12/07/25

As We Gather

The problem with good works is not that we should do them but why. Our works reflect what it is we believe and hold dear. Works are the fruit of repentance and faith and do not add to what Christ has done in His mighty work of redemption. The call to bear the good fruit of repentance is not to work harder to be saved but to manifest in our everyday lives that we are saved, that we belong to the Lord, and that He has accomplished all things for our salvation. John faced a generation impressed with their works and empty of faith in God’s mercy. We should know that doing works is not a choice. Hearts of faith will produce the good fruits of repentance. This is the calling of Christians and the mark of the work of the Spirit in our lives.Family Room & Children 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 T. V. 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. 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 the LCMS ordinarily communes only those who have been instructed in the teachings of our church and who have confessed their faith in these teachings. Please speak to Pastor Ralph before the service if you have a question about this. 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.

The Desire for Greater Joy “I am intensely displeased with myself and I detest myself because I know that all that Scripture says about Christ is true and that there can be nothing greater, nothing more important, nothing more pleasant, nothing more joyful…It should fill me with supreme joy… yet the malice of my flesh prevents it, and the law of sin has so thoroughly taken me captive that I cannot fill all my members, all my bones, and my most innermost being with this blessing of Christ as I surely would like to do.”

Second Sunday of Advent

December 7, 2025

Opening Hymn                        Prepare the Royal Highway                                     LSB 343

Invocation, Confession and Absolution (Psalm 8)

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

C:   Amen.

P:   O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! 

C:   You have set your glory above the heavens. 

P:   From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise

C:   because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 

P:   When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, 

C:   the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 

P:   what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 

C:   You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 

P:   You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: 

C:   all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, 

       and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 

All:   O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! 

P:   Holy and gracious God,

C:   I confess that I have sinned against You this day. Some of my sin I know—the thoughts and words and deeds of which I am ashamed—but some is known only to You. In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask for forgiveness. Deliver and restore me that I may rest in peace as I serve You by serving others. Amen

(Silence for Meditation)

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

Hymn of Longing         Come Thou Precious Ransom Come                            LSB  350

 (The 2^nd  Advent candle is lit)

Prayer of the Day

All:   Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Reception of New Member  – Sherry McDowell

O T Lesson   (“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse.”)       Isaiah 11:1–6

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. ²The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord— ³and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; ⁴ but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. ⁵ Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. ⁶ The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 

N T Lesson                   (God’s peace will fill you with all joy!)                     Romans 15:4–13

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, ⁶ so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. ⁸ For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs ⁹ so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name.” ¹⁰ Again, it says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”¹¹ And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples.”¹² And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.” ¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Gospel Lesson             (‘Prepare the way of the Lord.’)                         Matthew 3:1–12

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” ³ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” ⁴ John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Message Song                                             Mighty to Save 

Everyone needs compassion Love that’s never failing

Let mercy fall on me  Everyone needs forgiveness

                          Kindness of a Savior  The hope of nations       Chorus

  Chorus         Savior, He can move the mountains   My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save  Forever, Author of salvation

He rose and conquered the grave   Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me  All my fears and failures

Fill my life again    I give my life to follow

                       Everything I believe in   Now I surrender         Chorus

Shine your light   And let the whole world see

We’re singing for the glory  Of the risen King, Jesus

Shine your light  And let the whole world see

                   We’re singing for the glory  Of the risen King      Chorus

Written by Reuben Morgan and Ben Flielding ©2006 Hillsong Publishing

CCLI License #594388 Song Select  11390779

Message                                                  When Repentance Leads the Way

1. Repentance is the honest      evaluation     of our need before the Lord God and the changes        that follow His will         for our lives.
2. The Church is to offer the straight     path  that leads to God’s mercy and grace; that path is Christ and the forgiveness He gained for all   people    in His death on the cross.
3. The Lord shepherds His flock in ways that assures   us of His    goodness   and eternal provision      .     

The Apostle’s Creed            

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 Praise You, O God                                                LSB 785 

Prayers of the Church 

After each petition:

P:    Lord, in Your mercy,

C:    hear our prayers.

The Lord’s Prayer                                                                                  

The Lord’s Supper

Preface                                                                      page 160 in the hymnal

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  ♪ And also with you.

P:   Lift up your hearts.

C:  ♪ We lift them to the Lord.

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

C:   ♪ It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

P:   It is truly good, right, and salutary …. And ever more praising You and singing:

Sanctus — Holy, Holy, Holy                                         page 161 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Holy, holy, holy Lord God of pow’r and might: Heaven and earth are full of   

         Your glory. Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is He who  

         comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

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

Pax Domini—The Peace of the Lord                   page 163 in the hymnal

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

C:   ♪ Amen.

Agnus Dei – Lamb of God                                                           page 163 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

         Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

         Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.

Distribution of Communion

Distribution Hymn                               Jesus Shall Reign             LSB 832

                                                               Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus/

                                                                  The Night Will Soon Be Ending           Asension Choir

Post Communion Canticle                                                        page 164 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Thank the Lord and sing His praise; tell ev’ryone what He has done.  Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear His name.  He recalls His promises and leads His people forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia, alleluia.

Post Communion Thanksgiving

All:  Oh God the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness, who in loving kindness sent Your only-begotten Son into the flesh, we thank You that for His sake You have given us pardon and peace in this Sacrament, and we ask You not to forsake Your children but always to rule our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that we may be enabled constantly to serve You; Through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

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 What Hope! An Eden Prophesied                           LSB 342

 Announcements 

Dismissal

P:   Go in peace as you serve the Lord.      

C:   Thanks be to God!   

Postlude