Welcome & Announcements
Advent Candle Reading
But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
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.
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.
And he shall be their peace.
—Psalm 38:15, Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, 4-5
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Come, thou long expected Jesus
Born to set thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart
Joy to those who long to see thee
Dayspring from on high appear
Come, thou promised Rod of Jesse
Of thy birth we long to hear
O’er the hill the angels singing
News, glad tidings of a birth
Go to him, your praises bringing
Christ the Lord has come to earth
Born thy people to deliver
Born a Child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now thy gracious kingdom bring
By thy own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to thy glorious throne
Charles Wesley, Tune HYFRYDOL, Rowland H. Prichard; arr. Robert Harkness © Public Domain CCLI 241710
O Little Town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in the dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond’ring love
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on earth
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is giv’n
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav’n
No ear may hear his coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive him still
The dear Christ enters in
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin, and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord, Emmanuel
Phillips Brooks, Tune St. Louis. Lewis H. Redner © Public Domain CCLI 241710
Prayer for the People, the City, and the Nations
Gifts — Prince of Heaven
Earth in shadow restlessly hold
Labors waiting in silent hope
For the promise it longs to know
What heaven holds
Then the angels in holy haste
Lift their anthem, Your Savior lays
In a manger in humble form
Your King is born
Hail the Prince of Heaven comes
Angel choirs sound the call
For this babe wrapped in a cloth is
The incarnate Word of God
All the kingdom and its power
Resting now in this child
Prince of Heaven
Jesus, hope of the world
This means mercy, in fullest form
Loving kindness, forevermore
Son of David and Son of God
He is Christ the Lord
Hail the Prince of Heaven comes
Angel choirs sound the call
For this babe wrapped in a cloth is
The incarnate Word of God
All the kingdom and its power
Resting now in this child
Prince of Heaven
Jesus, hope of the world
King of Glory, we gladly greet
Born in wonder and majesty
Forever worthy, the earth will sing
Oh, Prince of Heaven, we worship thee
King of Glory, we gladly greet
Born in wonder and majesty
Forever worthy, the earth will sing
Oh, Prince of Heaven, we worship thee
We can know him, this Prince of Peace
In light of mercy confess our sins
Lay our burdens at Jesus’ feet
And with gladness sing
Hail the Prince of Heaven comes
Angel choirs sound the call
For this babe wrapped in a cloth
Is the incarnate Word of God
All the kingdom and its power
Resting now in this child
Prince of Heaven
Jesus, hope of the world
Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood © 2017 Hillsong Music Publishing CCLI 241710
Baptisms {10:30 a.m.} & Receiving of New Members
Alyssa Riley Mattes is being baptized this morning upon her profession of faith.
O Holy Night
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til he appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night divine, O night, O night divine
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by his cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials, born to be our friend
He knows our need
To our weakness is no stranger
Behold your King, before him lowly bend
Behold your King, before him lowly bend
Truly he taught us to love one another
His law is love and his Gospel is peace
Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother
And in his name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise his holy name
Christ is the Lord, O praise his name forever
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim
John S. Dwight, CANTIQUE DE NOEL, Adolphe Adam © Public Domain CCLI 241710
Children Dismissed for Children’s Church
Sermon
“In Those Days”
Luke 2:1-7
Prayer of Confession
Father, you are gracious and generous toward us,
yet we forget your daily mercy.
We live dissatisfied lives, comparing ourselves to others,
instead of resting in the truth
that you are fully satisfied with us because of Jesus.
Have mercy and forgive us, God.
Restore to us the Joy of our salvation and
help us to generously love those
you place in our path this week.
Through Jesus. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
— Romans 8:38-39
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
And Lord, haste the day
When my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound
And the Lord shall descend
Even so, 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
Horatio G. Spafford, Philip Paul Bliss © Public Domain CCLI 241710
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
Latin Hymn, 1710; Tune VENI EMMANUEL trans. J.M. Neale, 1851; alt. 1961 CCLI 241710
Benediction
chapelgate worship 