The Fourth Sunday of Advent: 18 - 24 December

Year B - Advent 4

The Fourth Sunday of Advent: 18 - 24 December

Year B

Advent 4

The Fourth Sunday of Advent: 18 - 24 December

Collect7(Text shown)

Post Communion Prayer8(Text shown)

Principle Service(Text shown)

2 Samuel 7. 1-11, 16

Canticle: Magnificat (Luke 1. 47-55) or Psalm 89. 1-4, 19-26 or Psalm 89. 1-8

Romans 16. 25-27

Luke 1. 26-38

Second Service(Text not shown)

Psalm 113; [131]

Zechariah 2. 10-13

Luke 1. 39-55

Third Service(Text not shown)

Psalm 144

Isaiah 7. 10-16

Romans 1. 1-7

1984(Text not shown)

Page 35

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Collects and Post Communion Prayers from the book New Calendar and the Collects.

ISBN – 1853115495

Pointed Psalms from the book Daily Prayer.

ISBN – 9781853119347

Quotations and Psalms fromThe New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Used as permitted.

Collect 7

1984 Prayer Book

God, whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life: grant us, we beseech thee, that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves, even as he is pure; that, when he shall appear again with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where with thee, Father, and thee, Holy Spirit, he liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end.

Lord, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are grievously hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit be honour and glory, world without end.

Contemporary

God our redeemer,

who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary

to be the mother of your Son:

grant that, as she looked for his coming as our Saviour,

so we may be ready to greet him

when he comes again as our judge;

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion Prayer 8

Heavenly Father,

who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary

to be the mother of the promised Saviour:

fill us your servants with your grace,

that in all things we may embrace your holy will

and with her rejoice in your salvation;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2 Samuel 7. 1-11, 16

Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.’

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.

Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.

Canticle: Magnificat (Luke 1. 47-55) or Psalm 89. 1-4, 19-26 or Psalm 89. 1-8

Biblical text

Luke 1. 47-55

and my spirit rejoices in God mySaviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call meblessed; 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 hisarm; 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 goodthings, 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 for ever.’

Psalm 89. 1-4, 19-26

I will sing of your steadfast love, OLord, for ever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established for ever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

You said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: “I will establish your descendants for ever, and build your throne for all generations.” ’

Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: ‘I have set the crown on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him; my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted. I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. He shall cry to me, “You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!”

Psalm 89. 1-8

I will sing of your steadfast love, OLord, for ever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.I declare that your steadfast love is established for ever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

You said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: “I will establish your descendants for ever, and build your throne for all generations.” ’Let the heavens praise your wonders, OLord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and awesomeabove all that are around him? OLord God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, OLord? Your faithfulness surrounds you.

Canticle: Magnificat (Luke 1. 47-55)orPsalm 89. 1-4, 19-26 or Psalm 89. 1-8

Pointed Psalms

Pointed Canticle: Magnificat (Luke 1. 47-55)

My soul proclaims the / greatness • of the / Lord :

my spirit re/joices in / God my / Saviour;

Who has looked with favour on his / lowly / servant :

from this day all gener/ations • will / call me / blessed;

The Almighty has done / great things / for me :

and / holy / is his / name.

God has mercy on / those who / fear him :

from gener/ation to / gener/ation.

The Lord has shown / strength with • his / arm :

and scattered the / proud in / their con/ceit,

Casting down the mighty / from their / thrones :

and / lifting / up the / lowly.

God has filled the hungry with / good / things :

and has / sent the / rich • away / empty.

He has come to the aid of his / servant / Israel :

to re/member his / promise • of / mercy,

The promise / made • to our / forebears :

to Abraham / and his / children for / ever.

Psalm 89. 1-4, 19-26

My song shall be always of the loving-kindness / of the / Lord :

with my mouth will I proclaim your faithfulness

through/out all / gene/rations.

I will declare that your love is es/tablished for / ever :

you have set your faithfulness as / firm / as the / heavens.

For you said: ‘I have made a covenant / with my / chosen one :

I have sworn an / oath to / David my / servant:

‘ “Your seed will I es/tablish for / ever :

and build up your throne for / all / gene/rations.” ’

You spoke once in a vision and said to your / faithful / people :

‘I have set a youth above the mighty;

I have raised a / young man / over the / people.

I have found / David my / servant :

with my holy / oil have / I a/nointed him.

My hand shall / hold him / fast :

and my / arm shall / strengthen / him.

No enemy / shall de/ceive him :

nor any / wicked / person af/flict him.

I will strike down his foes be/fore his / face :

and / beat down / those that / hate him.

My truth also and my steadfast love / shall be / with him :

and in my name shall his / head / be ex/alted.

I will set his dominion up/on the / sea :

and his / right hand up/on the / rivers.

He shall call to me / “You are my / Father :

my God, and the / rock of / my sal/vation.”

Psalm 89. 1-8

My song shall be always of the loving-kindness / of the / Lord :

with my mouth will I proclaim your faithfulness

through/out all / gene/rations.

I will declare that your love is es/tablished for / ever :

you have set your faithfulness as / firm / as the / heavens.

For you said: ‘I have made a covenant / with my / chosen one :

I have sworn an / oath to / David my / servant:

‘ “Your seed will I es/tablish for / ever :

and build up your throne for / all / gene/rations.” ’

The heavens praise your / wonders, O / Lord :

and your faithfulness in the as/sembly / of the / holy ones;

For who among the clouds can be com/pared to the / Lord? :

Who is like the Lord a/mong the / host of / heaven?

A God feared in the council / of the / holy ones :

great and terrible above / all those / round a/bout him.

Who is like you, Lord / God of / hosts? :

Mighty Lord, your / faithfulness is / all a/round you.

Romans 16. 25-27

Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith - to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever! Amen.

Luke 1. 26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ but she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be bornwill be holy; he will be called Son of God.And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.For nothing will be impossible with God.’Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

The Church in Wales: Word of the Lord 2011.