11/28 - 12/02 20161st Week of Advent: The Light of the World
Update: On the first week of Advent we begin a new series in the Gospel of John. We’ll spend most of the next 12 months in this gospel. One of the main themes of John’s gospel is that Jesus came to make God known and that knowing God is life.
- What do we live for? We live to know God.
- Who do we live in? We live in Christ Jesus.
- How do we become more alive? In Worship & Awe we receive grace upon grace.
If you are new to these Daily Worship guides, there is a Song of Commitment and Closing Prayer after the list of daily reflection questions.
Song for this week
Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel(
Where possible we will use songs that are live recordings of our worship singing at Church of the Redeemer. You should be able to access them by clicking the link. You can also download them to your computer, phone, etc. (Please copy & paste rather than drag & drop).
Some Recommendations
The goal of the study/reflection questions is to help you get into the text and meet Christ in it, i.e., to worship and meet with God. Avoid engaging with these questions as if it’s a “quiz” where the goal is to get the “correct answer” and then move onto the next question. My prayer, goal, and hope is that the questions will help open up the Word of God – what it means and what it is saying – in order that you might meet God, experience Christ, and hear from the Holy Spirit.
1) I do recommend the full liturgy for each day.
2) The questions for each day may seem a little open or vague. The space they create is intended to allow space for the Holy Spirit to meet with you. Don’t be afraid of using a Study Bible (like the ESV Study Bible) or Commentary. Work hard to not rush through the reflections and questions. The goal is to experience/hear from God.
3) Sing the songs! (Really) Each week we focus on one songs. Download it to your phone so you can listen repeatedly during the day. Singing is a vital spiritual discipline because, when we sing, our mind, body, heart, emotions, and will are all engaged in worship at the same time! That is rare. If this week’s song does not appeal to you, substitute one of your personal favorites.
Opening Prayer
O God, Eternal King and Father of all mercies,
whose light divides the day from the night
and turns the shadow of death into the morning:
To know you is eternal life
and to serve you is perfect freedom:
Drive far from us all wrong desires,
incline our hearts to keep your law,
and guide our feet into the way of peace;
that we may do your will with cheerfulness during the day,
and when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks;
through Jesus Christ, our risen and reigning Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Confession(John 1:9-11)
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
Lord Jesus, during Advent, we know wonder, grief, longing, and joy. We know wonder because you left the splendor of Heaven’s glory to come to a dark and cold world. In staggering humility, you put on human flesh and were born as a child. You lived a fully human life, tasting our sorrows, and dying the cruelest death to bring the light and love of your kingdom to a world who did not deserve it.
We know grief because you came into the world, but the world did not receive you. And still today, we turn away from you.
Our sin still scars your creation, our own hearts, and our relationships with others.
We know longing because we desire to know you intimately as Emmanuel, God with us. Yet, we often do not welcome you.
You come to us, yet we are too busy to notice. You speak, and we are too full of ourselves to hear.
Change us, O Lord. Help us to know you more during this Advent season.
Make us more sensitive to your presence with us so that we may be prepared on Christmas Day.
Help us to know the joy of your perfect forgiveness and full cleansing. Cleanse our hearts so that we may welcome you, certain that we are always welcomed by you.
Absolution(John 1:12-14, 16)
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Intercession
Pray this week for your own self, your community, church, city, and this world to know the resurrection of Jesus in accepting the good news of the gospel. Pray by name those you want God to bring into his kingdom.
Scripture Readings & Reflection
Please review the introductory comments above inyellow.
MONDAY:
1)Lectio Divina – Divine Reading, where the reader follows four rhythms for the purpose of hearing God’s word for them that day.
Today we begin, now with our main text from yesterday, but with an important text about God’s love for us.
Read the Personal & Corporate Commitment statement above and then readJohn 1:1-18four separate times (following the instructions below).
Remember –The life of Christ is in you and you are in Christ. Remember this as you consider his Word and pray for his Work in you. Jesus is in you!
- PAUSE and ask God to speak to you as you read.
- READ – Read the passage, paying attention to words or phrases of Scripture that stand out most to you. After reading, write them down.
- REFLECT – Read again, and reflect on what is stirred or touch in you personally from this reading.
- RESPOND – Read again, and ask what you want to do in response to this reading.
- BE or REST – Read again, and then sit in silence to let God further speak to you through the passage.
2)Write down what you experienced from God today.
TUESDAY:
1)Lectio Divina – Divine Reading, where the reader follows four rhythms for the purpose of hearing God’s word for them that day.
Today we begin, now with our main text from yesterday, but with an important text about God’s love for us.
Read the Personal & Corporate Commitment statement above and then read Isaiah 9:1-7four separate times (following the instructions below).
Remember –The life of Christ is in you and you are in Christ. Remember this as you consider his Word and pray for his Work in you. Jesus is in you!
- PAUSE and ask God to speak to you as you read.
- READ – Read the passage, paying attention to words or phrases of Scripture that stand out most to you. After reading, write them down.
- REFLECT – Read again, and reflect on what is stirred or touch in you personally from this reading.
- RESPOND – Read again, and ask what you want to do in response to this reading.
- BE or REST – Read again, and then sit in silence to let God further speak to you through the passage.
3)Write down what you experienced from God today.
WEDNESDAY:
Remember –The life of Christ is in you and you are in Christ. Remember this as you consider his Word and pray for his Work in you. Jesus is in you!
1)Centering Prayer – A form of brief grounding prayer that can be prayed as a form of greeting the Lord, a returning to him, or as a cry for help. Centering Prayers should be prayed regularly through the day. Consider setting alarms to remind you. Often, centering prayer is particularly helpful when we find ourselves stretched, challenged, or troubled. Rather than lose our tempers and default to our normal way of dealing with conflict or difficulty, in those situations, using a Centering Prayer can be an exclamation for help.
- Read the passage we mediated on yesterday and the day before and review your reflections from Monday and Tuesday.
- John 1:1-18
- Isaiah 9:1-7
- Now take what you’ve received from the passage and form it into a brief prayer. For example, “Jesus’ obedience is mine. I am complete in him.” “God doesn’t loath me” “He is holy, worship him.” “Lord, make me rely on you” or “Lord, help me give up control.”
- Pray this prayer now and use it throughout the day and week, especially when you feel the pull of temptation. Don’t just pray it once and move on. Take some time to actually communicate with God: to speak and to listen.
THURSDAY:
Remember –The life of Christ is in you and you are in Christ. Remember this as you consider his Word and pray for his Work in you. Jesus is in you!
Today we use the Examen which is a spiritual discipline relate to “anticipating.” It is a form of journaling where one examines their day and recalls, briefly, the events throughout the day where God has been evident or surprising. Today, reflect especially on how you have done in allowing the empowering love of God to flow through you, i.e., his love more than your efforts. After making note of where God was present and what he was doing, offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for his presence throughout your day.
- Take some time to think back over the current day (if it’s evening) or previous day (if it’s morning) and reflect on where God showed up for you in special ways.
- Did he meet you as you prayed centering prayers?
- Did he bring you into situations where this week’s passage was particularly applicable?
- Did he show up in other unexpected ways to speak to you or provide for you?
- Read and Meditate onJohn 1:1-18and receive the love of God in Christ with thankfulness.
- Close with the Closing Prayer below.
FRIDAY:
Forgiveness –God has forgiven us for all our past, present, and future sins.In its simplest and literal Greek form, “forgive” means to send away, release, or let go. God has gone to great lengths to restore his people to him so that he might walk with them and be their God! But often we struggle to accept his forgiveness. One of the keys to discern how much we have actually accepted and received God’s forgiveness is to ask “How forgiving am I?”
Remember –The life of Christ is in you and you are in Christ. Remember this as you consider his Word and pray for his Work in you. Jesus is in you!
- Read John 1:1-18.
- Consider first: Have you experienced the deep forgiveness that this passage articulates, i.e., When God sees you, what’s the expression he has on his face? Disappointment or delight?
- Are there any people who come to mind whom you need to forgive? (People who steal your rest, people [or things] who require you to over-work, people you are performing for hoping to win their approval/acceptance etc.,)
- What is the cost in your relationship with God and your relationships with others of your lack of forgiveness?
- What is keeping you from forgiving?
- Pray to God and forgive people the ways that they have wronged you. Ask him to help you truly release the pain and find freedom in forgiving and being forgiven.
- Close with the Closing Prayer below.
Song of Commitment-Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel (
To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.
11/28 - 12/02 20161st Week of Advent: The Light of the World
Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
Oh, come, O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
Oh, come, our Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.
11/28 - 12/02 20161st Week of Advent: The Light of the World
Closing Prayer
O God, Eternal King and Father of all mercies,
whose light divides the day from the night
and turns the shadow of death into the new morning:
Show me this day what sin and shame looks like in my life:
that I might be freed from its ugliness, lies, and loneliness,
that I might grow in appreciation for the Cross of Christ.
Guide my feet in the way of humility so that:
forgetting about myself I may serve others,
owning your grace, I might be more gracious,
entering into the resurrected life you secured for me, I might more fully alive.
Create in me a new and contrite hearts so that,
I may receive from you full pardon and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
List of Deep Desires
Distorted/Deceptive Desires
- Distorted desire: you long for impact and you take control or manipulate to get it or you long for intimacy and you look to pornography
- Deceitful desire: when you look to any material, experiential, positional, or relational desire to satisfy a deep desire.
- Only God can truly satisfy a deep desire.
Godly Deep Desires
- Purpose, to be part of something larger, transcendence
- Relationship: to love and be loved, to pursue and be pursued, community, family
- Impact, significance
- Honor, respect, valued, understood
- To protect and provide, to be protected and provided for, security
- To come through: duty, to hear “well done”
- Beauty and creativity
- Justice and freedom
- Peace, wholeness, completion, home
To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.