Hymn Sing
Gray Psalter Hymnal
# 453 Let All Things Now Living
# 342 Of the Father’s Love Begotten, vs. 1, 3, 4
Christmas Songbook
# 25 Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming
Call to Worship - Candle Lighting Elliott Family
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”
We light this candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
On them light had shined.
— Isaiah 9:2
Come, Lord Jesus, our light and our salvation.
Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Hymn # 1 Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Christmas Songbook)
Psalter: Psalm 25:1-10 (Please read responsively) Paul Kuhn
1To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
3Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
5Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
6Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
10All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
Prayer for Illumination
Epistle Reading: Romans 1:1-6 NRSV
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation: Thanks be to God for His Word.
Choral Anthem: Advent Hymn
Evening has come in shadows of gray
And the winter wind blows bitter and cold
All of the world in silence awaits
The child the prophets have foretold
Let us now prepare our hearts to receive him
Filled with hope and free from fear
Soon he will come to all who believe
The true Messiah will soon appear
Come Thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set thy people free
Through the power of love redeem us
Let us find our rest in thee
Born thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a king
Born to reign in us forever
Now thy gracious kingdom bring
He will come to guide and teach us
Sent to earth from heaven above
Come thou long-expected Jesus
Warm our hearts with peace
And with love
Children’s Sermon
Hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel (See Insert)
New Testament Reading: Matthew 1:1-17
1 An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, 4and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6and Jesse the father of King David.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel,13and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
Sermon “The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah” Pastor Andrew Winter