Prayers of Intercession

The prayers are prepared locally for eachoccasion. The following examples may beadapted or used as appropriate.

God of power and might, shine yourradiance and come quickly to this wearyworld. Hear our prayers for everyone inneed.

A brief silence.

God of preachers and messengers,you have entrusted your church withthe work of proclaiming good news.Strengthen the witness of bishops,pastors, deacons, church musicians, layleaders, and all people who contributetheir prayers and talents to publicworship (the congregation's worship leadersmay be named). Embed your word in theirhearts. Hear us, O God.Your mercy is great.

God of every living creature, youannounce the year of your favor for allof creation. Extend your kindness andrelief to endangered animals and plants.Strengthen the human beings who relyon the rhythms of nature to make theirliving. Hear us, O God.Your mercy is great.

God of all peoples and nations, youplant us as your oaks of righteousnessand ask us to care for one another. Bepresent with the leaders of every nationas they govern. Give them a spirit ofrighteousness, that your goodness and

Preparing for Next Week

mercy is revealed through their actions.Hear us, O God.Your mercy is great.

God of exiles and wanderers, you repairwhat was once destroyed. We pray forpeople who have been displaced fromtheir homes by fire, flood, earthquake,or storm (survivors of recent naturaldisasters may be named). Support the workof Lutheran World Relief, LutheranDisaster Response, and all disaster relieforganizations in their recovery efforts.Hear us, O God.Your mercy is great.

God of the powerful and helpless, youclothe us with strength when our spiritsare weak and weary. Bestow your spiritupon this congregation and empower usto comfort the people who turn to us intimes of need. Make your church a placeof refuge and healing. Hear us, O God.Your mercy is great.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

God of sinners and saints, you offerjoy even in the midst of our grief. Weare grateful for the beloved, imperfectpeople whose lives testified to yourradiant love (especially Lucy, martyr of thechurch). Anoint all who mourn with theoil of gladness. Hear us, O God.Your mercy is great.

Draw near to us, O God, and receive ourprayers for the sake of your Son, JesusChrist our Lord.Amen.

Monday (commemoration of John of the Cross, renewer of the church, 1591) Psalm 125. Tuesday Acts3:17—4:4. Wednesday Mark 9:9-13. Thursday Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26. Friday Hebrews 1:5-14. SaturdayJohn 7:40-52. Fourth Sunday of Advent (commemoration of Katharina von Bora Luther, renewer of thechurch, 1552) 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16; Luke l:46b-55 or Psalm 89:1-4,19-26; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38.

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CelebrateThird Sunday of Advent

December 13, 2020

"Rejoice always," begins the reading from 1 Thessalonians. Isaiah and the psalmist makeclear that God is turning our mourning into laughter and shouts of joy. "All God's chil-dren got a robe," go the words of a spiritual. It is not so much a stately, formal, pressedoutfit as it is a set of party clothes, clothes we are happy to wear. We receive that robe inbaptism, and in worship we gather for a foretaste of God's party.

Prayer of the Day

Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to thewords of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to yourlight; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with youand the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

First Reading Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

Though the people had returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon, they continued toface hardship and oppression. In the language of the jubilee year described in Leviticus25, the prophet, moved by the spirit of God, announces deliverance for those who are op-pressed and comfort for those who mourn.

The spirit of the Lord GOD isupon me,

because the LORD hasanointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news tothe oppressed,

to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and release to the prisoners;2 to proclaim the year of the

LORD'S favor,and the day of vengeance of

our God;to comfort all who mourn;

3to provide for those who mournin Zion—

to give them a garland insteadof ashes,

the oil of gladness instead ofmourning,

the mantle of praise instead of afaint spirit.

They will be called oaks ofrighteousness,

the planting of the LORD, todisplay his glory.

4They shall build up the ancientruins,

they shall raise up the formerdevastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,the devastations of many

generations.

8For I the LORD love justice,I hate robbery and wrongdoing;

I will faithfully give them theirrecompense,

and I will make an everlastingcovenant with them.

9Their descendants shall be knownamong the nations,

and their offspring among thepeoples;

continued

Psalm Psalm 126; refrain, Ps. 126:3

The LORD has done great things for us.

When the LORD restored the for-' tunes of Zion,then were we like ' those who dream.

2Then was our mouth filled with laughter,and our tongue with ' shouts of joy.

Then they said among the nations,"The LORD has done great' things for them."

3The LORD has done great' things for us,and we are ' glad indeed.

''Restore our for-' tunes, O LORD,like the watercourses ' of the Negeb. R

3Those who ' sowed with tearswill reap with ' songs of joy.

6Those who go out weeping, carry-' ing the seed,will come again with joy, shoulder-' ing their sheaves. R

or Luke 1:46b-55; refrain, Luke 1:52 [not printed]

First Reading, continued

all who see them shall acknowledgethat they are a people whom the

LORD has blessed.10I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,

my whole being shall exult in myGod;

for he has clothed me with thegarments of salvation,

he has covered me with the robe ofrighteousness,

Second Reading

as a bridegroom decks himselfwith a garland,

and as a bride adorns herself withher jewels.

11 For as the earth brings forth itsshoots,

and as a garden causes what issown in it to spring up,

so the Lord GOD will causerighteousness and praise

to spring up before all the nations.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Paul concludes his letter to the Thessalonians by encouraging them, to live lives of con-tinual joy, prayer, and thanksgiving. The closing blessing is grounded in the hope ofChrist's coming.

Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing,18give thanks in all circumstances; forthis is the will of God in Christ Jesusfor you. 19Do not quench the Spirit.20Do not despise the words of proph-ets, 21but test everything; hold fast towhat is good; 22abstain from everyform of evil.

23 May the God of peace himselfsanctify you entirely; and may yourspirit and soul and body be keptsound and blameless at the coming ofour Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one whocalls you is faithful, and he will dothis.

Gospel John 1:6-8,19-28

John's gospel describes Jesus as the "light of the world." John the Baptist is presented asa witness to Jesus, one who directs attention away from himself to Christ, the true light.

There was a man sent from God, whosename was John. 7He came as a witnessto testify to the light, so that all mightbelieve through him. 8He himself wasnot the light, but he came to testify tothe light.

19This is the testimony given byJohn when the Jews sent priests andLevites from Jerusalem to ask him,"Who are you?" 20He confessed anddid not deny it, but confessed, "I amnot the Messiah." 21And they askedhim, "What then? Are you Elijah?" Hesaid, "I am not." "Are you the proph-et?" He answered, "No." 22Then theysaid to him, "Who are you? Let us have

an answer for those who sent us. Whatdo you say about yourself?" 23He said,

"I am the voice of one crying outin the wilderness,

'Make straight the way of the Lord,'"as the prophet Isaiah said.24 Now they had been sent from thePharisees. 25They asked him, "Whythen are you baptizing if you are nei-ther the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor theprophet?" 2fjohn answered them, "Ibaptize with water. Among you standsone whom you do not know, 27the onewho is coming after me; I am not wor-thy to untie the thong of his sandal."28This took place in Bethany acrossthe Jordan where John was baptizing.