God's Promise Will Be Fulfilled

Some additional worship resources for December 2, the first Sunday of Advent.

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CALL FOR WORSHIP

or SCRIPTURE READING BEFORE THE PRAYER FOR PEACE

Adapted from Isaiah 2:3-5 / 2 Nephi 8:19–21 (contemporary language)

Note: References to the “God of Jacob” and the “house of Jacob” have been replaced in this adaptation with more broadly applicable (but literally justifiable) references to the “God of Abraham” and the “children of Abraham.”

Leader:    Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord—

All:           to the house of the God of Abraham.

Leader:    There God will teach us of his ways,

All:           and we will walk in his paths.

Leader:    He will sit in judgment of the nations;

All:           he will settle all their conflicts.

Leader:    They will convert their swords into blades for plowing

All:           and turn their spears into tools for pruning.

Leader:    Never again will one nation take up the sword against another;

All:           no longer will people learn the arts of war.

Leader:    Come, children of Abraham—

All:           let us walk in the light of the Lord!

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LIGHT THE CANDLE OF HOPE

Adapted from Ether 5:9-10 (contemporary language)

The following scripture might be read in connection with lighting the Candle of Hope, either in tandem with the lectionary reading from Luke 21 or as an alternative to it.

By showing himself to the world

and carrying out the Father’s will,*

Christ has prepared a way

by which others can share in the heavenly gift

and can live in hope of things they have not seen.

For this reason, you too can have hope;

you too can receive the gift.

* Literally: glorifying the Father’s name

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SCRIPTURE READING

3 Nephi 13:54-56 (contemporary language)

This reading is intended to be read in tandem with Jeremiah 33:14-16 (the suggested preaching text) in the “two witnesses” style. For an example of this style, see this post.

When the Lord, in his wisdom, sees fit

that these sayings should come to the nations (as he has decreed),

then you may know

that the sacred promise God made to the people of Israel—

that they would return home from exile—

is already beginning to be fulfilled.

In that day,

you may be assured

that everything the Lord has promised,

through his prophets,

will be fulfilled. . . .

You need not worry

that the prophecies are empty words.

No—the Lord will remember

the sacred promise he made to his people.

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SENDING FORTH

Adapted from 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

May Christ cause us to grow in love

for one another, and for all people.

May he cause our love to grow more and more . . .

so that our hearts become strong and pure,

and we may stand before God unashamed

when our Lord Jesus comes with all the saints.