Login / Signup

Free Access

Second Sunday of Advent

Worship
Lectionary Worship Aids
Series III
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Hear the words of the Lord. Are they not words of peace, peace
to his people and to his loyal servants and to all who turn and
trust in him?

* PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of the first day, God of today, God of the last day, we admit
that we are more frightened by the threat of a nuclear accident
or a nuclear war than we are hopeful for a new heaven and earth.
It is like our apprehension of major surgery, an unpleasant
experience, but one that can bring about the condition in which
healing can take place. We may be fatalistic and feel powerless
to change unjust institutions that provoke and promote war.
Forgive our reluctance to look for the new day and to work for
justice and peace with patience, repentance, and perseverance,
whatever the disappointments and delays. Baptize us with the
Holy Spirit according to the gospel of Jesus Christ, your Son.
Amen.

* DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! God has forgiven your guilt and put away all
your sins. Friends, believe the Good News! In Jesus Christ, we
are forgiven.

* EXHORTATION
Prepare a road for the Lord through the barren places of our
common life. Clear a highway for God across the fruitless areas
of our history.

* PRAYER OF THE DAY
Jesus Christ, Son of God, since you have walked in our shoes,
enable us by the same Holy Spirit of our baptism to proclaim the
good news and prepare the way for your coming again so that you
may be surrounded by people from all earth's cities and
countrysides. Amen.

* PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Saving God, loving Christ, baptizing Spirit, hear our
thanksgiving for all who have paved the way for your good news to
reach us. We admire the bold preaching of the prophets and
apostles. We appreciate the work of scholars and translators in
preparing a written text for us to read. We are grateful for the
printers and binders that make Bibles for us and for all who help
us to read and understand the Word of God written. Most of all
we

thank you that your saving and forgiving love was embodied in
Jesus of Nazareth, the great good Shepherd who has gathered his
flock into the Church. For past deliverance, for present
comfort, for future promise we give you thanks, faithful God.
Amen.

* PRAYER OF DEDICATION
We worship you, loving and faithful Lord, by the presentation of
these tokens of our prosperity and the yield of our work. Use us
and our offerings to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.

* PSALM 85:1-2, 8-13
LORD, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you pardoned all their sin.
Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people,
to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The LORD will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps.

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Easter 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
Tom Willadsen
For May 25, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A mat, like an exercise mat, or a blanket.

Note: You can do this all by yourself, but if you want to have more fun, help your children role-play the story. Select one child to be the sick man, and a few children to be the crowd. I usually play the role of Jesus so I can easily guide things. As you tell the story, have the sick man try to crawl, and have a group of children be the crowd blocking him, and then after Jesus helps him, have the man stand up, roll the mat up under his arm, and walk away smiling. Have fun with it!

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
(This particular installment of StoryShare is adapted from a review of “Seven Psalms” that I wrote for Messenger, our denominational magazine.)

During the night, Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (v. 9)

It all began with a dream.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
The church is a work in progress — and we are expected to be a critical part of that church’s work. In the absence of synagogue worship, Lydia and her fellow believers meet anyway at the riverside. Their faithfulness leads to Paul’s dream which helps create something where there was nothing. The passage from Revelation creates a target for us to aim for, and to work for, even as we wait for its perfect fulfillment.
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Acts 16:9-15
John Calvin claimed that this is a text to stir up our commitments to reach out to those in need, especially in this time of intolerance towards immigrants and the poor. A 2024 Gallup poll indicates that 56% of Americans favor mass deportation. And in the most recent poll on the subject of the poor, (a 2002 NPR/Kaiser poll), 52% of Americans found the poor not to have a proper work ethic. It is unlikely we have outgrown that prejudice. In response, the reformer of Geneva wrote:

SermonStudio

Wayne Brouwer
During World War II, many members of the Lutheran church in Germany lost their faith because Hitler seduced them into ways of living that kept them from practicing their faith. But there was one man whom Hitler could not compromise. His name was Martin Niemöller. During World War I, Niemöller had been a great hero in the German military but when the Second World War came, he refused to bow to the authorities. He was marching to a different drumbeat. And march he did.
Forrest E. Chaffee
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Stephen P. McCutchan
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us....
-- Psalm 67:1

Steven E. Albertin
(Sing the first verse and chorus of "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic.")

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
1

Charles D. Reeb
Life has a way of presenting us with defining moments. I remember facing a defining moment in my ministry. I went to see a man in the hospital who was dying. He was not active in the church I pastored, but I knew who he was. When I entered his hospital room, his whole family was standing in a semi-circle around his bed. They greeted me, and then the man told his family that he wanted a moment alone with me. So they left us alone.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said to the paralysed man, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." In our worship today let us explore all that paralyses us, then let us respond to Jesus' command to stand up and walk.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of ridicule that I keep my head down.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of doing the wrong thing that I do nothing at all.
Christ, have mercy.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL