Revised Common Lectionary - First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2013

Revised Common Lectionary - First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2013

PRAYER: Thematic

God of justice and peace,

from the heavens you rain down mercy and kindness,

that all on earth may stand in awe and wonder

before your marvelous deeds.

Raise our heads in expectation,

that we may yearn for the coming day of the Lord

and stand without blame before your Son, Jesus Christ,

who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Intercessory

We seek the mighty God

in the most unlikely places

as a child in a stable,

and in an empty tomb.

May God hear these prayers,

which come from the unlikely corners of our lives.

Prayers of the People, concluding with:

Give us ears to hear, O God,

and eyes to watch,

that we may know your presence in our midst

during this holy season of joy

as we anticipate the coming of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Scripture

Unexpected God,

your advent alarms us.

Wake us from drowsy worship,

from the sleep that neglects love,

and the sedative of misdirected frenzy.

Awaken us now to your coming,

and bend our angers into your peace. Amen.

Isaiah 2: The Future House of God

1 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 In days to come

    the mountain of the Lord’s house

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

    and shall be raised above the hills;

all the nations shall stream to it.

3     Many peoples shall come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

    to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

    and that we may walk in his paths.”

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

    and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

4 He shall judge between the nations,

    and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

    and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

    neither shall they learn war any more.

Judgment Pronounced on Arrogance

5 O house of Jacob,

    come, let us walk

    in the light of the Lord!(NRSV)

Psalm 122: Song of Praise and Prayer for Jerusalem

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 I was glad when they said to me,

    “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

2 Our feet are standing

    within your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem—built as a city

    that is bound firmly together.

4 To it the tribes go up,

    the tribes of the Lord,

as was decreed for Israel,

    to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

5 For there the thrones for judgment were set up,

    the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

    “May they prosper who love you.

7 Peace be within your walls,

    and security within your towers.”

8 For the sake of my relatives and friends

    I will say, “Peace be within you.”

9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

    I will seek your good.(NRSV)

Romans 13: An Urgent Appeal

11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.(NRSV)

Matthew 24: The Necessity for Watchfulness

36 “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son,[a] but only the Father. 37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day[b] your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Footnotes:

Matthew 24:36 Other ancient authorities lack nor the Son

Matthew 24:42 Other ancient authorities read at what hour(NRSV)

John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary for:

Isaiah 2:1-5

II A prophecy of Christ's kingdom, and the calling of the Gentiles, ver. 1-5. And rejection of the Jews for their idolatry and pride, ver. 6-9. The great majesty and power of God, and his terrors on the wicked; with an exhortation to fear God, and not to trust in man, ver. 10-22.

Verse 1. The word - Or, the matter or thing, as this Hebrew word commonly signifies; the prophecy or vision.

Verse 2. In the last days - In the times of the Messiah. For Christ's institutions were to continue to the end of the world. The mountain - The temple of the Lord which is upon mount Moriah; which yet is not to be understood literally of that material temple, but mystically of the church of God; as appears from the flowing of all nations to it, which was not to that temple, nor indeed was fulfilled 'till that temple was destroyed. Exalted - Shall be placed and settled in a most conspicuous and glorious manner, being advanced above all other churches and kingdoms.

Verse 3. The law - The new law, the doctrine of the gospel, which is frequently called a law, because it hath the nature and power of a law, obliging us no less to the belief and practice of it, than the old law did.

Verse 4. He - Christ shall set up his authority among all nations, not only giving laws to them, but doing what no other can do, convincing their consciences, changing their hearts, and ordering their lives. Rebuke - By his word and Spirit, convincing the world of sin; and by his judgments upon his implacable enemies, which obstruct the propagation of the gospel.

Verse 5. The light - Take heed that you do not reject that light which is so clear that even the blind Gentiles will discern it.

Psalm 122

PS 122 This psalm seems to have been wrote for the use of the people, when they came to Jerusalem at the three solemn feasts. David here shews the joy with which they were to go up to Jerusalem, ver. 1, 2. The esteem they were to have of it, ver. 3-5. The prayers they were to make for its welfare, ver, 6-9. A song of degrees of David.

Verse 4. The tribes - Whom God has chosen to be his people. Unto - Unto the ark, called the testimony, because of the tables of the covenant laid up in it, which are called God's testimony, and the tables of the testimony. And this is called the testimony of, or to Israel, because it was given by God to them. Give thanks - To worship God; this one eminent part thereof being put for all the rest.

Verse 5. Judgment - The supreme courts of justice for ecclesiastical and civil affairs. Thrones - The royal throne allotted by God to David and to his posterity, and the inferior seats of justice under his authority.

Romans 13:11-14

Verse 11. And do this - Fulfil the law of love in all the instances above mentioned. Knowing the season - Full of grace, but hasting away. That it is high time to awake out of sleep - How beautifully is the metaphor carried on! This life, a night; the resurrection, the day; the gospel shining on the heart, the dawn of this day; we are to awake out of sleep; to rise up and throw away our night-clothes, fit only for darkness, and put on new; and, being soldiers, we are to arm, and prepare for fight, who are encompassed with so many enemies. The day dawns when we receive faith, and then sleep gives place. Then it is time to rise, to arm, to walk, to work, lest sleep steal upon us again. Final salvation, glory, is nearer to us now, than when we first believed - It is continually advancing, flying forward upon the swiftest wings of time. And that which remains between the present hour and eternity is comparatively but a moment.

Verse 13. Banqueting - Luxurious, elegant feasts.

Verse 14. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ - Herein is contained the whole of our salvation. It is a strong and beautiful expression for the most intimate union with him, and being clothed with all the graces which were in him. The apostle does not say, Put on purity and sobriety, peacefulness and benevolence; but he says all this and a thousand times more at once, in saying, Put on Christ. And make not provision - To raise foolish desires, or, when they are raised already, to satisfy them.

Matthew 24:36-44

Verse 36. But of that day - The day of judgment; Knoweth no man - Not while our Lord was on earth. Yet it might be afterward revealed to St. John consistently with this.

Verse 37. Luke xvii, 26.

40. One is taken - Into God's immediate protection: and one is left - To share the common calamities. Our Lord speaks as having the whole transaction present before his eyes.

Verse 41. Two women shall be grinding - Which was then a common employment of women.

Verse 42. Ye know not what hour your Lord cometh - Either to require your soul of you, or to avenge himself of this nation. Mark xiii, 33; Luke xii, 35; xxi, 34.

-------