Separated No More - Exodus 25-40

Our Father,
You are holy but we are wicked.
Our wickedness separates us from you.
Yet you remain committed and resolute to be reconciled with us.
You have sent your Son as our mediator
That your holiness might again be ours.
And that you might take up residence in us and with us again
Thank you for Jesus,
In whose name we pray.
Amen

 

Hope is Born #2 - Matthew 1:18-25

           

You promised!

You said it would happen!

A teenager would become pregnant.

She wouldn’t abort.

She would carry him despite the shame and the sniggers.  

And he would be born.

Simply, ugly and poor. 

She would call him ‘saviour’.

And she would call him ‘God with us’.

Because that day,

You came!

You kept your promise!

You did what you said you would do.

You came to be with us.

And to save us.

You have promised that you are coming again!

You said it would happen!

And today we are looking and we are longing and we are waiting…for you to keep your promise again…

Come King Jesus come!

Advent Confession

O promised Christ:

We are a sinful people;

Our pardon depends upon your grace.

We are a world in darkness;

Our light depends upon your word.

We are a world in death;

Our existence depends upon your life.

We are a world under wrath;

Our salvation depends upon your mercy.

We are a world at war;

Our peace depends upon your coming.

We are full of good intentions but unable to do them.

We make promises to ourselves in the moments of strength that we do not keep in the moments of weakness.

We are intentionally and wilfully rebellious.

We do not regard sin as serious or Christ as precious.

Forgive us we pray.

Forgive us most of all our self-sufficiency

That we do not long for relationship with you;

We do not long for a messiah or a father;

And we do not look for salvation.

Forgive us we pray.

You have come in humility, suffering and death.

And you are coming again in power and victory.

And so we live, waiting,

looking backwards towards the manger and the cross.

And looking forwards to the day when

Our hope will become sight

Our darkness, light

Our tears, joy

Our death, life

And our sin defeated by your grace.

Come, Lord Jesus come.

Amen.