While most churchgoers are familiar with the ubiquitous Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” few may realize just how ancient its text is. It is an English versification of a Latin hymn that in turn is based on an early church text that became known as the “O Antiphons” (see sidebar, p. 5). The O Antiphons are seven short chants that each invoke a different title for Jesus. They continue to be used liturgically in many churches in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The Advent hymn based on these antiphons not only calls on Jesus to be present in his church, but also calls us to contemplate the character of the God whose advent we welcome. As such, this hymn is a fitting text around which to design an Advent worship series.
This series was designed and prepared for the First Presbyterian Church of Sugar Land, Texas. Each weekly service focuses on a different title for Jesus taken from the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and the Scripture it references. At First Presbyterian, the third Sunday of Advent is reserved for a choir cantata or Service of Lessons and Carols, so that service was different from the rest of the series. However, for the purposes of this column, the Reformed Worship editors created and selected materials for this third week following the same pattern as the other services.
Different hymnals may include different numbers of stanzas or textual variations; this worship series will use the text and verse numbers found in Glory to God but will also cross-reference Lift Up Your Hearts and Santo, Santo, Santo. The first stanza about God as Emmanuel is highlighted each week through the Advent candle lighting and call to worship. The regular practice at First Presbyterian Church is to sing in preparation for the prayer for illumination and reading of Scripture, so “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” appears again at that point in the service. Stanzas are added as the Sundays in Advent progress.
Complete sermon manuscripts for three of the weeks and some additional sermon notes for the fourth week can be found at tinyurl.com/RW149Sermons.
Come, Dayspring
Lighting of the First Advent Candle and Call to Worship
In this season we sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” “Emmanuel” means “God with us.”
We light candles as a visible sign that we look to the advent, or coming, of Christ. We invite you to join in the call to worship from the gospel of Matthew and the book of Revelation:
All this . . .
All the things we talked about in Advents and Christmases past,
and all the things we will talk about in the weeks ahead,
“All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord
through the prophet [Isaiah]:
‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,’
which means,
‘God is with us.’”
Zechariah the prophet spoke of
“the rising sun [that] will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
And this same Jesus declared in Revelation,
“I am the Root and Offspring of David,
and the bright Morning Star,”
and he promised,
“Yes, I am coming soon.”
And so we have hope.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
—based on Matthew 1:22–23 (NRSVA); Luke 1:78–79 (NIV); Revelation 22:16, 20 (NIV)
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 1) Helmore and Weaver, GtG 88, LUYH 61, SSS 73
Prayer of Confession
[The following prayer should be read first individually in silence, then aloud in unison.]
God of our light and salvation,
the bright Morning Star,
we confess that we have grown accustomed to darkness.
In your light we see challenges to our stability and comfort.
We look at ourselves
and into our own hearts and deepest thoughts,
and we do not like what you show us.
Forgive us our many sins.
In this season of Advent and beyond,
teach us to walk in your light, in the power of your Holy Spirit,
as disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Assurance of God’s Grace
“God Reigns! Earth Rejoices” (st. 2, 4) Morgan, LUYH 91
Prayers of the People, Ending with the Lord’s Prayer
Preparation for the Word
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 1, 6) Helmore and Weaver, GtG 88, LUYH 61, SSS 73
Prayer for Illumination
Hearing the Word
Scripture Readings: Malachi 4:1–2 and Luke 1:78–79
Ancient Litany Becomes a (Less) Ancient Hymn
This Advent worship series is based upon the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” It is often the first carol we sing in Advent. The words come from a very ancient prayer that “may date back to a community of fifth-century Jewish Christians and perhaps was part of their Hanukkah festival” (Bert Polman, Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1998, p. 475). This litany of call and response known as the “O Antiphons” was added to the Roman liturgy and began to be part of evening prayer in northern Europe in the last week before Christmas Day.
Starting on December 17, worshipers would gather each evening before Christmas to bring the day to a close in prayer. The shortest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere were upon them, and most of the time the darkness would be accompanied by bitter cold. Worshipers would recite together the Magnificat (Mary’s song in Luke 1:47–55). They would use Mary’s words to praise God, who “has performed mighty deeds with his arm; . . . has scattered those who are proud. . . . He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. . . . He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. . . . He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful.” Then, amid cold darkness pierced by flickering candles, they would go from remembrance of wonders past to present needs and future longings. They would chant what we now know as the O Antiphons (Robert J. Morgan, Come Let Us Adore Him: Stories Behind the Most Cherished Christmas Hymns, 2005, pp. 64–65). The prayer leader would call out a title for Jesus drawn from the Old Testament and speak to some part of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. There are seven O Antiphons still used as Advent litanies in a variety of Christian liturgical traditions.
The vespers litany was in turn transformed into a Latin hymn in the twelfth or thirteenth century, when the refrain “Rejoice, rejoice . . .” was added (Polman, 476). In the mid-1800s, Anglican priest John Mason Neale said he could not abide the “new wave sound” of the hymns by composers such as Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley that were gaining popularity (though some consider these hymns very old fashioned today!). Rev. Neale longed to help the church of his time return to the beauty and wisdom embodied in long-established traditions in worship, so he translated the O Antiphons from the Latin into nineteenth-century English, and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” was published in 1851 (Gordon Giles, O Come, Emmanuel: A Musical Tour of Daily Readings for Advent and Christmas, 2006, p. 67). Since then, many other hymn editors have altered the text and added variations (Polman, 476), so “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” has become an enduring gift from not only the ancient saints, but the saints of the present.
Sermon: “Come, Dayspring”
The full manuscript is available at tinyurl.com/RW149Sermons.
Sermon Notes
The title for Jesus we’re focusing on this morning is “Dayspring” or “Morning Star.” Darkness is an Advent theme. The days in the Northern Hemisphere grow noticeably shorter and darker in December, and in our Scripture readings for today, times are dark as well. In Malachi, we find some of the last words proclaimed by a prophet of Yahweh before four hundred years of divine silence. Darkness has fallen over the land. Divine judgment is coming. But for people of faith, even amid deep darkness light can shine. In Malachi’s proclamation, the “Sun of Righteousness” will rise.
In the New Testament reading, the first glow of sunrise is on the horizon, discernible to the faithful eyes of the priest Zechariah. He has just regained the power of speech after nine months of silence. Perhaps he is cradling his baby son, John, newly circumcised and named, as praise wells up from deep within: “The rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace” (Luke 1:78–79).
The Sun of Righteousness of Malachi, the Dayspring of Zechariah, is the Lord Jesus. He is the Light that has already come into the world and could not be smothered by the darkness. He is also the Light we are still awaiting, the one who will “disperse the gloomy clouds of night” and bring God’s justice and healing to the world.
Response to the Word / Affirmation of Faith
Responsive Litany: from the O Antiphons, a traditional litany for December 17–23
O Adonai, Ruler of the House of Israel,
you appeared in the burning bush to Moses
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come with outstretched arm to save us.
Come, Lord Jesus.
O Radiant Dawn, Splendor of Eternal Light, Sun of Justice:
Come, shine on those who live in darkness
and the shadow of death.
Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
—Reprinted by permission from Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved.
Dedication of Offerings
Hymn Suggestions
“O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright” Ambrose of Milan, LUYH 374, GtG 666
“My Soul in Stillness Waits” Haugen, LUYH 63, GtG 89, SSS 75
“I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light” Thomerson, LUYH 730, GtG 377, SSS 352
Benediction
(see sidebar at the end of the article)
Doxology
“This Little Light of Mine” African Amer. spiritual, LUYH 930, SSS 257
Come Closer: A Weekly Advent Devotional
These devotions can be sent out in advance of Sunday worship to encourage communal engagement with the series. They can also be adapted to use as children’s messages during the services.
Email Invitation: We know the weeks before Christmas can be hectic, but Advent calls us to slow down and reflect. To help you do that, we encourage you as individuals, households, or families to read the Scripture for the coming Sunday and spend some time reflecting together using the provided devotional. Take a moment to breathe deeply and think about this Messiah who has come and is coming again.
Week 1: Why We Call on God
Read: Malachi 4:1–2; Luke 1:78–79
Reflect
What do you usually do when you are trying to get someone’s attention? Do you clap your hands? Stomp your feet? Stand on your head? You might do some of those things if you are being silly or if the person is already nearby, but the easiest way to get someone’s attention is by calling their name!
I bet your parents at some point have used that same technique to get your attention. Can you think of a time when you were in a crowded area with lots of noise when all of a sudden you heard your name? Your name rises above all of the background clamor. Or maybe your parents call you by your full name when you are in trouble. Hearing your name in that context communicates how serious something is. Or maybe someone you love has a nickname for you. Hearing that name communicates the closeness and affection you share. Sometimes the name we use for someone says something about them and about how we are feeling about them.
Names are important. God has a lot of different names in the Bible. When we think about God’s names and use the different names to get God’s attention, we communicate something true about God and our relationship to God. The focus of our Advent services this year is a song that gives us a very important name for Jesus: “Emmanuel.” This name means “God with us.” When we call on God using the name “Emmanuel,” we are thinking about how God is near us. During Advent we are going to be thinking about some of the other names for God that can be found in the Advent song “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” When you listen to the pastor talk about these names, try to think about what it says about God when you call God by those names in your prayers.
—Bethany Besteman, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Week 2: Wisdom Billboard
Read: Proverbs 8:1, 6, 22–36; 1 Corinthians 1:18–25
Reflect
This week we are thinking about how God is sometimes called Wisdom. What do you think wisdom is? Is it being smart? There is a joke about the difference between being wise and being smart: “Being smart is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable. Being wise is knowing not to put tomatoes in a fruit salad.” So we might say that being smart fills our brain with knowledge while being wise helps us use that knowledge to make good decisions.
In Proverbs 8, wisdom is described as a woman calling out to get people’s attention. The chapter reads like an ancient advertisement, naming all the great things wisdom can do for those who let her in. I wonder what sorts of things might be in an advertisement for wisdom today? Perhaps “Are you tired of constantly struggling to know what to do in tricky situations? Do you find your instincts about studying, cheating, or making friends are just a bit off? Call now to receive your free wisdom consultation today! Wisdom is knocking—just open the door!”
The way wisdom is described in Proverbs sounds a lot like Jesus. Jesus too knocks on the doors of our hearts and promises to come in and help us make better choices. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit, who can help us make wise decisions. When you pray to Jesus this week, remember to ask for wisdom, trusting that wisdom is already calling out to you.
—Bethany Besteman, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Week 3: Open and Shut
Read: Revelation 1; 3:7–13
Reflect
Can you guess the answer to this riddle? “I have teeth but no tongue. I bite once to protect, twice to reveal; to gain my friendship costs little, but to lose me may cost everything. What am I?” If you have a set of keys, near by, take them out (with permission) and look at the keys. What did the riddle reveal to you about keys that you hadn’t thought about before? Have you ever realized how powerful these little bits of metal are? Keys let us drive a car, lock our doors to stay safe, and keep our homes secure while making sure that we can get back in when we need to. What happens when you lose your keys? Have you or your grownup ever turned the house upside down trying to find them?
The Scripture we are reading today describes Jesus as the Key of David. What do you think that might mean? What do you think Jesus unlocks? What sorts of doors might Jesus lock up tight?
We can remember that Jesus is the one who made it possible for us to live with God forever and to have a good relationship with God now, so we can think of Jesus as the key to those things. Jesus unlocks the door to heaven, and Jesus unlocks each of our own hearts so that we can have a good relationship with God.
—Bethany Besteman, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Week 4: What Is Your Desire?
Read: Haggai 2:6–7; Luke 1:26–38, 47–55
Reflect
Christmas is now just around the corner! What is your favorite thing to do on Christmas Day? Some people like to eat delicious food and Christmas treats. Some people like the time they get to spend with family. And a lot of us like the fun of giving and receiving gifts. It is a wonderful feeling to know that you’ve gotten someone something that they are really, really, really going to love! That’s especially true when the gift is something they’ve wanted for a long time. There is a special joy when you love someone and can give them something that makes them happy—something they want or need.
Did you know that God also loves giving presents? We read in the gospels that Jesus tells his disciples that God, just like a good caregiver, loves to give good things to God’s children: “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9–11). Jesus isn’t saying that all earthly parents are evil, but he’s reminding us that if even imperfect parents love giving gifts to the children they love, how much more does God, who is perfect, love to give things to the children God loves!
What is the biggest good thing that God has ever given to God’s people? Most would agree that the greatest gift ever given was Jesus—God’s Son and God’s own self who came to earth and died for our sins. This week in worship we will talk about how Jesus is the “Desire of nations.” That is another way of saying that he is what we’ve always wanted even if we didn’t know to ask for it. I hope this Christmas you get some good presents that you want a lot, but I also hope you realize what a great gift you’ve been given in the birth of Jesus.
—Bethany Besteman, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Come, Wisdom
Lighting of the Second Advent Candle and Call to Worship
In this season we sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!” “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” We light candles as a visible sign that we await the advent, the coming of Christ, the Wisdom of God.
Today we light the second Advent candle, the candle of peace. Please join in the call to worship from Psalm 85, words of wisdom that speak of the promise of peace.
We join the psalmist in declaring:
I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.
Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
—Psalm 85:8–13
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 2) Helmore and Weaver, GtG 88, LUYH 61, SSS 73
Prayer of Confession
[The following prayer should be read first individually in silence, then aloud in unison.]
God of steadfast love and mercy, we confess our sins before you. In your light, we recognize how many of our decisions and our priorities are shaped by the wisdom of this present age. We have brought much trouble and pain upon ourselves, and we have contributed to the trouble and pain of others. Forgive us in your grace and mercy, and teach us your ways through Jesus Christ, your beloved Son and Wisdom.
Assurance of God’s Grace
Proverbs 2:3–5, 10–11, 6
Prayers of the People, Ending with the Lord’s Prayer
Preparation for the Word
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 1, 6, 2) Helmore and Weaver, GtG 88, LUYH 61, SSS 73
Prayer for Illumination
Hearing the Word
Scripture Readings: Proverbs 8:1, 6, 22–36; 1 Corinthians 1:18–25
Sermon: “Come, Wisdom”
The full manuscript is available at tinyurl.com/RW149Sermons.
Sermon Notes
This time of year, many of us dig into the treasure chests of Christmases past. Some of the decorations we put out are visible reminders of loved ones, the experiences we shared with them, and the lessons they passed on to us. Yet there is a voice that comes to us out of the even more distant past: that of wisdom at the start of Proverbs 8:6—“Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.”
There is a beautiful portrait of wisdom in that chapter of Proverbs. Wisdom is far more than the body of knowledge, the sum of all the facts that human beings can learn. Wisdom is deeply personal. In both Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek, “wisdom” is a feminine noun. In Proverbs 8, wisdom sounds like an excited child, thrilled to accompany the Creator as the creation is called and spun into being.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul is beginning a pastoral intervention with the church in Corinth. Some of the members had no problem with low self-esteem; they considered themselves highly gifted and intelligent. Paul reminds them that the personification of divine wisdom is Jesus Christ—and Christ crucified, at that. Jesus is the wisdom of God. He is not a subject to be studied and mastered, a body of knowledge to be committed to memory, debated over, or used for personal advancement, but a living person.
Jesus, the wisdom of God, is part of the past. He is also living and present—as close as bread that can be torn apart and tasted, or a cup of sweet juice that can be savored. Christ embodies and contains all the wisdom of heaven, and he will share what we need for our daily lives and struggles.
Response to the Word
Responsive Affirmation of Faith (from the O Antiphons)
O Root of Jesse, rising as a sign for all the peoples, before you earthly rulers will keep silent, and nations give you honor:
Come quickly to deliver us. Come, Lord Jesus.
O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, pervading and permeating all creation, you order all things with strength and gentleness:
Come now and teach us the way to salvation. Come, Lord Jesus.
—Reprinted by permission from Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved.
Dedication of Our Offerings
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
Hymn Suggestions
“Be Thou My Vision” Byrne and Hull, LUYH 859, GtG 450, SSS 640
“May the Mind of Christ, My Savior” Wilkinson, LUYH 334, SSS 638
Charge to Be the People of God
Ephesians 5:15–17, 20
Benediction
(see sidebar at the end of the article)
Doxology
“God of Grace and God of Glory” Fosdick, LUYH 926, GtG 307, SSS 250
Come, Key of David
[Editors’ note: Because Seay’s ministry setting dedicates the third Sunday of Advent to a choir cantata or Service of Lessons and Carols, the RW editorial team put together the following service following the pattern of the others in the series.]
Lighting of the Third Advent Candle and Call to Worship
In this season we sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!” “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” We light candles as a visible sign that we await the advent, the coming of Christ, the Key of David.
Today we light the third Advent candle, the candle of joy.
Please join us in the call to worship:
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious. . . .
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David;
what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
—Zechariah 9:9–10; Isaiah 22:22
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 5) Helmore and Weaver, GtG 88, LUYH 61, SSS 73
Prayer of Confession
[The following prayer should be read first individually in silence, then aloud in unison.]
God, who mercifully has opened wide the doors to life everlasting,
we confess that we are a people of shut doors and high walls.
Teach us to rejoice in the wide mercy
that breaks down barriers and unlocks doors.
God, who in wisdom closes doors to ways that would do us harm,
we confess we are a people who stubbornly persist
in knocking on those doors anyway.
Teach us to be patient and wait for the wisdom
that comes from accepting your timing in our lives.
In the name of Jesus, the Key of David, we pray. Amen.
—Bethany Besteman, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Assurance of God’s Grace
Revelation 3:7–8, 11–12
Prayers of the People, Ending with the Lord’s Prayer
Preparation for the Word
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 1, 6, 2, 5) Helmore and Weaver, GtG 88, LUYH 61, SSS 73
Prayer for Illumination
Hearing the Word
Scripture Readings: Revelation 1; 3:7–13
Sermon: “Come, Key of David”
(There is no sermon manuscript available.)
Sermon Notes:
It might seem odd to preach from Revelation during Advent, but remember that during Advent we not only look forward to the celebration of Christ’s first coming, but we also look ahead to his second coming. This text prepares us for both. In this highly mysterious text, John receives a vision that reveals truths about the Jesus whose birth we anticipate.
In Revelation 1, Jesus appears to John, declaring himself to be the First and the Last, affirming his resurrection, and claiming to hold the keys to death and Hades (Revelation 1:17–18). This Jesus, whose birth was under disreputable circumstances, in unusual accommodations, and attended by outcasts, is also the magnificent, powerful Christ in glory. Advent is filled with paradox and mystery.
But what do we make of the reference in our text to Jesus as the holder of keys? In Revelation 1, Jesus holds the keys to death and Hades. Who among us does not possess keys to something—a car, an apartment or a house, a safe deposit box? These days there are digital keys too—passwords that allow access to information and digital tools. Holding these keys gives us the power to gain admission to what they unlock.
Jesus holds the keys to death and Hades. Jesus is the gatekeeper for all that seems most devastating and horrifically powerful in this life, but Jesus is even more powerful. He is the one who promises us a final rescue from both death and Hades. This is a powerful word of comfort to those of us who feel keenly the absence of loved ones this time of year. Jesus again describes himself as a keyholder in his message to the church of Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7). This time he holds the key of David. This passage alludes to a force aligned against the church of Philadelphia, a group Jesus identifies as false Jews who would deny this church access to God. By contrast, Jesus, the true determiner of access to God and the fulfillment of all the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament, holds wide the door for the church to walk through.
Who or what in our lives seems to hold power? What are you convinced gives you access to God? Your church attendance? Your pastor? Your daily devotions? Only Jesus holds the keys that open the door to full communion with God. Has anyone tried to bar you from access to God or made you feel unfit to approach God? It is Jesus alone who can lock or unlock those doors. As we celebrate the coming of Jesus, we celebrate the opening of doors—the wide, wide-open doors of Jesus’ love for his church.
—Bethany Besteman, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Response to the Word
Responsive Affirmation of Faith (from the O Antiphons)
O Key of David, Scepter over the house of Israel,
you open and no one can close,
you close and no one can open:
Come to set free the prisoners
who live in darkness and the shadow of death.
Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
—Reprinted by permission from Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved.
Hymn Suggestions:
“My Soul in Stillness Waits” Haugen, LUYH 63, GtG 89, SSS 75
“Hark the Glad Sound! The Savior Comes” Doddridge, LUYH 60
Benediction
(see sidebar at the end of the article)
Doxology
“Blessed Be the God of Israel” Daw, LUYH 67
Come, Desire of Nations
Call to Worship and Lighting of Advent Candle
In this season we sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!” “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” We light candles as a visible sign that we await the advent, the coming of Christ, the Desire of Nations.
Today we light the fourth Advent candle, the candle of love. Please join us in the call to worship.
Because God is a God of love:
“This is what the Lord Almighty says:
. . . ‘I will shake all nations,
and what is desired by all nations will come.”’
With Mary of Nazareth we say,
“The Mighty One has done great things for us—
holy is his name.”
Let us worship God!
—based on Haggai 2:7; Luke 1:49
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 7) Helmore and Weaver, GtG 88, LUYH 61, SSS 73
Prayer of Confession
[The following prayer should be read first individually and in silence, then aloud in unison.]
God of grace and glory,
we are filled with anticipation as we come closer to Christmas.
Many of us are also tired and feel extra stress as we make our preparations.
We confess our sins against you and the people around us:
our sharp words, our careless actions, our thoughtless responses,
our inability to see past ourselves to the deep needs that surround us.
As we prepare to celebrate our Savior’s coming, lead us by your Spirit
to recognize and hold fast to the things that matter before you.
Teach us to recognize Jesus Christ your Son, our true desire,
and to hunger and thirst for all that only he can give.
Assurance of God’s Grace
Malachi 3:1–3
Dedication to Holy Living
Please join me in a posture of gratitude as we dedicate ourselves to a desire for God and for righteousness.
“I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8).
Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws,
we wait for you;
your name and renown
are the desire of our hearts (Isaiah 26:8).
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever (Psalm 73:24–26).
Prayers of the People, Ending with the Lord’s Prayer
Preparation for the Word
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 1, 6, 2, 5, 7) Helmore and Weaver, GtG 88, LUYH 61, SSS 73
Prayer for Illumination
Hearing the Word
Scripture Readings: Haggai 2:6–7; Luke 1:26–38, 47–55
Sermon: “Come, Desire of Nations”
The full manuscript is available at tinyurl.com/RW149Sermons.
Sermon Notes
Our Old Testament reading is set in a time of disappointment. Haggai was called to preach during the years soon after the people of Judah returned from decades of exile in Babylon. Coming home had been a dream, a longing of seventy years. But reality was a hardscrabble life in a wrecked Jerusalem with a ruined temple set in a ravaged landscape. Rebuilding the temple was a worthy goal, the people knew, but one that would have to wait until better, easier times. However, God calls them to rebuild the temple first, and God makes some promises.
God promises to “shake all nations.” When an entire world is shaking and heaving, we look for security, for something to which to cling. Sometimes it has been a strong leader—but history has shown repeatedly how that usually ends: with tyranny and ruin and more suffering. God says to the people of Judah, “I’ve got this! I will shake everything and do a new thing.”
And God promises to send “what is desired of all nations.” In the context of Haggai, the people are worried that they do not have the material wealth needed for rebuilding the temple. God’s response to God’s people is, “You worry over many things. I will meet your true and deepest need.” Though they didn’t yet know it, the people’s deepest need—and ours—is God’s only beloved Son.
Response to the Word
Responsive Affirmation of Faith (from the O Antiphons)
O Ruler of the nations,
monarch for whom the people long,
you are the cornerstone uniting all humanity:
Come, save us all,
whom you formed out of clay.
Come, Lord Jesus.
O Immanuel, our Sovereign and lawgiver,
desire of the nations and Savior of all:
Come and save us,
O Lord our God.
Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
—Reprinted by permission from Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved.
Dedication of our Offerings
Hymn Suggestions
“As the Deer Pants for the Water” Scheer, LUYH 332
“I Give You My Heart” Morgan, LUYH 340
“Take My Life and Let It Be” Havergal, LUYH 863, GtG 697, SSS 627
Charge to Be the People of God
Philippians 4:4–5
Benediction
Doxology
“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” Wesley, LUYH 56, GtG 82, SSS 64
Benediction
Each week the benediction grows. For week one, the benediction includes the sentence on Dayspring Jesus. For week two, the lector starts at the beginning and adds the section on Wisdom Jesus. By week four, the entire benediction is included.
Wks. 1–4
Dearly beloved, here Emmanuel God has been near to you.
Go from this place comforted by Emmanuel’s presence in your life
and committed to showing Emmanuel’s presence to your neighbors.
Here Dayspring Jesus has shone his light upon you.
Go from this place illuminated with Dayspring’s light
and committed to showing Dayspring’s light to your neighbors.
Conclude each week with:
And may the blessing of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
be now and ever near you.
Amen.
Wks. 2–4
Here Wisdom Jesus has guided your steps.
Go from this place assured of Wisdom’s continued counsel
and committed to living lives shaped by Wisdom’s call.
Wks. 3–4
Here the Key of David has opened your heart.
Go from this place confident in the wide-open mercy of God
and committed to inviting others into the open doors of God’s love.
Wk. 4
Here Jesus, our True Desire, has drawn your hearts close.
Go from this place formed as people who love the things of God
and committed to living so that others will desire God.
—Bethany Besteman, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike