Worship Notes for Sunday, December 9, 2012
On this second Sunday of Advent we look at the peace that Christ will bring in His presence as Immanuel—God with us. We start with the lighting of the Advent Wreath as a marker of waiting and anticipation for Christmas Day and the remembrance of the Incarnation and promise of the second coming. It acts as light in the darkness. The wreath is round to symbolize eternity with green leaves and red berries as symbols of life and the blood of Christ.We begin the service with the Call to Worship from Psalm 98—a messianic Psalm speaking of the revealed righteousness of the Lord to the nations. This Psalm is also quoted by Mary in the Magnificat—her song of joy and praise when Gabriel announced to her the coming of Christ. We continue by singing Angels from the Realms of Glory and their message to the shepherds that “God with us is now residing.” In From Heaven Came the Angels Bright we sing that through His Son, “God with you is now at one. He took on human flesh and bone, And you, His brothers are God’s own.”
The Prayer of Confession is from Philippians 2 and the reminder of the humility of Christ in becoming man and our own lack of affection and sympathy towards others. In the first Communion Hymn, Let All Mortal Flesh, we sing of Christ to earth descended in the body and the blood of humanity. And in Thou Who Wast Rich, we speak of the splendor and richness of God and his poverty in becoming man for the sake of love.
We conclude by singing Once in Royal David’s City and of Christ who “came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all.” The mystery and reality of the Incarnation is beautifully and widely displayed in the hope and peace expressed in these myriads of carols. May this truth soak through us this Advent season.
