Propers Plus for the Third Sunday in Advent

The Third Sunday in Advent

Gaudete!

As We Gather

The Third Sunday in Advent is a Sunday of rejoicing! The third candle on the Advent wreath is traditionally pink or rose color to symbolize the joy that comes with the knowledge that we are about to celebrate Christ’s birth. Our introit begins with the words of Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord, Always.” The rose candle reminds us of “The Rose of Sharon” (Song of Solomon 2:1) and is one of the names of Christ.

Prelude “Comfort, Comfort”................................................. Christus Choir

Clarinets:  Jill, Measel, Rachel Matheny

Piccolo:  Jennifer Jackemeyer

Hymn “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”......................... LSB 338

LIGHTING THE ADVENT WREATH - THE THIRD CANDLE:

P    As we light the third candle on our Advent wreath, we rejoice that God chose to send forth His only-begotten son to become fully man, born of the virgin and under the Law to redeem us and the world so that we may receive adoption into the family God through faith.  May the Lord use this Advent time to lighten the burdens of our hearts as we prepare for the Savior of the Nations to come.

C  Here a maid was found with child,

Yet remained a virgin mild.

In her womb this truth was shown:

God was there upon His throne.

Then stepped forth the Lord of all

From His pure and kingly hall;

God of God, yet fully man,

His heroic course began.

Introit ~ “Comfort, My People”..................... Christus Choir

Flutist – Sandy Strefling

Collect of the Day

Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Reading from the Book of Concord                                    

Apology of the Augsburg Confession,

Article IV, Justification 80, 81

Christ is not received as a Mediator except by faith.  Therefore, by faith alone we receive forgiveness of sins when we comfort our hearts with confidence in the mercy promised for Christ’s sake.  Likewise, Paul says in Romans 5:2, “Through Him we have also obtained access” and adds, “by faith.” Therefore, we are reconciled to the Father and receive forgiveness of sins when we are comforted with confidence in the mercy promised for Christ’s sake.

Readings from Holy Scripture

           

Old, Testament Reading                               Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11

      ¹The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

        because the Lord has anointed me

      to bring good news to the poor;

        he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

      to proclaim liberty to the captives,

        and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

        ²to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,

        and the day of vengeance of our God;

        to comfort all who mourn;

        ³to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

        to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

      the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

        the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

      that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

        the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

        ⁴They shall build up the ancient ruins;

        they shall raise up the former devastations;

      they shall repair the ruined cities,

        the devastations of many generations. . . .

        ⁸For I the Lord love justice;

        I hate robbery and wrong;

      I will faithfully give them their recompense,

        and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

        ⁹Their offspring shall be known among the nations,

        and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;

      all who see them shall acknowledge them,

        that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.

        ¹⁰I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

        my soul shall exult in my God,

      for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

        he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

      as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,

        and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

        ¹¹For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

        and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,

      so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise

        to sprout up before all the nations.

Gradual ~ Psalm 126..................................................................... Christus Choir

Epistle Lesson                                1 Thessalonians 5:16–24

¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰Do not despise prophecies, ²¹but test everything; hold fast what is good. ²²Abstain from every form of evil.

      ²³Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

P      Alleluia. Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

C   who will prepare your way before you. Alleluia.

Matt. 11:10b

Holy Gospel                                                      John 1:6–8, 19–28

⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. . . .

      ¹⁹And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” ²¹And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²²So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

      ²⁴(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) ²⁵They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ²⁶John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, ²⁷even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Hymn ~ “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding” .............. LSB 345

Congregation: stanzas 1, 3 & 5; Choir: stanzas  2 & 4

Offertory ~ “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” ...................... LSB 357

(Stanza 1)

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

..... Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Distribution Hymns

“Your Table I Approach”.......................................................... LSB 628

“Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness”............................ LSB 636

Hymn “In Thee Is Gladness”............................................................. LSB 818

All scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Reading from the book of Concord is from Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions-A Readers Edition of the Book of Concord - 2nd edition, Copyright 2005, 2006 Concordia Publishing House