Feasting on the Word Advent Companion

A Thematic Resource for Preaching and Worship

David L. Bartlett, Barbara Brown Taylor, Kimberly Bracken Long

• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781611645286
• Topic: Teología y religión
• Subtopic: Rituales cristianos y práctica

This new volume in the Feasting on the Word series provides an alternative to strict lectionary use for Advent, with six thematically-designed services for the four Sunday in Advent, as well as, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Four midweek services provide a supplemental study of John the Baptist to enhance the congregation's Advent experience. The resources in this companion are a combination of material from existing Feasting on the Word volumes as well as newly written material. In keeping with other Feasting on the Word resources, the Advent Companion offers pastors focused resources for sermon preparation along with ready-to-use liturgies for a complete order of worship. All new material including hymn suggestions, Service of Hope and Healing, and children's sermon make this an invaluable resource for the Advent season.

First Sunday of Advent

Jeremiah 33:14–16

¹⁴The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The LORD is our righteousness.”

Luke 21:5–19

⁵When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, ⁶“As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

⁷They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

⁹“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” ¹⁰Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

¹²“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. ¹³This will give you an opportunity to testify. ¹⁴So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; ¹⁵for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷You will be hated by all because of my name. ¹⁸But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

ORDER OF WORSHIP

OPENING WORDS / CALL TO WORSHIP

The days are surely coming, says the LORD,

Jer. 33:14–16

when I will fulfill my promise to my people.

Justice and righteousness will fill the land

and all will live in peace and safety.

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES

[Reader 1]:	We light this candle as a symbol
	of the hope we have in the promise of the
	Lord’s coming.
[Reader 2]:	For the Lord will fulfill his promise
	to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
	A righteous Branch will spring up for David;
	and he shall execute justice and righteousness
	in the land.
[All]:	Come, Lord Jesus, come!

HYMN, SPIRITUAL, OR PSALM

CALL TO CONFESSION

Testify with honesty the condition of your souls.

Luke 21:13–14

Give defense not for yourself but only the Lord’s grace,

which will save you in your time of trial.

With confidence in God’s mercy,

let us confess our sin.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Lord, have mercy on us.

We are not ready for your coming.

We live in sin, as though there were no justice.

We live in fear, as though there were no grace.

Forgive us, Lord.

Show us your mercy and steadfast love.

Lead us in your truth, and teach us your paths,

for you are the God of our salvation. Amen.

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS

The Lord is our righteousness.

Jer. 33:16

In Christ, we are forgiven.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Holy One, you have promised us

that the day of our salvation is near.

Keep us faithful in love and watchful in prayer,

so that we may stand with confidence and joy

at the coming of Christ, our redeemer and Lord. Amen.

HYMN, SPIRITUAL, OR PSALM

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Amid much confusion,

signs leading away from you,

we seek your truth.

Open our hearts

Luke 21:15

to the wonders of your work

and the wisdom of your word. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

SERMON

HYMN, SPIRITUAL, OR PSALM

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

[A brief silence may follow each petition.]

Let us pray to the Lord, saying,

in your mercy, Lord, save us.

Merciful God,

you call us to goodness and lead us on right paths.

You encourage us with signs of your coming

and urge us to keep watch,

that we might greet you with heads raised high

when you come to restore all of creation.

Watching and waiting, we pray for this world that

needs your saving power.

For nations at war,

in your mercy, Lord, save us.

For all who suffer from violence, in the streets or in their homes,

in your mercy, Lord, save us.

For all who live in worry or fear,

in your mercy, Lord, save us.

For those who have forgotten the ways of righteousness,

in your mercy, Lord, save us.

For those who have never heard of your rescuing love,

in your mercy, Lord, save us.

For all those who have lost hope, or never had it at all,

in your mercy, Lord, save us.

We pray, too, for your church in the world,

that we may increase in ardor for you and your children,

and work in confidence for your coming reign.

Now by the power of your Holy Spirit, make us ever more faithful,

that we may greet you in confidence and joy on that great day;

through Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING

Trusting in the sure promises of Christ,

and grateful for the Spirit’s sustaining power,

let us bring our tithes and offerings to God.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING/DEDICATION

God of righteousness,

you have saved us from the worst the world can do

and have promised to redeem the whole creation when Christ comes again.

In faith and hope we offer our gifts of money and self,

that we may be part of what you are doing in the world even now,

as we watch for Christ’s coming in glory. Amen.

HYMN, SPIRITUAL, OR PSALM

CHARGE

Hear with your hearts

Luke 21:15

the word and wisdom of the Lord.

BLESSING

May the God of mercy keep you,

the Holy Spirit cheer you,

and Christ in glory greet you,

now and at the day of his coming.

SONG SUGGESTIONS

Included are songbook numbers for Chalice Hymnal (CH), the Episcopal Church’s Hymnal 1982 (EH), Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW), Gather Comprehensive, 2nd ed. (GC), Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal (GTG), The New Century Hymnal (TNCH), and the United Methodist Hymnal (UMH).

“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (CH 125, EH 66, ELW 254, GC 323, GTG 82–83, TNCH 122, UMH 196)

“Comfort, Comfort Now My People” (CH 122–123, EH 67, ELW 256, GC 326, GTG 87, TNCH 101)

“Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah,” stanza 1 (ELW 240, GTG 85)

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (CH 119, ELW 257, GC 317, GTG 88, TNCH 116, UMH 211)

“O Day of God, Draw Nigh” (TNCH 611, UMH 730)

“The Days Are Surely Coming” (GTG 357)

“To a Maid Whose Name Was Mary” (GTG 98, UMH 215)

“While We Are Waiting, Come” (GTG 92)

CHILDREN’S SERMON

Based on Jeremiah 33:14–16, with references to Isaiah 43 and Malachi 4:5–6

Things look different in church this time of year. We use blue or purple cloth and candles, and we have evergreen wreaths and garland. This time of year, when we start getting ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas, is called Advent. Advent is a time of expectation. “Expectation” means “looking forward to something,” and during Advent, we are looking forward to Jesus being born. During Advent, we read about the things that happened before Jesus was born and imagine what it would have been like to be living before Jesus was born, looking forward to when he would come.

God’s people in Judah a long, long time ago had a lot of scary things happen to them. Armies and kings from other countries invaded their land and took over. The people were scared, but God promised to send a savior to rescue them. God gave people called “prophets” messages to give the people hope. The prophets said, “Do not give up hope. A savior is coming. God promised, and God does not break promises.”

The prophets used stories the people already knew, to help them watch for the savior. They said that when the savior comes, it would be like the great king David was still on the throne, back when you were safe and no armies and kings from other countries were taking over. It would be like when Moses parted the sea to lead the people out of slavery in Egypt, into the promised land. It would be like that very special prophet, Elijah, coming back to make our people righteous again.

The people knew about David and Moses and Elijah. David and Moses and Elijah were heroes to these people, so they knew that if the savior would be like these heroes—or even better than them—this savior must be really, really special. So they kept watching and hoping for when God would send the savior.

Even though we live a long time after Jesus, we still watch and hope for him, because he really is a very, very special savior.

Prayer: Thank you, God, for sending Jesus to us. Amen.

SERMON HELPS

Jeremiah 33:14–16

THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

This brief essay will attend to the continuing theological significance of (1) the reality of human despair, (2) a reading of the promise in light of both the experience of exile and the practice of waiting in Advent, and (3) the collective and sociopolitical aspects of the promise.

The Reality of Human Despair. Much of the story told in Jeremiah has to do with the threat and fulfillment of the destruction of Judah and, in particular, Jerusalem. The people have been violating their covenantal relationship with God, and the subsequent Babylonian control would serve as punishment for their infidelity. The complete sacking of Jerusalem, however, is more horrific and absolute than the people might have imagined. The destruction is so severe that God’s voice, through the prophet, also wails in lamentation.

In view of the devastation that characterizes the sociohistorical context of the “Book of Consolation,” Kathleen O’Connor describes the situation of the people in this way: “The people… are taken captive, dragged from their land, and deprived of their Temple. They are beaten, imprisoned, and face death as a people, and, like Jeremiah, they cry out to God in anger and despair.”¹ John Calvin imagined the context in even more explicit terms: “As they were then exposed to slaughter,… the children of God saw thousand deaths; so that it could not be but that terror almost drove them to despair; and in their exile they saw that they were far removed from their own country, without any hope of a return.”²

When faced with such death, slaughter, and imprisonment in a strange place, who would not despair? While despair is among the most human of human conditions, it cannot be fully understood apart from its theological implications. In a number of his writings, Reinhold Niebuhr associated despair with our failed attempts to procure security for ourselves, optimistically pretending that we are not subject to the vicissitudes of creatureliness. Despair is characterized primarily by the conspicuous absence of theological hope. Humans meet despair when they cannot imagine God’s promised alternative future.

God’s Promise to a People Waiting. The writer recounts the promises made to “the house of Israel and the house of Judah,” that God would provide the people a safe, just, and peaceful future under a justly appointed and righteous ruler. This week’s reading is addressed to a people in exile. God’s promise, in this case, is meant to be a comfort and source of hope to the exiled, rather than a foretelling of the faithful remnant that appears between Jeremiah’s condemnations of unjust rulers. Here we meet the God who promises to protect and restore the people, even as they are in the midst of great suffering and at the edge of despair. It is in precisely this context that God speaks the promise, and it is in precisely this context that despair opens the door to creativity and hope. Calvin acknowledged that the promises of God seem to disappear, but that with faith and patience, we look forward to their fulfillment.

In part, this is the theological significance of Advent too. The inclusion of prophetic literature in the Advent lections points to the importance of waiting, anticipating, and trusting in a promised future that seems very removed from our current circumstance. And it is in the season of Advent that we engage in the strenuous and crucial Christian task of imagination. Together with the prophet, we are called not only to name suffering and injustice, but to lean into God’s promised alternative future.

Theological imagination is not speculative, but ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Overview of Advent
• Complete Services
• Midweek Services
• Additional Resources
• Acknowledgments
• Scripture Index