1. —Advent 3
The Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ Brings True Rejoicing, Even Under the Cross
Is. 35:1-10; James 5:7-11; Matt. 11:2-15; Psalm 146

2. Advent 3 (15 December 2013)
Isaiah 35:1–10
James 5:7–11
Matthew 11:2–15
The Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ Brings True Rejoicing, Even Under the Cross
Sometimes life requires the astonishing patience of Job. Like him, we are to rejoice in the
midst of affliction, be grounded in repentance under the cross of Christ and hope
relentlessly in His resurrection, that we might see ―the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord
is compassionate and merciful‖ (James 5:11). Therefore, in the promise of the Gospel, ―be
patient‖ and ―establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand‖ (James 5:8).
Like John the Baptist, whatever your own kind of prison or suffering may be, call upon
Jesus and receive the strength of His Word from those He sends to you. For as ―the blind
receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead
are raised up‖ (Matt. 11:5), so is the Good News of Jesus preached to you also. He comes
and restores the fortunes of Zion, His holy Church, so that ―sorrow and sighing shall flee
away‖ (Is. 35:10).

3. •Christmas is a time to focus on others.
•What‘s the coolest gesture you‘ve seen around the holidays to help make
the world a better place?

4.  Use your prayer notes.
 Use a verse from the
bible to reflect on.
 Pray about how the
cross brings rejoicing.
 P raise
R epentance
A ppreciation
Y ou
E veryone
R esolve
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: fathers, especially Matthew, our
Lord, have mercy.
Synod president; ______, our
district president; ________, our
For a proper faith that trusts in
circuit counselor; and
Jesus for forgiveness and believes _______, our pastor, that they
Him to be the promised Christ, let might be encouraged to declare
us pray to the Lord: Lord, have the goodness of God to us… For
mercy.
our civil servants, especially
Congress; our justices and judges;
For right preparation for the
Barack, our president;
Lord‘s return, that we might
______, our governor;
remain steadfast until that day… _______, our mayor; and all in
positions of secular authority, that
For this congregation, that she
they might execute
would continue to be a place
justice, protecting the innocent
where the Gospel is rightly
and punishing wrongdoers…
proclaimed and the Sacraments
correctly administered for the life
and salvation of God‘s people and
that she might be an instrument of
God‘s mercy to her neighbors…
For our spiritual

5.  Use your prayer notes.
 Use a verse from the
bible to reflect on.
 Pray about how the
cross brings rejoicing.
 P raise
R epentance
A ppreciation
Y ou
E veryone
R esolve
For any who
suffer, [especially
_______________,] that
they might find hope in
the Lord who gave sight
to the blind, made the
lame walk, cleansed the
lepers and raised the
dead…
For those who receive the
body and blood of Jesus in
the Holy Supper this
day, that they would eat
and drink confident of the
Lord‘s power to save…
These things and whatever
else You know that we
need, kind Father, grant us
For those in economic
for the sake of Your
distress, the hungry, the beloved Son, Jesus
homeless, the unemployed Christ, who lives and
or underemployed, and reigns with You and the
any less fortunate, that
Holy Spirit, one God, now
God would grant them
and forever. Amen.
relief in distress and
courage in anxiety…

6. 1 Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding!
"Christ is near," we hear it say.
"Cast away the works of darkness,
All you children of the day!"
2 Startled at the solemn warning,
Let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, its sun, all sloth dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.
3 See, the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heav'n.
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all, to be forgiv'n;
4 So, when next He comes in glory
And the world is wrapped in fear,
He will shield us with His mercy
And with words of love draw near.
5 Honor, glory, might, dominion
to the Father and the Son
With the ever-living Spirit
While eternal ages run!

7. The Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ Brings
True Rejoicing, Even Under the Cross
 Meet w/teams
3-5 min per box
 What are the major points of your text?
 How does your topic fit the pericope
theme?
 How does it connect to the other texts?
How is it unique?

8. Isaiah 35:1-10
The Ransomed Shall Return
35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be
glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the
crocus;
2 it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel andSharon.
They shall see the glory of theLORD,
the majesty of our God.
3 Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who have an anxious heart,
―Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you.‖
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
7 the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
8 And a highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
It shall belong to those who walk on the
way;
even if they are fools, they shall not go
astray.[a]
9 No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
10 And the ransomed of the LORDshall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

9. James 5:7-11
Judge is standing at the
Patience in Suffering
door. 10 As an example of
7 Be patient, therefore,
suffering and patience,
brothers,[a] until the coming brothers, takethe prophets
of the Lord. See how the
who spoke in the name of
farmer waits for the precious the Lord. 11 Behold, we
fruit of the earth, being
consider those blessed who
patient about it, until it
remained steadfast. You
receives the early and the
have heard of the
late rains.8 You also, be
steadfastness of Job, and you
patient. Establish your
have seen the purpose of the
hearts, for the coming of the Lord, how the Lord is
Lord is at hand. 9 Do not
compassionate and merciful.
grumble against one another,
brothers, so that you may
not be judged; behold, the

10. Matthew 11:2-15
―‗Behold, I send my messenger before
2 Now when John heard in prison about your face,
the deeds of the Christ, he sent word
who will prepare your way before
3 and said to him, ―Are you.‘
byhis disciples
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born
youthe one who is to come, or shall
we look for another?‖ 4 And Jesus
of women there has arisen no one
answered them, ―Go and tell John what greater than John the Baptist. Yet the
you hear and see: 5 the blind receive
one who is least in the kingdom of
their sight and the lame
heaven is greater than he. 12 From the
walk, lepers[a] are cleansed and the deaf days of John the Baptist until now the
hear, and the dead are raised up, and the kingdom of heaven has suffered
poor have good news preached to
violence,[d] and the violent take it by
them. 6 And blessed is the one who is force. 13 For all the Prophets and the
not offended by me.‖
Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you
7 As they went away, Jesus began to
are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who
speak to the crowds concerning
is to come. 15 He who has ears to
John:―What did you go out into the
hear,[e] let him hear.
wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the
wind? 8 What then did you go out to
see? A man[b] dressed in soft clothing?
Behold, those who wear soft clothing
are in kings' houses. 9 What then did
you go out to see? A prophet?[c] Yes, I
tell you, and more than a prophet.10 This
is he of whom it is written,

11. 7
Psalm 146
who executes justice for the
Put Not Your Trust in Princes oppressed,
146 Praise the LORD!
who gives food to the hungry.
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
2 I will praise the LORD as long
8
the LORD opens the eyes of
as I live;
the blind.
I will sing praises to my God The LORD lifts up those who are
while I have my being.
bowed down;
3 Put not your trust in princes,
the LORD loves the righteous.
in a son of man, in whom there9 The LORD watches over the
is no salvation.
sojourners;
4 When his breath departs, he
he upholds the widow and the
returns to the earth;
fatherless,
on that very day his plans
but the way of the wicked he
perish.
brings to ruin.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the 10 The LORD will reign forever,
God of Jacob,
your God, O Zion, to all
whose hope is in the LORD his generations.
God,
Praise the LORD!
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;

12.  Fourth S. in Advent (Rorate





Coeli)
God’s Word Is Fulfilled for
Us in the Flesh and Blood of
Christ Jesus, the Son of Mary
Isaiah 7:10–17 The Sign of
Immanuel
Romans 1:1–7 Greeting
Matthew 1:18–25 The Birth
of Jesus Christ
Psalm 24 The King of Glory

13. Isaiah 7:10-17
have received grace and apostleship to bring And he called his name Jesus.
about the obedience of faith for the sake of his Psalm 24
The Sign of Immanuel
name among all the nations,6 including you
10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11 ―Aska
The King of Glory
who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
[a] God; let it be deep as
sign of the LORD your
7
A Psalm of David.
Sheol or high as heaven.‖ 12 But Ahaz said, ―I To all those in Rome who are loved by God
24 The earth is the LORD's and the fullness
will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the and called to be saints:
[a]
test.‖ 13 And he[b]said, ―Hear then, O house of Grace to you and peace from God our Father thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
David! Is it too little for you to weary men,
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
that youweary my God also? 14 Therefore
Matthew 1:18-25
and established it upon the rivers.
theLord himself will give you a sign. Behold,
3 Who shall ascend the hill of theLORD?
the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and The Birth of Jesus Christ
[c]15 He shall
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a] took place in
shall call his name Immanuel.
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
eat curds and honey when he knows how to this way. When his mother Mary had been
refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For
betrothed[b] to Joseph, before they came
who does not lift up his soul towhat is false
before the boy knows how to refuse the evil together she was found to be with child from
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from theLORD
and choose the good, the land whose two
the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph,
kings you dread will
being a just man and unwilling to put her to
and righteousness from the God of his
be deserted. 17 The LORD will bring upon you shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But salvation.
and upon your people and upon your father's as he considered these things, behold, an angel 6 Such is the generation of those who seek
house such days as have not come since the of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,
him,
day thatEphraim departed from Judah—the
saying, ―Joseph, son of David, do not fear to
who seek the face of the God of
king of Assyria.‖
take Mary as your wife, for that which is
Jacob.[b] Selah
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She 7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
Romans 1:1-7
will bear a son, and you shall call his name
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
Greeting
Jesus, for he will save his people from their
that the King of glory may come in.
1 Paul, a servant[a] of Christ Jesus,called to be sins.‖22 All this took place to fulfill what the 8 Who is this King of glory?
an apostle, set apart for the gospel of
Lord had spoken by the prophet:
The LORD, strong and mighty,
God, 2 which he promised beforehand through 23 ―Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a the LORD, mighty in battle!
his prophets in the holy
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
son,
Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son,who was
and they shall call his nameImmanuel‖
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
descended from David[b]according to the
(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph 10 that the King of glory may come in.
flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of
Who is this King of glory?
woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the
God in power according to the Spirit of
Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but The LORD of hosts,
holiness by his resurrection from the dead,
5
knew her not until she had given birth to a son. he is the King of glory!Selah