Consider the Word, December 16, 2021

Consider the Word, December 16, 2021
Advent IV
Email stpauls@pei.aibn.com for the link to the Bible Study.
 
Readings for December 19:

• Micah 5:2-5a
• Canticle 18 (Luke 1:47-55) Or Psalm 80:1-7
• Hebrews 10:5-10
• Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

 
Collect

Heavenly Father,

who chose the Virgin Mary, full of grace,

to be the mother of our Lord and Saviour,

now fill us with your grace,

that we in all things may embrace your will

and with her rejoice in your salvation;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 
Reading: Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

 
Reflection Questions

1. The spotlight shines on Mary and Elizabeth, who are privileged to be instruments of God’s saving work. What does it mean for people in our generation to say, “yes” to God?
2. There are two words here that are translated as, “blessed”, the first time it means a blessing that is both current and for future generations, the second time it could mean, “happy”, which is the word Jesus uses in the beatitudes. What’s the connection between the words, blessed and happy?
3. What is God doing through unexpected people in our society today?
4. Where is God at work through people whom our neighbors and fellow church members often exclude or treat as shameful?

 
Closing Prayer

O God of Elizabeth and Mary,

you visited your servants with news of the world's redemption

in the coming of the Savior.

Make our hearts leap with joy,

and fill our mouths with songs of praise,

that we may announce glad tidings of peace,

and welcome the Christ in our midst. Amen.

 
The Message: Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

^39-45 Mary didn’t waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country, straight to Zachariah’s house, and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly,

You’re so blessed among women,

    and the babe in your womb, also blessed!

And why am I so blessed that

    the mother of my Lord visits me?

The moment the sound of your

    greeting entered my ears,

The babe in my womb

    skipped like a lamb for sheer joy.

Blessed woman, who believed what God said,

    believed every word would come true!

^46-55 And Mary said,

I’m bursting with God-news;

    I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.

God took one good look at me, and look what happened—

    I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!

What God has done for me will never be forgotten,

    the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.

His mercy flows in wave after wave

    on those who are in awe before him.

He bared his arm and showed his strength,

    scattered the bluffing braggarts.

He knocked tyrants off their high horses,

    pulled victims out of the mud.

The starving poor sat down to a banquet;

    the callous rich were left out in the cold.

He embraced his chosen child, Israel;

    he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.

It’s exactly what he promised,

    beginning with Abraham and right up to now.

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

Consider the Word, December 9, 2021 Advent III

Consider the Word, December 9, 2021
Advent III
Email stpauls@pei.aibn.com for the link to the Bible Study.
 
Readings for December 12:

• Zephaniah 3:14-20
• Canticle 3 (Isaiah 12:2-6)
• Philippians 4:4-7
• Luke 3:7-18

Collect

God of power and mercy,

you call us once again

to celebrate the coming of your Son.

Remove those things which hinder love of you,

that when he comes,

he may find us waiting in awe and wonder

for him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 
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 ax 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.

 
Reflection Questions

1. In what ways do we feel challenged by John’s message?
2. How has the promise to Abraham and Sarah been fulfilled in our day? That is, if it has.
3. What does it mean to be in right relationship with God and neighbour?

 
Closing Prayer

O God of the exiles and the lost,

you promise restoration and wholeness

through the power of Jesus Christ.

Give us faith to live joyfully,

sustained by your promises

as we eagerly await the day when they will be fulfilled

for all the world to see,

through the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 
The Message: Luke 3:7-18

^7-9 When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment? It’s your life that must change, not your skin. And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.’ Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and flourishing? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.”

¹⁰ The crowd asked him, “Then what are we supposed to do?”

¹¹ “If you have two coats, give one away,” he said. “Do the same with your food.”

¹² Tax men also came to be baptized and said, “Teacher, what should we do?”

¹³ He told them, “No more extortion—collect only what is required by law.”

¹⁴ Soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He told them, “No harassment, no blackmail—and be content with your rations.”

¹⁵ The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, “Could this John be the Messiah?”

^16-17 But John intervened: “I’m baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

^18-20 There was a lot more of this—words that gave strength to the people, words that put heart in them. The Message! But Herod, the ruler, stung by John’s rebuke in the matter of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, capped his long string of evil deeds with this outrage: He put John in jail.

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