHOULD WE DO THEN? Get ready for Christ by accepting radical change in your life.

OPENING SONG    “It’s About Time for His Coming”       

  •   It’s about time for his coming, it’s about time for his coming,

It’s about time for his coming – the coming of the Lord!
It’s about time for his coming, it’s about time for his coming,
It’s about time for his coming – the coming of the Lord!

  •    It’s about time, are you ready?
  •    It’s about time, yes I’m ready!
  •    It’s about time, HALLELUJAH!

LIGHTING THE ADVENT WREATH AND PRAYER:     

L   Even in the dry desert there is life, even in the wilderness of our soul there is hope.

C    Let us strengthen the weak hands and encourage those whose spirits are crushed. 

L   Say to those of a fearful heart, “Rejoice with all your heart! The hour of the Lord is near.”

C    The lame will be saved, the outcasts will be gathered, and the oppressed will see God’s victory!

L   Be patient, be encouraged; it won’t be too much longer.

C    There is no need to fear, for God is coming to save!

L   Leap and sing for joy! God’s promises are true.

C     Even now springs of living water rise up to quench our thirsting souls!

L   The third Advent candle is sometimes called the Candle of Joy.
Surely God is our strength and our salvation, the One that we can trust and not be afraid.

C    This morning we pray…
O Lord, bless us as we light three candles of this Advent wreath.
Open our eyes and ears to see, to hear, and to REJOICE in your saving presence.
Open our hearts to REPENT from our sins and to turn to lives of joyful faith and service.
    We renounce evil; we claim your love; we choose to be set free and made whole.
    Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly! Hallelujah!

[Three candle are lit on the Advent wreath. Sometimes the first is called the Candle of Hope, the second the Candle of Peace, and the third is called the Candle of Joy.]

FIRST READING:   Zephaniah 3:14-20   [God’s judgment brings repentance brings salvation brings celebration.]

3:14 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!

3:15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more.

3:16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak.

3:17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing

3:18 as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it.

3:19 I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.

3:20 At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.

SECOND READINGPhilippians 4:4-7   [God’s presence and peace bring thanksgiving and hope in any  circumstance.]

4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

4:5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

GOSPEL VERSE:
“We need to hear from You, we need a word from You.
If we don’t hear from You, what will we do?
Wanting You more each day, show us Your perfect way.
There is no other way that we can live. 

GOSPEL:   Luke 3:7-18   [God’s good news brings our radical generosity and real justice.]     

3:7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

3:8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

3:9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

3:10 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”

3:11 In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”

3:12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

3:13 He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.”

3:14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,

3:16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

3:18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

THE SERMON:      Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen

SONG RESPONSE        “You Better Min’!”           

  • You’d better min’ how you talk, you’d better min’ what you talkin’ about,

You got to give account in de Judgment, you’d better min’!

You’d better min’ (you better min’)…   you’d better min’ (you better min’)

You got to give account in de Judgment, you’d better min’!

  • You’d better min’ how you sing, you’d better min’ what you singin’ about…
  • You’d better min’ how you shout, you’d better min’ what you shoutin’ about…    

OFFERINGChristian friends, John the Baptist clearly challenges us this morning to be honest, kind, and fair in our dealings with others. Whether it is coats or food, our time or our abilities, the right response is to care and to share.  

OFFERING SONG

(1)  “Come by here, my Lord, come by here; come by here, my Lord, come by here;
Come by here, my Lord, come by here. O LORD, COME BY HERE!
(2)    Someone needs You, Lord, come by here…
(3)    Send a blessing, Lord, come by here… “

OFFERING PRAYER:       

O Lord Jesus, we open our hearts and our lives to your presence, your power, and your promises!
We want to be part of what you are doing in the world even now.
Give us the spirit to do what is right with our offerings, time, and talents.
May we bear your light to all who sit in the shadows of darkness and despair.  AMEN

MUSIC SELECTION:    “Steal Away”    Dennis Fortune

THE PRAYERSWe pray for the world to be redeemed, the Church reformed, all people restored!   

(sung at beginning and end)   “Oh… hear us.     Oh, hear us.     Oh… hear us, Lord.     Hear us, Lord… hear us.”

    (sung after each intercession)     “Hear us, Lord… hear us.”

THE LORD’S PRAYER

SONG SELECTION                  

THE BENEDICTION by one of the Pastors.

CHRISTMAS     EVE     WORSHIP,     December 24

We’ve walked through four Advent Sundays of preparation seeking and growing in hope, peace, joy, and love. Join us at 7:00PM for the joyous celebration of the wonder and mystery of Christ born among us!