This second week in Advent draws into the possibilities of real peace for us and our world – God’s Shalom realm. Ironically, there is so much in this time of year that works against a sense of peace – and much of it is the product of misguided faith and exclusivist religion. What would it mean if we really began to embrace the peace, the mutuality, the community and the enemy-love of the Gospel? These are the very powerful and practical challenges of the Lectionary this week.

May our worship lead us into God’s Shalom and transforms us into agents of Shalom in every moment, every situation and every interaction.

READINGS:
Isaiah 11:1-10: Isaiah proclaims the coming of the “shoot from the stump of Jesse” who, through God’s Spirit resting on him, will bring peace, justice, righteousness and equity to the earth.

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19: A prayer for the King to rule wisely and justly, protecting the weak and vulnerable and refreshing the world and the godly who live in it.

Romans 15:4-13: Paul’s prayer that God may empower the Church to live in harmony, since Christ came for both Jew and Gentile, and together they form one  voice of praise to God.

Matthew 3:1-12: John the Baptist preaches in the wilderness, baptising those who repent and speaking out against the corrupt religious leaders, and challenging people to prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
From the dream of the future world where God’s reign is actively and visibly manifest, the lectionary now moves to the promise of the Messiah, and the harmony and justice he will bring. Both dreams are essentially one – that God’s reign will take root among us bringing in a world in which the weak and vulnerable are cared for, in which justice prevails and in which all people live in harmony in spite of (or maybe even because of) their differences. Perhaps the word that best sums up the Messianic dream of this week, and which John proclaimed, is the word “shalom” – well-being, peace, salvation, harmony, goodness, justice are all implied in this word. Isaiah proclaims it in the image of predators living in harmony with their prey. The Psalmist uses the word ‘Shalom’ in describing the peaceful refreshed world for which he prays. Paul pictures Jew and Gentile as one celebratory voice offered to God in worship, and John the Baptist, while speaking of judgement, which may seem to be the opposite of shalom, invites people to be ready for the coming of the Messiah who wil immerse people in God’s Holy Spirit. God’s presence and power available to all, irrespective of title, position or background – this is, perhaps the ultimate Shalom!

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: The dream of Shalom may seem like a fantasy in a world at war, a world in which so many issues divide us so strongly – “pro-life” or “pro-choice”, “liberal” or “conservative”, “creationist” or “evolutionist”, “capitalist” or “sociaist”, “pro-gay” or “anti-gay”, “rich” or “poor”. It’s tempting to define the world in clear terms like this, but when we do so, all we do is deepen the enmity between us, and keep us all from knowing and living God’s Shalom. Ultimately justice is not something that can be achieved by alienation and by taking sides. While there are real evils in the world that must be resisted, it is wise to remember Paul’s words that it’s not the people we fight so much as the “principalities and powers”, and as we embrace a Shalom way of being – which includes loving even those we consider to be our enemies – we reflect the light of God’s grace and love, and we begin to bring God’s Shalom into our world as a lived reality. In what ways can you opt out of the polarising habits of your society and embrace a Shalom-bringing inclusiveness that welcomes all and that seeks and celebrates common ground wherever it may be found?

LOCAL APPLICATION: In so many ways we attempt to create Shalom for ourselves. Unfortunately, though, our attempts are often the exact opposite of what God shows us is the real route to Shalom. We think we can find security by preemptive attacks on our enemies, and then we find ourselves more at risk. We think we can find peace by excluding those who challenge and disagree with us, only to find our safe community growing smaller and smaller, until we only have ourselves to agree with (and even that fails sometimes!). We think we can find joy and abundance by amassing money and stuff, only to discover scarcity growing around us, and our planet dying, and the reality of losing it all robs us of any joy we might have known. We think we can find love by turning inward and making our own needs, potential and purpose more important than relationships, or the service of others – even those closest to us – only to find that our self-absorption leaves us alone and empty. We think we can find God by ignoring the realities of our world and escaping to an other-worldly faith, while waiting for a heavenly bliss after death, only to discover that our souls remain dissatisfied and God feels distant and unattainable. If we are to know Shalom, we need to change how we do things. We must allow ourselves to be driven to the risky acts of listening, dialogue, hospitality, service, justice and compassion. Then, as we give ourselves to create shalom not just for ourselves but for others, we discover that shalom finds us, and God’s reign is truly within us.

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
Shalom
Preparing The Way

Hymn Suggestions:
Hail To The Lord’s Anointed
O Come, O Come, Immanuel
See How Great A Flame Aspires
I Cannot Tell Why He Whom Angels Worship
Everyone Belongs: Chord Chart; Mp3 Download (Amazon.com Mp3 Store)
Jesus Messiah (Link to YouTube video)
Mighty To Save (Link to YouTube video)
Consuming Fire (Link to YouTube video)
God With Us (Link to YouTube video)

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for Advent & Christmas
A Liturgy for the Agape

Video Suggestions:
Child Of Hope
A Voice In The Wilderness
Kumi, Ori Sar Shalom

Image Suggestion:
Wilderness

It is a joy and a blessing to be called by Christ – as we all are. Answering the call is not easy, however, and asks of us, as it did of Jesus, a commitment to giving of ourselves, to making the sacrifices – small and large – that allow the reign of God to be manifest in our lives and in our world. Sacrifice is not a popular word, but it is one that needs to be rediscovered if we are to address the massive challenges facing our world.

I pray that our worhsip gives us the courage and the faith to lay down our lives in service of Christ and God’s reign again.

READINGS:
Isaiah 49:1-7: Isaiah’s second servant song seems to refer to both an individual and to the nation of Israel. Either way the message is clear – the work is hard and leads to mockery and rejection, but God will make God’s servant a light to the nations and will ultimately bring the servant praise and recognition.

Psalm 40:1-11: Praise for God’s grace and rescue, and a commitment to serve God and proclaim God’s justice.

1 Corinthians 1:1-9: God has gifted God’s church with all they need to serve in partnership with God, and to remain strong until the return of Christ.

John 1:29-42: John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit, and two of John’s disciples follow Jesus. One of them, Andrew, calls his brother Simon to meet Jesus, and Jesus names him Peter.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
Following on from Jesus’ baptism, his mission is now proclaimed and affirmed in the readings this week. The prophetic song of Isaiah’s servant holds challenging foreshadows of Christ’s sacrificial life. The psalmist’s commitment to serve God is echoed in Jesus’ own ministry, as is God’s gifting of followers of Christ in God’s church. Finally, as John testifies, Jesus is the one who leads people into transforming encounters with God (baptism in the Holy Spirit) and who is the “Lamb of God” who will be sacrificed for all people. The Scriptures this week hold Christ up for us as the example of one who is called, and one who has responded to that call, and is committed enough to make profound sacrifices in service of God’s reign. Like the first disciples, we also find ourselves called, and needing to respond and commit. Along with the call is God’s equipping – the hope of God’s ultimate glory (as reflected in the Psalm and Isaiah), the Baptism of the Holy Spirit given by Christ and the gifts God has given to God’s church, spoken of by Paul. If God’s reign of justice and love is to find a place on the earth, it will be through faithful, sacrificial followers of Christ who have responded willingly to God’s call.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: It seems amazing to say it, but one of the most significant shifts that needs to be made in the world is for every person and organisation to recognise their part (their calling) in addressing the great challenges we face, and to embrace the necessary sacrifices required to bring about justice. On a global scale this involves wealthy nations making such changes as doing away with trade restrictions and unjust trade subsidies and reaquirements in order to level the playing field for poorer, less powerful nations. It may involve refusing to use sweat shops, and doing the necessary checks to ensure that producers of the products we import and sell are treating their workers fairly. It may mean cancelling third world debt, and prioritising health care and getting medicine to those who need it over the profits that can be made through these medicines. It may also mean, for those who live in poorer countries, addressing the corruption and lack of accountability that sometimes plagues aid in these countries. These are just some thoughts, but if we are truly to follow the Lamb of God, it will not be without significant commitment and sacrifice. As we work for these changes, we may be mocked and threatened, labelled and rejected. But, ultimately, as the world’s systems change, so God’s reign is manifest, and God’s life is made available to all.

LOCAL APPLICATION: Answering the call to follow the Lamb of God, as Andrew and Peter did, is a daily decision made in the little details of how much we consume, what and how we buy, what we drive, where we live, what we eat, how we use energy, how we work, how we treat others and how we care for ourselves. Many of these decisions result in sacrifices that we would probably prefer to avoid. At its heart discipleship is about recognising that our faith is not an individual journey, but is connected into community. Our choice to sacrifice or not impacts others in our churches, neighbourhoods and world, and so we find that as we follow Christ, we are brought face to face with others, and the impact of our choices and lifestyle on them. To make the sacrificial changes that will lead to a more just world – the world that Jesus proclaimed – we need resources beyond ourselves. For this it takes both the recognition that the Christ we are called to follow is the Lamb of God who calls us to take up our crosses, and an openness to receive the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” – the transforming, empowering encounter with God – that John said Jesus would offer. But as we embrace the life of sacrifice and of following Christ, we each become foundations stones – Peters, rocks – in the reign of God being built among us.

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
The Call Of Compassion
A Small Price, Really
Counting The Cost
Faith That Carries The Cross

Hymn Suggestions:
A Charge To Keep I Have
O Loving Lord, Who Art Forever Seeking
The Church’s One Foundation
Jesus Calls Us! O’er The Tumult
Hail Thou Once Despised Jesus
May The Words Of My Mouth (Link to YouTube video)
Let Me Shine: Chord Chart; Mp3 Preview (Scroll down for link)
I Give You My Heart (Link to YouTube video)
I Will Offer Up My Life (Link to YouTube video)
Everyday (Link to YouTube video)

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for the Celebration of Sacrifice

Video Suggestions:
A Voice In The Wilderness
Following Jesus

The third week of Advent (December 13) continues the journey with John the Baptist, focussing on his preaching and the call to justice that he proclaimed. In worship services where we seek to have a strong justice orientation, we couldn’t ask for a better platform to work from!

READINGS:  
Zephaniah 3:14-20: God’s promise to bring the exiled people of Israel home, and to dwell among them, bringing them joy and healing, and including all the marginalised and oppressed ones.

Isaiah 12:2-6: A song of praise for the God “who lives among you”.

Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice, pray and give thanks, and God’s peace will fill you.

Luke 3:7-18: John prepares the people for the coming Messiah, denying that he is the one, and calling them to live justly and with integrity.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:    
The journey with John the Baptist continues as he preaches, baptises and calls people to just and ethical living. All of the passages make a clear connection between preparing the heart for God’s coming and living out the righteousness, justice and joy of God’s reign. The call, then of Advent, is to embrace this internal and external spiritual work. In the run up to Christmas, this call is particularly prophetic, as we choose how to celebrate this season ethically, spiritually and in a Christ-honouring way.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: It is ironic that the season of God’s coming to us has, in the wealthy West,  become characterised by inflated prices, increased profit-seeking, rampant consumerism and individualistic greed and excess, while in other parts of the world – notably Africa – the struggle for survival and for a meaningful place in the world’s decision making bodies continues. What might John the Baptist preach to us about this? How can we, who live among the wealthy and powerful, use our privilege to create opportunities and justice for our poorer brothers and sisters?
LOCAL APPLICATION: Who are the voiceless, excluded ones in your community? Who are the ones that a John the Baptist would call you to serve and include? What practices or ways of living would John challenge you on? What uses of your wealth might he question? Is there a way, this week, that your worship can overflow to the poorer communities and people around you? Can you use this Advent season to develop long term programs or strategies for embodying Christ’s coming to the people who most need to hear it in your neighbourhood, and perhaps the world?

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
An Uncomfortable Vision
It’s My Problem, Too

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for Advent & Christmas
A Liturgy of Compassion

Hymns: 
A whole selection of hymns new and old for this week at “Singing From The Lectionary”
Advent Hymns arranged for Contemporary Worship from Dean McIntyre of the GBOD
Advent Hymn (David Beswick)
Hallelujah! What A Saviour
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
O Spirit Of The Living God
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
God Of Justice (Link to YouTube video)
Prepare The Way (Link to MySpace video) 
How Long? (John van de Laar) (Link to Amazon mp3 download)
Glory In The Highest

Video:
Restored Fortune (From The Work of the People, based on the Zephaniah reading)
John The Baptist (SermonSpice)
A Voice In The Wilderness (The Work Of The People)

Additional Advent Resources & Reflections:
Sacredise Advent & Christmas Page
GBOD

The work of preparation continues in the Advent journey this week. With a Gospel focus on John the Baptist, preparation for God’s work of forgiveness and restoration comes through as a strong theme.

READINGS:  
Baruch 5:1-9: A prophecy of God’s restoration of Israel in justice and mercy.
OR Malachi 3:1-4: God is sending God’s messenger to prepare for God’s coming, and God’s people and God’s priests will be refined and made pure.

Luke 1:68-79: Zechariah’s song of thanksgiving for God’s rescue of Israel, and his proclamation of his son, John, as the messenger who will prepare the way for God’s coming.

Philippians 1:3-11: Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving for the Philippians, his desire for them to grow in love and purity, and his assurance that Christ will complete the work begun in them.

Luke 3:1-6: John begins his ministry of baptism and preaching, preparing the people for God’s coming.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:    
God is always coming, always available to God’s people, and always working for restoration. But, receiving God’s coming takes preparation, and so God sends a messenger to do this work, to prepare God’s people for God’s coming. The challenge in these passages is for us to embrace the work of preparation for ourselves – opening ourselves to God’s restoring, cleansing and disturbing work, and making our hearts ready for us to be messengers of God’s restorative justice and mercy to the world.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:    
GLOBAL APPLICATION: In a world where measurement happens on a quarterly basis, effective preparation is often sacrificed on the altar of expediency and immediacy. We are all too keen to declare the current recession “over” without taking the time to make the necessary changes to correct the flaws in our systems. The same applies to climate change science, addressing poverty, AIDS and conflict. The prophetic message of Advent is that we need to reflect on our brokenness as revealed in times like these, and prepare ourselves to go forward and do the necessary, lasting work of true restoration. These thoughts could apply particularly to the Climate Change Conference which starts tomorrow (Dec. 7) in Copenhagen.
LOCAL APPLICATION: How much of the day do we spend in reaction? So much pain and injustice is caused simply because we react in fear, anger, self-protection or simply impatience. However, if we can develop a prepared heart, we can more easily slow down, reflect and then act with wisdom and grace. Preparation – particularly of the heart – is restorative. It’s a proactive stance that frees us from our selves and our destructive or unhelpful patterns of behaviour and moves us into a life that more easily considers, serves and brings restoration to others. We need John’s to call us to this work of preparation & then we need to be John’s for others.

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
New Days
Messengers

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for Advent & Christmas
A Liturgy of Creation and Communion (If you are picking up on the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen)

Hymns: 
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Love Divine All Loves Excelling
Hail To The Lord’s Anointed
Messenger (New Hymn)
Clear The Path (New Hymn)
Hark The Glad Sound!
God With Us (Link to YouTube video)
God Of This City (Link to YouTube video)
God Will Make A Way (Link to YouTube video)
Hear Our Praises (Link to YouTube video)
Over The Mountains And The Sea (I could sing of your love forever) (Link to YouTube video)

Video:
Recapturing Advent (The Work Of The People)
John The Baptist (SermonSpice)
A Voice In The Wilderness (The Work Of The People)

Additional Advent Resources & Reflections:
Sacredise Advent & Christmas Page
GBOD