Home: Worship: Samuel: Nov. 27


Nov. 27, 2005 | First Sunday of Advent Year B
Liturgical color: Violet or Blue

Lectionary citations

Isaiah 64:1-9 with Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 AND
1 Corinthians 1:3-9 AND
Mark 13:24-37

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Focus Scripture:
Isaiah 64:1-9

Weekly Theme:
Watch, Wait, Hope

Focus Statement:
?Now, consider, we are all your people.?

Questions:
We?re mindful of the setting of today?s reading from Isaiah, the historical situation of the people of ancient Israel, at the end of the exile, struggling to make sense of their experience and seeking to live faithfully, in its wake. And we are also mindful of our own setting, in time and historical circumstances. Pastors preach this text at the beginning of Advent, when the culture around us is turning its attention toward shopping and decorations, and the anticipation of gifts and celebration. However, the very first line of Scripture for this new church year is a dramatic and perhaps frightening one, for who could long for the sky to open up and the might of God to be revealed? (Wasn?t it Annie Dillard who suggested we wear crash helmets to church?) Much of our watching, waiting, and hoping (and this is true not just of our children) is geared toward December 25 rather than the fullness of the reign of God or the return of Christ in glory. Few of us look around at the state of the world, our own personal world or the community and world that surrounds us, and look to God to ?tear open the heavens and come down.? We would prefer quieter, more ?reasonable? solutions, no doubt. The people of ancient Israel, however, held in their hearts the story of God?s previous visitations, on Sinai, for example, and they remember the marvelous signs of such a remarkable event. In making sense of their predicament, they blame their suffering on their sin. No wonder God doesn?t come back when the people are unclean and unstable, dirty like a used rag and blowing about like a leaf in the wind. But then they also remind God that they are God?s children, and they are the work of God?s hands, like the clay formed into something, something of value in the end. Even if it takes a long time, God will consider, God will give us another look and remember that we are precious in God?s sight, and that God has made promises to us. ?We are your responsibility, your burden, your problem, your treasured possession?Israel?s deep trust in Yahweh is matched by Yahweh?s deep obligation to Israel? (Brueggemann et al, Texts for Preaching, Year B). In recent years it seems that preachers have lifted up the themes of waiting for the fulfillment we long for (beyond Christmas, that is), but the ?already? part of ?already/not yet? has been more difficult to address. William F. Brosend II reflects on preaching in Advent on the ?watching, waiting, being patient? theme as better expressed as being ?present.? ?Whether we speak with Brother Lawrence of ?practicing the presence of God? or with the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh of ?dwelling fully in the present moment,? a constant temptation or opportunity is to ignore or attend to the present?The greatest Advent gift we have to offer is the gift of presence ? our presence to the needs and desires of the congregation and our opportunity to help them attend to the presence of the coming one already in their midst? (New Proclamation, Year B Advent through Holy Week, 2005, Fortress Press). Deep down, what do you think is the greatest longing of the people in your congregation? What is underneath the things that appear to be shallow aspirations and occupations? What are predicaments and afflictions that might cause a ?lament? such as Isaiah?s to rise from your congregation? If your congregation is clay in the hand of a loving and committed potter, what great work is taking shape right before your eyes? How has God been faithful to your congregation in times past? What is the ground of our hope and our expectation? When you think of God as a loving and committed father, how can you imagine yourself or your church as children of God who are God?s ?responsibility, burden, problem, treasured possession.? What is the still-speaking God doing in your midst even now, before all things have come to fulfillment?

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Isaiah 64:1-9

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence? as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil? to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!

When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.

You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people.

and

Psalm 80:1-7,17-19

Refrain:
Stir up your might and come to save us.

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon
the cherubim,
shine forth before Ephraim
and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might, and come
to save us!

Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that
we may be saved.

O Sovereign God of hosts, how long
will you be angry with your
people's prayers?

You have fed them with the
bread of tears, and given them tears
to drink in full measure.

You make us the scorn
of our neighbors;
our enemies laugh
among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine,
that we may be saved.

But let your hand be upon the
one at your right hand,
the one whom you made strong
for yourself.

Then we will never turn back
from you;
give us life, and we will
call on your name.

Restore us, O Sovereign
God of hosts;
let your face shine,
that we may be saved.

and

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind?just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you?so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

and

Mark 13:24-37

Jesus said: ?But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see ?the Son of Man coming in clouds? with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. ?From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

?But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake?for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.?

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First Sunday of Advent
November 27, 2005
Isaiah 64:1-9

Watch, Wait, Hope

Will this be the year? Will this finally be the Advent season when God, who works for those who wait, does the awesome deeds that we did not expect? O, that God would tear open the heavens and come down! (Or perhaps up, or through, or maybe in.) Into these days when the sun is darkened early and a cold wind trundles sullen clouds across the moon. O, that God would come with great power and glory, into our shuttered, hunkered-down rooms of hurt and regret, into our gang-related deaths and our money-soaked suicidal thoughts, into our fragile new pregnancies and our brittle, timid hopes for the year to come!

Keep alert. A month from now the stars will be falling...from the tops of Christmas trees being dragged out to the curb. The powers in the headlines will be visibly shaken by this week's latest developments, but business will go on as usual.

So, you might miss it. You might miss the little Human One who comes not with great power and glory but like a tender branch just putting forth its leavesBbefore we even know that winter is coming to an end. Head down, collar up to ward off the post-holiday, shuffling chill of January, you might miss the fact that the one who is always coming has come again, the one anointed to bring near and give flesh to the truth: that from ages past, in the midst of every imaginable circumstance, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen anything remotely divine that wasn?t, in fact, God, among us and at work.

Keep awake. The Human One is near, at the very gates. The heavens are tearing open.

Rev. Christopher Grundy
Eden Theological Seminary
Webster Groves, MO

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In ecumenical liturgical practice, there are normally three readings and one psalm at each Sunday service, in this order:

First Reading: Hebrew Scripture
Response: Psalm (or Canticle) from the Bible
Second Reading: Epistle (or Acts or Revelation)
Third Reading: Gospel

The first two lessons are normally read by laypeople, the Gospel by a Minister of the Word or a layperson. In Roman Catholic, Anglican and liturgical Protestant churches, it is uncommon for an ordained minister to read all of the lessons.

The psalm is not a reading but a congregational response following the lesson from Hebrew Scripture: it is normally sung with a refrain or recited by the congregation as poetry. Occasionally, a canticle is appointed in place of a psalm; it is sung or recited in the same way. The New Century Hymnal provides a complete liturgical psalter with refrains and music.

A hymn may be sung as an introduction to the proclamation of the Gospel.

During Ordinary Time (seasons after Epiphany and Pentecost) two alternative sets of OT readings with responsorial psalms are provided. The first option is a semi-continuous reading through a book of Hebrew Scripture; the second is thematically related to the other readings.

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SAMUEL is a joint project of the Worship and Education Ministry Team, Local Church Ministries; the Stewardship Ministries Team, Local Chuch Ministries; and the Proclamation, Identity, and Communication Ministry Team, Office of General Ministries. Special thanks to Cherie Jones and the Rev. Kathryn M. Huey of the Stewardship and Church Finances Team whose hard work makes this resource available to you. SAMUEL is entirely paid by your congregation's gifts to  Our Church's Wider Mission. Thanks for your help!

Copyright Information

The Revised Common Lectionary is © Consultation on Common Texts. Texts are from the New Revised Standard Version of Holy Scripture, © 1989 by The Division of Christian Education, National Council of Churches. The psalm antiphon is from The New Century Hymnal, © 1995, The Pilgrim Press. Used with permission. Music for the psalm and antiphon are available in The New Century Hymnal, plus a complete index of hymns appropriate for each Sunday's lectionary readings. To purchase the Hymnal, call 1-800-325-7061.