Consider the Word, December 3, 2020

Consider the Word, December 3, 2020
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Readings for December 6 – Advent II

• Isaiah 40:1-11
• Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
• 2 Peter 3:8-15a
• Mark 1:1-8

 
Collect

Almighty God,

who sent your servant John the Baptist

to prepare your people to welcome the Messiah,

inspire us, the ministers and stewards of your truth,

to turn our disobedient hearts to you,

that when the Christ shall come again to be our judge,

we may stand with confidence before his glory;

who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 
Reading: Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

 
Reflection Questions

1. What are we waiting for?
2. How might we better see, support, and appreciate these who pave the way for Jesus?
3. Are there those among us who are blazing trails? 

 
Closing Prayer

God of hope,

you call us from the exile of our sin

with the good news of restoration;

you build a highway through the wilderness;

you come to us and bring us home.

Comfort us with the expectation of your saving power,

made known to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 
The Message:

John the Baptizer

1 ^1-3 The good news of Jesus Christ—the Message!—begins here, following to the letter the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

Watch closely: I’m sending my preacher ahead of you;

He’ll make the road smooth for you.

Thunder in the desert!

Prepare for God’s arrival!

Make the road smooth and straight!

^4-6 John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.

^7-8 As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson