December 21 – Advent 4


Lectionary

Lectionary readings from Vanderbilt Divinity Library online (http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/BAdvent/index.htm)


2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16

Who will build God’s house?


Luke 1:47–55 (VU pgs. 898–899)

Song of Mary


or


Psalm 89:1–4, 19–26 (VU pg. 804)

I will sing of God’s steadfast love.


Romans 16:25–27

Glory to the only wise God through Jesus Christ.


Luke 1:26–38

The angel Gabriel visits Mary.


Spark

Continuing the “theme described in six words” idea, the question for this Sunday might be “What is your six word Magnificat?”


If you’ve been using a potter or stained glass artist, today is the day to have the finished product on display. You might display something from each week, showing all the stages of waiting, refining, and development.


With Children

Bring in your family tree or invite someone in the congregation to share his or her family tree. Share photos of great-great-grandparents and so on, talking about any similarities of features. Then share how we are part of another family…the family of God, so even if we may not know our genealogy (there may be some adopted children or parents who know nothing of their genealogy), we do know that Jesus is part of our family. What resemblances do our families share with Jesus?


Sermon Starter

At first glance, the 2 Samuel reading seems a strange one to include during Advent, yet it’s about the house of David, the ancestry of Jesus. He comes of royal lineage. What was still fuzzy during David’s time is now born among us with clarity. The line continues because of Mary. She was favoured of God. What does it mean to be “favoured of God”? Mary chooses to become an active participant in God’s plan. What is our response when God taps us on the shoulder, when the Spirit of God overshadows us? How do we give voice to the work of the Holy Spirit within us? How do we give voice to the work of the Holy Spirit in places where people are downtrodden, oppressed, dying? If you’ve written a six word “Magnificat,” share it.


Hymns


Hebrew Scriptures

VU 385 “Spirit divine, attend our prayers”

VU 747 “The Lord’s my shepherd”

MV 29 “How lovely is your dwelling place”

“The house of our God” by Jim Manley in All God’s Children Sing (72)


Psalm

VU 16 “Mary, woman of the promise”

MV 12 “Come touch our hearts”

MV 120 “My soul cries out”


Epistle

VU 37 “Glory to God”

VU 256 “O God beyond all praising”

VU 384 “The lone, wild bird”

MV 36 “Glory to God”


Gospel

VU 12 “She walked in the summer”

VU 14 “To a maid whose name was Mary”

VU 380 “She comes sailing on the wind”

VU 387 “Loving Spirit”

VU 508 “Just as I am”

VU 509 “I, the Lord of sea and sky”

VU 639 “One more step along the world I go”

MV 134 “Dreaming Mary”