Fourth Sunday in Advent (Advent 4) Sermon Resources

THE COLLECT.
O LORD, raise up (we pray thee) thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

THE EPISTLE. Philip. 4. 4
Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing: but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

THE GOSPEL. S. John 1. 19
THIS is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that Prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not: he it is who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

INTROIT. Ps 19:1-6
THE heavens declare the glory of God; / and the firmament showeth his handy-work.
2 One day telleth another; / and one night certifieth another.
3 There is neither speech nor language; / their voice cannot be heard;
4 Yet their sound is gone out into all lands; / and their words into the ends of the world.
Ant. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun; / which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course.
6 It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again; / and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
Glory be. Repeat Antiphon.

GRADUAL. Ps 145:18-22
THE Lord is righteous in all his ways, / and holy in all his works.
19 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, / yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.
20 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: / and he also will hear their cry, and will help them.
21 The Lord preserveth all them that love him; / but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.
Alleluia, All. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: / and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever. All.

Additional Propers for Eucharistic Devotions