Welcome & Announcements
Lighting of the Advent Candle
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.
—Micah 5:2
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold him come
Offspring of a virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Hail the heav’n born Prince of Peace
Hail the Son of Righteousness
Light and life to all he brings
Ris’n with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Charles Wesley, Felix Mendelssohn, William H. Cummings © Public Domain CCLI 241710
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
From God our heavenly Father
A blessèd angel came
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
“Fear not, then,” said the angel
“Let nothing you afright
This day is born a Savior
Of a pure virgin bright
To free all those who trust in him
From Satan’s power and might”
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Now to the Lord sing praises
All you within this place
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace
This holy tide of Christmas
All others doth deface
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
English carol, 18th century © Public Domain CCLI 241710
Prayer for the People, the City, and the Nations
Gifts — Come to Us, O Lord
O living Word, please come and dwell in us
Lord wipe away these tears
O Ancient Son, so long foretold
We’re desperate souls, draw near
And we will stand
Securely in the strength of the Lord
Every heart will surely come and adore
The Great I Am
Our Shepherd King, please come and dwell with us
To fields of grace, lead on
And we will stand
Securely in the strength of the Lord
Every heart will surely come and adore
The Great I Am
We need you now
Break our chains by your glory and power
Make us captive to the holy desire
Come to us, O Lord
Come to us, O Lord
Prince of Peace, Emmanuel
Lord draw us close, unto thyself
King of kings, God’s chosen One
We need you now, to thee we run
And we will stand
Securely in the strength of the Lord
Every heart will surely come and adore
The Great I Am
We need you now
Break our chains by your glory and power
Make us captive to the holy desire
Come to us, O Lord
Come to us, O Lord
Eric J. Marshall © 2012 Scot Family Reunion, LLC CCLi 241710
Testimony— Carlos Romero
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
It came upon the midnight clear
That glorious song of old
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold
Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heaven’s all gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing
Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing
O ye beneath life’s crushing load
Whose forms are bending low
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing
O, rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing
For lo, the days are hastening on
By prophets seen of old
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing
Edmund H. Sears, Richard S. Willis © Public Domain CCLI 241710
What Child Is This
What child is this, who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding
Good Christian, fear, for sinners here
The silent word is pleading
Nails, spear shall pierce him through
The cross be borne for me, for you
Hail, hail the Word made flesh
The Babe the Son of Mary
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh
Come peasant, king to own him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone him
Raise, raise the song on high
The virgin sings her lullaby
Joy, joy for Christ is born
The Babe, the Son of Mary
William C. Dix, Tune GREENSLEEVES, Traditional English melody, 16th century, © Public Domain CCLI 241710
Children Dismissed for Children’s Church
Sermon
“Far as the Curse is Found”
Matthew 2:1-12
Prayer of Confession
Merciful Jesus, our coming King,
your rule is just and your love eternal.
Reign in our hearts with grace and peace.
Forgive our transgressions,
and cleanse us from unrighteousness.
Protect us from those who do evil,
and protect us from being workers of evil.
Replace our fear with love and our anxiety with trust.
Restore in us a vision for what will one day be
when heaven and earth are one
and justice and peace fill all creation,
so that we may live in hope and joy
for the sake of this world you created to be good.
Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
—Psalm 130:7-8
The Lord’s Supper
It is Well With My Soul
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul
It is well, (it is well)
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul
Though Satan should buffet
Though trials should come
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed his own blood for my soul
It is well, (it is well)
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul
My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul
It is well, (it is well)
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul
Horatio G. Spafford, Philip Paul Bliss © Public Domain CCLI 241710
O Come Let Us Adore Him
O come, let us adore him
O come, let us adore him
O come, let us adore him
Christ, the Lord
C. Frederick Oakeley, John Francis Wade © Public Domain CCLI 241710
Benediction
chapelgate worship 