Sunday December 4, 2022

Payette United Methodist Church
December 4th, 2022
Advent 5 - Theme: Key of David (Peace)
 
Welcome/Announcements
 
Gathering Hymn: Family of God
 
Calling Song: Jesus Shall Reign (UMH #157, v. 1, 2, & 5)
 
Responsive Reading: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 (CEB)
One: God, give your judgments to the king. Give your righteousness to the king’s son.
Many: Let him judge your people with righteousness and your poor with justice.
One: Let the mountains bring peace to the people; let the hills bring righteousness.
Many: Let the king bring justice to people who are poor; let him save the children of those who are needy, but let him crush oppressors!
One: Let the king live as long as the sun, as long as the moon, generation to generation.
Many: Let him fall like rain upon fresh-cut grass, like showers that water the earth.
One: Let the righteous flourish throughout their lives, and let peace prosper until the moon is no more.
Many: Bless the Lord God, the God of Israel—the only one who does wondrous things!
One: Bless God’s glorious name forever; let God’s glory fill all the earth! This is our prayer.
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.
 
Opening Prayer (in unison) 
We proclaim the greatness of the Lord, and our spirits rejoice in God our Savior! For you, Lord, have looked with favor on your lowly servants. You, the Almighty, have done great things for us and holy is your name. You have mercy on those who fear you from generation to generation. You have shown strength with your arm and scattered the proud in their conceit, casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly. You have filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. You have come to the aid of your people, to remember the promise of mercy, the promise made to our forebears, to Abraham and Sarah and their children for ever. Amen.
 
Sing together: Gloria Patri (UMH #70)
 
Scripture Readings - Deanna Carr and Dalyce Knight
One: God, open our hearts and minds by the power of the Holy Spirit, that as the scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today.
 
Gracious God, your Son Jesus Christ opened wide gate of heaven, making plain the way that leads to eternal joy: Grant that we who have been buried with Christ in baptism and raised to new life may strive courageously for the freedom and peace of the world; through the same your Son, Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and dominion for ever and ever. And all the people said:
Many: Amen.
 
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10 (CEB)
A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse;
    a branch will sprout from his roots.
The Lord’s spirit will rest upon him,
    a spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    a spirit of planning and strength,
    a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.
He will delight in fearing the Lord.
He won’t judge by appearances,
    nor decide by hearsay.
He will judge the needy with righteousness,
    and decide with equity for those who suffer in the land.
He will strike the violent with the rod of his mouth;
    by the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
Righteousness will be the belt around his hips,
    and faithfulness the belt around his waist.
The wolf will live with the lamb,
    and the leopard will lie down with the young goat;
    the calf and the young lion will feed together,
    and a little child will lead them.
The cow and the bear will graze.
    Their young will lie down together,
    and a lion will eat straw like an ox.
A nursing child will play over the snake’s hole;
    toddlers will reach right over the serpent’s den.
They won’t harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain.
    The earth will surely be filled with the knowledge of the Lord,
    just as the water covers the sea.
 
On that day, the root of Jesse will stand as a signal to the peoples. The nations will seek him out, and his dwelling will be glorious.
 
One: The story of God for the people of God!
Many: Thanks be to God!
 
New Testament Reading: Romans 15:4-13 (CEB)
Whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction so that we could have hope through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures. May the God of endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude toward each other, similar to Christ Jesus’ attitude. That way you can glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ together with one voice.
 
So welcome each other, in the same way that Christ also welcomed you, for God’s glory. I’m saying that Christ became a servant of those who are circumcised for the sake of God’s truth, in order to confirm the promises given to the ancestors, and so that the Gentiles could glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
 
Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles,
    and I will sing praises to your name.
 
And again, it says,
 
Rejoice, Gentiles, with God’s people.
 
And again,
 
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
    and all the people should sing God’s praises.
 
And again, Isaiah says,
 
There will be a root of Jesse,
    who will also rise to rule the Gentiles.
        The Gentiles will place their hope in him.
 
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
One: The story of God for the people of God.
Many: Thanks be to God!
 
Advent Candle Lighting
One: As we light this fifth Advent candle, we remember Christ releases the captives, sets the prisoner free, and liberates those who are oppressed. As we light this candle, our prayer is that we may participate in Christ's liberating work for the good of all creation. And all the people said:
Many: Amen.
 
Sing together: O Come, O Come Emmanuel 
O Come thou Key of David, release
And free us to experience thy peace
Unbind us here from sin and death
Awaken us with heaven’s breath
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel.
 
Praise Song: Light of Those Whose Dreary Dwelling
 
Children’s Time 
 
Prayers of the People
One: God of timeless grace, you fill us with joyful expectation. Make us ready for the message that prepares the way, that with uprightness of heart and holy joy we may eagerly await the kingdom of your Son, Jesus Christ, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
 
God of hope, you raised up John the baptizer as a herald who calls us to repentance. As we joyfully await the glorious coming of Christ, we pray to you for the needs of the church and the world.
 
Are there any requests?
(The congregation is invited to speak their requests. After each request is spoken, we all respond in unison, “Lord, hear us.”)
 
One: In joyful expectation of his coming to our aid we pray to Jesus.
 
O Key of David, Come to us as shepherd and guardian of our lives, even in death.  Give us with all the faithful departed a share in your victory over evil and death.
 
Hear our humble prayer that we may serve you in holiness and faith and give voice to your presence among us until the day of the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
 
And now, because we often fail to love, because we acknowledge that we are sinners living in sinful systems, and because we acknowledge that we are all in need of God’s mercy and grace, let us confess our sins.
 
Many: God of the living and the dead,
We confess that we have sinned against you by what we have done and by what we have not done,
We remember our broken promises and missed opportunities;
The gifts we have taken for granted;
The love we have not shown or returned;
Forgive us, comfort and heal us, lift our guilt from us,
That we may walk in freedom and grace to the glory of your name.
Amen.
 
One: May God who is both power and love forgive us and free us from our sins; heal and strength us by the power of the Holy Spirit; and bring us to new life through Christ our Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are a forgiven people!
Many: Thanks be to God!
 
Offering Prayer

Sing together: Doxology (UMH #94)
 
Prayer song: We Sing of Your Glory (TFWS #2011, v. 1, 2, & 4) 
 
Sermon Text: Matthew 3:1-12 (CEB) 
One: This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Many: Glory to you, Lord Christ!
 
One: In those days John the Baptist appeared in the desert of Judea announcing, “Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of heaven!” He was the one of whom Isaiah the prophet spoke when he said:
 
The voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
        “Prepare the way for the Lord;
        make his paths straight.”
 
John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.
 
People from Jerusalem, throughout Judea, and all around the Jordan River came to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. Many Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptized by John. He said to them, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire. I baptize with water those of you who have changed your hearts and lives. The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.”
 
This is the Gospel of our Lord.
Many: Praise to you, Lord Christ!
 
Sing together: Your Peace Will Make Us One
 
Closing Hymn: The King of Glory Comes (TFWS #2091) 
 
Sending Forth/Benediction 
One: May God bless you and keep you; may God’s face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; may God’s countenance be lifted upon you and give you peace, from this day forth and forevermore.
Many: And now, God, send us out to do the work that you have given us to do; to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To Christ, to you, and to the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.