12/22/24

As We Gather

The Advent season of preparing for the promised Savior to be born as one of us soon reaches its climax. Though in our homes and lives we may be wondering if we have done all we have needed to get ready for our own celebrations, we give thanks that at the center of our coming Christmas observations the Lord has prepared all we need. In this last Sunday of Advent and in the days ahead of anticipated Christmas joy, may we find peace in the preparations done freely for us out of grace, mercy, and perfect love centered on the Savior we soon welcome, who was born for us and all the world. 

Activity Bags We value children in our worship services. If needed, there is a family room available for families with children. The family room has a diaper changing table, a closed-circuit TV to watch the worship service, toys and books for children. The family room is located across from the kitchen in the long hallway, the first door on the right, just past the bathrooms. There are “King’s Kids” bags with activities for children to help them worship. They are near the usher’s station on a small rack. Please return the bag to the rack after the service.

Holy Communion The Scripture teaches the Lord’s Supper is a precious gift of God in which Christ gives us His true body and blood (in a miraculous way), together with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Because the Bible teaches that this Sacrament may also be spiritually harmful if misused (1 Cor: 11:27), and that participation in the Lord’s Supper is an act of confession of faith, we ordinarily commune those who have been instructed in the teachings of our church and who have confessed their faith in these teachings. If you have a question, please speak to Pastor Ralph before the service. For those who prefer a non-alcoholic alternative, there is grape juice at the center of each tray. Those not receiving the Sacrament, including children, are invited to come to the altar, cross their arms over their chest, and receive a special blessing.

 To Christ Be Praised and Dominion Forever and Ever “It is as if the Psalmist said: This is the man of whom people should sing, teach and preach, and whom they shall praise throughout eternity, of whose name men should never be silent. Thus shall I remember Thy name, O Lord, that Thou art praised and extolled throughout eternity. This, then, is the one, and the most precious, religious service of the New Testament: to glorify and praise the Son of God by singing, writing and preaching.” What Luther Says # 5026

Fourth Sunday in Advent

December 22, 2024

Welcome 

Opening Hymn                   Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come               LSB  350

Invocation, Confession and Absolution         (John 1:5, 9; 3:16; Psalm 36:5–9)

P:   We gather in the name and at the invitation of our great and gracious triune God;

C:   In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

P:   We light the fourth Advent candle as we prepare for the arrival of the Savior, who came to His people in human flesh and who promises to come again. 

C:   The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

P:   The fourth Advent candle has been known as the angel candle and the candle of love. 

C:   The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

P:   Guided by the light of love, we respond with the psalmist: “Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.

C:  Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast You save, O Lord.

P:   How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

C:   They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.

P:   For with You is the fountain of life;

C:   in Your light do we see light.”

Four Advent candles are lit.

Hymn of Anticipation              O Come, O Come, Emmanuel                      LSB 357  vs 1, 6

P:   Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C:   and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

P:   Almighty God, our maker and redeemer, we poor sinners confess unto You that we are by nature sinful and unclean.

C:   Restore us, O God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved!

P:   We have sinned against You by thought, word, and deed.

C:   Restore us, O God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved!

P:   Wherefore we flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.

C:   Restore us, O God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved! O most merciful God, who has given Your only-begotten Son to die for us, have mercy upon us and for His sake grant us remission of all our sins. By Your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of You and of Your will and true obedience to Your Word, to the end that we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

(Silence for meditation.)

P:   As a called and ordained servant of the Word and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and the Holy Spirit. To those who believe on His name He gives the power to become the children of God and has promised them His Holy Spirit. Grant this, Lord, to us all.                                                                                               C:   Amen.

Hymn of Praise                                  Away in a Manger                                     LSB   364

Prayer of the Day

All:  Into the darkness, You bring light, and into our lives, You make known Your perfect and everlasting love. Make us ready for the celebration of our Savior’s birth, that we receive Him as He comes to us as a humble infant, bringing to fruition the new covenant of Your love; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

O T Lesson                           (The coming King born in Bethlehem)               Micah 5:2–5a

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” ³Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. ⁴He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. ⁵ And he will be their peace. 

NT Lesson                              (Jesus comes to do God’s will)                       Hebrews 10:5–10

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; ⁶with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. ⁷Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.’ ” ⁸ First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be made). ⁹ Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.      

Holy Gospel                                     (Mary visits Elizabeth.)                         Luke 1:39–56

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” ⁴⁶ And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord ⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, ⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. ⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. ⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. ⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful ⁵⁵to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.” ⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. 

Message Song                                 Mary Did You Know                            Green/Lowery

Mary did you know that your baby boy      Would one day walk on water

Mary did you know that your baby boy      Would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy      Has come to make you new;

This child that you delivered       Will soon deliver you?

Mary did you know that your baby boy      Will give sight to the blind man?

Mary did you know that your baby boy     Will calm the waters with His hand

Did you know that your baby boy     Has walked where angels trod,    

And when you kiss your baby       You’ve kissed the face of God     

Oh Mary did you know…

The blind will see,     the deaf will hear       The dead will live again.

The lame will leap,     The dumb will speak       The praises of the Lamb.

Mary did you know that your baby boy     Is Lord of all creation?

Mary did you know that your baby boy     Will one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy     Was heaven’s perfect Lamb,

And the sleeping child you’re holding     Is the Great I Am?

CCLI Song # 839225 1991, 1993 Rufus Music/Curb Word Music   CCLI License # 11390779

Message                                Elizabeth’s Rejoicing and Mary’s Praise

1. It is a personal __________________________________________     of God’s work  that shows
   1. the __________________________________     in His servants. 
   2. In being able to __________________________________    in the life of God’s people!
   3. Of the __________________________          ________________       being fulfilled in Christ. 

 Notes:

The Apostle’s 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 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 everlasting. Amen.

Offering 

Offertory                                      We Give Thee But Thine Own                   LSB 781  vs 1-2

Prayers of the Church  

After each petition:

 P:  Lord, in your mercy,

 C:  hear our prayer.   

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 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.

The Lord’s Supper

Preface                                                                      page 194 in the hymnal

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  ♪ And with thy spirit.

P:  Lift up your hearts.

C:  ♪ We lift them up unto the Lord.

P:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:  ♪ It is meet and right so to do.

P:  It is truly good, right, and salutary …. And with the host of heaven we sing:

Sanctus — Holy, Holy, Holy                                          page 195 in the hymnal

P:  ♪ Ho -ly, ho-ly, ho-ly Lord God of Sa – ba – oth. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.   

          Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is

          He who cometh in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

The Words of Institution (Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper)

Pax Domini—The Peace of the Lord                    page 197 in the hymnal

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.C:  ♪ Amen.

Agnus Dei – Lamb of God                                                             page 198 in the hymnal                                      

C:  ♪ O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world; 

         grant us Thy peace.  A – men.

Distribution Hymn                          Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones                     LSB 670

                                                                   Breath of Heaven                       (Choir)             10:30

Nunc Dimittis                                                                                   page 211 in the hymnal        

C: ♪ O Lord, now let Your servant      Depart in heav’nly peace,    For I have seen the glory     Of Your redeeming grace:     A light to lead the Gentiles    Unto Your holy hill,    The glory of Your people,   Your chosen Israel.  All glory to the Father,   All glory to the Son,  All glory to the Spirit,    Forever Three in One;    For as in the beginning,    Is now, shall ever be,   God’s triune name resounding    Through all eternity.

 Post Communion Collect

All:   We thank You for the new covenant You have established, given and shed in the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Grant that we live in Your loving presence, serve You humbly, and love You by our loving of others in Your grace. Amen.

Closing Sentences

P:   The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

C:   The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

Benediction                                                                                                        

P:   The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and ✠ give you peace.

C:    Amen.

Sending Hymn                                Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord           LSB 352

Announcements

Dismissal 

P:   Go in peace as you serve the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Postlude