Peace Lutheran Church
Third Sunday in Advent
December 16, 2018
† AS WE GATHER †
Welcome to Peace Lutheran Church - a special welcome to our guests!
Please take some time during worship to fill out the attendance/prayer card, located at the end of each pew. If you are a guest, we would love to receive contact information so we can respond to your visit with us today.
WELCOME
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
People: who will prepare Your way before You.
Pastor: Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.
People: Say to those who have an anxious heart, 'Be strong; fear not!'
Pastor: Be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
People: Behold, the Judge is standing at the door. Matt. 11:10; Is. 35:3-4; James 5:8-9
OPENING PRAISE: " Angels from the Realms of Glory (He Is Here) "
Stuart Garrard and Tony Wood
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
P: Beloved in the Lord! The Lord is at hand! Prepare for His coming. God has kept His promise, the waiting is over, the voice of the Forerunner is heard at last. Therefore prepare with gladness. Let your gentleness be known to all people, in the joy of gratitude and adoring worship with thanksgiving.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
C: Who made heaven and earth.
P: Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, the true hope who comes into the world to give hope to everyone, bless us as we light the candles of this wreath in preparation for Your coming.
C: Relight our hearts with the fire of Your love that we may receive You with joy and gladness and evermore remain steadfast in faith; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
CONFESSION and ABSOLUTION
Pastor: It is good to rejoice in the glory of God. It is good to give thanks and praise to Him. Yet we recognize that we have not always responded to His grace with our obedience. Let us think about God's goodness to us and how we have offended Him by our sins of thought, word, and action.
(Silence for reflection and personal confession.)
Pastor: Almighty God,
People: hear our repentant prayer. We rejoice in Your goodness, and confess our sinful disobedience. We have not loved You as we ought, and we have not loved our neighbors as You have loved us. We have no excuse, O God. Yet we are bold to call upon You in the name of Jesus, and for His sake we dare to ask for Your forgiveness. Heal us and strengthen us, we pray. Open our eyes to see Your will for us, and fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we may live for Your glory. Amen.
Pastor: God has heard our prayer. Out of His great love for us, He sent His
only-begotten Son to give His life in payment for our sins, and in His
glorious resurrection, we have forgiveness and new life. With duty and
delight as your called and ordained pastor, and at the command of our Lord
Jesus Christ, I forgive you all of your sins in the name of the Father and
of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
SONG of PRAISE "Joyful (The One Who Saves)"
Edward Hodges, Henry J. van Dyke, Brenton Brown, Jason Ingram
(As we sing the song of praise, please pass your attendance / prayer card to the ushers. If you are a first-time guest, please provide your contact information so that we can respond to your visit this week.)
† SERVICE OF THE WORD †
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 40:1-8 Page 714 (LP: 1119)
Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Page 1130 (LP: 1775)
Holy Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:2-10 Page 965 (LP: 1512)
CHILDREN'S MESSAGE Becky Goecker
MESSAGE SONG: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" Traditional
The SERMON "Joseph - A Man in Crisis" Matthew 1:18-19
THE STATEMENT OF FAITH - APOSTLES' CREED
Pastor: God has made us His people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope we declare our faith with one another to the world.
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
everlasting. Amen.
SONG of RESPONSE / OFFERING
" He Has Come For Us " Jason Ingram, Meredith Andrews
( In response to His gracious, daily provision, as an act of adoration and praise, we joyfully give back a portion of what our Lord has entrusted to us. If you are a first time guest please do not feel obligated to contribute but you may do so as the Holy Spirit leads. May God bless every sacrifice we bring !)
PRAYERS of the CONGREGATION
Pastor: At the invitation and promise of our Lord, we bring our prayers and petitions before His throne of grace.
Pastor: Let us pray for faith.
(Silence for prayer.)
Pastor: O Holy Spirit, You have revealed Jesus Christ to us as our Savior and Lord and have given us the gift of faith. When our faith is challenged, defend us. When our faith wavers, strengthen us. When doubts assail us, rescue us.
Congregation: When our faith seems fruitless, nourish us that the fruits of faith may give glory to You.
Pastor: Let us pray for our leaders.
(Silence for prayer.)
Pastor: Gracious God, You have established governments to keep order in the world, to protect us from danger, and to provide justice in this world. Bless our leaders, our president and congress, our governor and legislators, our judges, and all others who serve You as they serve us.
Congregation: Give them wisdom and courage, understanding and mercy, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ may flourish among us.
Pastor: Let us pray for our Advent preparations.
(Silence for prayer.)
Pastor: Lord Jesus Christ, prepare our hearts to receive You at all times. Make us ready for Your coming again, that we may not live in fear but in hope and confidence. Help us to recognize You as You come to us in Word and Sacrament, that we may receive You worthily to our soul's health. In our preparation to celebrate Your incarnation, give us renewed wonder and awe at Your great love that prompted You to take on human flesh and blood, to live among us in holiness and righteousness, to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification.
Congregation: Help us to believe and trust in Your life-giving presence.
Pastor: Let us pray for all who are in need.
(Silence for prayer.)
Pastor: Gracious God, we bring before You all who are in need. Feed the hungry, comfort the sorrowing, give renewed strength and healing to all who are ill, give courage to the frightened. Especially hear our prayer for (here may be mentioned the names of those whose needs were announced) and provide for their needs.
Congregation: Use us, we pray, to be Your hands of love in caring for all who are troubled.
Pastor: These and all petitions of our hearts we are bold to bring before You, heavenly Father, at the command and promise of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Congregation: Amen.
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.
CLOSING SONG " It's Christmas " Chris Tomlin & Ed Cash