Sunday 6th December 2020

BURTON JOYCE COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday 6 December 2020

with Nottingham North East Circuit 

This short act of worship has been prepared by Revd Ruth Orton to use at home. Spend a few moments with God, knowing that other people are sharing this act of worship with you.

Advent 2

The prophets 

Jesus said, ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets: I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.’ 

Amen. Come soon, Lord Jesus!

A candle is lit with this response:

Jesus is the light of the world. 

A light no darkness can ever put out.

Advent candles tell their story 

as we watch and pray,
Longing for the Day of Glory, 

’Come, Lord, soon,’ we say.
Pain & sorrow, tears and sadness 

changed for gladness on that Day. 

Prophet voices loudly crying, 

making pathways clear;

Glimpsing glory, self-denying, 

calling all to hear. 

Through their message, challenged, shaken, 

hearts awaken: God is near!
© Mark Earey 

Advent is a time of expectation 

looking forward, 

we are waiting for the coming of Christmas 

and for the coming of Jesus 

SoF 154 

Hark the glad sound, the Saviour comes

Let’s Pray 

Lord Jesus, it seems such a long time. We’re tired of waiting and sometimes it seems as if the only news is more bad news, more trouble for someone, somewhere. We need reassurance, we need encouragement, we need something to look forward to. Speak to us today. It’s easy to forget that you are in charge, that this is your world and that you won’t abandon us. 

Forgive us for our doubts and fears and give us the courage to look into an uncertain future. We go forward, but we don’t go forward alone, because you are with us. Amen.

Waiting

We all know about waiting – waiting for a bus, waiting for the postman – waiting for a phone call – waiting for a visitor. We may wait for something that will come on time – when it is due. Or for something that may happen – perhaps. Do you remember as a child waiting for a birthday or Christmas – or waiting for exam results. We know exactly when they will come, but time stops. Or we wait for something that will surprise us, because it’s totally unexpected. 

The Bible talks a lot about waiting. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt before Moses was born, but they had to wait until he grew up, before he could confront Pharaoh, saying ‘let my people go’. Centuries later, their descendants found their land overrun, with many taken into exile in Babylon, again they waited for rescue. 

It was during this time that many of the Psalms were written, and we often find a longing. When will God do something to help them? How long must they wait? 

Psalm 42 expresses that longing. But you could easily find the same yearning in other Psalms. 

Psalm 42
As a deer longs for flowing streams 

We sing SoF 27 

As the deer pants for the water so my soul longs after you

Yes, they returned from exile, eventually. The Temple was rebuilt, not as gloriously as in Solomon’s time - and they didn’t even become the great nation they had felt they were under King David. And times continued to be precarious. 

By the time of Jesus, Rome was in power, with Roman soldiers on the streets and a Roman Governor in control. People were waiting again. Would Jesus be their rescuer? 

Not in the way many hoped.

40 years after Jesus died, Roman power ended, but the Temple was destroyed, never to be rebuilt, and the people were scattered to many countries around the Mediterranean. 

And people still waited. Peter writes of people who are waiting for God to do something for them. Jesus had left them a promise, that he would come back. But when? 

2 Peter 3:8-13 

With the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, 

and a thousand years are like one day. 

We wait for God’s Kingdom to be established on earth. 

But how long? 

What we do know is that God is still in control. He doesn’t always act at the drop of a hat, when we want results, immediately, or sooner. 

To God, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. God doesn’t own a watch, or a calendar, or even an almanac. He is Lord of Time and things happen in his time, when he is ready. God’s time was right when Jesus came. 

But we still wait until God’s time is right for us ... wait until things are settled ... wait until we begin to see the things we long for, for ourselves and others ... wait for a hidden future, a better world. 

But we have ‘God’s Promise’. We wait for a new heaven and a new earth, when God’s kingdom comes, and his rule is established on earth. All we need is patience – and some of us need plenty of it. 

Let’s Pray
For those who feel time dragging as they wait for Christmas and who may be dreading what will be a very different Christmas. 

Lord, hear us

For those who are impatient for a return to ‘normal’ and are afraid that life may never be ‘normal’ again. 

Lord, hear us

For those who have been ill and finding that recovery takes too long, and for those whose time of grieving is prolonged. 

Lord, hear us

For those who carry responsibilities, local nationally, internationally, that they may have the wisdom & the resources & the understanding to deal with the problems that surround us. 

Lord, hear us

For our friends & families, some of whom we cannot get to see, that they may find help in God’s unfailing, loving presence.

Lord, hear us

And we say: Our Father, who art in heaven

Let’s continue to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and of the promise of a Saviour fulfilled in Jesus. 

As our next hymn says, Jesus is the Lord of history, Heaven’s champion, the Risen One.

SoF 1158

All my days I will sing a song of gladness

(Beautiful Saviour)

 

Blessing 

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine on you 

and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with kindness 

and give you peace.
Amen.