Mid-week Advent 1 November 30, 2022

The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last.

Amen.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

to sing praise to your name, O Most High,

to herald your love in the morning,

your truth at the close of day.

Hymn: 311 Dawning Light of Our Salvation

1 Long in darkness Israel wandered;
long in mortal shadows we
walked in bondage and self-pity,
trod in paths of sin and grief.
In the prophets’ words he told us,
long the God of Israel spoke;
he alone in strength would save us
from the hands of all our foes. (Refrain)

Ref Ev’ry valley be exalted!
Ev’ry mountain be made plane!
Crooked ways repent and straighten;
all creation bend in praise!

2 He shall raise a mighty Savior;
born of David’s lineage, he
comes in cov’nant love to claim us,
from our sins to set us free.
Light to those who dwell in darkness,
life to those from death who flee,
joy unto the earth, and gladness,
to your pathways dawning peace! (Refrain)

3 Jesus, Lord, and mighty Savior,
David’s son and yet his King,
dawning light of our salvation,
of your saving pow’r we sing!
Stand, O lame, and dance, ye broken;
know the Savior’s healing grace.
Come, O deaf, and hear him singing;
turn, O blind, behold his face! (Refrain)

Text: Wendell Kimbrough, b. 1983
Text: © 2012 Wendell Kimbrough. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 703297

Confession

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

the maker of heaven and earth.

Let us confess our sins in the presence of God and of one another.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father,

we have sinned against you

in our thoughts,

in our words,

in our deeds,

and in all that we have not done.

Forgive us in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Deliver and restore us,

that we may rest in peace.

By the mercy of God we are redeemed by Jesus Christ,
and in him we are forgiven.
Let us rest in his peace until the rising of the sun,
when we shall serve him in newness of life.

Amen.

Psalm: 98G Sing to the LORD a New Song

Refrain

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.

Sing to the Lord a / new song,
for he has done / marv’lous things.
The Lord has made his sal- / vation known
and revealed his righteousness to the / nations.
He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to / Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation / of our God. Refrain

Shout for joy to the Lord, / all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with / music;
make music to the Lord / with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of / singing.
Shout for joy before the / Lord, the King.
He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with / equity.
Glory be to the Father and / to the Son
and to the Holy / Spirit,
as it was in the be- / ginning,
is now, and will be forever. / Amen. Refrain

Reading: Luke 1:5–24, 57–64

⁵In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous decrees of the Lord. ⁷They did not have a child because Elizabeth was unable to bear children, and they were both well along in years. ⁸On one occasion, while Zechariah was serving as priest before God and his division was on duty, ⁹he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰The whole crowd of people were praying outside the temple during the hour of the incense offering.

¹¹An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹²When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome by fear. ¹³But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son for you, and you are to name him John. ¹⁴You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵because he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶He will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, to turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to prepare a people who are ready for the Lord.”

¹⁸Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this, because I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years?”

¹⁹The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you in order to tell you this good news. ²⁰Now listen, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at the proper time.”

²¹Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering what was taking him so long in the temple. ²²When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them and remained unable to speak.

²³When the days of his priestly service were completed, he went back to his home.

²⁴After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived.

⁵⁷When the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they were rejoicing with her. ⁵⁹On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. They wanted to call him Zechariah after the name of the father. ⁶⁰But his mother answered, “No. He will be called John.”

⁶¹They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” ⁶²They made signs to his father, to see what he wanted to name him.

⁶³He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

⁶⁴Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened, his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father and to the T Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.

Sermon

Hymn: 318 Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding

1 Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding!
“Christ is near,” we hear it say.
“Cast away the works of darkness,
all you children of the day.”

2 See, the Lamb, so long expected,
comes with pardon down from heav’n.
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
one and all, to be forgiv’n;

3 So, when next he comes in glory
and the world is wrapped in fear,
he will shield us with his mercy
and with words of love draw near.

4 Honor, glory, might, dominion
to the Father and the Son
with the everlasting Spirit
while eternal ages run!

Text: tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–1878, alt.; Latin, c. 5th–10th cent.
Text: Public domain

Offering

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Prayer

Hear my prayer, O Lord;

listen to my cry.

Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings.

In righteousness I shall see you;

when I awake, your presence will give me joy.

Prayers

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

Song of Simeon

Guide us waking, O Lord,

and guard us sleeping

that awake we may watch with Christ

and asleep we may rest in peace.

In peace, Lord, in peace you let your servant now depart according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for ev’ry people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.

Guide us waking, O Lord,

and guard us sleeping

that awake we may watch with Christ

and asleep we may rest in peace, in peace, in peace.

Let us praise the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Blessing

The almighty and merciful Lord—the Father, the T Son, and the Holy Spirit—bless us and keep us.

Amen.

Acknowledgments

Prayer at the Close of Day from Christian Worship

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