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Worship Service for December 4, 2022

Updated: Dec 4, 2022


Welcome Call to Worship Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned.” Isaiah 40:1-2 Hymn # 197 Comfort, Comfort Ye My People

1 Comfort, comfort ye my people, speak ye peace, thus saith our God; comfort those who sit in darkness, mourning 'neath their sorrow's load. Speak ye to Jerusalem of the peace that waits for them; tell her that her sins I cover, and her warfare now is over.

2 Yea, her sins our God will pardon, blotting out each dark misdeed; all that well deserved his anger he no more will see or heed. She hath suffered many a day now her griefs have passed away; God will change her pining sadness into ever-springing gladness. 3 For the herald's voice is crying in the desert far and near, bidding all men to repentance, since the kingdom now is here. O that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way; let the valleys rise to meet him, and the hills bow down to greet him.

4 Make ye straight what long was crooked, make the rougher places plain; let your hearts be true and humble, as befits his holy reign. For the glory of the Lord now o'er earth is shed abroad; and all flesh shall see the token, that his word is never broken.


Call To Confession


Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Romans 12:9–14 (NKJV):


Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;

Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with You that You may be feared.

Psalm 130:1–4 (NKJV)


Confession of Sins


Let us, therefore, confess our sin, saying together:


Merciful Heavenly Father, pardon us our many sins; the sins we know and the sins hidden from our conscience. Cleanse us from wrong motives and forgive us for feeble obedience. By your Spirit renew our hearts to love you, our minds to know you, and our wills to obey you. For we ask this mercy in the name of your Son who shed his blood for us. Amen.


Word of Assurance


God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Romans 5:8–9 (NKJV)


Song of Assurance - Trinity Hymnal # 197, stanza 1


Comfort, comfort ye my people, speak ye peace, thus saith our God; comfort those who sit in darkness, mourning 'neath their sorrow's load. Speak ye to Jerusalem of the peace that waits for them; tell her that her sins I cover, and her warfare now is over.


Scripture Lesson:


Matthew 1:18–23 (NKJV):


18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.

20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:


23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”


Sermon


Hymn # 194 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: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.


2 O come, O come, thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height, in ancient times didst give the law in cloud and majesty and awe. [Refrain]


3 O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan's tyranny; from depths of hell thy people save, and give them vict'ry o'er the grave. [Refrain]


4 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]


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]


Prayer of the Church and the Lord’s Prayer


“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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”


Hymn # 427 Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands (1-2)


1 Amidst us our Beloved stands, and bids us view his pierced hands; points to the wounded feet and side, blest emblems of the Crucified.


2 What food luxurious loads the board, when at his table sits the Lord! The wine how rich, the bread how sweet, when Jesus deigns the guests to meet!

The Apostles’ Creed (Trinity Hymnal p. 845)


I believe in God the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

and born of the virgin Mary.

He 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 is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.


The Lord’s Supper


Hymn # 427 Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands (3-4)


3 If now, with eyes defiled and dim, we see the signs, but see not him; O may his love the scales displace, and bid us see him face to face!


4 O glorious Bridegroom of our hearts, your present smile a heav’n imparts! O lift the veil, if veil there be, let every saint your glory see!


Benediction



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