Service Preview for December 18, 2022

Date
December 16, 2022
Author
Dixie Carpenter
Category
Service Preview

Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for December 18, 2022

Pre-service Song
Fullness of Grace

Verse 1
Fullness of grace in man’s human frailty,
this is the wonder of Jesus.
Laying aside His power and glory,
humbly He entered our world.
Chose the path of meanest worth:
Scandal of a virgin birth.
Born in a stable, cold and rejected:
Here lies the hope of the world.

Verse 2
Fullness of grace, the love of the Father
shown in the face of Jesus.
Stooping to bear the weight of humanity,
walking the Calvary road.
Christ the holy innocent
took our sin and punishment.
Fullness of God, despised and rejected:
Crushed for the sins of the world.

Verse 3
Fullness of hope in Christ we had longed for,
Promise of God in Jesus.
Through His obedience we are forgiven,
Op’ning the floods gates of heav’n.
All our hopes and dreams we bring
gladly as an offering.
Fullness of life and joy unspeakable:
God’s gift in love to the world.

Tag
God’s gift in love to the world.

Words and Music by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townend
© 2004 Thankyou Music

Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.

Our Spoken Call to Worship
Isaiah 51:4-6

“Listen to me, my people;
hear me, my nation:
Instruction will go out from me;
my justice will become a light to the nations.”

Your righteousness will last forever and
Your salvation through all generations.

“My righteousness draws near speedily,
my salvation is on the way,
and my arm will bring justice to the nations.
The islands will look to me
and wait in hope for my arm.”

Your righteousness will last forever
Your salvation through all generations.

“Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment.”

Your righteousness will last forever
Your salvation through all generations.

Our Sung Call to Worship
What Child is This

Verse 1
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:
Hast, hast, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Verse 2
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, 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.

Verse 3
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 a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The babe, the Son of Mary.

Tag
The babe, the Son of Mary.

Words by William C. Dix, Music is a traditional English melody
©Public Domain

Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.

Our Spoken Confession
Adapted from Isaiah 50:10; 51:12, 13

Holy God, we confess that we do not fear you
nor obey the voice of your Servant.
Instead we fear mere mortals,
human beings who are but grass.
We have forgotten you, the Lord our Maker
and live in terror of your wrath and our destruction.
Forgive us for your name’s sake and hear our prayers.

Time of silent confession.

Assurance and Peace
We profess our assurance of salvation and peace in Christ through both responsive reading and song.

Remember the Gospel
Adapted from Isaiah 52:7-10

Listen, my people;
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

We will burst into songs of joy together,
for the Lord has comforted His people.
He has redeemed Jerusalem.

The Lord will lay bare his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations.

And all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God!
Your righteousness will last forever
Your salvation through all generations.

Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Fullness of Grace

Tag
God’s gift in love to the world.

Words and Music by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townend
© 2004 Thankyou Music

O Holy Night

Verse 1
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,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Chorus 1
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.

Verse 2
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.

Chorus 2
He knows our need, to weakness is no stranger.
Behold, your King; before Him gladly bend.
Behold your King; before Him gladly bend.

Verse 3
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.

Chorus 3
Christ is the Lord, O praise His name forever.
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim.
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim.

Words by Placide Cappeau, Music by Adolphe Charles Adam, Translation by John Sullivan Dwight
©Public Domain

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 a Mission Moment to highlight the different missions giving
opportunities we have at Grand. Members are encouraged to give to GABC Missions to support these missions.

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
Isaiah 50:4-52:12 (Only 52:1-12 will be read.)
4 The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are instructed to know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens me each morning; he awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed.
5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I did not turn back.
6 I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who tore out my beard. I did not hide my face from scorn and spitting.
7 The Lord GOD will help me; therefore I have not been humiliated; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.
8 The one who vindicates me is near; who will contend with me? Let us confront each other. Who has a case against me? Let him come near me! 9 In truth, the Lord GOD will help me; who will condemn me? Indeed, all of them will wear out like a garment; a moth will devour them.
10 Who among you fears the LORD and listens to his servant? Who among you walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
11 Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with torches; walk in the light of your fire and of the torches you have lit! This is what you’ll get from my hand: you will lie down in a place of torment.

51:1 Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
you who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut, and to the quarry from which you were dug.
2 Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave birth to you. When I called him, he was only one; I blessed him and made him many.
3 For the LORD will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and melodious song.
4 Pay attention to me, my people, and listen to me, my nation; for instruction will come from me, and my justice for a light to the nations. I will bring it about quickly.
5 My righteousness is near, my salvation appears,
and my arms will bring justice to the nations.
The coasts and islands will put their hope in me,
and they will look to my strength.
6 Look up to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment, and its inhabitants will die like gnats. But my salvation will last forever, and my righteousness will never be shattered.
7 Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my instruction: do not fear disgrace by men, and do not be shattered by their taunts.
8 For moths will devour them like a garment, and worms will eat them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, and my salvation for all generations.
9 Wake up, wake up! Arm of the LORD, clothe yourself with strength. Wake up as in days past, as in generations long ago. Wasn’t it you who hacked Rahab to pieces, who pierced the sea monster?
10 Wasn’t it you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the sea-bed into a road for the redeemed to pass over?
11 And the ransomed of the LORD will return and come to Zion with singing, crowned with unending joy. Joy and gladness will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.
12 I—I am the one who comforts you. Who are you that you should fear humans who die, or a son of man who is given up like grass?
13 But you have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. You are in constant dread all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, who has set himself to destroy. But where is the fury of the oppressor?
14 The prisoner is soon to be set free; he will not die and go to the Pit, and his food will not be lacking.
15 For I am the LORD your God who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— his name is the LORD of Armies.
16 I have put my words in your mouth, and covered you in the shadow of my hand, in order to plant the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, “You are my people.”
17 Wake yourself, wake yourself up! Stand up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk the cup of his fury
from the LORD’s hand; you who have drunk the goblet to the dregs— the cup that causes people to stagger.
18 There is no one to guide her among all the children she has raised; there is no one to take hold of her hand among all the offspring she has brought up.
19 These two things have happened to you:
devastation and destruction, famine and sword.
Who will grieve for you? How can I comfort you?
20 Your children have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net. They are full of the LORD’s fury, the rebuke of your God.
21 So listen to this, suffering and drunken one—but not with wine.
22 This is what your Lord says— the LORD, even your God, who defends his people— “Look, I have removed from your hand the cup that causes staggering; that goblet, the cup of my fury You will never drink it again. 23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors, who said to you, ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’ You made your back like the ground, and like a street for those who walk on it.

52:1“Wake up, wake up; put on your strength, Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean will no longer enter you.
2 Stand up, shake the dust off yourself! Take your seat, Jerusalem. Remove the bonds from your neck,
captive Daughter Zion.”
3 For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and you will be redeemed without silver.”
4 For this is what the Lord GOD says: “At first my people went down to Egypt to reside there,
then Assyria oppressed them without cause.
5 So now what have I here”— this is the LORD’s declaration— “that my people are taken away for nothing? Its rulers wail”— this is the LORD’s declaration— “and my name is continually blasphemed all day long.
6 Therefore my people will know my name; therefore they will know on that day that I am he who says, ‘Here I am.’” 7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, who proclaims peace, who brings news of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
8 The voices of your watchmen— they lift up their voices, shouting for joy together; for every eye will see when the LORD returns to Zion.
9 Be joyful, rejoice together, you ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The LORD has displayed his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.
11 Leave, leave, go out from there! Do not touch anything unclean; go out from her, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.
12 For you will not leave in a hurry, and you will not have to take flight; because the LORD is going before you, and the God of Israel is your rear guard.

This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.

Sermon
Isaiah 50:4-52:12 – Good News for the World! – Pastor Michael Felkins

Sermon Discipleship Questions
1. What encouraged you?
2. What convicted you?
3. Is there anything in your life that needs to change?

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
All Glory Be to Christ

Verse 1
Should nothing of our efforts stand,
No legacy survive
Unless the Lord does raise the house,
In vain its builders strive.
To you who boast tomorrow’s gain,
Tell me what is your life
A mist that vanishes at dawn,
All glory be to Christ! (Chorus)

Chorus
All glory be to Christ our king!
All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign we’ll ever sing,
All glory be to Christ!

Verse 2
His will be done, His kingdom come,
On earth as is above
Who is Himself our daily bread,
Praise Him the Lord of love.
Let living water satisfy
The thirsty without price
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet
All glory be to Christ! (Chorus)

Verse 3
When on the day the great I Am,
The faithful and the true
The Lamb who was for sinners slain,
Is making all things new,
Behold our God shall live with us
And be our steadfast light
And we shall e’re his people be,
All glory be to Christ! (Chorus )

Blessing
Adapted from Isaiah 51:6

This week, lift up your eyes to the heavens,
Look at the earth beneath;
The heavens will vanish like smoke,
and the earth will wear out like a garment
Therefore put your trust in the Lord your God.

His righteousness will last forever
His salvation through all generations.
Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Scripture text for next Sunday: Isaiah 52:13-53:12