MALAGASY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Communion’s prayer, Third Sunday of Advent
Week from 11th to 16th December 2017
“The Messiah, God reconciling with his people”
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Introduction : The advent of the Messiah, just as the reconciliation of God with his people, is fulfilled through the forgiveness of all their sins. For He said: “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” Is 59:1-2. So to make the encounter between God and his people possible, He urges them to purify themselves, because without holiness no one will either see the Lord (Heb 12:14b), or be truly reconciled with Him. And the Holy Scriptures make it clear: “Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the vessels of the Lord” Is 52:11. Actually, the advent of the Messiah means the renewal of God’s covenant of peace with His people. In this respect He said: “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time’, declares the Lord, ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” Jer 31:33. For God has by no means forsaken His people (Rom 11:1), but seeks them (Lk 19:10), in order for Him to tell them: “Peace be with you” Jn 20:19.
Monday 11: The Messiah provides forgiveness of sins for his people.
“ Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, and that her sin has been paid for” Is 40:2a.
Reading 1: Mt 1:18-25; Reading 2: Is 40:1-10; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Is 40:1-2. Other references:
– “The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the worlds!” Jn 1:29.
– “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Cor 5:20-21.
Tuesday 12: The Messiah cleanses God’s household.
“He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver” Mal 3:3b.
Reading 1: Mt 21:1-17; Reading 2: Mal 3:1-4; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Mal 3:3-4. Other references:
– “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire” Mt 3:12.
– “Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” Tit 2:14.
Wednesday 13 : The Messiah, salvation for all people.
“And all mankind will see God’s salvation” Lk 3:6.
Reading 1: Mal 3:16-21; Reading 2: Lk 3:1-6; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Lk 3:4-6. Other references:
– “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said: ‘Here I am, here am I” Is 65:1.
– “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty” Rev 1:7-8.
Thursday 14 : The Messiah, God showing mercy to his people.
“I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry…” Is 57:16a.
Reading 1: 1 Pet 4:12-19; Reading 2: Is 57:15-16; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Is 57:16. Other references:
– “For He knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust” Ps 103:14.
– “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings” Hos 6:6.
– “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” Heb 13:5b.
Friday 15: The Messiah invites the sinners.
“Invite to the banquet anyone you find” Mt 22:9b.
Reading 1: Is 55:1-6; Reading 2: Mt 22:1-9; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Mt 22:8-9. Other references:
– “On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and the finest of wines” Is 25:6.
– “On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” Mt 9:12-13.
Saturday 16: Jesus is near.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock” Rev 3:20a.
Reading 1: Mt 24:32-42; Reading 2: Rev 3:14-22; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Rev 3:20. Other references:
– “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse” Mal 3:23-24.
– “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” Rev 2:29.
Note: This pericope is published in Malagasy, French, English and German and can be seen on the web site www.hifi-madanet.org and on Facebook “Hifi – english”. © Madanet