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Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Call to Worship
From Isaiah 2:2-4 (ESV)
It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the LORD
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.
Our Sung Call to Worship
How Beautiful the Mystery
Verse 1
How beautiful the mystery:
Th’Eternal Word comes down
To live and love and die and rise,
To claim His victor’s crown.
Content we find Him cradled there
Amongst the filth and beasts.
Who would believe that He will be
Our guide from death to peace!
Chorus
How beautiful the mystery:
Th’Eternal Word came down;
The Servant-King has set us free
To live for His renown.
Verse 2
By angry swords and dark decree
He’s driven from His land.
But still He humbly bows His head
To trust His Father’s hand.
The spotless Lamb lays down his life,
A curse upon a cross.
Then lives that He might guarantee
That no sheep will be lost. (Chorus)
Verse 3
How beautiful the mystery:
The Word shall come again
To raise His own to live with Him,
Set free from death and sin.
O! may our hearts grow ever fond
Of Mary’s precious boy:
Our Christ, our hope, our heart’s desire,
Our King and Sov’reign joy! (Chorus)
Words and Music by Eric Schumacher, David L. Ward and Jeff Bourque
©2010 Hymnicity
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Based on a reading from The Worship Sourcebook
O promised Christ:
We are a world at war,
neighbor slandering neighbor,
hearts filled with envy, hatred, and greed.
Our peace depends on your coming.
We are a sinful people,
living as though there is no king;
everyone does what is right in his own eyes.
Our pardon depends on your coming.
We are full of good intentions
but weak at keeping promises;
our only hope of doing God’s will
is that you should come and help us do it.
Lord Christ, Word made flesh,
our world waits
for your peace,
for your pardon,
and for your grace
Even so: come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Time of silent confession.
Our Sung Confession
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Verse 1
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 ev’ry nation,
Joy of ev’ry longing heart.
Verse 2
Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child, and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all-sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.
Words and Music by Charles Wesley and Rowland Prichard
Public Domain
Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Remember the Gospel & The Lord’s Supper
From Galatians 4:4-7 (ESV) and The Nicene Creed
There is good news for all who believe the gospel!
When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son,
born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who
were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
And because we are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son
into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Who is this Son of God?
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 he 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.
What has Christ given us to remember his saving work?
He has given us a seat at his table.
What do we feast on at this table?
Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
What is this bread?
This is the body of Christ, broken for us.
What is this cup?
This is the blood of Christ, poured out for us.
Glory to the King of Kings!
Glory to God in the highest!
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
King of Kings
Verse 1
In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope, without light,
Till from Heaven You came running,
There was mercy in Your eyes.
To fulfill the law and prophets,
To a virgin came the Word,
From a throne of endless glory,
To a cradle in the dirt. (Chorus)
Chorus
Praise the Father,
Praise the Son,
Praise the Spirit, three in one.
God of Glory, Majesty,
Praise forever to the King of Kings
Verse 2
To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost,
To redeem the whole creation,
You did not despise the cross.
For even in Your suffering,
You saw to the other side.
Knowing this was our salvation,
Jesus, for our sake You died. (Chorus)
Verse 3
And the morning that You rose,
All of heaven held its breath,
Till that stone was moved for good,
For the Lamb had conquered death.
And the dead rose from their tombs,
And the angels stood in awe,
For the souls of all who’d come,
To the Father are restored.
Verse 4
And the Church of Christ was born,
Then the Spirit lit the flame.
Now this Gospel truth of old,
Shall not kneel, shall not faint.
By his blood and in His name,
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ,
Who has resurrected me. (Chorus 2X’s)
Ending
Praise forever to the King of Kings
Words and music by Brooke Ligertwood, Jason Ingram, and Scott Ligertwood
©2019 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia, Fellow Ships Music, So Essential Tunes
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.
You may give electronically at gabcames.org/giving/ or place your offering in the boxes at the back of the sanctuary or send a check in the mail.
Scripture Reading
Psalm 34:1-18 (ESV)
1I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will
be condemned.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
Sermon
Advent Sermon Series: A Christmas Carol
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus – Pastor Michael Felkins
Sending
Having heard and confessed the Gospel, we are sent into the world on mission in Christ, which we express in spoken word.
Blessing
Now may the God of peace himself
sanctify you completely.
And may your whole spirit, soul, and body
be kept sound and blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He who calls you is faithful; he will do it.
Maranatha! Our Lord, come!