Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
READING FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT
From Isaiah 59:9; 60:1-3 (NRSV)
We wait for light, and lo! there is darkness;
for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples.
But the LORD will arise upon you,
and nations shall come to your light.
For the LORD will be your everlasting light
and your God will be your glory.
Our Sung Call to Worship
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Based on Isaiah 60:1-3
Arise, shine: for your light has come.
O God, we live as if the light
had never defeated the darkness in the world or in us.
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
We confess that we ignore the Christ
you sent to be among us, to be in us.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
We’ve kept the birth of your Son confined to the Christmas season
and do not rejoice in his birth each moment in our hearts.
And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Lord, you came to us in the fullness of time.
Forgive us for not opening our eyes to your coming.
Teach us to prepare for Christ to come again.
Let the earth ring with song.
Let the light break forth.
Let us all rejoice in the miracle of your redeeming love.
Let Christ come and reign in the fullness of our time.
Amen.
TIME OF SILENT CONFESSION
Our Sung Confession
What Child Is This?
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel
From the Nicene Creed (A.D. 325, revised A.D. 381)
Who is Jesus?
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of the Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made.
What has Jesus done for us?
He, for us and for our salvation, came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man,
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures;
and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead,
whose kingdom shall have no end.
Amen.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Angels From the Realms of Glory
Thanksgiving and Petition
We Give Thanks in Prayer and Offer Petitions to God
We express our gratitude to God our Father for Christ’s work on the cross for us and bring our requests before him. In bringing our requests, we confess that we believe God truly is a good father, who cares about our needs and gives us what he knows is best.
We Give Thanks by Giving
We give financial offerings to support the work of the church because of our gratitude to God. By giving we confess we are trusting in God’s provision for us as well.
On the first Sunday of each month we have two offerings—one for the general fund and a second one for the benevolence ministry of our church.
We Give Thanks in Song
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Scripture Reading
Romans 5:1-11
1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character
produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though
perhaps for a good person one would dare even
to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received
reconciliation.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
Sermon
Romans 5:1-11 – Christmas Letters: Hope for the Underserving – Jonathan Philgreen
The Lord’s Supper
This morning we will be observing the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a covenant meal for the people of God whereby we remember the person and work of Christ on the cross to redeem us from our sin. It is a time to reflect, remember and repent. It is also the application of the sermon whereby we confess our sin and continually turn to Jesus for grace.
If you have trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, have been baptized by immersion and are a member in good standing of a local church we invite you to share in this covenant meal with us.
We also ask that everyone who takes this covenant meal with us remember the warning given by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” So we ask that you examine your heart and your relationship with God through the person and work of Christ.
If you are not able to receive the Lord’s Supper with us, please use this time to meditate on one of the following prayers.
A PRAYER FOR THOSE SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH
Lord Jesus, You claim to be the Way, the Truth and the Life. If what You claim is true, please guide me, teach me and open me to the reality of who You are. Grant that I might be undaunted in my pursuit of knowing You. Give me an understanding of You that is coherent and convincing, and that leads me to the life in You. Amen.
A PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO CONFESS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
Lord Jesus I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever dared admit, but through You I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank You for paying my debt on the cross, taking what I deserve in order to purchase my complete forgiveness. Knowing that You have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive You as My Savior and Lord. Amen.
A PRAYER OF COMMITMENT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CONFESSED FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
Lord Jesus, You have called us to follow You in baptism and in a life of committed discipleship in Your church. Grant that I may take the necessary steps to be one with Your people, and live in the fullness of Your Spirit in a local community of Christ followers. Amen.
adapted from D. A. Carson, ed., Worship by the Book (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002)
Gluten Free Lord’s Supper: The elements of our Lord’s Supper are gluten free.
Please dispose of your Lord’s Supper cup in the waste receptacles near the doors.
Sending
Having heard and confessed the Gospel, we are sent into the world on mission in Christ, which we express in both song and spoken word.
Sending Song
Doxology
New Member Presentation