BEFORE your prayers - collect 1 candle and be ready to light it during this time of prayer. If you have no candle 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 Advent Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, we remember the Patriarchs, amongst them Abraham our father in faith and David the ancestor in whose city Jesus was born.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of your kingdom. You come in glory with salvation for your people. Heavenly Father, you have created a universe of light: forgive us when we return to darkness. Lord Jesus, you are the light of the world: cleanse and heal our blinded sight. Holy Spirit, you give us light in our hearts: renew us in faith and love. Lord Jesus, light of the world, be born in our hearts at Christmas, be King of our lives today. AMEN
READING: When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and will disclose the purposes of the heart. (1 Corinthians 4.5)
ADVENT SUNDAY READINGS: Isaiah 2v1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13v11-end; Matthew 24v36-44.
A WORD: On Advent Sunday we begin the season of waiting and watching for Jesus’ return. In Matthew, Jesus tells us that only God knows the day and time when the end of creation as we know it will come. But when it does arrive, we know what kind of things will occur because God has told us about the last day since ancient times. For as we hear in Isaiah, it is the day when the Lord will bring all wars to an end and judge the peoples of the world. The day when the Lord’s house will be set up and all nations will flow towards the Lord’s house in an ever moving stream of people. So, now we know that the end of time is coming and what will happen when it comes, we need to think what this means for us. In Matthew Jesus tells us that we need to be ready because the day of the Lord will come at a time we least expect it; and in Romans, Paul tells us that we must wake up and get ready because the end time is near. So now we know that we need to be ready but what does this look like? For reply, the psalm tells us to go to the Lord’s house to give thanks to the Lord, to pray for God’s people and to pray for peace. Then, Isaiah tells us to be the people of God, a people who turn to God and learn God’s ways. A people who draw close to the Lord because the Lord teaches us how to walk his way. Finally, in Romans, we hear that we are to lay aside our sinful ways and put on the armour of light, which for Paul means living the way that Jesus has shown us, so we live honourable lives. So the meaning of the scriptures and its message for us today is that we are called to get ready for the last day when the Lord comes to judge the world. In being ready, we need to be a people who worship God and pray. A people who learn about and follow God’s ways. A people who give up our sinful ways in order to live honourably following the example of Jesus. A people ready and waiting for the Lord’s return.
Let us Pray: O Lord God Almighty, you call us to keep watch and be faithful as we await the return of your Son. Give us grace to change and be transformed into a people of light. A people wide awake, ever active in your service and joyful in your praise. A people who will be invited to rise into immortal life. Amen
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 1st Candle and keep it for next week.
Thank you for joining us today