Lessons for December 4, 2005 – Second Sunday in Advent The first lesson Isaiah 40:1-11 "Comfort, comfort my people," says your God. 2"Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and that her sins are pardoned. Yes, the LORD has punished her in full for all her sins." 3Listen! I hear the voice of someone shouting, "Make a highway for the LORD through the wilderness. Make a straight, smooth road through the desert for our God. 4Fill the valleys and level the hills. Straighten out the curves and smooth off the rough spots. 5Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The LORD has spoken!" 6A voice said, "Shout!" I asked, "What should I shout?" "Shout that people are like the grass that dies away. Their beauty fades as quickly as the beauty of flowers in a field. 7The grass withers, and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it is with people. 8The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever." 9Messenger of good news, shout to Zion from the mountaintops! Shout louder to Jerusalem—do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, "Your God is coming!" 10Yes, the Sovereign LORD is coming in all his glorious power. He will rule with awesome strength. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. 11He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. (NLT) Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 L. LORD, you have poured out amazing blessings on your land! You have restored the fortunes of Israel. C. You have forgiven the guilt of your people—yes, you have covered all their sins. L. I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones. C. But let them not return to their foolish ways. L. Surely his salvation is near to those who honor him; our land will be filled with his glory. C. Unfailing love and truth have met together. L. Righteousness and peace have kissed! C. Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven. L. Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings. C. Our land will yield its bountiful crops. L. Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps. (NLT) The second lesson 2 Peter 3:8-15a But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 10But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. 11Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! 12You should look forward to that day and hurry it along—the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God. 14And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God. 15And remember, the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson Mark 1:1-8 Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. 2In the book of the prophet Isaiah, God said, "Look, I am sending my messenger before you, and he will prepare your way. 3He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming! Make a straight road for him!' " 4This messenger was John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness and was preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5People from Jerusalem and from all over Judea traveled out into the wilderness to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6His clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey. 7He announced: "Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am—so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. 8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!" (NLT)