Sunday November 27, 2022

​Payette United Methodist Church
Sunday, November 27th, 2022
Advent 4 - Theme: Root of Jesse (Hope)
 
Welcome/Announcements - Mary Beth
 
Gathering Hymn: Family of God
 
Calling Song: Hail to the Lord’s Anointed (UMH #203)
 
Responsive Reading: Psalm 122 (NRSV) - Deanna Carr and Dalyce Knight
One: I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
Many: Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
One: Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together.
Many: To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
One: For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David, the root of Jesse.
Many: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls and security within your towers.”
One: For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”
Many: For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.
One: This is our prayer.
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.
 
Opening Prayer (in unison) - Deanna Carr and Dalyce Knight
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.
 
Almighty God, you brought forth a royal branch from the ancient stock of Jesse’s line: Grant that we who have been grafted into this heritage may bear fruit worthy of Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and forever. And all the people said:
Many: Amen.
 
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5 (CEB)
This is what Isaiah, Amoz’s son, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
 
In the days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of the mountains. It will be lifted above the hills; peoples will stream to it. Many nations will go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of God so that we may be taught God’s ways and we may walk in God’s paths.”
 
Instruction will come from Zion; the Lord’s word from Jerusalem. God will judge between the nations, and settle disputes of mighty nations. Then they will beat their swords into iron plows and their spears into pruning tools. Nation will not take up sword against nation; they will no longer learn how to make war. Come, house of Jacob, let’s walk by the Lord’s light.
 
One: The story of God for the people of God!
Many: Thanks be to God!
 
New Testament Reading: Romans 13:11-14 (CEB)
As you do all this, you know what time it is. The hour has already come for you to wake up from your sleep. Now our salvation is nearer than when we first had faith. The night is almost over, and the day is near. So let’s get rid of the actions that belong to the darkness and put on the weapons of light. Let’s behave appropriately as people who live in the day, not in partying and getting drunk, not in sleeping around and obscene behavior, not in fighting and obsession. Instead, dress yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t plan to indulge your selfish desires.
 
One: The story of God for the people of God.
Many: Thanks be to God!
 
Advent Candle Lighting - Deanna Carr and Dalyce Knight
One: As we light this fourth Advent candle, we remember that Christ holds the keys to Death and the Grave. As we light this candle, our prayer is that as we await the day when we, too, shall share in Christ's resurrection, we may share the hope of resurrection with all whom we meet along the way. And all the people said:
Many: Amen.
 
Sing together: O Come, O Come Emmanuel 
O come, Thou Branch of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
 
Praise Song: Song of Hope 
 
Children’s Time
 
Prayers of the People - Danny Crego
One: God of justice and peace, from the heavens you rain down mercy and kindness, that all on earth may stand in awe and wonder before your marvelous deeds. Raise our heads in expectation, that we may yearn for the coming day of the Lord and stand without blame before your Son, Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
 
We seek the mighty God in the most unlikely places as a child in a stable, and in an empty tomb. May God hear these prayers, which come from the unlikely corners of our lives.
 
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 Root of Jesse, source of all that is good,  Come to the suffering in our world as Savior and comforter.
Break into our lives, where we struggle with sickness and distress, and set us free to serve you for ever.
 
Give us ears to hear, O God, and eyes to watch, that we may know your presence in our midst during this holy season of joy as we anticipate the coming of Jesus Christ. 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 - Danny Crego
 
Sing together: Doxology (UMH #94) 

 
Prayer song: Emmanuel, Emmanuel (UMH #204, 2x)
 
Sermon Text: Matthew 24:36-44 (Kingdom New Testament) - Mary Beth
One: This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Many: Glory to you, Lord Christ!
 
One: “Nobody knows what day or time this will happen,” Jesus went on. “The angels in heaven don’t know it, and nor does the Son; only the Father knows. You see, the royal appearing of the Human One will be like the days of Noah.
 
“What does that mean? Well, in those days, before the flood, they were eating and drinking, they were getting married and giving children in marriage, right up to the day when Noah went into the ark. They didn’t know about it until the flood came and swept them all away. That’s what it’ll be like at the royal appearing of the Human One.
 
“On that day, there will be two people working in the field. One will be taken; the other will be left. There will be two women grinding corn in the mill. One will be taken; the other will be left.
 
“So keep alert! You don’t know what day your master will come. But bear this in mind: if the householder had known what time of night the burglar was going to come, he would have stayed awake and wouldn’t have let his house get broken into. So you too must be ready! The Human One is coming at a time you don’t expect.”
 
This is the Gospel of our Lord.
Many: Praise to you, Lord Christ!
 
Sing together: O Come Divine Messiah 
 
Communion
One: The Lord be with you!
Many: And also with you!
One: Lift up your hearts!
Many: We lift them up to the Lord!
One: Let us give thanks!
Many: It is just and right to give thanks!
One: It is just and right and a good and joyful thing always and everywhere to give our thanks and praise to God.
 
So let us pray:
 
Unexpected God, your advent alarms us. Wake us from drowsy worship, from the sleep that neglects love, and the sedative of misdirected frenzy. Awaken us now to your coming, and bend our angers into your peace - the peace of Christ, who by your Spirit was anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, set at liberty those who are oppressed. Christ healed the sick, fed the hungry, ate with sinners, and established the new covenant for forgiveness of sins. We live in the hope of His coming again.
 
(Lift the bread, break it) We remember that on the night that our Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed, he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and he gave it to his disciples and said, “This is my body, given for you. Take and eat - all of you - in remembrance of me.”
 
(Lift the cup) Likewise, after the supper, he took the cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “This is the cup of the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me.”
 
And so, Lord God, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in our Lord Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with the sacrifice of Christ for us, as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Many: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
 
One: Because we all partake of the one bread and the one cup, we, though we are many, are one. So let us join in together in praying the prayer that the Lord taught all of the disciples to pray. Let us be so bold as to say:
Many: Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors,
Save us from the time of trial,
And deliver us from evil.
For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
 
One: God of salvation, pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these your gifts. Make them by the power of your Spirit to be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ, redeemed by His blood.
 
By your Spirit make us one in Christ, one with each other, and one in the ministry of Christ to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And all God’s people said:
Many: Amen.
 
One: (Give instructions for coming forward to receive) The Table is prepared. All who are hungry and thirsty are invited to come forward to receive these gifts of grace. May Christ be fully formed in you. Come forward as you’re ready.
 
Closing Hymn: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
 
Sending Forth/Benediction - Mary Beth
One: God of love, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of our savior Jesus the Messiah; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of Christ.
 
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: May the peace of the Lord go with us, wherever God may send us. May we embody the love, grace, and mercy of Christ to those we meet along the way. Amen.

Prelude
Thank you for worshiping with us today!

(CCLI License #1552544)