Fulfillment
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle A Gospel Texts
The Community Gathers To Celebrate God's Promise Of Fulfillment
Invitation to the Celebration
The choir, congregation, and all the musical instruments combine to sing praises. Make this a powerful beginning of worship. Sing it several times if appropriate. What else but "Hey! Hey! Anybody Listening?"
Declaration of Joyful Expectations (Pastors and Ministers)
If we are failing to listen by now, we may never hear the Good News. Here it is once again: "God loved the world, the world, even that part of the world we hate, ignore, reject; God loves even that part of the world also to which God sent the unique, one-of-a-kind son." Wow! Do we believe that? Do we put our trust in that kind of a God? And all the people said ...
P: I invite us to celebrate the Presence of God in and for the world.
M: That's what we've come here to do.
P: I invite us to celebrate the Power of God in and for the world.
M: That's what we've come here to do.
P: I invite us to celebrate the Purpose of God in and for the world.
M: That's what we've come here to do.
P: I invite us to celebrate the Person of God in and for the world.
M: You have our word on our celebrating Good News of the newborn King.
Hymns and Carols
If you do use Christmas carols, at least begin worship with an Advent hymn, such as "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," to lead into the birth of Jesus.
The Community Faces Up To Itself
The Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
(Before entering the pulpit today, consider what you think that the people expect in worship. Probably most want to hear comforting, not confronting, messages. They need to hear the whole gospel.) I invite us to turn back the clock to the 1950s, at the time when cheap grace infiltrated American Christianity. Time magazine did an article on what it called the "religious corn" songs, one of which was "I Believe." The song sweetly promises us that "He'll (God was always a "He" in those days) always say, 'I forgive.'Ê" Of course, God forgives. Forgiveness comes at a price. We Protestants have been less than honest when we criticize our Roman Catholic friends for misusing the confessional booth. "All they have to do is go into the booth, get forgiveness, and go out and do the same things over and over." That sounds no different from what we Protestants do. Maybe we're jealous of their system. For a few minutes, I invite us to go into our own private confessional booths. Let the Spirit of God speak to us. What obvious, and not so obvious, sin do we need to bring to God's attention, and ours? Begin this Advent to make a diary of what you are discovering about yourself. (Silence for three minutes.)
Response
"God Be In My Head" (music by John Anderson, in New Wine, published by the Board of Education of the Southern California-Arizona Conference of the United Methodist Church. See Appendix 1 for address information).
The Act of Receiving New Life (Pastor and Ministers)
Sam Miller, in his book The Life of the Church, says, "We have to accept the fact that we are acceptable in God's sight ... God's grace accepts us even though we are sinners; and God accepts us as if we were not sinners." Repeat two or three times, because many, even longtime church members, are still trying to work their way into the Kingdom. We deserve death. But God's grace acquits us, not because we are innocent, but because we are guilty. And when we hear this good news, the acquittal of the guilty, we cannot just sit there as bumps on a log, as if we were reciting a quaint nursery rhyme, "Mary had a little lamb ... isn't that nice. I believe in the forgiveness of sin ... isn't that nice." This is good news, folks, the best news that the world has ever received. Rejoice and be glad! Stand and shout, "Thank you, Lord!" Offer your own praise word!
P: We are now present, fully present, Lord. Thanks for receiving us!
M: We are here because You have called us, forgiven us, energized us. We are new persons, who have received life in him who is the Lord of life and death.
P: Giver of life, thank You for healing us, for freeing us to be real.
M: Holy Spirit, keep on speaking to us. Insist that we keep on listening. Fill us this moment. So be it, Lord; so be it!
Response
"Doxology" (by Richard Avery and Donald Marsh; Hope Publishing Company. See Appendix 1 for ordering information).
The Community Responds To God's Promise Of Fulfillment
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do any of you have difficulty giving gifts for any occasion? What do you like to give? I have an acquaintance who says, "Give guilt, the gift that keeps on giving." I doubt that most of us need any more of that. Now, do any of you have difficulty receiving gifts? If you don't, I'll bet that some of your parents do. I know of people, including myself, that when someone pays them a compliment, they say, "I could have done better"; or, "If you really knew me, you wouldn't say that"; or, "I know people who do much more than I." Any of you do that? Ask your parents if they ever respond that way. Christianity is a strange thing. It begins, and continues, with an act, with many acts of receiving. If we fail to receive God's love first, it's impossible to share it with others. So, this week, I want you to think about all the gifts that you receive every day, including the air we breathe, the water we drink, the friends we have.
Reading from the Newer Covenant
If you want to stretch the congregation's imagination and have fun at the same time, begin the Scripture with the reading of Matthew's genealogy. To do this, you will need to have Doug Adams' version. Each name is followed by one of these responses: Applause and cheers, boo, hiss, moan, huh. Each response is put on a large piece of cardboard for all the people to see clearly. (You can order this idea from Doug at the Pacific School of Religion, 1798 Scenic Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709; 510-848-0528; Fax: 510-845-8949.) The congregation will never again be the same!
Read the assigned Scripture from the Cotton Patch Version by Clarence Jordan. I suggest this because the original versions have become so acculturated that people may miss the incomparable message. An updated version of the Cotton Patch is now available. Association Press of New York published the original.
Proclamation of the Good News
For the brave, consider the topic, "Christmas is not for the children." (If you want my version, send S.A.S.E. to author.)
Stewardship Challenge
What are you willing to receive, from God, from the world, from each other before you give? It may be more blessed to give than receive; it is more difficult to receive than give. Our faith always begins with an act of receiving.
Prayer
Lord, teach us how to receive, so that we will give for the right reasons.
Charge to the Congregation
We receive far more than we give. We give in response to what we already have received. It all begins with our recognition that "justification (that is, made right, whole, in a complete relationship with God) by the law would be the acquittal of the innocent; justification by
grace (God's unconditional acceptance) is an acquittal of the guilty." So rejoice, rejoice, rejoice. And all the people said, WOW! THANKS!
Meditation
"Leave the door open; he/she may be afraid to knock." How many times, in how many ways, did God knock before we finally opened the door?
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Advent Hymns (see Advent 1).
Hymn of Praise: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" (or have you given in to the pressure of singing Christmas carols?).
Choral Introit: (Soloist or Choir) "A Voice in the Wilderness," by John Prindle Scott.
Older Testament Lesson: A musical version of Psalm 24.
Response to the Good News: "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," Bach.
Offertory: "Lo, How a Rose," Brahms.
Advent Hymn of Commitment: "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night," John Browning, 1825; alt. 1972.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Advent Hymns (see Advent 1).
Consider this: As you move through the church year, point out the different times, places, and authors of the music. "I wish that we would sing the old songs," usually means that "I want to sing only the ones that I know." Use worship to educate the people about our rich heritage from every age. Now and then, print a half sheet for the bulletin or newsletter giving a history of the hymn or other music. If the clergy fail to educate the people, who will do it?
Invitation to the Celebration
The choir, congregation, and all the musical instruments combine to sing praises. Make this a powerful beginning of worship. Sing it several times if appropriate. What else but "Hey! Hey! Anybody Listening?"
Declaration of Joyful Expectations (Pastors and Ministers)
If we are failing to listen by now, we may never hear the Good News. Here it is once again: "God loved the world, the world, even that part of the world we hate, ignore, reject; God loves even that part of the world also to which God sent the unique, one-of-a-kind son." Wow! Do we believe that? Do we put our trust in that kind of a God? And all the people said ...
P: I invite us to celebrate the Presence of God in and for the world.
M: That's what we've come here to do.
P: I invite us to celebrate the Power of God in and for the world.
M: That's what we've come here to do.
P: I invite us to celebrate the Purpose of God in and for the world.
M: That's what we've come here to do.
P: I invite us to celebrate the Person of God in and for the world.
M: You have our word on our celebrating Good News of the newborn King.
Hymns and Carols
If you do use Christmas carols, at least begin worship with an Advent hymn, such as "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," to lead into the birth of Jesus.
The Community Faces Up To Itself
The Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
(Before entering the pulpit today, consider what you think that the people expect in worship. Probably most want to hear comforting, not confronting, messages. They need to hear the whole gospel.) I invite us to turn back the clock to the 1950s, at the time when cheap grace infiltrated American Christianity. Time magazine did an article on what it called the "religious corn" songs, one of which was "I Believe." The song sweetly promises us that "He'll (God was always a "He" in those days) always say, 'I forgive.'Ê" Of course, God forgives. Forgiveness comes at a price. We Protestants have been less than honest when we criticize our Roman Catholic friends for misusing the confessional booth. "All they have to do is go into the booth, get forgiveness, and go out and do the same things over and over." That sounds no different from what we Protestants do. Maybe we're jealous of their system. For a few minutes, I invite us to go into our own private confessional booths. Let the Spirit of God speak to us. What obvious, and not so obvious, sin do we need to bring to God's attention, and ours? Begin this Advent to make a diary of what you are discovering about yourself. (Silence for three minutes.)
Response
"God Be In My Head" (music by John Anderson, in New Wine, published by the Board of Education of the Southern California-Arizona Conference of the United Methodist Church. See Appendix 1 for address information).
The Act of Receiving New Life (Pastor and Ministers)
Sam Miller, in his book The Life of the Church, says, "We have to accept the fact that we are acceptable in God's sight ... God's grace accepts us even though we are sinners; and God accepts us as if we were not sinners." Repeat two or three times, because many, even longtime church members, are still trying to work their way into the Kingdom. We deserve death. But God's grace acquits us, not because we are innocent, but because we are guilty. And when we hear this good news, the acquittal of the guilty, we cannot just sit there as bumps on a log, as if we were reciting a quaint nursery rhyme, "Mary had a little lamb ... isn't that nice. I believe in the forgiveness of sin ... isn't that nice." This is good news, folks, the best news that the world has ever received. Rejoice and be glad! Stand and shout, "Thank you, Lord!" Offer your own praise word!
P: We are now present, fully present, Lord. Thanks for receiving us!
M: We are here because You have called us, forgiven us, energized us. We are new persons, who have received life in him who is the Lord of life and death.
P: Giver of life, thank You for healing us, for freeing us to be real.
M: Holy Spirit, keep on speaking to us. Insist that we keep on listening. Fill us this moment. So be it, Lord; so be it!
Response
"Doxology" (by Richard Avery and Donald Marsh; Hope Publishing Company. See Appendix 1 for ordering information).
The Community Responds To God's Promise Of Fulfillment
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do any of you have difficulty giving gifts for any occasion? What do you like to give? I have an acquaintance who says, "Give guilt, the gift that keeps on giving." I doubt that most of us need any more of that. Now, do any of you have difficulty receiving gifts? If you don't, I'll bet that some of your parents do. I know of people, including myself, that when someone pays them a compliment, they say, "I could have done better"; or, "If you really knew me, you wouldn't say that"; or, "I know people who do much more than I." Any of you do that? Ask your parents if they ever respond that way. Christianity is a strange thing. It begins, and continues, with an act, with many acts of receiving. If we fail to receive God's love first, it's impossible to share it with others. So, this week, I want you to think about all the gifts that you receive every day, including the air we breathe, the water we drink, the friends we have.
Reading from the Newer Covenant
If you want to stretch the congregation's imagination and have fun at the same time, begin the Scripture with the reading of Matthew's genealogy. To do this, you will need to have Doug Adams' version. Each name is followed by one of these responses: Applause and cheers, boo, hiss, moan, huh. Each response is put on a large piece of cardboard for all the people to see clearly. (You can order this idea from Doug at the Pacific School of Religion, 1798 Scenic Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709; 510-848-0528; Fax: 510-845-8949.) The congregation will never again be the same!
Read the assigned Scripture from the Cotton Patch Version by Clarence Jordan. I suggest this because the original versions have become so acculturated that people may miss the incomparable message. An updated version of the Cotton Patch is now available. Association Press of New York published the original.
Proclamation of the Good News
For the brave, consider the topic, "Christmas is not for the children." (If you want my version, send S.A.S.E. to author.)
Stewardship Challenge
What are you willing to receive, from God, from the world, from each other before you give? It may be more blessed to give than receive; it is more difficult to receive than give. Our faith always begins with an act of receiving.
Prayer
Lord, teach us how to receive, so that we will give for the right reasons.
Charge to the Congregation
We receive far more than we give. We give in response to what we already have received. It all begins with our recognition that "justification (that is, made right, whole, in a complete relationship with God) by the law would be the acquittal of the innocent; justification by
grace (God's unconditional acceptance) is an acquittal of the guilty." So rejoice, rejoice, rejoice. And all the people said, WOW! THANKS!
Meditation
"Leave the door open; he/she may be afraid to knock." How many times, in how many ways, did God knock before we finally opened the door?
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Advent Hymns (see Advent 1).
Hymn of Praise: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" (or have you given in to the pressure of singing Christmas carols?).
Choral Introit: (Soloist or Choir) "A Voice in the Wilderness," by John Prindle Scott.
Older Testament Lesson: A musical version of Psalm 24.
Response to the Good News: "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," Bach.
Offertory: "Lo, How a Rose," Brahms.
Advent Hymn of Commitment: "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night," John Browning, 1825; alt. 1972.
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Advent Hymns (see Advent 1).
Consider this: As you move through the church year, point out the different times, places, and authors of the music. "I wish that we would sing the old songs," usually means that "I want to sing only the ones that I know." Use worship to educate the people about our rich heritage from every age. Now and then, print a half sheet for the bulletin or newsletter giving a history of the hymn or other music. If the clergy fail to educate the people, who will do it?
