Sunday Lectionary Readings

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The Collect

Third Sunday of Advent
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen
Preface of Advent

Old Testament Reading

Zephaniah 3:14-20
¹⁴Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! ¹⁵The LORD has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more. ¹⁶In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: " Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. ¹⁷The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." ¹⁸" I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, Who are among you, To whom its reproach is a burden. ¹⁹Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame, And gather those who were driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame In every land where they were put to shame. ²⁰At that time I will bring you back, Even at the time I gather you; For I will give you fame and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I return your captives before your eyes," Says the LORD. -- NKJV

Psalm

Psalm 85
^{To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.}
¹LORD, You have been favorable to Your land;
You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.

²You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
You have covered all their sin. Selah

³You have taken away all Your wrath;
You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.

⁴Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your anger toward us to cease.

⁵Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?

⁶Will You not revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?

⁷Show us Your mercy, LORD,
And grant us Your salvation.

⁸I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
But let them not turn back to folly.

⁹Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed.

¹¹Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.

¹²Yes, the LORD will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase.

¹³Righteousness will go before Him,
And shall make His footsteps our pathway.
-- NKJV

- OR -

Psalm 85:7-13
⁷Show us Your mercy, LORD,
And grant us Your salvation.

⁸I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
But let them not turn back to folly.

⁹Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed.

¹¹Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.

¹²Yes, the LORD will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase.

¹³Righteousness will go before Him,
And shall make His footsteps our pathway.
-- NKJV

New Testament Reading

Philippians 4:4-7(8-9)
⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. ⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (⁸Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. ⁹The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. ) -- NKJV

Gospel Reading

Luke 3:7-18
⁷Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ⁹And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." ¹⁰So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?" ¹¹He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." ¹²Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" ¹³And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." ¹⁴Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." ¹⁵Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, ¹⁶John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire." ¹⁸And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. -- NKJV

The Preface

Preface of Advent
To be used on Sundays and weekdays alike, except as otherwise appointed for Holy Days and Various Occasions
Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version.
(Unless otherwise noted.)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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