16 December 2007

Welcome to St Alban’s Anglican Church 

Today's Scripture (HC) : Isaiah 35: 1-10     James 5: 7-10     S. Matthew 11: 2-11

Today's Liturgy: 8.35 a.m. BCP Matins;   9.00a.m. Scripture Study;   9.30 a.m. Holy Communion;   EP 6.00 p.m.

This Week: Tuesday - Thursday 12.30 p.m. Midday Prayer; Fri (S. Thomas, Apostle & Martyr) 12.30 p.m. Holy Communion

The 3^rd Sunday In Advent

O Lord Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end.

FAITH IN FOCUS: THE RIGHT ONE? -

John the Baptist has some second thoughts about Jesus in today’s gospel. After preaching about the coming of the Messiah for so long, John now finds himself in prison and things don’t seem to be working out as he had expected. So he asks, "Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?"

It seems that John thought the Messiah would bring a more immediate judgement than Jesus did. It’s quite comforting that John can have his ideas on the Messiah turned upside down; if he needs to take a second look then so might we. His ideas of how Jesus should go about things proved to be out of synch with reality. And ours often are equally wide of the mark.

In fact, John even began to wonder whether his cousin Jesus was the right one. Yet Jesus replies that John should open his eyes and look around: those who are blind, deaf, lame and lepers are being cured and the Good News is being preached to the poor. All of these things were prophesied as signs that the Messiah had arrived.

What about us? Are we sure we’ve got the right idea about Jesus? When he comes again ought we to be worried or should we be joyfully expecting him? Is he coming to bring vengeance or is he "on our side? Will he condemn or save?

Having second thoughts about Jesus allows us to get things in perspective. It allows us to see Advent as a joyful as well as solemn season of expectation. It lets us realise that inordinate fright is out of place for those who await Christ’s coming. It encourages us to actively look forward to the promises that God has made to us through his Son. It permits us to sing "Come, Lord Jesus" and really mean it. And so Advent invites us to yearn for the coming of that joyful day when our salvation will be fully revealed.

John the Baptist had to have a rethink about Jesus. Advent summons us to do the same. Is Christ’s coming something we look forward to or something we quietly dread?

WORD OF GOD

Courage! Do not be afraid. Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of your God; he is coming to save you.

(Isaiah 35: 4)

WORD FOR TODAY

If Christ were to come back to earth today would you be pleased or worried? Is the Second Coming something you look forward to or dread? When you join in the psalm and sing "Come, Lord, and save us" what exactly do you mean?

WORDS FOR WORSHIP

Blessed be the Lord who gives sight to your eyes and raises you up when you are bowed low. Blessed be God for ever!

Blessed be the Lord who protects the stranger and upholds the widow and orphan. Blessed be God for ever!

Blessed be the Lord who keeps faith for ever and who reigns from age to age. Blessed be God for ever!

And may our God, whom we bless, return his blessing upon us, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

IN THE PINK (December 16th)

The purple candles on the Advent Wreath are joined today by a pink one, since the Third Sunday of Advent is known as "Gaudete" Sunday. In some places the purple vestments are also replaced by rose-coloured ones to heighten this sense of joyfulness. So why is there such emphasis on rejoicing today? We pray that God will fill us with joy at the coming of Christ and we sing "Gaudete", the first word of the old Latin opening song for today’s celebration which means "rejoice":

Rejoice in the Lord always; once more I tell you, rejoice! Let your forbearance be evident to all people, for the Lord is near.

THIRD WEEK

Your God is coming to save you

Be patient and do not lose heart

Are you the one who is to come?

THIS WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS:

Mon: Isaiah 38:1-8, 21-22, Matt 16:13-end, 1 Thess 5: 1-11

Tues: Isa 38: 9-20, Matt 17:1-13, 1 Thess 5: 12-end

Wed: Isa 39, Matt 17:14-21, 2 Thess 1

Thurs: Zeph 1:1 - 2:3, Matt 17:22-end, 2 Thess 2

Fri (S.THOMAS, Ap): Hab 2:1-4, Ephes 2:19-end, John 20:24-29

Sat : Zeph 3:14-end, Matt 18: 21-end, Jude

NEXT SUNDAY (FOURTH IN ADVENT): Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7, S. Matthew 1: 18-end