Advent
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Isaiah 40:5
Confession of Sin Most merciful God,
I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen
The Lessons
The Lessons
Psalm 5
(1) Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. (2) Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. (3) In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (4) You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.
(5) The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. (6) You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors. (7) But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. (8) Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies-- make straight your way before me.
(9) Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit. (10) Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. (11) But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. (12) For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
(5) The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. (6) You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors. (7) But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. (8) Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies-- make straight your way before me.
(9) Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit. (10) Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. (11) But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. (12) For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Psalm 6
(1) O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. (2) Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. (3) My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long? (4) Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
(5) No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave? (6) I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. (7) My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. (8) Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
(9) The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. (10) All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
(5) No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave? (6) I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. (7) My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. (8) Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
(9) The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. (10) All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Isaiah 1
(21) See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her-- but now murderers! (22) Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. (23) Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them. (24) Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: 'Ah, I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.
(25) I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. (26) I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.' (27) Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness. (28) But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.
(29) You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen. (30) You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water. (31) The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
(25) I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. (26) I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.' (27) Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness. (28) But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.
(29) You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen. (30) You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water. (31) The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
1 Thessalonians 2
(1) You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. (2) We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. (3) For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. (4) On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
(5) You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed-- God is our witness. (6) We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, (7) but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. (8) We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
(9) Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. (10) You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. (11) For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, (12) encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
(5) You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed-- God is our witness. (6) We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, (7) but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. (8) We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
(9) Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. (10) You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. (11) For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, (12) encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Luke 20
(9) He went on to tell the people this parable: 'A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. (10) At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. (11) He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. (12) He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
(13) Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.' (14) But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' (15) So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 'What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? (16) He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.' When the people heard this, they said, 'May this never be!'
(17) Jesus looked directly at them and asked, 'Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ''The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone'? (18) Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.'
(13) Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.' (14) But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' (15) So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 'What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? (16) He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.' When the people heard this, they said, 'May this never be!'
(17) Jesus looked directly at them and asked, 'Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ''The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone'? (18) Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.'
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Seasonal Collect: First Sunday of Advent
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of
darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of
this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit
us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come
again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the
dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever. Amen.Personal Prayers and Reflection
Closing Prayers
The General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Conclude with following
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.This concludes the Daily Prayer
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord