LaughingBird

New Years Day
2028-01-01 00:00 - 23:59 (Australia/Melbourne)
Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them, plus prayers and sermons based on them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

Things happen in their due season; there is a right time for everything that happens on earth:
a time to be born,
and a time to die;
a time to sow the seed,
and a time to harvest the crop;
a time to end a life,
and a time to rehabilitate;
a time to demolish,
and a time to create;
a time to cry,
and a time to laugh;
a time to grieve,
and a time to party;
a time to throw caution to the wind,
and a time to play it safe;
a time to make love,
and a time to keep your pants on;
a time to keep searching,
and a time to write off the loss;
a time to hold on to what you’ve got,
and a time to let it go;
a time to share another’s pain,
and a time to urge them to move on;
a time to keep your mouth shut,
and a time to speak your mind;
a time to love,
and a time to hate;
a time to fight;
and a time to make peace.
But in the end, what difference does it make what we do? I have observed everyone working hard at the jobs that God has given them. God sets things up so that there is a proper time and place for everything, but we forget too quickly and fail to learn the lessons of history. We see what has happened and what is happening, but we can’t make sense of the connections or see what God is doing in it all. So I figure that there is no point in losing too much sleep over it. The most important thing is for people to be happy and to enjoy their lives for as long as they live. What’s more, there is nothing wrong with eating and drinking and finding satisfaction in our work. They are God’s gifts to us.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 8

Our LORD and ruler,
all over the world
the mere mention of your name sets hearts pounding!
Your glory fills the universe!
The gurgling of babies makes more sense
than the clever arguments of your enemies.
The innocent chatter of children
silences the venomous talk of your opponents.
When I gaze at your handiwork in the night skies
— the moon, the stars, the milky way —
the whole cosmos under your control;
I can’t help but wonder why you bother with us.
Why do you care so much for mere human beings
when we count for so little in the scheme of things?
And yet, for reasons known to you alone,
you created us almost on a par with yourself
and decorated us with the highest honours and glory.
You have even entrusted us with power over your precious creation;
you placed the future of all life in our hands:
sheep and cattle;
emu and kangaroo
insects, reptiles, birds, and sea creatures;
air, land and water and the planet itself.
Our LORD and ruler,
all over the world
the mere mention of your name sets hearts pounding!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Revelaton 21: 1-6a

I, John, had another extraordinary vision. I saw a completely revamped heaven and a radically reconstructed earth. The first heaven, the first earth and the sea were all but a memory. Then I saw Jerusalem, the city dedicated to God, now made completely new. She was coming down the aisle from heaven itself, from God, and she looked sensational, like a bride on her wedding day. I heard a loud voice coming from heaven’s throne. It said:
“See, God has moved in and set up home among ordinary people.
God will live with them and be their God,
and the people will gladly belong
to the God who lives right in their midst.
God will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be abolished forever;
pain and grief and tears will be things of the past.
All these things have been made obsolete.”
Then the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new – absolutely everything!”
“Write all this down,” he said, “because these words can be depended on. They are the truth.”
This is what he said: “The job is done! I am the whole story, from A to Z. I am the beginning and I am the end.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Matthew 25: 31-46

While speaking to his followers, Jesus said, “The day is coming when the New Human will turn up in all his glory, accompanied by all his angels, and he will be crowned as king. He will sit down on the judgment seat, and all the nations of the world will be summoned to appear before him. Like a quality controller sorting out the good fruit from the rejects, he will carefully sort the nations into two groups, one on his right side and one on his left. Then the King will say to the group on his right side:
‘Welcome, you who have been given the thumbs up by my Father. Ever since the foundation of the world, there has been a kingdom ready with your name on it. Come now, and inherit it; because
I was hungry and you lot fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I came seeking asylum and you made me welcome,
I didn’t have a stitch to wear
and you lot gave me clothes,
I was diseased and you took care of me,
I was in detention and you visited me.’
Then those compassionate nations will ask him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When were you a refugee and we welcomed you, or in detention and we visited you? When did we find you without clothes or sick and do something about it?’
And the King will reply, ‘The fact is, you did these things for people who were regarded as the dregs of society, but who I love as my nearest and dearest; and each time you helped one of them, you were helping me.’
Then he will say to the nations on the other side:
‘You lot have been written off. Get out of my sight! A time of fire has been ignited by the devil and his agents, and you will be swallowed up in it with them; because
I was hungry and you lot didn’t give me a bite,
I was thirsty and you gave me nothing,
I came seeking asylum and you wouldn’t let me in,
I didn’t have a stitch to wear
and you lot left me to freeze,
I was diseased and in detention
and you turned your backs and wouldn’t come near me.’
They too will ask, ‘Lord, when was it that we failed to take care of you? We don’t recall seeing you hungry or thirsty or seeking asylum or naked or sick or in detention.’
But he will answer, ‘The fact is, you failed to do these things for those who were regarded as the dregs of society, and each time you turned your backs on them, you were turning your backs on me.’
And with that, those nations will be gone, swallowed up in the time of punishment. But the nations who did the right thing by others will enjoy life without limit.”
©2023 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
and with the whole earth we tell of the greatness of your name,
for you are the God who makes all things new.
The moon and the stars are your handiwork,
and the earth and its inhabitants reflect your glory.
You have created us, dressing us in glory undeserved,
and entrusted the charge of the earth to our hands.
You have created a time for everything under heaven:
a time for remembering,
and a time to set plans for the future;
a time for prayer
and a time to act with courage and compassion;
a time for sacrifice
and a time to enjoy the fruits of our toil.
In Jesus Christ, you have made your home among us,
and gathered our times into your time,
so that we might live the life of the kingdom
which you prepared for us from the foundation of the world.
Therefore with .....
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We thank you for gathering all our times into your time,
so that we might live the life of the kingdom
which you prepared for us from the foundation of the world.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
and with the whole earth tell of the greatness of your name,
for you are the God who makes all things new.
The moon and the stars are your handiwork,
and the earth and its inhabitants reflect your glory.
You have created us, dressing us in glory undeserved,
and entrusted the charge of the earth to our hands.
You have created a time for everything under heaven:
a time for remembering,
and a time to set plans for the future;
a time for prayer
and a time to act with courage and compassion;
a time for sacrifice
and a time to enjoy the fruits of our toil.
In Jesus Christ, you have made your home among us,
and gathered our times into your time,
so that we might live the life of the kingdom
which you prepared for us from the foundation of the world.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

In Jesus Christ, God makes all things new.
The former things have disappeared.
God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, and embrace the new time which God has given us.
Recognize Christ in friend and stranger,
and as Christ has been gracious to you,
so be gracious to those in need.
And may God dwell with you as your God.
May Christ be your food and drink
and give you pleasure in your work.
And may the Spirit be your beginning and end
and hold all your times in her loving embrace.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

When I was hungry, what did you do?A sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton

When I joined your church, you burned me out!A sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton

Icons on Street CornersA sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton

Will the Sheep Plead for the Goats?A sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton

Judging NationsA sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton

1st Sunday of Christmas - Year C
2027-12-26 00:00 - 23:59 (Australia/Melbourne)
Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them, plus prayers and sermons based on them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

1 Samuel 2: 18-20, 26

While he was still a young boy, Samuel served the LORD on the staff of the place of worship in the town of Shiloh. When he was working he wore a special religious cape over the robes his mother made for him. Hannah used to make small copies of the robes the priests wore, and bring them to him each year when she and her husband came up to Shiloh for the annual sacrifice. When they came, Eli the priest would give Elkanah and Hannah a blessing, saying, “You have given your son as a gift to the LORD. May the LORD reward the two of you with more children to take his place.”
After Eli had blessed them, Elkanah and Hannah would return home to their own town. Year by year Samuel continued to grow into an impressive young man. Everybody liked him and the LORD was pleased with him.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 148

We sing your praises, LORD!
From every corner of the universe,
from high and low, near and far,
we join the chorus of praise!
With the angels and all who serve you in heaven,
we sing your praises!
With the sun and moon, stars and planets,
we sing your praises!
With far flung galaxies and the milky way,
we sing your praises!
All of them speak of you in glowing terms, LORD,
for they owe their very existence to you.
You ordered their creation
and fixed them in place for all time.
We sing your praises, LORD!
Every creature on earth joins the choir,
singing your praises for all they’re worth:
dolphins and whales
and the ocean itself;
bushfire and hail storm,
snow and ice,
cyclones dancing to your tune;
mountain ranges and rolling hills,
orchards and rainforests,
animals from both bush and farm,
reptiles and birds;
people of every race and class,
people of power and influence;
men and women, old and young,
every voice on earth joins as one!
One and all, we sing your praises, LORD,
yours is the only name on our lips!
You alone outshine the glory of the universe!
You have given strength to your people,
and honour to your faithful ones,
to those you have chosen
and hold close to your heart.
You, LORD, are the greatest!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Colossians 3: 12-17

You are a special and much loved people, hand picked by God. To mark you out as God’s people, you have a uniform to wear. It consists of generosity, humility, tolerance and a passionate concern for others, all of which must be worn without any pretentiousness. The thing you do have to wear it with is love. Without love, you won’t even be able to keep the rest of it on - it would all look totally out of place.
Christ has called you to be united as one body, with his peace surging through your veins and keeping the whole body strong. I’ll give you some instructions here for life in the body, but if you let the peace of Christ shape the way you live, you’ll find it comes naturally. Hang in there with each other. No doubt there will be times when you will rub each other up the wrong way, but be forgiving. The Lord had no hesitation forgiving you, so follow his lead and forgive each other. Cultivate a mindset of gratitude. Provide rich soil in your hearts into which the word of Christ can sink deep strong roots. Don’t keep good advice to yourself. Share what you have learned and guide one another in the ways of wisdom. Then you’ll all have plenty to be grateful about. Let your gratitude overflow in the songs you sing together - whatever the style, offer them as spirited gifts to God. At all times, whatever you are up to, see to it that the things you say and do are all things that Christ would be proud to be associated with. Let everything you do for Christ be a way of communicating your thanks to God, for it is God who has given you life.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 2: 41-52

Every year, Mary and Joseph and most of their friends and family travelled to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they all went up for the festival as usual. At the end of the celebration, they all hit the road as one and began heading home. No one noticed that Jesus was left behind in Jerusalem. Everyone just assumed he was with someone else in the crowd, and they’d done a day’s travel before his parents began to look for him. When they couldn’t find him anywhere among their friends and relatives, they turned around and went back to Jerusalem to mount a search. It took three days to find him and they were nearly at their wits’ end. Jesus was fine though. They found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, hanging on every word they said and probing them with questions of his own. Those who had been listening in were staggered by his grasp of the issues and his ability to participate in such learned discussion. His parents were not nearly so impressed! “Young man, what do you think you’re doing running off on us like this?” Mary demanded. “Your father and I have been worried sick and we’ve hunted everywhere.”
Jesus replied, “Why were you looking everywhere? Surely you know me well enough to know that this was where I’d be, in the house of my Father.”
They didn’t really cotton on to what he meant, but the whole incident became another of Mary’s treasured memories. Jesus went home to Nazareth with his parents and was careful to cooperate with their wishes. With each passing year, he grew in wisdom and maturity. God was pleased with him and everybody liked having him around.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
joining with the joyous cries of all creation,
for you oversee and nourish our growth to fullness of life.
Your word called forth the sun, moon and stars,
and your breath gave life to every creature.
You chose a people to be close to you,
and you spoke through them by your law and prophets.
You sent your Son, Jesus, among us,
and even as a child his zeal for your ways
and his wisdom impressed all who heard him.
His passion for the integrity of your house
and for the holiness of your people
turned the powerful against him.
They crucified him
but you raised him to new life.
Now his peace rules in our hearts,
his word dwells in us richly,
and we are clothed in his love,
to the glory of your holy name.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We give you thanks for the peace of Christ which rules in our hearts,
for his word which dwells in us richly, clothing us in his love,
and nourishing our growth to maturity
in wisdom, in compassion and in love,
to the glory of your holy name.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
joining with the joyous cries of all creation,
for you oversee and nourish our growth to fullness of life.
Your word called forth the sun, moon and stars,
and your breath gave life to every creature.
You chose a people to be close to you,
and you spoke through them by your law and prophets.
You sent your Son, Jesus, among us,
and even as a child his zeal for your ways
and his wisdom impressed all who heard him.
His passion for the integrity of your house
and for the holiness of your people
turned the powerful against him.
They crucified him
but you raised him to new life.
Now his peace rules in our hearts,
his word dwells in us richly,
and we are clothed in his love,
to the glory of your holy name.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

God’s word called you into existence,
and fixed you forever in God’s love.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
and sing with gratitude,
for the Lord has forgiven you.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;
clothe yourselves with love;
forgive one another,
and do everything you do in the name of Christ,
giving thanks to God.
And may God bless you and repay you for all you give;
May Christ Jesus send his peace to rule in your hearts;
and may the Holy Spirit raise you to maturity
in wisdom, in compassion and in love.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

What’s that precocious kid got to do with us?A sermon on Luke 2:41-52 by Nathan Nettleton

Finding Jesus – Finding OurselvesA sermon on Luke 2:41-52 & Colossians 3:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Day by Day Like Him We GrowA sermon on Luke 2:41-52 & Colossians 3:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Listening, learning, growingA sermon on Luke 2:41-52 & Colossians 3:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton

When you lose JesusA sermon on Luke 2:41-52 by Nathan Nettleton

The Feast of the Nativity (Christmas Eve/Day)
2027-12-25 00:00 - 23:59 UTC
The Revised Common Lectionary provides three sets of readings for the Feast of the Nativity, and calls them Proper I, Proper II, and Proper III. Some church will use different ones for different services. Some will use one set each year. Others might use readings from all three sets in an extended service of lessons and carols.

Below you will find the three sets, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases and prayers. Below the third set you will find a list of sermons for the day.

Proper I

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

Isaiah 9: 2-7

The people who lived in a dark cloud of gloom
have seen a great light break through;
those in the blackest hell-holes
have seen their whole world light up.
LORD, you have built up the nation,
and given them every reason to celebrate.
The people revel in it all,
like farmers when a drought breaks;
like children opening presents.
Finally they are out from under the thumb
of those who oppressed them.
You have broken their chains
and run the slave drivers out of town,
just as you did in days long ago.
There will be a huge bonfire
to burn everything left by the occupation forces,
their blood-stained uniforms and cruel boots
will go up in flames.
For see! A child has been born for us;
the gift of a son who will take charge of everything.
He will be given all these titles:
Most Excellent Advisor;
Supreme God;
Father Forever,
Prince of Peace.
The reach of his arm will just keep growing,
and his realm will know peace without limit.
He will inherit all that David ruled,
and bring stability and security.
Doing what is just and right
will be the hallmarks of his reign
from now on and for all time.
The LORD’s heart is set on this;
The LORD who rules over everything will see that it happens.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 96

We sing like we’ve never sung before, LORD;
singing to you with all the earth.
Every mention of your name sets us singing your praises.
We never tire of telling the story of how you bailed us out;
all over the world, we speak of your incredible accomplishments;
everyone we meet hears us giving the credit to you.
You are the greatest, LORD; we can’t praise you enough!
When it comes to gods, you are in a league of your own;
all other objects of devotion are powerless.
But you, LORD, created the whole cosmos;
you are surrounded by majesty and celebration;
strength and beauty are signs of your presence.
People of every race and creed recognise you, LORD;
they recognise you behind all that is strong and true;
they name you as the one who deserves all the glory.
We offer ourselves to you, LORD;
we fall to our knees in this beautiful place of worship;
with all the earth, we celebrate you alone.
You are our king, LORD; we’ll tell everyone everywhere!
You have set the world on firm foundations,
and with you in charge, everyone will get a fair go.
Let the heavens and the earth celebrate;
let the roar of the sea join in;
let everything that walks, flies or swims join the party!
You are on your way, LORD,
and even the roadside trees cheer as you approach,
for you are coming to set things right on the earth.
You will sort things out and put things right,
and reveal the truth about everything and everyone.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Titus 2: 11-14

God’s extravagant generosity is now out in the open for everyone to see. No one is left out - God has come to save everyone and everything! There are some solid lessons in this for all of us - we are being trained in how to turn our backs on crass and indulgent lifestyles, and how to get our lives back under control and on track, to realign ourselves with God and rebuild our integrity. All this is for the here and now. As much as we are eagerly waiting for the day when all God’s promises are fulfilled, when the full glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is writ large for all to see, there’s no reason not to get on with living it right now! After all, it was him who paid the ultimate price to bail us out of the degradation we’d sunk into. He didn’t stop at getting us out either, he personally went to work, decontaminating us and transforming us into a people he’s proud to be identified with, a people who enthusiastically throw themselves into doing good.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 2: 1-14, (15-20)

Many years ago, the Roman Emperor Augustus gave orders for a census to be conducted throughout the whole empire. This was the first time it had been done while Quirinius was governor of Syria. Every man was required to go and register himself and his family in the town where he had been born. For Joseph, this meant travelling all the way from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Bethlehem had been the home town of King David, and Joseph, being a descendent of David, had been born there too, so that was where he had to report. Joseph’s fiancée, Mary, travelled with him to Bethlehem for the census. She was pregnant and the baby was due any day. There was no accommodation left anywhere in the town, so they ended up sleeping rough in the stables behind a pub. Sure enough, she went into labour while they were there and gave birth to her first child – a baby boy. Mary wrapped the baby in a bunny rug and made up a bed for him in a feed trough.
The region around Bethlehem was sheep country, and that night there was a bunch of shearers spinning yarns around their campfire. Suddenly the whole sky lit up with the glory of God, and the Lord’s messenger stood among them. They were packing death, but the messenger said to them, “It’s okay! There’s no need to panic. I’m here with good news, news that will give everyone everywhere good reason to celebrate. A saviour has just been born in David’s town. He is God’s chosen one, the Lord of all. Go and see for yourselves. You’ll know you’ve found him when you see a baby wrapped in a bunny rug and lying in a feed trough!”
The moment he’d finished speaking, the messenger was joined by a whole crowd from heaven, all praising God and shouting at the tops of their voices, saying:
“All the glory belongs to God in heaven,
and let there be peace on earth for all God’s people!”
Then it was all over – the crowd went back to heaven and the shearers were left sitting there looking at one another, gob-smacked. “We’d better go and check this out,” they said. “Let’s go into town and see if we can see what’s happened, what the Lord has let us in on.”
So without messing around they headed straight into Bethlehem, and sure enough, they tracked down Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the feed trough. When they saw all this, they began telling everyone what they had heard about this child. People could hardly believe their ears when they heard what the shearers were saying. But their words were precious to Mary and she repeated them over and over in her mind, wondering what would become of it all. The shearers headed off towards their camp again – a rowdy mob, singing and shouting in the streets about how fabulous God was because of everything they had seen and heard. Everything had been just the way they had been told it would be.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
and to offer a new song of praise,
singing: “Glory to you in the highest heaven
and on earth peace among all you favour.”
You are the God who made the heavens,
the Lord, whose majestic light now shines
on those who walked in darkness.
Your grace appears bringing salvation to all;
your child is given to us, the firstborn of Mary,
and the heavenly host sings his praise.
Though born in exile at the Emperor’s command
and delivered over to death,
he will rise to break the rod of oppression.
Though clothed this night in bands of cloth,
he will burn the blood stained clothes of war.
Though laid this night in a manger,
he will be seated on the throne of endless peace
to rule with justice and righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
Therefore with .....
©2004 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for your grace appears bringing salvation to all;
your Son is given to us, the firstborn of Mary.
Though laid this night in a manger,
he will be seated on the throne of endless peace
to rule with justice and righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
and offer to you a new song of praise,
singing: “Glory to you in the highest heaven
and on earth peace among all you favour.”
You are the God who made the heavens,
the Lord, whose majestic light now shines
on those who walked in darkness.
Your grace appears bringing salvation to all;
your child is given to us, the firstborn of Mary,
and the heavenly host sings his praise.
Though born in exile at the Emperor’s command
and delivered over to death,
he will rise to break the rod of oppression.
Though clothed this night in bands of cloth,
he will burn the blood stained clothes of war.
Though laid this night in a manger,
he will be seated on the throne of endless peace
to rule with justice and righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2004 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

God has revealed his grace for the salvation of all people.
Jesus Christ is given to us
to redeem us from all wickedness
and to make us a pure people who belong to him
and are eager to do good.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, glorifying and praising God
for all you have heard and seen.
Renounce ungodly living and unworthy desires,
and take control of your life with godliness and honour.
And may the God of grace increase your joy.
May Christ Jesus be born as Saviour within you.
And may the Spirit, the Wonderful Counsellor,
make the good news known to you and through you.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Proper II

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

Isaiah 62:6-12

Jerusalem, I have sent the town criers up onto the wall.
I have told them to shout day and night,
and never let anyone shut them up.
Their job is to shout and chant without a break,
to keep up the pressure
until the LORD puts Jerusalem back on her feet
and makes her the toast of all the earth.
“I have given my word,” says the LORD,
“and you can count on it.”
“Never again will I let your enemies in
to plunder the food and wine
that you have put so much work into.
From now on everyone will enjoy the fruits of their own labour;
those who bake the bread
will eat with thankful hearts;
those who pick the grapes
will enjoy the wine in my temple.”
People of Jerusalem, throw open your gates.
Get everything ready for the home comers.
Resurface the road,
fill the potholes, clear the stones,
put up signs to show everyone the way.
The LORD has an announcement to make,
and all the earth will hear it;
“I am coming soon to save you, Jerusalem,
and I will bring a reward
to make up for all you have suffered.
You will be known as a people dedicated to me,
as the people I have reclaimed and brought home.
You will be called “the place to be,
the city no one wants to leave.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 97

You, LORD, are the ruler of everything!
The whole earth celebrates!
Up and down the coast, everyone is shouting for joy!
Deep, dark clouds of mystery hide you from us;
justice and integrity are the bedrock of your rule.
You are a consuming fire, leaping in all directions,
purging the earth of its enemies.
Your touch splits the darkness with bolts of light;
the earth is lit up and shakes like a leaf.
You are Lord of all the earth, and in your presence
even the mountains go weak and melt like wax.
The heavens herald you as the one who puts things right;
all people everywhere witness your day of glory.
Those who worshipped hollow facades
will hang their heads in shame.
Those who take pride in the power of possessions
will be horrified when it all proves worthless.
All these false gods and short-lived saviours
crumble and fall before you, the real thing.
From the Temple Mountain to the farthest flung town,
your people are celebrating with great joy, O God,
because you have seen the truth and brought about justice.
You, LORD, are number one in all the universe;
in a league of your own,
far above anything else that seeks our allegiance.
You love those who detest evil, LORD;
You stand guard over those who are loyal to you;
You come to their rescue if they fall prey to violence.
When people have integrity and do what is right,
you light up their lives and fill them with joy.
All who build their lives on the bedrock of your truth and justice
are celebrating all you do, LORD.
Just the mention of your holy name
and they burst forth with a flood of gratitude!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Titus 3: 4-7

When God our Saviour showed up,
overflowing with goodness, love and kindness,
we were rescued from the horrors of our past.
God saved us,
for no other reason than because God wanted to.
We had never done anything to deserve it.
It only happened because God’s mercy is so extravagant.
The Holy Spirit stepped in
and took us down into the healing waters.
We came out thoroughly rejuvenated,
like newborn babies with a fresh start before us.
Through our contact with Jesus Christ, our Saviour,
God has poured out the Holy Spirit on us,
like a rich oil that soaks into every pore.
So now, having been given a clean slate
through God’s extravagant generosity,
we are marked out to receive the full inheritance,
the life without limit that everyone has been longing for.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 2: (1-7), 8-20

Many years ago, the Roman Emperor Augustus gave orders for a census to be conducted throughout the whole empire. This was the first time it had been done while Quirinius was governor of Syria. Every man was required to go and register himself and his family in the town where he had been born. For Joseph, this meant travelling all the way from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Bethlehem had been the home town of King David, and Joseph, being a descendent of David, had been born there too, so that was where he had to report. Joseph’s fiancée, Mary, travelled with him to Bethlehem for the census. She was pregnant and the baby was due any day. There was no accommodation left anywhere in the town, so they ended up sleeping rough in the stables behind a pub. Sure enough, she went into labour while they were there and gave birth to her first child – a baby boy. Mary wrapped the baby in a bunny rug and made up a bed for him in a feed trough.
The region around Bethlehem was sheep country, and that night there was a bunch of shearers spinning yarns around their campfire. Suddenly the whole sky lit up with the glory of God, and the Lord’s messenger stood among them. They were packing death, but the messenger said to them, “It’s okay! There’s no need to panic. I’m here with good news, news that will give everyone everywhere good reason to celebrate. A saviour has just been born in David’s town. He is God’s chosen one, the Lord of all. Go and see for yourselves. You’ll know you’ve found him when you see a baby wrapped in a bunny rug and lying in a feed trough!”
The moment he’d finished speaking, the messenger was joined by a whole crowd from heaven, all praising God and shouting at the tops of their voices, saying:
“All the glory belongs to God in heaven,
and let there be peace on earth for all God’s people!”
Then it was all over – the crowd went back to heaven and the shearers were left sitting there looking at one another, gob-smacked. “We’d better go and check this out,” they said. “Let’s go into town and see if we can see what’s happened, what the Lord has let us in on.”
So without messing around they headed straight into Bethlehem, and sure enough, they tracked down Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the feed trough. When they saw all this, they began telling everyone what they had heard about this child. People could hardly believe their ears when they heard what the shearers were saying. But their words were precious to Mary and she repeated them over and over in her mind, wondering what would become of it all. The shearers headed off towards their camp again – a rowdy mob, singing and shouting in the streets about how fabulous God was because of everything they had seen and heard. Everything had been just the way they had been told it would be.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
singing: “Glory to you in the highest heaven
and on earth peace among all you favour.”
You are the God whose Word raised the earth from the seas,
whose presence melts mountains like wax,
and whose light rains down joy on loyal hearts.
Your loving kindness has appeared - salvation by grace -
a child is given to us, the firstborn of Mary,
and the heavenly host sings his praise.
Though born in exile at the Emperor’s command
and delivered over to death
he will rise to bring back your people
and name them “Redeemed”.
Though clothed this night in bands of cloth,
he will be wrapped in thunder and crowned with glory.
Though laid this night in a manger,
he will be throned on justice and righteousness,
and will restore to all the joyous fruits of their labours.
Therefore with .....
©2004 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for your loving kindness has appeared - salvation by grace -
a Son is given to us, the firstborn of Mary.
Though laid this night in a manger,
he will be throned on justice and righteousness,
and will restore to all the joyous fruits of their labours.
©1999 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
singing: “Glory to you in the highest heaven
and on earth peace among all you favour.”
You are the God whose Word raised the earth from the seas,
whose presence melts mountains like wax,
and whose light rains down joy on loyal hearts.
Your loving kindness has appeared - salvation by grace -
a child is given to us, the firstborn of Mary,
and the heavenly host sings his praise.
Though born in exile at the Emperor’s command
and delivered over to death
he will rise to bring back your people
and name them “Redeemed”.
Though clothed this night in bands of cloth,
he will be wrapped in thunder and crowned with glory.
Though laid this night in a manger,
he will be throned on justice and righteousness,
and will restore to all the joyous fruits of their labours.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2004 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

The kindness and love of God our Saviour has been revealed
and he has saved us according to his mercy.
Having been justified by his grace,
we are now made heirs with Christ
in the hope of eternal life.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©1999 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, glorifying and praising God
for all you have heard and seen.
Love the Lord, reject evil,
Be joyous in Christ and live faithful lives.
And may God shield you and call you his redeemed.
May Christ Jesus be born as Saviour within you.
And may the Spirit be poured out upon you,
making you heirs of hope with Christ.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Proper III

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

Isaiah 52: 7-10

Talk about a sight for sore eyes!
Here comes the messenger, galloping down the mountain,
bringing the news that God’s people have been hanging out for:
“You are saved!
God is in control!
Finally there will be peace!”
So now its time to celebrate like crazy!
Those of you who were standing, tense and silent, on the lookout
can let your hair down and sing and dance.
Fearing the worst, you saw the best:
the LORD returning home to reclaim the city!
You whose streets and homes were reduced to rubble
can raise your glasses and sing together,
for the LORD has put an arm around your shoulders,
reclaimed your streets, and begun rebuilding.
In full view of every nation
the LORD has brandished a hard fist,
ready to deal with would-be oppressors.
Now is the time for the whole earth to see
the freedom God promised,
the peace we longed for!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 98

We sing like we’ve never sung before, LORD,
because you have done fantastic things.
With your sleeves rolled up you got stuck in
and came out on top.
Your victory has made the headlines, LORD,
now the whole world can see that you were right all along.
You have never defaulted on your rock-solid love,
or your loyalty to your chosen people.
From one end of the earth to the other,
everyone has seen your victory.
With all the world, LORD, we raise a noisy celebration,
singing our lungs out and shouting your praise.
The bands strike up in your honour, LORD,
filling the air with festive music.
With a brass fanfare and a dancing beat
we loudly celebrate your reign over us.
The whole creation joins in the celebration:
the ocean and its creatures roar their approval;
the land and its animals, cheer and stomp;
rivers and lakes give a standing ovation,
mountains and hills erupt in applause.
We put on the whole show in your presence, LORD,
celebrating your arrival as you finally bring justice.
With you in charge we know things will be put right;
now every one on earth will get a fair go.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Hebrews 1: 1-4, (5-12)

Down through the years, God has spoken to our ancestors through the prophets in all sorts of different ways. Lately though, at long last, God has sent a Son to speak to us directly. It was through this Son that God created the world in the first place, and it will all belong to him in the end. You can see all the glory of God mirrored in this Son. God’s essential nature is imprinted on him perfectly. Everything in the universe holds together at his say so. The Son took action to bring about the forgiveness of sins, and having done that he was given the most honoured seat in heaven as God’s right hand man. He had proven himself to be in a league above the angels, and the title he was granted made this clear.
Think about it; God never said to any of the angels:
“You are my Son;
for I have conceived you and brought you to birth.”
Nor did God ever say of of angel:
“I am the Parent,
and this one is my Child.”
When God’s firstborn is brought forth into the world, God says:
“All my angels are to worship him.”
Referring to the angels, God says:
“I make my angels but a puff of wind,
and my servants but flames of fire.”
But speaking to the Son, God says:
“Your throne, O God, will never be shaken.
Your royal power is wielded for justice.
You have a passion for integrity and a loathing for corruption.
Therefore God has chosen you above all others,
and crowned you with joy like no other has known.”
And again speaking to the Son, God says:
“On day one, Lord, you laid the earth’s foundations,
and made the stars in the sky by hand.
Earth and sky will one day be gone,
but you are here for keeps.
They will wear out like favourite work clothes
or be tossed out like last year’s fashions.
But you are untouched by time or wear,
and you will be with us forever.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 1: 1-14

At the very start, there was one who is called the Word.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
From day one, God and the Word were inseparable.
It was through the Word that everything was created.
There is absolutely nothing that doesn’t owe its existence to him.
In the Word was life.
He is the source of the life
that turns on the lights for everyone.
The light of his life breaks open the darkness,
and the darkness could not snuff it out.
Once there was a man on a mission from God;
his name was John.
John gave a first-hand report about the light,
spelling it out so that everyone could believe.
He wasn’t the light, himself,
but he made it his job to draw everyone’s attention to the light.
The real light was on his way into the world;
the light that lights up inside of everyone.
He was in the world
but the world didn’t even notice him
even though it owed its existence to him.
He turned up on his own planet, among those he created,
but his own people turned their backs on him.
Some people accepted him, though,
and put their trust in who he said he was
and what he said he was on about.
He gave to those people all they needed
to become children of God.
Becoming God’s children had nothing to do
with sperm and egg,
or three-stage labour;
they became God’s children
when they were born of God.
The Word, though, was born flesh and blood like everyone else.
He cast in his lot with us
and rolled out his swag in our midst.
We have seen him in all his glory,
like father, like son;
warm and generous to a fault,
solid and true to the core.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you have revealed your justice to the nations
and recalled your merciful love for your people.
In the beginning your Word created the world.
Through your Word, life was brought into being,
and the life was the light that overcomes the darkness.
Your messenger came bringing the good news of peace
so that all might know the Word and believe.
And tonight the good news is fulfilled:
the Word has become flesh.
Though comforted at the breast, he is your exact likeness.
Though the world did not know him,
he bears the imprint of your very being.
Though his own people gave him no welcome,
in him we have seen your glory, full of grace and truth.
He will come to rule the world in justice
and in him all the earth shall see your salvation.
Therefore with .....
©2004 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for your Word has become flesh among us.
Though the world did not know him,
he bears the imprint of your very being.
Though his own people turned him away,
in him we have seen your glory, full of grace and truth.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you have revealed your justice to the nations
and recalled your merciful love for your people.
In the beginning your Word created the world.
Through your Word, life was brought into being,
and the life was the light that overcomes the darkness.
Your messenger came bringing the good news of peace
so that all might know the Word and believe.
And tonight the good news is fulfilled:
the Word has become flesh.
Though comforted at the breast, he is your exact likeness.
Though the world did not know him,
he bears the imprint of your very being.
Though his own people gave him no welcome,
in him we have seen your glory, full of grace and truth.
He will come to rule the world in justice
and in him all the earth shall see your salvation.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2004 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Jesus Christ, the exact likeness of God’s own being,
has come into the world full of grace and truth.
He has made purification for sins,
and to all who believe in him,
he gives the power to become children of God.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, and join your voices
with the song of joy in all creation.
Announce peace.
Herald salvation.
Let the earth know that God reigns.
And may God sustain you with his powerful Word.
May Christ Jesus be born as Saviour within you.
And may the Spirit reveal to you the glory
of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

“From little things, big things grow.” A sermon on Luke 2: 1-20 by Nathan Nettleton

A Homily from St Gregory Nazianzus for the Feast of the NativityA thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton

A Homily from St Leo the Great for the Feast of the NativityA thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton

The Nativity Sermon of St John ChrysostomA thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton

A Nativity Sermon from St Ephraim the SyrianA thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton

The Light ShinesA sermon on John 1:1-14 & Isaiah 9:2-7 by Nathan Nettleton

Today!A thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton

Peace on EarthA sermon on Luke 2: 1-20 by Nathan Nettleton

The Emmanuel ScandalA sermon on John 1: 1-14; Luke 2: 1-20 & Matthew 1: 18-25 by Nathan Nettleton

Christmas LightsA Christmas sermon by Alison Sampson

Human BecomingA sermon on John 1:1-18; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-20 & Isaiah 9:2-7 by Nathan Nettleton

The Gospel in a Feed TroughA sermon on Luke 2:1-20 by Nathan Nettleton

For Christmas hope and healing, look to the shadowsA sermon on Luke 2:1-20 by Alison Sampson

May the Word be With YouA sermon on John 1:1-14 by Roslyn Wright

Light in the DarknessA sermon on Isaiah 9:2, Luke 2:9 & John 1:3-9 by Nathan Nettleton

4th Sunday of Advent - Year C
2027-12-19 00:00 - 23:59 (Australia/Melbourne)
Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them, plus prayers and sermons based on them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

Michah 5:2-5a

The LORD says to Bethlehem of Ephrathah:
“You might only be a one-horse town, Bethlehem,
but I will put you on the map.
You will be the home town of the new ruler,
the one who will lead Israel for me.
His origins will go way back.
His claim will be as old as the hills.”
The LORD'S people will be lost – God is giving up on them –
but only until the labour is over
and the mother holds God’s newborn ruler in her arms.
God’s chosen ruler will bring his people home to Israel,
reuniting the refugees as a family again.”
Made strong by the LORD he will take his stand.
He will rule his people on the authority of his glorious God.
He will care for them and provide all they need,
and they will live in freedom and safety.
All over the earth his greatness will be acknowledged,
and he will be the one who establishes peace.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 80:1-7

God, you are the one who watches over your people
like a lifeguard supervising a dangerous beach,
watching from a high seat, like a king enthroned.
Listen to our prayer and clearly flag the boundaries,
so that your tribes will no longer get out of their depth.
Up and at it, God!
Come equipped to rescue us.
Come and smile on us again, God;
breathe life back into us and save us.
LORD God, you rule over everything;
how much longer will you keep us in the sin bin,
turning away in anger when we pray?
You reduced our rations to tears alone;
tears by the plate full, tears by the cup full.
You made us the laughing stock of our enemies
and even our neighbours turn up their noses.
Come and smile on us again, God;
breathe life back into us and save us.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR Luke 1:47-55 (canticle)

We turn the spotlight on your greatness, God!
We dance with wholehearted joy over you, our saviour!
You smiled upon us, though we were nothing special,
and the memory of your generosity will last forever.
You have done wonderful and powerful things for us.
There is no other name in the same league as yours.
In every generation, Lord, you shower mercy
to those who treat you with respect.
You have rolled up your sleeves in a show of strength,
and sent packing those who were so full of themselves.
You kicked the power mongers out of office,
and lifted the downtrodden back to their feet.
You put on a feast for those who are hungry,
and slam the door on the rich without giving them a bite.
You give a helping hand to your servant Israel,
and always remember them with tender care.
This is exactly what you promised long ago, Lord,
when you made a vow to Abraham and Sarah
for every generation.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Hebrews 10:5-10

Christ came into the world saying,
“God, you don’t want more sacrifices and offerings.
I know you get no pleasure from all that stuff,
even when it’s done sincerely and by the book.
But you have prepared a body for me, God,
and I come now to do what you really want,
for it is what I do that is really ‘by the book’.
Do you see what he’s saying there? He’s saying that God gets neither satisfaction nor pleasure from all the different kinds of offerings that the law prescribed for sin and for various other things. And he’s going further than that because he’s saying that he’s here to do what God really wants. This is a total change over. He is abolishing the previous system and putting a new one in place. So now, according to what God really wanted, Jesus has dealt with sin once and for all, at the cost of his own body, and brought us all up to scratch for God.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

When the angel told Mary that both she and her relative Elizabeth were going to have babies, Mary took the first opportunity to make the trip to visit Elizabeth. Elizabeth lived with her husband Zechariah in a Judean town in the hills. Mary sang out as soon as she arrived at their house, and when she heard the greeting, Elizabeth felt the baby jump in her womb. The Holy Spirit welled up in Elizabeth and she cried out with joy, saying:
“You have been blessed like no other woman!
And doubly blessed is the child in your womb!
And what about me? Why am I so blessed,
that my Lord’s own mother should knock at my door?
The moment your greeting reach my ears,
the baby in my womb began bouncing with glee!
Clearly you are God’s favoured one,
because you believed what God said to you;
trusting God to follow through on every promise.
Mary too was bursting with joy. She said:
“Let me turn the spotlight on God’s greatness!
With all that I am I dance with joy over God, my saviour!
God has smiled upon me, though I was no one special.
Now I’ll be remembered forever as the favoured one.
The supreme God has done wonderful things for me.
No other name is in the same league as God’s.
In every generation, those who treat God with respect
are rewarded with showers of mercy.
With sleeves rolled up, God has made a show of strength,
and sent packing those who were so full of themselves.
God has kicked the power mongers out of office,
and lifted the downtrodden back to their feet.
God has put on a feast for those who were hungry,
and slammed the door on the rich without giving them a bite.
The Lord’s servant Israel receives a helping hand.
God always remembers them with tender care.
This is exactly what God promised long ago,
a vow made to Abraham and Sarah for every generation.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you are coming to restore us and save us,
and your mercy embraces the faithful in each generation.
In ancient days you founded the earth
and promised mercy to Abraham and his offspring forever.
Through the law you provided a way of repentance
and through your prophets you called for justice and peace.
Now you come to us in your child, Jesus Christ,
at whose name even unborn babies rejoice.
In him we have seen your promised ruler
who will establish the reign of peace,
pulling tyrants from thrones
and lifting up the downtrodden,
filling the hungry with good things
and sending the greedy away empty.
Though enemies mocked him, scorned him and killed him,
by your strength you restored him to life,
and through his bodily offering
you sanctified your people once and for all.
Therefore with .....
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We give thanks that your mercy embraces each generation
and we rejoice that you are coming to restore us and save us.
With eager longing we await your promised ruler
who will establish your reign of peace
and sanctify your people once and for all.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you are coming to restore us and save us,
and your mercy embraces the faithful in each generation.
In ancient days you founded the earth
and promised mercy to Abraham and his offspring forever.
Through the law you provided a way of repentance
and through your prophets you called for justice and peace.
Now you come to us in your child, Jesus Christ,
at whose name even unborn babies rejoice.
In him we have seen your promised ruler
who will establish the reign of peace,
pulling tyrants from thrones
and lifting up the downtrodden,
filling the hungry with good things
and sending the greedy away empty.
Though enemies mocked him, scorned him and killed him,
by your strength you restored him to life,
and through his bodily offering
you sanctified your people once and for all.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

God’s mercy embraces the faithful, one generation to the next.
The light of God’s presence restores us and saves us.
Through what Jesus Christ did in his own body,
once and for all,
you are purified and made fit for God.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, with your hope in God’s mercy
for all God has promised you will be fulfilled.
Trust God’s strength for your safety,
walk in the ways of peace,
and be ready to greet the coming Lord.
And may God our Saviour look with favour upon you;
May Christ Jesus use his wonderful power for you;
and may the Holy Spirit leap joyously with you
and pour forth from you in songs of praise.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

God-bearers in Insignificant PlacesA sermon on Micah 5:2-5a & Luke 1: 39-55 by Nathan Nettleton

Magnifitastic!A sermon on Luke 1: 39-55 by Nathan Nettleton

Not domestic, not a goddess: Mary the prophetA sermon on Luke 1: 38-55 by Alison Sampson

Upending the World as We Know ItA sermon on Luke 1: 39-55 by Nathan Nettleton

The Blessed Virgin Mary meets Indiana JonesA sermon on Luke 1: 38-55 by Margie Dahl

Let it BeA sermon on Luke 1: 46-55 by Liza B. Lamis

3rd Sunday of Advent - Year C
2027-12-12 00:00 - 23:59 (Australia/Melbourne)
Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them, plus prayers and sermons based on them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

Zephaniah 3: 14-20

Lift your voices, all you children of Israel.
Sing and shout for joy!
Let your hair down, Jerusalem.
Celebrate with all your heart!
The LORD has let you out of jail
and forced your enemies to turn tail and run.
The one who rules over Israel – the LORD –
is right alongside you, so you have nothing to fear.
No disaster can touch you now.
The great day is coming, Jerusalem,
when you will hear this message:
“Relax! Don’t be afraid, people of Zion.
Your hands can stop trembling now!
The LORD, your God, is right alongside you;
a champion who always comes out on top.
God will be bursting with joy over you,
celebrating as though it was always your birthday!
God will nourish you with love
until the spring is back in your step.”
The LORD, your God, says to you:
“I will bring your misfortune to an end;
and set you free from its humiliation.
Those who have kicked you around
will have me to deal with!
I will rescue and reunite
the crippled and the refugees.
No longer will they be treated with contempt.
I’ll see that they are honoured all over the world.
When that time comes,
I will gather you together and bring you all home.
With your own eyes
you’ll see me restore all that is rightly yours.
Then you will be honoured everywhere.
Everyone on earth will sing your praises.
I, the LORD, have spoken.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Isaiah 12:2-6 (canticle)

You alone, LORD, are able to set us free,
so we put our trust in you, and have nothing to fear.
All our strength and power come from you, LORD GOD,
you have become our hero, our saviour!
You will put your saving love on tap,
deep draughts to be enjoyed by everyone.
On that day we will all say to one another,
“Thank the LORD! Let God’s name be on everyone’s lips!”
We will tell the world what you have done,
we will shout your name and declare you to be number one.
We will sing your praises because of all you have accomplished,
and give you the glory all over the earth.
With all the citizens of Zion, we lift our voices to you
with shouts and laughter and songs of celebration,
for you are the ultimate, the greatest, the Holy One,
and you live among us, your people!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Philippians 4:4-7

Celebrate the Lord non-stop. I repeat - celebrate! Let your hair down! See that you get a reputation for gentleness - pushiness only gets up everyone’s nose and we can’t afford that when the Lord is so close.
Don’t go getting anxious about anything, but pray about everything. Worrying never fixed anything, so take action: repackage your concerns as prayers. Spell out to God what it is you want, giving thanks in advance, and get it off your chest. You’ll find it is such a relief! The peace of God, which no one can ever make sense of, will move in and take over. The fears and anxieties will be pushed aside and your troubled hearts and minds will take refuge in Christ Jesus to relax and recover.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 3:7-18

John’s baptism became the ‘in thing’ and people flocked out to be baptised by him. John was not convinced by them though, and bellowed, “You slippery bunch of snakes! What makes you think that running down here for a quick wash will get you off scot free when the judgment comes? You’ve got to walk the walk. Show by your actions that you’ve turned your lives around as you say you have. And don’t go thinking that you’ve got the inside running just because you can trace your family tree back to Abraham. I’m telling you straight: descendants of Abraham are thick on the ground and, at the snap of a finger, God could turn these rocks into a few more. Family trees count for nothing. It is what sort of fruit the tree bears that matters. If the fruit is rubbish, God will have no hesitation in wielding the axe, cutting the tree off at the ground and tossing it on the fire.”
That got their attention! “What should we do then?” they asked him.
John replied, “Live differently. If you have two coats and someone else has none, then share. If you have food, do the same again – share. That’s the sort of thing you should do.”
Even some of the people who collected taxes for the Roman occupation forces came out to be baptised. “Teacher, what should we do?” they asked.
John replied, “Don’t rip anybody off. Collect only what the law prescribes and no more.”
Some members of the security forces came too and asked, “What about us? What should we do?”
“No stand-over tactics and no protection rackets,” John replied. “No intimidation or throwing your weight around to extort money out of people. You get paid your wages – be satisfied with that.”
John’s activities struck a chord with the deep yearning for a national saviour, and people began to speculate that perhaps John might be the one who God had chosen. John was quick to hose down such ideas, saying, “I’m only baptising you with water. The One who is coming is way out of my league – the chance to polish his boots would be more than I could aspire to. When he gets started, it won’t be just water that he’ll be plunging you into. He’ll baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He’s ready to start with his flame thrower in hand. He’ll release an uncontrollable fire into the dry bushland of your lives, completely incinerating the rubbish and germinating the good seeds that lie in wait for that day.”
John made a lot of speeches like that. He was constantly on the job, getting the word out, bringing the people up to speed with the good news about what God was doing.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you are coming in the fire of love
to baptise your people and gather them home.
In love, you created the earth and its inhabitants
and sent faithful prophets like your servant John,
to call us, and all Abraham’s children,
to turn to you and bear fruits of justice and mercy.
In your child, Jesus, you made your home in our midst.
Liberating the lame and gathering the outcast,
he confronted our oppressors
and lifted us from shame to honour.
When he was cut down and killed
you raised him to resurrection life.
Now, as the day of his coming draws near,
he plunges us into his Spirit and fire
to renew us in love, and banish our fear,
so that we might praise your name forever
and draw freely from the well of your salvation.
Therefore with .....
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We give you thanks that you come
to baptise us in your Spirit and fire,
renewing us in love and banishing our fear,
so that we might praise your name forever
and draw freely from the well of your salvation.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you are coming in the fire of love
to baptise your people and gather them home.
In love, you created the earth and its inhabitants
and sent faithful prophets like your servant John,
to call us, and all Abraham’s children,
to turn to you and bear fruits of justice and mercy.
In your child, Jesus, you made your home in our midst.
Liberating the lame and gathering the outcast,
he confronted our oppressors
and lifted us from shame to honour.
When he was cut down and killed
you raised him to resurrection life.
Now, as the day of his coming draws near,
he plunges us into his Spirit and fire
to renew us in love, and banish our fear,
so that we might praise your name forever
and draw freely from the well of your salvation.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

God is your saviour; you have nothing to fear.
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you
and invited you to draw freely
from the well of salvation.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now and rejoice in the Lord always.
Do not be afraid or worried about anything,
but in everything trust God and pray.
Bear fruits worthy of repentance,
sharing what you have and being gentle with all.
And may God rejoice over you with gladness;
May Christ Jesus renew you in his love;
and may the Holy Spirit give you peace beyond understanding
to guard your hearts and minds in Christ.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

When you don’t feel like rejoicingA sermon on Philippians 4.4-7 by Nathan Nettleton

Rejoice! A Study in Faith’s AbsurdityA sermon on Zephaniah 3.14-20; Philippians 4.4-7 & Luke 3.7-18 by Garry Deverell

Wrath or GenerosityA sermon on Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton

Lighting FiresA sermon on Zephaniah 3.14-20; Philippians 4.4-7 & Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton

Could Hannah Gadsby be the Messiah?!A sermon on Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton

Christmas Joys and Fair-weather SupportersA sermon on Zephaniah 3.14-20 & Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton
