Advent 4: Sunday 19 December 2021

BURTON JOYCE 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

with Nottingham North East Circuit 

Advent 4 Sunday 19 December 2021

Prepared by Jan Davies, adapted for Burton Joyce by Phil Colbourn

Hymns from Songs of Fellowship (SoF)

Prayer of approach 

Lord and Father: We to live in a dark world today where evil seems to be in control. This year has been difficult. We join with your people throughout the ages who have cried out to you for deliverance. Give us patience as we wait for your final victory. Amen

Advent Candles: Today we light four candles 

Let’s sing SoF 1419 Light of the World (So here I am)

Prayer: Praise and worship (A Song of Christ’s Glory) 

Christ Jesus was in the form of God, but He did not cling to equality with God. He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and was born in our human likeness. Being found in human form, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even death on the cross. 

Therefore, God has highly exalted Him, & bestowed on Him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth & under the earth; & every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen

Readings: Malachi 2:17- 3:4; Luke 3:1-6

Hymn SoF 150 Hail to the Lord’s anointed

Sermon: Prepare for Change

In Advent, we traditionally concentrate on the message of John the Baptist. There had been 400 years since there had been a prophet in Israel so, when John the Baptist came preaching in the desert just like an Old Testament prophet, the people knew that there was big change coming. The prophet Malachi was just such an example. 

The people of Judah and Jerusalem had been hauled off to Babylon as exiles. They had been there for approximately 60 years when Babylon was defeated by the Persian Empire and, in the upheaval, a Jewish patriot called Zerubbabel led a hundred families back to Jerusalem where they found everything in ruins. They set about rebuilding the Temple. However, everything was a mess and, to be honest, those who came back were still influenced by foreign gods. 

It was now that the prophets Malachi in Jerusalem and Ezekiel in Babylon preached about great changes to come. They both condemned those who tried to compromise their faith and Malachi warned about thinking that God didn’t care about sin – surely, they had learned that lesson when they were hauled off into exile! Malachi preaches that God is preparing to act in Israel. He has sent Malachi, to warn the people that it will be a time of judgement – they will be refined like gold or silver. Sorting things out will be painful. 

Not long after this, Ezra and Nehemiah lead more exiles to return. The corrupt practices are cleaned away. There is huge opposition and the returning Jews learn to rebuild with a shovel in one hand and a sword in the other. The reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah came as no great surprise, because the people had been warned by Malachi. 

But many Christian teachers see in these words a message for later generations – perhaps ours. Malachi talks about the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. This is usually taken to mean the end of time when God will come in person and cleanse his people. But it is also seen as pointing to the coming of the Messiah who would be both saviour and judge. So, for us, these words look forward to the coming of Jesus as a vulnerable child and also forward to Christ’s second coming. 

We may want to ignore this but God has sent His prophets to prepare us – so we ignore it at our peril! If Christ were to return this week, it would be no good saying: ‘but we didn’t know that was coming’. 

For about 400 years, there were no more prophets, so it was quite a shock when suddenly a prophet, John, arose who said he was coming to prepare the way for the promised Messiah. Momentous changes were coming and people needed to be prepared. How? He preached repentance: only by completely changing our lives can we be ready for the coming of the Christ. They could never say ‘but we didn’t expect that – if we had known, we would have been ready’. 

Do we get any sense that God is moving again now? That He has a message for us? Or do we think that God has not spoken directly to us and so we carry on as though nothing will ever change and judgement is something that only the cranks talk about? 

This is Advent, the season of preparation. What are we preparing for? Each Advent I read an Advent book which takes me through the four weeks and then up to Twelfth Night. I find that this grounds me and it is good to just relax for half an hour and be reminded what all the fuss is about. But there is a second event which we are asked to prepare for – what the prophets called ‘the great and terrible Day of the Lord.’ 

Surely, we should prepare by doing the work God has called us to –Matthew 25: visit the sick, the prisoner, give food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger. Simple to understand but hard to get on and do when there is so much call on our time and pockets. But when He comes, we can never say ‘we didn’t expect that – if we had known, we would have been prepared’. 

Meditation and confession: 

Here we are again Lord! It’s the middle of December and I still have a thousand things to do. I feel tired and harassed – I will never be ready. Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like, Lord, to forget it all, opt out, hire a cottage somewhere and sit it out until it’s all over.
But would I miss something important? I should be celebrating: You coming into the world is the greatest event since the creation.

I wonder if it’s worth all the hassle. Every year I say ‘this year it will be different’ but every year it’s the same. I spend too much, eat too much and I’m exhausted by Christmas day. How should we prepare for your coming? What do you think Lord? Forgive us Lord.

Lord, this is a time to celebrate. We, of all people know how much there is to be joyful about. Help us to resist the excesses. To care for the lonely, the homeless and refugee. To find time to stop, be still and worship you the King of Kings and to look forward to your Advent promise to come again in glory and establish your Kingdom of justice and peace forever. Then, we will get the celebrations right. Amen 

Prayers of Intercession: 

Lord of peace; bring peace where there is violence. We bring to you Lord, the people of Yemen, of Afghanistan and of those gathered on the borders of Belarus and Poland both civilians and soldiers. 

In the Darkness 

Let your light shine 

Lord of Justice; bring justice where people live in fear, governments and soldiers impose their will; for the peoples of the Holy Land. May all the communities find ways to live together with justice and peace. 

In the Darkness 

Let your light shine 

Lord of the poor and marginalised; in poverty, hunger, homelessness or suffering, move our hearts to share fairly; for refugees living in terrible conditions in camps; mercy, compassion and practical help. 

In the Darkness 

Let your light shine 

Lord of creation; forgive us for misusing your created world. Give courage to all who work to save the environment; people suffering because of climate change, because of violent floods or wild fires. 

In the Darkness 

Let your light shine 

Lord of healing and wholeness; we bring to you those who are known to us personally who need your healing power............
In the Darkness 

Let your light shine 

Lord of the Kingdom of God, who came, not to condemn but to save, give us courage & wisdom as we bring the message of your love and forgiveness to a needy world. Send us out with your Holy Spirit.
In the Darkness
Let your light shine. Amen 

Hymn SoF 154 Hark the glad sound! The Saviour comes 

Sending out prayer
Lord our God, keep your servants alert and watchful as we await the return of Christ your Son, so that, when He comes and knocks at the door, He may find us vigilant and in prayer. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen