This daily worship guide for the 2nd week of Advent reflects the theme of Jesus as the revelation of God’s truth and grace from the sermon on John 1:1-14 in corporate worship on December 7.  Using this worship guide will help us extend and deepen the focus of corporate worship over the course of a whole week.  (This guide can be downloaded as a PDF or Microsoft Word document file here.)

Key themes: Jesus as the ultimate Word of God who provides us with (1) truth about our origin, meaning, and destiny and (2) grace to save us from the spiritual darkness of rebellion against God.

(If you use this guide with a group, the leader can read the words in light print and the whole group can respond with the words in boldface print.)

GOD CALLS US TO WORSHIP from Isaiah 9:6

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.
O come let us adore him!

WE PRAISE GOD: “O Come, All Ye Faithful”
Audio

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold him, born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

True God from true God, Light from Light eternal,
Behold, he comes forth from the virgin’s womb;
Son of God, begotten, not created;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above:
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

(Free prayers of praise and thanks)

WE CONFESS OUR SIN

O Word of God incarnate, we do not receive you as the light and glory we desire.
We reject your witness and your authority,
and we suppress the truth to live in sin’s ugly darkness.
We ignore the nearness of your presence,
and we run far away from the refuge of grace you offer.
We are sorry, and we humbly repent. Lord, have mercy.

(Silent prayers of confession)

Lord, forgive us for ignoring you and running from you.
Help us to follow Jesus, our light and glory,
who has come to offer us truth that shows us the way of light,
and grace that enables us to walk in the light.

GOD DECLARES OUR FORGIVENESS from John 1:14, 16

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth,
and from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
In Jesus Christ, the Lord forgives you all of your sins and will remember them no more.

GOD INSTRUCTS US

Monday             Psalm 119:1-16      John 8:31–37

Tuesday            Psalm 138              1 John 1:1–4

Wednesday       Psalm 33                Hebrews 1:1–4

Thursday           Psalm 8                  Colossians 1:15–20

Friday               Psalm 111               1 Corinthians 1:18–31

Saturday           Psalm 1                  2 Corinthians 3:7–18

WE PRAY FOR THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD

Opening
Gracious Lord, shine the light of Christ in our hearts
to dispel the darkness and to transform us from glory to glory
into the image of your Son.
Let his love show in our deeds,
his wisdom shine in our words,
and his healing in our touch.

(Free prayers of petition)

Closing
God Most High, your only Son embraced the weakness of flesh,
to give us power to become your children;
your eternal Word chose a dwelling among us,
that we might live in your presence.
Give us a spirit of wisdom to know
how rich is the glory and how great is the hope to which we are called
in Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
in the splendor of eternal light, forever and ever. Amen.

GOD BLESSES AND SENDS US from 2 Corinthians 13:14

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil,
and bring us to everlasting life.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God the Father
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.