4th Sunday in Advent December 22, 2024
Welcome & Announcements
*Call to Worship: Psalm 80:1-7 (pg. 581)
*Opening Prayer …………………………………………….. pg. 2
Advent Reading & Lighting of the Advent Candle
*Confession of Sins …………………….……………............ pg. 2
*Kyrie …………………………………………………….…. pg. 3
*Declaration of Grace …………………………………..…… pg. 3
HYMN --------------------------------------------------------------- # 35
“While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks”
Scripture Lessons: 1st Reading: Micah 5:2-5a (pg. 926)
2nd Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10 (pg. 1194)
*The Gospel: Luke 1:39-56 (pg. 1016)
*Response to the Gospel …………………………………..… pg. 3
*Confession of Faith - The Apostles’ Creed ………………... pg. 4
*Gloria Patri …………………………………………………. pg. 4
The Offering
*Response: “Create in Me A Clean Heart O God” ……..….. pg. 17
*Prayers of the Church
HYMN --------------------------------------------------------------- # 26
“What Child Is This”
Sermon: Matthew 4 – “Call and Response”
THE CLOSING HYMN ------------------------------------------- # 12
“Hark, the Glad Sound”
*The Lord’s Prayer ………………………………………….. pg. 5
*The Benediction ………………………………..…………... pg. 5
*Three-fold Amen ………………………………...…………. pg. 5
THE DOXOLOGY ……………………………...………….. # 390
Organ Postlude
(* Indicates where congregation should stand if possible)
WE CORDIALLY WELCOME all who have come to worship with us this morning, especially our guests and visitors. May our Father’s mercy in Jesus assure you of the forgiveness of all your sins. If you have not established your church home in our area, we are anxious to share with you all the blessings which God gives us through His Word. We ask that you please sign our guest book, and we hope that you return to worship with us again soon.
Announcements
Monthly hymn #26:
"What Child Is This"
Memory verse:
Hebrews 1:1-2 “Long ago, at many times and in
many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these
last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the Heir
of all things, through whom also He created the world”
FLY Group, Please meet with Steve following the service today.
Thank you to the council for the monetary gift we received for Christmas. It is greatly appreciated. Jack & Joanne Hartmann
This week’s activities:
24th – Tues. – Christmas Eve Program, 6:30 p.m.
25th – Wed. – Christmas Day Service, 9:00 a.m.
29th – Sun. – Worship, 9:00 a.m. (Matthew 5)
Sunday School, 10:00 a.m.
CHURCH CLEANING: Dec. 23-29 Renee Engelland & Renee Olson
*Call to Worship: Psalm 80: 1-7
80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you
who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the
cherubim, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim
and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to
save us!
3 Restore us, O God;
let your
face shine, that we may be saved!
4 O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of
tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention
for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
1st Reading: Micah 5:2-5a
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you
shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.
3 Therefore he shall give them up until
the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
to the people of
Israel.
4 And he shall stand and
shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the
majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell
secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
5 And he shall be their peace.
2nd Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body
have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt
offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to
do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of
the book.’”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
*The Gospel: Luke 1:39-56
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he
has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold,
from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his
mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to
generation.
51 He has shown strength
with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of
their hearts;
52 he has brought down
the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble
estate;
53 he has filled the hungry
with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as
he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring
forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.