Third Sunday in Advent:

Resources for the service:

♦ Three Advent candles on a candle stand or Advent wreath.

♦ Prepare sheets of paper with hangers and pens for the congregation to write on during the service.

In preparation:

For all four Sundays in Advent:

♦ Use a palm tree, bamboo tree or other appropriate tree as a Christmas tree. In Malaysia, a palm tree is used as a decoration in the festive season and symbolizes goodwill.

♦ During the Advent season, the Advent candles are placed in front of the palm (or other) tree.

♦ At Christmas, this tree will be decorated as a Christmas tree.

For the third Sunday in Advent:

♦ During this Advent service, the congregation will be invited to hang on the tree the sheet of paper on which they have written their act of commitment.

♦ Four members of the congregation need to be appointed to offer the prayer of rejoicing.

GATHERING

Instrumental version of the song “Hao mii chii-wit phraw phra jao hai “ (Released by love to share new life)

Greeting

(As the music is played several times, the congregation is invited to greet each other with a simple bow or other gentle gesture that conveys peace.)

Litany

Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
With joy we shall draw water from the wells of salvation.

And you will say in that day:
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;
make known his deeds among the nations;
proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.

Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
(Isaiah 12:2-6)

♪ Song: “Hao mii chii-wit phraw phra jao hai “ (Released by love to share new life)

Lighting of the third Advent candle

As the third candle is lit, the following words are said:

We light this candle as a sign of the coming of Christ.
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
(Isaiah 35:1-2)

♪ Song: Come, O prince of peace (verses 1-3)

Rejoicing

Voice 1: Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, rejoice.

Voice 2: Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

Voice 3: Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication,

with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Voice 4: And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:4-7)

Offering thanks

(Members of the congregation are invited to offer a brief word of thanks to God. Thereafter the congregation will sing.)

♪ Song: “Hao mii chii-wit phraw phra jao hai “ (Released by love to share new life)

PROCLAIMING THE WORD

Old Testament reading

Zephaniah 3:14-20

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.

♪ Song: Maranatha!

Gospel reading

Luke 3:7-18

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

♪ Song: Maranatha!

Silent meditation

Sermon

(Share a story of peace.)

RESPONSE

♪ Intercessions: In the lands of Asia

(After a soloist sings each stanza, the congregation is invited to pray aloud for the needy in their place, and then sing the refrain as led by the leader.)

The act of commitment and offering

(The congregation is invited to write on the paper given them how they can contribute to bringing peace to the world and they then hang the paper on the tree. While they are making this act of commitment, they may at the same time present their offering at the altar.)

SENDING FORTH

♪ Song: Oh Tuhan pimpin lah langkahku (O Lord God, set my feet on the way)

Voice 1: God of justice, you dislike injustice,

Voice 2: Grant us courage and wisdom to do justice and bring peace to our people,
and to the world.
Sisters and brothers, go forth now:
Rejoice in the Lord always, as our Lord is near,
to bring joy and happiness where there is lament,
to recreate where there is damage.

Blessing

The peace of God

which passes all understanding,

keep your hearts and minds

in the knowledge and love of God,

and of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord;

and the blessing of God Almighty -

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit -

remain with you always.

(Philippians 4:7)

Postlude or song