From hymnsite.com:
Weekly Readings: 3rd Sunday of Advent
Unifying Theme:
There is a way.
Be patient today, and be aware today.
Scriptural Reading, Number One
Theme: A Highway to Heaven
Isaiah 35:1-10 (King James Version)
Isaiah 35
1The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
2It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
3Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
7And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
9No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
10And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Hymns:
218: It Came upon the Midnight Clear
567: Heralds of Christ
Scriptural Reading, Number Two:
Theme: Blessed is the servant of the Lord
--or--
The servant of the Lord has been blessed
Psalm 146:5-10 (King James Version)
5Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
6Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:
7Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
8The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:
9The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
10The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
Luke 1:47-55 (King James Version)
47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Hymns:
181: Ye Servants of God
559: Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
Scriptural Reading, Number Three
Theme: John asks if Christ is the one;
Christ proclaims that John is the forerunner
Matthew 11:2-11 (King James Version)
2Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
4Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
7And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Hymns:
196: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
203: Hail to the Lord's Annointed
Scriptural Reading, Number Four
Theme: Be patient, as the prophets were patient
James 5:7-10 (King James Version)
7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
10Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
Hymns:
454: Open My Eyes, That I May See
496: Sweet Hour of Prayer
Featured Hymn:
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Text: Edmund H. Sears, 1810-1876
Music: Richard Storrs Willis, 1819-1900
Tune: CAROL, Meter: CMD
What is it that makes a story interesting? What is it that captures our attention and holds us in its grip? As is so often the case, the answers to these questions are probably best understood through the eyes (or ears) of children. Children love stories. Their faces beam with smiles when story time comes. They want to hear tales of joy and success. They love happy endings. And they listen intently, practically becoming part of the stories themselves. New stories and special story tellers can be especially delightful, since they also bring the unexpected.
The coming of Christ was just such an event. It was so greatly desired, but so completely unexpected. Prophets foretold the event, but they never told exactly when it would happen. And so God's chosen people lived from day to day and year to year. Centuries came and went. The stories of creation, the Exodus, and the reign of King David were told and retold, time after time. They were tales of joy and success. They had happy endings. Like children, the Israelites loved to hear the stories. They knew that they were part of that story--the continuation of that wonderful history. And then one night, special story tellers came. Angels appeared to shepherds near Jerusalem. The angels affirmed the old stories, and they brought the unexpected: Christ was born! No wonder they left their flocks to find the newborn child. No wonder they praised God when they found Jesus. No wonder we continue to enjoy their story to this day.
This week's featured hymn was written by Edmund Sears. He wrote his first Christmas hymn while still a student at Harvard Divinity School. He tried to capture the images and sounds of angels singing over the hills and fields where Christ was born. Here are those words written by that seminary student:
1. Calm on the list'ning ear of night
Come heaven's melodious strains,
Where wild Judea stretches forth
Her silver-mantled plains;
Celestial choirs from courts above
Shed sacred glories there;
And angels, with their sparkling lyres,
Make music on the air. 2. The answering hills of Palestine
Send back the glad reply
And greet from all their holy heights
The Dayspring from on high,
O'er the blue depths of Galilee
There comes a holier calm
And Sharon waves in solemn praise
Her silent groves of palm.
3. "Glory to God!" the lofty strain
The realm of ether fills;
How sweeps the song of solemn joy
O'er Judah's sacred hills!
"Glory to God!" the sounding skies
Loud with their anthems ring;
"Peace on the earth; good will to men,"
From heaven's eternal King. 4. This day shall Christian tongues be mute,
And Christian hearts be cold?
O catch the anthem that from heaven
O'er Judah's mountains rolled.
When burst upon that listening night
The high and solemn lay,
"Glory to God; on earth be peace."
Salvation comes today.
Over a decade later, Sears revisited his Christmas hymn. In the same meter, and with the same theme of angels singing a message of peace, he penned the words that are so familiar to us today. The words help us remember the images. They help us remember the message. They help us remember that it was an event so desired, and yet so unexpected. Desire that event in your life as you read:
1. It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing. 2. Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.
3. And ye, beneath life's crushing load,
whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow,
look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing! 4. For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.
Listen to the wonderful story of the angels and make it your own today. It delivers a message of peace for all time--past, present, and future. May we know and share that story over all the earth, that our own voices may resound the song of the angels.
God bless you--
Lection at HymnSite.com Passages suggested are from The Revised Common Lectionary: Consultation on Common Texts (Abingdon Press, 1992) copyright © by the Consultation on Common Texts (CCT), P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville TN 37203-0003. Reprinted with permission of CCT.
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