BEFORE your prayers - collect 3 candles and be ready to light them during this time of prayer. If you have no candles just omit the candle lighting.
INTRODUCTION: Advent is a season of expectation and preparation as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming of Christ and looks ahead to his return as judge at the end of time. During Advent we are reminded to be alert, watchful and expectant as we pray for our Lord’s second coming. Today on the 3rd Sunday of Advent we remember John the Baptiser, the forerunner to the Messiah who proclaimed the Saviour and baptised him.
Light the 2 Candles from last week and the week before, then the 3rd candle.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus light of the world, John told the people to prepare for you were very near. Heavenly Father, you call us to prepare for the coming of your Son: forgive us our unreadiness to receive him. Lord Jesus, you were proclaimed by John the Baptist: help us to prepare your way. Holy Spirit, you speak through the prophets: make us attentive to hear your word. So that, as Christmas grows closer make us ready to welcome you. AMEN
READING: ‘The axe is laid at the root of the trees; every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down.’
But confident in God’s mercy we confess our sins. Matthew 3.10
SEASONAL PRAYER: Almighty God, who in Jesus Christ has given us a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, forgive us our sins, open our eyes to God’s truth, strengthen us to do God’s will and give us the joy of his kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blow out the 3 candles and keep them for next week.
Readings: Isaiah 35v1-10; Psalm 146v4-10; Luke 1v46b-55; James 5v7-10; Matthew 11v2-11.
Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
A Word: As we continue our Advent journey of watching, waiting and getting ready for the day when the Lord returns; we hear in James the call to be like the prophets of old as we await the return of the Lord. For God had promised a Messiah for the world who would be born within the nation of God’s people, Israel. Then down the ages, God continued to remind His people about his promised Messiah. In the psalm we hear a reminder about God’s promise. For it is a prayer of praise that reminds us that the Lord God and creator of all things keeps his promises and cares for all people in their times of need and distress. In Isaiah we hear the prophet remind us about the promised Messiah and the signs that would be seen when the Messiah arrives in the world. A time that creation would recognise and respond to. A time heralded by the healing of the people with infirmities of many kinds. A time when the ransomed would be redeemed and returned to the Lord.
In Luke we hear Mary proclaiming praise for the Lord our God because she knew that God had fulfilled his promise and sent the Messiah into the world through her. She praises God because she knows He always keeps his promises, is ever merciful to those in need and is a God who brings justice. However, whilst we should be certain that Jesus is the Messiah, it is all too easy to doubt. For as we hear in Matthew, whilst imprisoned John needed reassurance that Jesus really was the Messiah. We can learn from this because John doubted even though he had been sent by God to tell out the message that the Messiah had arrived into the world and, at Jesus’ baptism, seen wondrous signs that confirmed Jesus was the Messiah. This doubt that John had is something that can happen to any of us at any time in our lives because we are human and limited and frail. However, what we learn in Matthew is that doubt is not the opposite of faith, it is simply a struggle we may face when life is difficult. For, when Jesus heard and understood that John was doubting, he sent a message that would reassure him. A message that reminded John of the scriptures he knew about the Messiah. A message that would confirm that Jesus was the Messiah.
So, as we await Jesus return at the end of time, we need to act on James’ call to live like the prophets. For most of them never saw the Messiah in their own lifetimes. Instead they were shining lights who pointed to a future time when the Messiah would come. Sharing the message with others so they would be ready. And, even if we waver and doubt, we can take hope from the fact that John the greatest prophet of all also had a time of doubting. And be assured that doubt is not the opposite of faith – it is just a sign of our humanity, limitedness and frailty. Something that Jesus understands, just as he understood John, and will deal with gently to help us.
Let us Pray: O Lord Jesus Christ, we give you thanks for sending your messenger to prepare your way and for giving us your undeserved gifts of love, mercy and salvation. We ask you to help us to be good stewards of your message of good news. We pray you will kindle in us the fire of the Holy Spirit. We ask you to help us to prepare and make ready your way for your second coming to judge the world. We ask you to turn the hearts of the disobedient and make all of us into wise and just people, so we may shine as lights in your world and be found acceptable in your sight. Amen
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