Description

Isaiah 35:5-7

It’s time to break out that pink candle!  In the midst of the somewhat somber and penitential season of Advent, we take opportunity to celebrate!  There is water in the desert!  Eyes are opened!  The wilderness is blooming!  The lame are dancing!  We, who are followers of Jesus, know that in the midst of even the most dire and dark and daunting of circumstance, there is still and always an alleluia on our lips.  All is right.  God has redeemed us.  The cross has purchased our atonement.  We are joyful – ‘singin’ in the reign’ of the King!

 

  

… We Lift Our Hearts in Worship …

[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]

 

Time of Praise and Worship

O, Come, All Ye Faithful

John Francis Wade, ©several publishers

Available on www.PraiseCharts.com, www.LifewayWorship.com, www.MusicNotes.com

Agnus Dei

Michael W. Smith, ©1990 Milene Music

Sing To The King

Billy James Foote, ©2003 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Shout To The Lord

Darlene Zschech, ©1993 Hillsong Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

[Traditional Options]

O Come, All Ye Faithful           

BH 75 81; BH 91 89; CH 249; CHH 148; EH 83; ELW 283; HWC 145; HPW 20; HFG 193; HLC 103; HGP 78; HSP 332; LBW 45; LSB 379; LW 41; NCH 135; PH 41; RH 133; RS 499; STTL 175; WC 173; UMH 234; WAR 182; WHM 133; WIS 178

Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending

BH 91 199; CH 754; EH 57; ELW 435; HS98 802; HWC 241; HFG 306; HLC 185; HGP 146; LBW 27; LSB 336; LW 15; PH 6; RH 659; STTL 278; UMH 718; WAR 318; WHM 278; WIS 192

From Heaven Above to Earth I Come

CH 146; EH 80; ELW 268; HLC 111; LBW 51; LSB 358; LW 37; NCH 130; PH 54

  

Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme 

Pastor:             Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts,

“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”Isaiah 35:3,4

 

In the name of the Father, in Whose reign we live;

In the name of the Son, Jesus Christ, the one who came and comes and will come again;

In the name of the Holy Spirit, in Whom we know joy.

 

ALL                  Amen

 

Opening Prayer

 

Pastor              In the midst of our desert, Your love provides a stream of joy and wonder.  In the midst of our pain, Your presence provides comfort.  In the midst of our struggles, Your grace assures our victory.  We rejoice!  Your reign is eternal, and we cannot help but sing the song of Your majesty.  In Jesus, and the power of His Spirit.

ALL                  Amen. 

 

 

Time of Greeting

  

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message] 

Pastor              On this third Sunday in Advent, we celebrate the reign of our God, even when it appears the world is spinning out of control.  God has made all things right.  All things are unfolding within His providence.  The cross redeems us.  And while there are struggles within our living, we rejoice.

 

                                Father, on this day, we acknowledge there are times when we live without joy.  .

 

 

ALL                  We are easily discouraged.  The world seems to be coming apart.  The Church is under attack.  Our values are challenged.  Nothing seems to work.  Our lives are cracked and parched.

Pastor              “The desert and the parched land will be glad.  The wilderness will rejoice and blossom.” Isaiah 35:1 

ALL                  We seem to limp through our living, dragging the weight of our failures behind us.

                       

Pastor              “The lame will leap like a deer…”Isaiah 35:6

 

ALL:                 Everywhere we look we see a world falling apart; and everything we hear is forecast of doom.  We don’t see any hope, and we don’t hear any good news.

 

Pastor              “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.”Isaiah 35:5

 

ALL:                 We’re tired and discouraged.  No matter how hard we try, we keep repeating the same things over and over and over.  There are times we want to give up.  Like John the Baptist in prison, we need reassurance.

 

Pastor              “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” Matthew 11:4,5

 

                        God has sent His only Son into the world to be our Redeemer.  All is made right through the cross of Jesus.  We are forgiven.  We are restored.  We celebrate

 

ALL:                 “The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way.  The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.  No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there.  But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return.  They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.  Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:7-10

                       

 

Lighting of the Advent Wreath

 

Pastor:             Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts,

“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.” Isaiah 35:3,4

 

ALL                  Come, Lord Jesus. 

  

 

… We Hear God’s Word …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

 

First Reading:  Isaiah 35:1-10

                       

In the midst of the desert, there is joy.  God has set all things right, and we live within His reign.

 

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. 3 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. 8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.