Download: Readings and Song Lyrics for December 21, 2025
Pre-service Song
How Beautiful the Mystery
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.
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)
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)
By Eric Schumacher, David L. Ward and Jeff Bourque
© 2010 Hymnicity
Call To Worship
We confess the supremacy of God in Christ through both responsive reading and song.
Advent Reading and Candle Lighting
Isaiah 59:9, 60:1-3, 19 ESV; Advent readings adapted from The Worship Sourcebook
We hope for light, and behold, darkness,
and 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 behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the LORD will arise upon you,
and nations shall come to your light.
The sun shall be no more your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon give you light.
For the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
Our Sung Call to Worship
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 ev’ry nation,
Joy of ev’ry longing heart.
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.
By Charles Wesley and Rowland Prichard
©Public Domain
Confession
We confess our need for mercy through both responsive reading and song.
Our Spoken Confession
Franklin Kyrie
O, Lord, our God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
we are aware of the sins we have not put to death,
we feel the weakness of our flesh and our need of grace.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy, have mercy, Lord.
Lord, deliver us from all pride, vanity, and hypocrisy,
from all envy, hatred, and malice,
from all lack of charity, gossip, and slander.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy, have mercy, Lord.
Lord, deliver us from all disordered desires and sinful affections,
from the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy, have mercy, Lord.
Lord, deliver your church from hardness of heart
from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism,
from contempt of your Word and your will.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray:
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy, have mercy, Lord.
Heavenly Father, we ask all these things
in the name of Jesus our Lord and on the basis of
his perfect life—our righteousness;
his death—our sacrifice for sin;
his resurrection—our hope of glory;
his ascension—our intercession.
Through your Holy Spirit, be with us and dwell in us.
Remember that we are dust, and hear us we pray
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy, Lord.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Have mercy, Lord.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy, Lord.
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
Galatians 3:10-13, 2:20, 6:14 (ESV)
Remember the Gospel!
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law,
and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”
I have been crucified with Christ.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me.
But far be it from me to boast
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by which the world has been crucified to me,
and I to the world.
Our Sung Profession of Assurance
Away in a Manger
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there.
Words by anonymous (vs.1 & 2) and John Tomas McFarland (vs. 3) Music by James R. Murray
©Public Domain
How Beautiful the Mystery
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.
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)
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)
By Eric Schumacher, David L. Ward and Jeff Bourque
© 2010 Hymnicity
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.
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 25 (ESV)
Of David.
1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to
shame; they shall be ashamed who are
wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
6 Remember your mercy, O LORD
and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth
or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!
8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love
and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant
and his testimonies.
11 For your name’s sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who is the man who fears the LORD?
Him will he instruct in the way that he
should choose.
13 His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear
him, and he makes known to them his covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
Let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.
This is the word of the Lord.
The grass withers and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Sermon
Psalm 25 – “Walking with God in Dark Days” – 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
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
By Henry Sloane Coffin, Thomas Helmore, and John Mason Neal
©Public Domain
Blessing
2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
Amen.
Scripture text for next Sunday: Psalm 26