—Advent 2

The Lord Comes on the Last Day

Mal. 4:1-6; Rom. 15:4-13; Luke 21:25-36; Psalm 50:1-15

Memorization Verses:

Mal. 4 The day that is coming shall set them ablaze,

says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them

neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my

name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with

healing in its wings.

Rom. 15:4-5 May the God of endurance and

encouragement grant you to live in such harmony

with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that

together you may with one voice glorify the God and

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 21:27 And then they will see the Son of Man

coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Psalm 50:1-2 The Mighty One, God the Lord,

speaks and summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting.

2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines forth.

•The Bible gives us lots of clues and warnings of Christ‟s return. How do

you imagine the Lord‟s return?

•How does it compare to his incarnation and our Advent preparation?

Use your prayer notes.

Use a verse from the

bible to reflect on.

Pray about the last

days.

P raise

R epentance

A ppreciation

Y ou

E veryone

R esolve

…Lord in Your Mercy.

…Hear our Prayer.

1 Let us come before the

throne of God‟s grace and

present our petitions with

confidence in the Spirit

through our Lord Jesus to His

heavenly Father, for He is

kind and full of compassion.

2 Heavenly King, it is

because You do not change

that Your people are not

consumed, for Your steadfast

love is everlasting. Remember

all who have been baptized

into the name of Your Son and

grant them grace to lead lives

of holy fear, filled with the

fruit of repentance and faith.

3 Remember, kind Father, the

called workers of Your

Church and grant their love to

abound more and more, with

knowledge and all

discernment, that they may

approve what is excellent and

prepare Your people by living

faith to be blameless on the

day of Christ.

4 Only Just One, we

commend to you all who hold

offices of public trust

throughout our land. Grant

them to fulfill their callings

impartially, remembering

always that they shall give

account to the Lord Jesus on

the day of His glorious

appearing.,

Use your prayer notes.

Use a verse from the

bible to reflect on.

Pray about the last

days.

P raise

R epentance

A ppreciation

Y ou

E veryone

R esolve

5 Father in great love You

sent St. John the Baptist to

call all to lives of repentance,

that they might welcome Your

Son and His kingdom. Give

Your people grace in these

Advent days to open their

hearts and hands to all in

need, expressing in their

deeds the faith of their heart.

6 Lord, Your apostle, St.

Paul, taught us that we may

be sure that You will bring to

completion the good work

You have begun in us. In such

confidence we commend to

Your merciful hands all who

are sick and suffering,

grieving or lonely,

[especially_______________

]. Cease not to work in them,

loving Master, sustaining their

faith and providing them

comfort until they stand

whole and filled with glory

before Your throne.

7 Holy One, because we in

ourselves could not abide the

Day of Your coming in

judgment, Your Son gave up

His body and blood for our

forgiveness and now gives it

to us as the very righteousness

by which we may stand

before You without shame.

Stir up in Your children faith

to receive His coming to us in

the Eucharist with joy.

AMEN.

1 Lo! He comes with clouds descending,

Once for ev'ry sinner slain;

Thousand thousand saints attending

Swell the triumph of His train;

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Christ the Lord returns to reign.

2 Ev'ry eye shall now behold Him

Robed in glorious majesty;

Those who set at naught and sold Him,

Pierced and nailed Him to the tree,

Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply

wailing,

Shall their true Messiah see.

3 Those dear tokens of His passion

Still His dazzling body bears,

Cause of endless exultation

To His ransomed worshipers.

With what rapture, with what rapture,

with what rapture

Gaze we on those glorious scars!

4 Yea, amen, let all adore Thee,

High on Thine eternal throne;

Savior, take the pow'r and glory,

Claim the kingdom as Thine own.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrWEPFcyQXM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzjHjXe-2XU

Meet w/teams

3-5 min per box

What are the major points of your text?

How does your topic fit the pericope

theme?

How does it connect to the other texts?

How is it unique?

The Lord Comes on the Last Day

Malachi 4:1-6 The Great Day of the LORD

4 [a] “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet,on the day when I act,

says the LORD of hosts.

4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules[b] that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”[c]

Romans 15:4-13

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his

mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,

and sing to your name.”

10 And again it is said,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

11 And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and let all the peoples extol him.”

12 And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,

even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;

in him will the Gentiles hope.”

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Luke 21:25-36 The Coming of the Son of Man

25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already

near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Watch Yourselves

34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Psalm 50:1-15 God Himself Is Judge

50 The Mighty One, God the LORD,

speaks and summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting.

2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines forth.

3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence;[a]

before him is a devouring fire,

around him a mighty tempest.

4 He calls to the heavens above

and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,

who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”

6 The heavens declare his righteousness,

for God himself is judge! Selah

7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;

O Israel, I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;

your burnt offerings are continually before me.

9 I will not accept a bull from your house

or goats from your folds.

10 For every beast of the forest is mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know all the birds of the hills,

and all that moves in the field is mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and its fullness are mine.

13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,[b]

and perform your vows to the Most High,

15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT (Populus Zion)

Malachi 4:1–6

Romans 15:4–13

Luke 21:25–36

The Lord Comes on the Last Day

The day on which our Lord returns will be a “great and awesome day” (Mal. 4:5). For He

will come in a cloud with great power and glory. To the wicked and the proud, it will be a

Day of judgment that will “set them ablaze” (Mal. 4:1). The signs preceding this Day will

bring them fear and fainting. But to those who believe, who fear the name of the Lord, this

Day is one to look forward to and rejoice in: “. . . straighten up and raise your heads,

because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Christ our Redeemer is coming;

the Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings. Let us, then, give attention to the

words of the Lord, which do not pass away. Let us “through endurance and through the

encouragement of the Scriptures” (Rom. 15:4) be strengthened in our hope by the Holy

Spirit and watch diligently for Jesus‟ coming. Then, by God‟s grace, we shall escape all

these things that will come to pass and stand before the Son of Man.

Third S. in Advent

(Gaudete)

Is. 40:1-8 (9-11)

1 Cor. 4:1-5

Matt. 11:2-10 (11)

Psalm 85

John the Baptizer Prepares

the Way for the Lord

Isaiah 40:1-11

Comfort for God's People

40 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and cry to her

that her warfare[a] is ended,

that her iniquity is pardoned,

that she has received from the LORD's hand

double for all her sins.

3 A voice cries:[b]

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,

and all flesh shall see it together,

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

The Word of God Stands Forever

6 A voice says, “Cry!”

And I said,[c] “What shall I cry?”

All flesh is grass,

and all its beauty[d] is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades

when the breath of the LORD blows on it;

surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever.

The Greatness of God

9 Go on up to a high mountain,

O Zion, herald of good news;[e]

lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good news;[f]

lift it up, fear not;

say to the cities of Judah,

“Behold your God!”

10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might,

and his arm rules for him;

behold, his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;

he will gather the lambs in his arms;

he will carry them in his bosom,

and gently lead those that are with young.

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

The Ministry of Apostles

4 This is how one should regard us, as servants of

Christ andstewards of the mysteries of God. 2

Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be

found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small

thing that I should be judged by you or by any

human court. In fact, I do not even judge

myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything

against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It

is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not

pronounce judgment before the time, before the

Lord comes, who will bring to light the things

now hidden in darkness and will disclose the

purposes of the heart. Then each one will

receive his commendation from God.

Matthew 11:2-11

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of

the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and

said to him, “Are you the one who is to come,

or shall we look for another?”4 And Jesus

answered them, “Go and tell John what you

hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and

the lame walk, lepers[a] are cleansed and the

deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the

poor have good news preached to them.6 And

blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the

crowds concerning John: “What did you go out

into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the

wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A

man[b] dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those

who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9

What then did you go out to see? A prophet?[c]

Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This

is he of whom it is written,

“„Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way before you.‟

11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women

there has arisen no one greater than John the

Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom

of heaven is greater than he.

Psalm 85

Revive Us Again

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

85 LORD, you were favorable to your land;

you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;

you covered all their sin. Selah

3 You withdrew all your wrath;

you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,

and put away your indignation toward us!

5 Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you prolong your anger to all generations?

6 Will you not revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?

7 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,

and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,

for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;

but let them not turn back to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,

that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;

righteousness and peace kiss each other.

11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,

and righteousness looks down from the sky.

12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good,

and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness will go before him

and make his footsteps a way.