Service for the 1st Sunday after Christmas

 

Manuscript for First Sunday of Christmas

P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

 

373 SEE AMID THE WINTER’S SNOW

1 See amid the winter’s snow,
Born for us on earth below,
See, the gentle Lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years. Refrain

 

ref Hail, O ever-blessèd morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

 

2 Lo, within a stable lies
He who built the starry skies,
He who, throned in height sublime,
Sits amid the cherubim. Refrain

 

3 Sacred Infant, all divine,
What a tender love was Thine,
Thus to come from highest bliss
Down to such a world as this! Refrain

 

4 Teach, O teach us, holy Child,
By Thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble Thee
In Thy sweet humility. Refrain

Text: Public domain

 

COLLECT OF THE DAY

P O God, our Maker and Redeemer, You wonderfully created us and in the incarnation of Your Son yet more wondrously restored our human nature. Grant that we may ever be alive in Him who made Himself to be like us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 

OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 11:1–5

¹There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
²And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
³And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
⁴but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
⁵Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

EPISTLE 1 John 1:1—2:2

¹That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— ²the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— ³that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

⁵This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

¹My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ²He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

 A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

HOLY GOSPEL

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the second chapter.

³³And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed ³⁵(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

³⁶And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

 

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

APOSTLES’ CREED

C I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,    born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead.  He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life T everlasting. Amen.

 

SERMON

1 John 1:1-2   That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—  the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life,  This is our text.

Today, December 27, is the 3rd day of Christmas. It is also the day set aside in the church to commemorate John, the disciple of Jesus and the 4th Evangelist. After Matthew, Mark and Luke, John wrote a gospel of the life, death and resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Later in his life, John was given a great vision of heaven and he was instructed to write it all down, so that’s what we have in the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. Also, John wrote 3 letters, epistles included in our Bible. Today’s Epistle is the first part of the first epistle of St. John.

In this Epistle, John describes for us the significance of the birth and the life, the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  That life that he and the other disciples had come to know face-to-face, John now proclaims to the world.

In the first verse of this Epistle, John describes Jesus as being two very different things at the same time.  First, he says, “that which was from the beginning.”  Something eternal.  Something Divine.  Then John says, “that which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched.”  Something physical, something earthly, something tangible, touchable.

In this way, John explains the complex person of Christ.  He is at one and the same time Divine and human.  Christ is the eternal, almighty God.  And he is a human who was born in the humble circumstances of Bethlehem with physical flesh and blood, lived and died.

John wants to tell his readers about “That which was from the beginning. . .”  The eternal truths about God Himself.  The very stuff of Who God is.  John has learned about such stuff, because He knew the human life of Jesus :that which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at, and our hands have touched.  The eternal Word of God became a human being that could be seen with eyes, talked to with lips, listened to with ears, learned from with minds, and even touched with hands.  The fullest revelation of who God is, came to earth in the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. With the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, John now writes this down to tell others “to testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life.”  

This story about the birth of Jesus, his incarnation by the Holy Spirit and birth by the Virigin Mary is not just a story. It is eternal life. Jesus’ life on earth from Bethlehem to Calvary is for us our life. John felt strongly that the World needs to hear about this.

Apart from this, the world doesn’t know much when it comes to life.  The world, if left to its own to come up with an answer, has a rather twisted idea of what is life.  Life on this earth, so it is said, has evolved from single celled organisms.  That=s what we came from and when this little bit of life is over, that is, supposedly, what we will return to.  We will be food for other single-celled organisms.  Worm food. That=s what the world can come up with as an answer to the question what is life. Not very helpful is it.  Kind of depressing if you think about it.

But Jesus is our eternal Life.  There is so much more to us than just the many chemicals that make up our physical presence.  Christ proved that when they laid His physical remains in the tomb and on the third He came out again as Risen Lord of Life.

St. John wants to tell others about this Life and the giver of this Life.  He says in vs. 3, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”  St. John and the other apostles wanted others to share in the fellowship that they had with the others.  

John is motivated with a hope that, as Jesus promised, more people and future generations would be brought into the fellowship and life with Jesus Christ. In the same way, Anna at the temple, at her advanced age, was excited about the redemption of her people. She praised God, thanking Him for keeping His promises. So likewise the shepherds at Christmas --We are told they returned praising God and telling everyone they met what they had heard and seen.

The Christian Church, throughout her long history, has always been an optimistic body.  That’s why churches and cathedrals are erected.  That’s why pastors and missionaries are trained and sent out.  Because of the promise that this fellowship we have will continue.  The formulators of the Augsburg Confession had this optimistic outlook when they wrote: “It is taught among us that one holy Christian church will be and remain forever.”

Let’s also be optimistic.  It’s easy to fall into pessimism.  When you see how the influence of the church is waning in our society.  When you hear about churches who distort the word of God, twist it to say what they want to hear, or ignore the parts of it that make them uncomfortable.  When the world around us seems more and more distant from what the Bible tells us things ought to be, it can make you wonder.

When numbers are down, when so many can’t come to church even if they want to, when many find the pandemic an easy excuse to not bother with the church, we long for a return to normal, yet these days can look worse and worse all the time.

“It is taught among us that one holy Christian church will be and remain forever.”  The church will remain forever.   We don=t know how, but it will.  The Spirit will continue to work.  Although we can’t see Him working, we know He’s there.  We sing “Joy the earth, the Savior reigns”. We believe in this reign or our Lord and Savior, though it’s unseen.  The Holy Spirit working through the lives and the words of men like St. John has kept that message going, kept this fellowship alive.

The message John proclaimed and wrote down is about Jesus.  The message is Jesus.  The last verse of our Epistle reading this morning says, (1 John 2:2 NIV)  He is the propitiation, (that is, the sacrifice)for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.  Jesus is the eternal Life for us for all the world.  May this be known among us and around the world. Amen.

 

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P O almighty and everlasting God, by your Word you created all things and even now uphold all things in heaven and on earth. We give thanks to you that you have not left your creation unattended, but have constantly cared for and nurtured it. We thank you that you have not remained silent, but by your word you have revealed yourself and your will to your creation. Most especially we praise you for revealing yourself to us by coming into the flesh, the incarnate Word, born of Mary.

On this day, December 27, we, your church, remembers the life and work of your Disciple and Apostle John. Merciful Lord, cast the bright beams of Your light upon Your Church that we, being instructed in the doctrine of Your blessed apostle and evangelist John, may come to the light of everlasting life; You granted John visions of your glory and the privilege of knowing and loving you personally during the time of your ministry on earth. By your teaching and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit John received and gave the message that you are the Bread of Life, the Resurrection and the Life, the Good Shepherd, the Word made flesh. May generations continue to hear the Gospels and writings of St. John, and through them be led to faith in you.

O Father, most loving, grant that we who are under the yoke of sin, may in Christ be redeemed and reborn both in body and spirit, to be your ever obedient servants. Empower us by your spirit to do those works that are fitting for a life of repentance and faith. Prosper each in their rightful vocation at home, on the job and in the community. Grant wisdom, health and strength to those who make, administer and judge our laws. Bless our children, that they grow in body and in faith. Watch over all parents. Keep safe those who travel.

We pray for our sick, our hurt or  troubled loved ones, those dear to us who can’t be with us because of the pandemic. Grant to them whatever you know is best for them. And assure them of your ongoing care and full salvation.

As we count our blessings at the end of this year, we look to you for all help and strength for the days to come. Guide us your people. Heal us. Have mercy on us all.

LORD’S PRAYER

C Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

BENEDICAMUS LSB 202

A Bless we the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

BENEDICTION LSB 202

P The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.

C Amen.

 

 

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2020 Concordia Publishing House.

Christmas

 

Children's Christmas Program

 

Manuscript for the Christmas Service

 P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

 

INTROIT  Psalm 2:1–2, 4–6; antiphon: Liturgical Text

When all was still, and it was midnight,
your almighty Word, O Lord, descended from the royal throne.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his anointed.
He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”

C Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

 

KYRIE LSB 186

C Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

 

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS LSB 187

P Glory be to God on high:

C and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,

we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.

O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;

O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.

Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.

For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.

Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,

art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

 

COLLECT OF THE DAY

 

P O God, You make this most holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light. Grant that as we have known the mysteries of that Light on earth we may also come to the fullness of His joys in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

  

OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 9:2–7

² The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
³You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
⁴For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
⁵For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
⁶For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

 

A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

EPISTLE Titus 2:11–14

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ¹²training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

 

A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

 

HOLY GOSPEL

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the second chapter.

 

¹In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. ⁶And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

 

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

APOSTLES’ CREED

 

359 LO, HOW A ROSE E’ER BLOOMING

1 Lo, how a rose e’er blooming
    From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming
    As prophets long have sung,
It came, a flow’ret bright,
    Amid the cold of winter,
When half-spent was the night.

2 Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
    The rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it,
    The virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright,
    She bore to us a Savior,
When half-spent was the night.

3 This flow’r, whose fragrance tender
    With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
    The darkness ev’rywhere.
True man, yet very God,
    From sin and death He saves us
And lightens ev’ry load.

4 O Savior, child of Mary,
    Who felt our human woe;
O Savior, King of glory,
    Who dost our weakness know:
Bring us at length we pray
    To the bright courts of heaven,
And to the endless day.

Text: Public domain

 

 

SERMON

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;

“Isaiah twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind.” so we sing.

Isaiah certainly had a delightful job. He got to preach to the people of God that a Savior was coming. The Virgin would have a baby. That baby born would be the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The Mighty God from heaven would come down to earth, and would be here, for us.

Isaiah’s job was to preach good news to people, a message that would be like a light shining in their darkness. This message here, is the greatest good news. This is the Gospel. “To us a Son is given.” This is the way God loved the world, he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life (John 3:16).

The Gospel is the message of the gift of God, Jesus born in Bethlehem, living on earth, dying for us poor sinners, rising again to be our Lord forever. Jesus is God’s Christmas gift to you.

Our Lord says, unless you have faith like the little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven. Christmas is certainly a time to worship our Lord and believe in Him with child-like faith.

Children are good at faith and the living out of their faith. It’s easy for them to believe that a child was born to them, a Son was given to them. They get it. It’s a gift. When a child is given a gift, he or she takes it. It’s that simple. Grown-ups have complications and hang ups about getting gifts. Sometimes it can get awkward if you get a gift from someone and you didn’t get them anything. Or if someone gave you a big gift, and you got them something much smaller. 

Many of us agree with Jesus who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Of course, Jesus meant that as an encouragement to be generous. But we feel like we would rather be the giver than the receiver because when you are the giver, you are in control. When you receive a gift, you have no control of what’s coming, or how best to react. When you give a gift, you are in charge of what the other person is going to get, and when and where they get it. The one who is in charge get’s to decide, “Here. You can have this.” Or, “No. You can’t have that. You’ll probably put your eye out with that.” The more grown-up we get, the more we want to be in charge, the more uncomfortable it is when we are not in charge. But when you’re a child, you just take the gift. You think, “I don’t have to be in charge. I just get a gift.”

Forgive us Lord for all the times we want to be in charge. It is so much better when we let Him be in charge, because then, he gives us good gifts.

One of those who was supposed to be listening to Isaiah’s preaching way back then, was a man named Ahaz. He was the king. He thought he had everything in control. He was in charge. He thought he could control the nation, and control any foreign threats to the nation. But the Lord knew better. Ahaz was no match for enemy nations like Assyria. Ahaz should have listened to this promise about the Savior who would be born, the Prince of Peace, “the government shall be upon his shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6). That was a dig at King Ahaz. He would be a better king if he’d realize that the Lord is ultimately in control. We are all, low and high alike, dependent on the Lord. It is foolishly prideful to try to take all things on one’s own shoulders. The government was on the Lord’s shoulders.

So let me ask you, what’s on your shoulders? What’s the burden you’re bearing nowadays?

We are all given responsibilities we must tend to. We don’t want to be lazy and shirk our responsibilities. We don’t want to be foolish and miss the opportunities we have to work for good. But we take too much responsibility when feel the full burden on our shoulders. We need to stop pretending that we are in control of everything. We need to stop being embarrassed because there are some things that are out of our control. We need to take what is here given.

Those walking in darkness, need a light to shine. Those carrying heavy, crushing burdens, need someone to shoulder it up. Those dying need the Lord of life. Those who have sinned, need a Savior.

There is a gift, chosen by the good Giver of gifts. The Lord takes charge, he is in control of the whole situation and says, “Here, Take this. It is exactly what you need, a Savior.

to us a child is born, to us a son is given;

This flow’r, whose fragrance tender

    With sweetness fills the air,

Dispels with glorious splendor

    The darkness ev’rywhere.

True man, yet very God,

    From sin and death He saves us

And lightens ev’ry load.

Amen.

 

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Blessed God in Heaven, Father of us all, source of all wisdom and grace, you promised the people of old by the prophets, deliverance from condemnation and death. Now we your people, give you our fullest, humble, thanks and praise for remembering your covenant and fulfilling your promises in the gift of your Son Jesus Christ. We stand in awe at the miraculous gift from you that is our Savior Jesus Christ. That God, the Son of God, should take our mortal form for mortals’ sake, who can fully comprehend this wondrous mystery?

Dear Lord Jesus, although we have not deserved your attention and care, you continue to come to us and abide with us. As we gather together here in this your house, or listen in at a distance, strengthen and uplift us with your presence. Fill our hearts with gratitude and joy, hope and faith, that each one may find in you, the way of salvation, the remission of sins, the deliverance from every evil and fear and the assurance of eternal life.

O Holy Spirit, bless and watch over our loved ones who are distant from us, whom we can’t be with face to face. Remind them of your grace. Pour into them the joy and peace that comes from hearing and believing the Good news of a Savior, born for us.

Bless your people throughout the world, especially where fears or persecution is preventing the free preaching and hearing of the Gospel of Jesus. We pray that people everywhere, from pole to pole and from east west, may come to know and trust in the Son of Mary, the Son of God. Let this truth sink into the hardest of hearts and the most stubborn of minds. Let it shatter idolatries and ideologies. Let His Light pierce the darkness of all who dwell in the night of ignorance and the shadow of death.

Fill all homes with the glad tidings of great joy, that the true meaning of Christmas may be heard clearly by all children and parents so that they know the greatest gift of all, the Child of Bethlehem. Teach us each to consider all of our earthly blessings and earthly gifts as much less important and valuable than the eternal gift that is ours in Jesus, our Emanuel, God with us.

All this we pray in the name of Jesus, in whom alone is hope of salvation. Amen.

 

 

LORD’S PRAYER

C Our Father who art in heaven,

     hallowed be Thy name,

     Thy kingdom come,

     Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;

     give us this day our daily bread;

     and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;

     and lead us not into temptation,

     but deliver us from evil.

     For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

BENEDICTION

P The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.

C Amen.

 

 

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2020 Concordia Publishing House.

Devotion for Christmas Eve

 

Advent Devotion for December 23

 

Advent Devotion for December 22

 

Advent Devotion for December 21

 

4th Sunday in Advent

 

Manuscript for Advent 4

 + 4^th Sunday in Advent +

 

P    In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C    Amen.

 

 357 O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL            

1     O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear. Refrain

ref  Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

5     O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery. Refrain

6     O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Refrain

7     O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace. Refrain

Text: Public domain

 

INTROIT                                          Psalm 19:1, 4–6; antiphon: Isaiah 45:8a

Shower, O heavens, | from above,*
   and let the clouds rain down | righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may | bear fruit;*
   let the earth cause them | both to sprout.
The heavens declare the glo- | ry of God,*
   and the sky above proclaims his | handiwork.
Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end | of the world.*
   In them he has set a tent | for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his | chamber,*
   and, like a strong man, runs its | course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the | end of them,*
   and there is nothing hidden | from its heat.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
   and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
   is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
Shower, O heavens, | from above,*
   and let the clouds rain down | righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may | bear fruit;*
   let the earth cause them | both to sprout.

 

COLLECT OF THE DAY

P    Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever

C    Amen.

 

OLD TESTAMENT READING                                            Deuteronomy 18:15–19

   15“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.’

A    This is the Word of the Lord.

EPISTLE                                                                                     Philippians 4:4–7

   4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

A    This is the Word of the Lord.

 

HOLY GOSPEL                                                                                                         

P    The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the first chapter.

   39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

   46And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
   47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
   For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
50And his mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
   and exalted those of humble estate;
53he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and the rich he has sent empty away.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
55as he spoke to our fathers,
   to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

56And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

P    This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

APOSTLES’ CREED

C    I believe in God, the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

     born of the virgin Mary,

     suffered under Pontius Pilate,

     was crucified, died and was buried.

     He descended into hell.

     The third day He rose again from the dead.

     He ascended into heaven

     and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

     From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

     the holy Christian Church,

          the communion of saints,

     the forgiveness of sins,

     the resurrection of the body,

     and the life T everlasting. Amen.

 

SERMON

 

Great Cause for Joy Philippians 4:4

 

Grace, Mercy and Peace are yours from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4.

 

            That’s a command from the Bible. This is required. Not optional. God says it. You are to do it. “Rejoice”. “Always”.

If you are not rejoicing, you are sinning. That would be a sin of omission. You are not doing - You are omitting - what you are given to do.

Rejoice. Always. Easier said than done, isn’t it?

Listen, though, to how this is said, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” “in the Lord.” This Epistle to the Philippians is a clear confession that Jesus Christ is the Lord. Jesus Christ, who was born of the virgin Mary in Bethlehem, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, who was crucified for our sins and rose again for our victory, is our Lord. Rejoice in the Lord!

            Without the Lord, without Christ, there is fear and guilt. Fear is when one wonders, “Does God like me? Will He be kind to me?” Guilt is when one wonders, “Is God pleased with me? Does He approve of me?”

In the Lord, with Christ, there is faith and there is forgiveness. Faith says, “Yes, Jesus loves me.” “He has washed away my sin, let His little child come in.” With faith, comes the fruits of faith, including the peace that surpasses all understanding, and joy, that lifts up the spirit beyond doubts and fears and worries and guilt.

“Rejoice in the Lord.” “in the Lord.” In Christ -- that makes all the difference.

You who believe and are baptized are in Christ. If there is ever a fear that God doesn’t care about you, hear what the Lord Christ says. He says, “Believe in me. I forgive you your sins. I forgive you your doubts. I care about you more than you can even imagine and I want you in my life, forever. That’s why I came; that’s why I suffered and died; that’s why I live. So please, for my sake, Rejoice with me.”

Now of course, there will be those days, there will be difficult times in this life when joy is robbed from you, when you can’t find it within yourself to rejoice. You just can’t. You’re told to rejoice, but look at all that’s going on that is just so wrong. Instead of counting your blessings, your mind starts counting all your losses and all your debts. And then as if it’s not bad enough in the present moment, your mind starts thinking about all that’s probably going to go wrong in the future. And so the grief and the anxiety take up everything and leave no space for rejoicing.

Philippians 4:5 & 6  ”The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

The Lord is at hand. He came to this world born of Mary. And so we believe He will come again. And in the meantime He comes to us and keeps us invites us to take all our cares and anxieties and give them to him. He is our great cause for constant rejoicing.

When you feel like you can’t rejoice, what then? Well, do something Christian about it: Repent and believe the Gospel.

Repent. Honest to God, repent. That’s a helpful saying, “Honest to God.” The opposite is to hide from God, to avoid the truth when it comes to God and try to just dismiss sins of the mind as “weakness” or “nervous condition”. Honest to God, call a spade, a spade. And call a sin, a sin. Rejoice in the Lord always. If you aren’t rejoicing, repent.

But true repentance always moves you to faith. Repent and believe the Gospel, they must always go right together. If you only have repentance, sorrow over the sin of omission, sorry that you didn’t rejoice, then all you have is sadness with a serving of guilt on top.

Repent and believe the Gospel. Believe that you are forgiven of all your sins of deeds, and words and thought. Believe that God can help. Turn it over to Him. Take some peace of mind, trusting that He is going to help you, the Lord is going to save you. Know that in His mind, He already knows how it’s all going to work out for you. He’s got a way to restore all your losses. He’s got all those things you’re worried about covered. And then He’s got even more blessings in mind for you in eternity, blessings that will surpass your understanding. Thank Him for that, then take a slow deep breath, and Rejoice.

Just to change the subject for the moment, all of us who are pro-life are going to love this Gospel reading today. Elizabeth and her pre-born baby boy John rejoice in the Lord. She says to Mary, “For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” That’s a great lesson for us about how to define life. It’s a great lesson for us of how to define faith. That baby heard and believed and then experienced the fruit of that faith, true joy.

You don’t feel like rejoicing? It doesn’t matter what you “feel like”. You have as much reason to jump for joy as that little baby boy did, whether you feel it or not. His source of joy was what he heard, not what he felt. So you too, don’t focus so much on your feelings, hear what the Lord says. On Thursday night and Friday morning we will hear what the Lord has to say for Christmas. Here’s a preview from Isaiah 9: For to us a child is born,   to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

That Christmas miracle baby, Jesus, is our Prince of Peace. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Amen.

 

 

 

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

O heavenly Father, you have made all things in heaven and earth to serve your will and to glorify you. We thank you for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for the salvation you have prepared for all people in Him.

With contrite hearts we turn to you, O God. We acknowledge our trespasses and offenses and confess that we have failed to do the good which we ought to have done, and that we have done the evil which we ought not to have done. Forgive us and move us to a living faith that daily seeks to flee sin and live in righteousness. Forgiven of our sins, guide us to the peace that passes all understanding

We have heard your promises that you are near to all who call upon you in truth. We pray for all people everywhere. Let your Spirit be at work in ever y home and every school, every shop and store, an in every kind of labor or industry. Let all the nations of the earth know your kindness and salvation.

For the wounded in spirit, the sick in mind, the distressed in heart, we pray you to make your face shine on them. For all who travel, for those in prison, for all who are unable to go home we ask you to comfort them with your light and love.

In thanks for the gift that no words can fully express, the gift of Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray, O heavenly Father, that this gift may be and remain ours. Make our hearts a suitable dwelling place for your Son Jesus and teach us to know the joy of his presence, the benefits of following in his steps and the glory of that crown which he has promised to all who are his in steadfastness of faith and life.

Almighty God, grant to Your Church Your Holy Spirit and the wisdom that comes down from above, that Your Word may not be bound but have free course and be preached to the joy and edifying of Christ’s holy people, so that in steadfast faith we may serve You and, in the confession of Your name, abide unto the end; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 

 

LORD’S PRAYER                                                                                 

C    Our Father who art in heaven,

     hallowed be Thy name,

     Thy kingdom come,

     Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;

     give us this day our daily bread;

     and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;

     and lead us not into temptation,

     but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

BENEDICAMUS                                                                                                                                                     

A    Let us bless the Lord.

C    Thanks be to God.

 

BENEDICTION                                                                                                                                                       

P    The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.

C    Amen.

 

 

384 OF THE FATHER’S LOVE BEGOTTEN

1     Of the Father’s love begotten
    Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
    He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
    And that future years shall see
        Evermore and evermore.

2     Oh, that birth forever blessèd,
    When the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
    Bore the Savior of our race,
And the babe, the world’s Redeemer,
    First revealed His sacred face
        Evermore and evermore.

3     This is He whom seers in old time
    Chanted of with one accord,
Whom the voices of the prophets
    Promised in their faithful word.
Now He shines, the long-expected;
    Let creation praise its Lord
        Evermore and evermore.

4     O ye heights of heav’n, adore Him;
    Angel hosts, His praises sing.
Pow’rs, dominions, bow before Him
    And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
    Ev’ry voice in concert ring
        Evermore and evermore.

 

D  5     Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,
    And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
    And unending praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
    And eternal victory
        Evermore and evermore. Amen.

Text: Public domain

 

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2020 Concordia Publishing House.