Advent 3a – December 15, 2013

Overview

Scripture for the Day:

 Isaiah 35:1-10
 Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55 (alternate)
 James 5:7-10
 Matthew 11:2-11

Liturgical Color:

1st Reading

 Isaiah 35:1-10 (NIV)

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
the splendor of our God.

3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
4 say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”

5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
7 The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

8 And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
wicked fools will not go about on it.
9 No lion will be there,
nor any ravenous beast;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
10     and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. NIV®. COPYRIGHT © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Psalm

 Psalm 146:5-10 (NIV)

5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.

6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
8     the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

or

Luke 1:46b-55 (NIV)

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. NIV®. COPYRIGHT © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

2nd Reading

 James 5:7-10 (NIV)

7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. NIV®. COPYRIGHT © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Gospel

 Matthew 11:2-11 (NIV)

2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’

11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. NIV®. COPYRIGHT © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Contemporary Song Suggestions for the Day: 

 GOD IS COMING  Martin Smith \ Tim Hughes | 2011 | CCLI Song #5942505

 SHINING STAR  Rend Collective Experiment | 2009 | CCLI Song #6186119

 PRAISE  Brenton Brown \ Paul Baloche | 2007 | CCLI Song #4972844

 GREAT GOD WHO SAVES  Laura Story | 2007 | CCLI Song #5114890

 COME LORD COME  Harmony Smith \ Nigel Briggs | 2005 | CCLI Song #4659325

 MARY DID YOU KNOW  Buddy Greene \ Mark Lowry | 1991, 1993 | CCLI Song #839225

 EXCEEDING JOY  Miriam Webster | 2002 | CCLI Song #3713901

 MAGNIFICAT  Todd Agnew | 2006 | CCLI Song #4802608

 MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD  Chris Tomlin \ Daniel Carson | 2009 | CCLI Song #5601671

  WE ARE WAITING  W. Zachary Taylor \ Chris Kline | 2012 | A worshipcurrent Exclusive!

 WAKE UP  David Leonard \ Don Chaffer \ Leslie Jordan | CCLI Song #6092272

 HOPE IS DAWNING  Aaron Keyes \ Johnny Parks \ Matt Maher \ Michael Gungor | 2010 | CCLI Song #5444481

 SING HALLELUJAH  Glenn Packiam \ Kari Jobe | 2011 | CCLI Song #5877175

 ALL IS WELL  Steve Cook \ Vikki Cook | 2012 | CCLI Song #6271804

 CHRIST THE LORD  Robert Feduccia \ Sarah Hart | 2011 | CCLI Song #6149826

 WAITING HERE FOR YOU  Chris Tomlin \ Jesse Reeves \ Martin Smith | 2011 | CCLI Song #5925663

 WAITING  Lisa Gungor \ Michael Gungor | 2003 | CCLI Song #4214612

 YOUR ARRIVAL  Phil Danyew \ Phil Wickham | 2009 | CCLI Song #5652943

 HOLY  Jason Ingram \ Jonas Myrin \ Matt Redman | 2011 | CCLI Song #6016306

 JESUS MESSIAH  Chris Tomlin \ Daniel Carson \ Ed Cash \ Jesse Reeves | 2008 | CCLI Song #5183443

 This week’s worshipcurrent pick for Holy Communion/Eucharist
 Found exclusively on 
worshipcurrent

Hymn Suggestions for the Day:

 HE COMES TO US AS ONE UNKNOWN   Charles Hubert Hastings Parry \ Timothy Dudley-Smith | 1973, 1984 Hope Publishing | CCLI Song #4507855 | Hymnary

 COME O LONG EXPECTED JESUS  Charles Wesley | Public Domain | CCLI Song #2276425 | Hymnary

 WAIT FOR THE LORD  Communauté de Taizé | 1991, Ateliers et Presses de Taizé, GIA Publications, Inc. | Hymnary

 ON JORDAN’S BANK THE BAPTISTS CRY  Charles Coffin \ John Chandler | Public Domain | CCLI Song #4490065 |Hymnary

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About W. Zachary Taylor

W. Zachary Taylor is the founder and lead curator of worshipcurrent.com, worship leader, songwriter, producer, organist, and consultant in his twenty-fifth year of worship music ministry. He loves challenging worship music professionals to design deeply meaningful worship experiences, healing broken ministries, pushing boundaries, and helping others. He can typically be found somewhere in Minneapolis - usually in a studio, church, or office of some kind. Zachary currently serves as Worship & Music Director at Atonement Lutheran Church in Bloomington, MN and Alternative Worship Music Minister at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in West St. Paul, MN.

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