The First Sunday in Advent
November 30, 2025
The Message of Advent:
Jesus Is Coming…Are You Ready?
Some years ago a National Geographic magazine article included photographs and drawings depicting the
swift and terrible destruction that wiped out the Roman Cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in A.D. 79. The explosion of Mount Vesuvius was so sudden that many of the two cities’ residents were killed while in the middle of their daily routines: men and women were at the market; the rich died in their luxurious baths; and the lives of slaves were extinguished while they were going about their appointed tasks. Most of the area’s residents died by breathing in and being overwhelmed by volcanic ash and superheated gasses. Even family pets suffered the same quick and final fate as their owners. It takes little imagination to picture the horrors of that awful day! The saddest part is that these people didn’t have to die. Scientists confirm what ancient Roman writers recorded – that weeks of rumblings and shakings preceded the actual explosion of the volcano. Ominous plumes of smoke were clearly visible from the mountain days before the eruption. If only they had responded to the volcano’s clear warnings of impending destruction and death. But the residents of Pompeii and Herculaneum didn’t believe disaster was immanent. And so they weren’t prepared…..they simply weren’t ready to escape death and survive, even though the evidence before them was abundant. Similarly, would you be ready – Spiritually – to stand before Him in judgment if your Lord Jesus were either to end your earthly life today and immediately judge your soul, or return to earth in His “Second Coming” when, on the Last Day, He will judge all the living and the dead? As God’s children each one of us should be able to comfortably answer: “Yes, I am ready to leave this sinful world, to meet my Savior, and to live – by His grace – eternally in heaven.”
But if perhaps you’re not as confident as you might be, or as prepared as you ought to be, then thank God for the opportunity He’s giving us today in our worship service for all of us to reflect again, through hearing His Word, on the importance of our being spiritually prepared for life’s end and eternity’s beginning. That Christians might be ready for whenever the Lord calls or comes is a key reason behind why this First Sunday in Advent has, as its traditional emphasis, the need for God’s people to be spiritually ready for our Lord’s return.
On that Last Day – whenever it does come –, all the dead will be bodily resurrected, the absolute incarceration of Satan and all unbelievers in hell will occur, the destruction of this wicked world will take place, and He will provide eternal deliverance to His Church when He gathers the living elect (along those souls previously in heaven) into the Church Triumphant in its ultimate, glorious, final, heavenly form.
We’ll be studying all that, and more as we worship on this day which is special not only because we’ve been able to come together again in God’s house around His Word, but also because this morning at Grace Lutheran we’re observing two special “beginnings.” The first is the beginning of a new “Church Year;” the second is the start-up of that pre-Christmas period known as the Season of “Advent.”
The Christian “Church Year”
The practice of observing a “Church Year” (distinct from the secular “Calendar Year”) goes back to the earliest days of the Christian Church. The first Christians (most converts from Judaism) chose to continue some of the Jewish customs which had been a part of their religious background. One of those customs was to start their “calendar year” in the spring (rather than on January 1st, as we do today). By the 4th century, in what was at first an unrelated event, Christians living in Gaul (southern France) began to formally celebrate the Jesus’ birth on December 25th. Gradually, the celebration of Christ’s birth and the start of the Christian “worship year” were joined together. Subsequently, the beginning of the pre-Christmas season of Advent became the starting point for the new church year. That’s why our “Church Year” starts four Sundays before Christmas, rather than in the spring. The major divisions/seasons of the Christian Church Year (in order) are as follows: Advent; Christmas; Epiphany; Lent; Easter; and the Pentecost/Trinity season. The first five seasons collectively are also known as the “Festival” portion of the church year since nearly all of the “major” festivals (Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost) take place during them. The Festival portion covers, roughly, half the year – from December through May. The sixth portion of the church year (Trinity/Pentecost), accordingly, spans the other half of the year, from approximately June through November. It is often referred to as the “Non-Festival” portion of the Church Year, owing to the fact that no major church-wide festivals take place during this time (the observances of the Reformation of the Church and Thanksgiving Day, notwithstanding).
The Season of Advent – a brief history
The four week season of “Advent” that we’re also starting today developed out of an early Christian practice having to do with a period of fasting/penitence (which new confirmands were expected to undergo prior to their reception into the Christian fellowship on Epiphany [January 6th]). With the introduction of Christmas as a church festival, this period of penitence was placed before the celebration of Christ’s birth. Eventually it developed into a period of fasting and repentance for the entire church (although it was not intended to be as rigorous or as deeply penitential as the repentant behavior associated with the 40 days of Lent). At first the length of the season of Advent varied considerably, ranging from three to seven weeks. Over the years the season of Advent eventually became a firmly established period of four Sundays, concluding with Christmas Eve. By the 5th century, the first Sunday of Advent was officially recognized as the first day of the Church Year, a designation it holds to this day.
The Significance and Some of the
Traditional Emphases of the Advent Season
As with the season of Lent, the colors of Advent are violet/blue, symbolizing its penitential character. The term “Advent” is taken from a Latin word (“Advenio”) which means “I am coming.” Typically this season is used to focus the Church’s attention on three Biblical truths: (1) the coming [past] of Christ into the flesh, commemorated at Christmas; (2) the coming [present] of Christ to us on a continuing basis through God’s Word and the Lord’s Supper; and (3) the visible [future] coming of Christ in glory for judgement and deliverance at the end of time. Another of the “customary” emphases during Advent touches the three “Offices,” or roles, which the coming Christ will fulfill for His people: namely, the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. Old Testament prophecies (especially through Isaiah) pertaining to the coming and work of the Messiah are also routinely incorporated into the worship and study life of the Church during this period of the year. Additionally, congregations often use the time of Advent to study more carefully those portions of the New Testament Gospels which give us a record of the events immediately leading up to and heralding the Savior’s first coming to earth (notably, Luke 1 and Matthew 1).
Our Worship on this First Sunday in Advent
One special feature in this morning’s service – and it will continue throughout the Sundays in Advent – will be our “liturgical use” of one of our Lutheran Church’s traditional Advent hymns “Lift Up Your Heads You Mighty Gates.” It is printed out in the worship flyer. This hymn, incidentally, is based on today’s Psalm reading.
That Psalm Reading for this first Sunday in Advent (Psalm 24) has been used in Christian churches for many centuries to usher in the Advent season. In fact, it’s use to “start” the new church year and Advent season goes all the way back to the very early days of the Christian Church. This Messianic Psalm (pointing to the work of the Messiah) emphasizes the importance of our being eager and ready to receive the “King of Glory” as He comes to God’s people (at both His first coming over 2000 years ago, and in His “Second Coming” – for Judgment on the Last Day).
In our Children’s Lesson James talks about the need for us to be patient with the Lord’s timing of His second coming (just as a farmer patiently waits for his crop to grow). We’re going to talk about how important it is for us, as Christians, to wait patiently for the Lord to return – but also to continue to serve Him faithfully until that day comes.
In today’s Old Testament Lesson the people of Isaiah’s day – longing for the coming of the Messiah – confess their sin and their nation’s and plead for the Lord’s forgiveness and help. That help would come….but only after a period of discipline “earned” by Judah’s idolatrous ways.
Through this morning’s Epistle Lesson, Paul commends the Corinthians for their faith and encourages them to stay spiritually strong as they await the coming of the Savior.
Our Gospel Lesson is the traditional Gospel reading for the first Sunday in Advent…..and is also the account of Christ’s coming into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
Finally our Sermon Text encourages us to be spiritually ready for the Redeemer’s return, first by urging us to be continually aware of the “nearness” of Christ’s return – due to the increase in wickedness in our world – and also to recognize not only our need to regularly repent of our sins, but also to daily depend on the merits and mercies of Christ for our eternal deliverance, and to rededicate ourselves to living Godly lives out of love for our Savior until He does return.
Situated in the front of the church, to the right of the lectern, you’ll find an “Advent Wreath.” It’s been our practice at Grace Lutheran to use an Advent Wreath during the Advent and Christmas seasons as a symbolic means for both preparing ourselves for the arrival of the Christ child and then joyously reflecting upon the arrival of that Savior. The following brief history and explanation of the Advent Wreath’s symbolism is intended to help you enjoy and benefit from this traditional Christian expression.
The Advent Wreath
The Advent wreath is a combination of two very common symbols: light and the fir tree. From the early centuries of Christianity it has been the practice to represent Christ by a burning candle. The fir tree also has a long history of religious use. One of the most popular themes for the medieval “mystery plays” revolved around the telling of the story of Paradise. In those plays, the Garden of Eden was typically portrayed by a fir tree hung with apples. In the Eastern churches (Eastern/Greek Orthodox) December 24th was celebrated as the Feast Day of Adam and Eve. The custom of putting up a Paradise tree in the home on December 24th, decorated with apples, came into Europe (and the Americas) by way of the East. In Germany there was also a custom of placing a lit Christmas candle on top of a wooden pyramid decorated with evergreen twigs. In time the wooden pyramid was replaced by the Paradise tree, decorated with apples and lighted candles.
No doubt the Advent wreath was suggested, at least in part, by the Christmas tree. It seems that the Advent wreath originated a few hundred years ago among the Lutheran Christians of eastern Germany. A wreath of ever-greens, made of various sizes, was either suspended from the ceiling or placed on a table. Four candles representing the four Sundays of Advent were fastened to the wreath. Eventually the use of the Advent wreath became wide-spread and moved also from the home into the church. The general symbolism of the Advent wreath lies in the growing light of the wreath, increasing each week as we approach the birthday of Jesus the Light of the world.
The color of the candles in the Advent wreath is dictated by whatever emphasis a particular home or congregation gives to the season. While the emphasis may change somewhat according to the sermons, the traditional emphases in Advent are those of repentance and anticipation (the Sunday sermons are generally more “up-beat” and “joyous,” while mid-week sermons tend to be slightly more “sober” and “penitent” in character). That’s why the altar cloths and furnishings are in the color of purple (the traditional color of repentance) throughout the Advent season. It’s no wonder, then, that the prevalent color (three out of five) of the Advent wreath candles is purple.
The purple candle lit on the first Sunday in Advent is called “the Candle of Prophecy,” and symbolizes the Old Testament prophecies of the coming of the Savior. The second Advent candle (also purple) is referred to as the “Bethlehem Candle,” symbolizing the coming to earth of Jesus, the Son of God, born of the virgin Mary. The Third Advent candle (pink or rose-colored) is the “Shepherd Candle” and represents the coming of the Savior into the hearts and lives of His believers through His Holy Word. The pink/rose color serves to remind us that a note of joy should also heard in this penitential season. The final purple candle is the “Angel Candle,” symbolizing the final coming of the Savior in glory with all His holy angels. The white candle at the wreath’s center is the “Christ Candle,” symbolizing the perfection of Christ, the fulfillment of prophesy, and the centrality of Jesus in our Advent preparations. This “Christ Candle” remains unlighted during Advent in anticipation of the birth of the Savior, the Light of the world. Advent’s penitent emphasis focuses our attention on our sins and the need for a Savior, but on Christmas Day we joyfully celebrate the birth of that Savior….and so we then light the white Christ Candle.
White candles also replace the purple and pink ones, and the purple altar cloths are replaced by white altar cloths with the arrival of Christmas Day. The wreath, now with all white candles, continues to be used until the Christmas Season officially ends with the arrival of Epiphany on January 6th. The white altar cloths continue to be used through the first Sunday of Epiphany. The colors then change to green.
Prayer in Preparation for Worship: Heavenly Father, please guide me in wisdom and truth through Your Holy Spirit, as I spend this hour meditating on Your Word and rejoicing in Your limitless love for me. Assist me in being attentive in heart and mind to Your Word, as well as to the hymns of praise, the various petitions, and the prayers of thanksgiving my voice directs toward You. Use this worship service, O Lord, to deepen my love for You, to strengthen my trust in You, and to renew my commitment to You. All this I ask for the sake of and in the name of Your One and only Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version
Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
Used with permission. Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Pre-service prayer Pre-worship music
We Praise Our God
Welcoming and Introduction to Worship
after the Pastor’s greeting, the Congregation will rise
Our Psalm for Today Psalm 24
P: The earth is the Lord’s and everything that fills it, the world and all who live in it:
C: because He founded it upon the seas + and He established it on the rivers.
P: Who may go up to the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?
C: He who has clean hands and a pure heart, + whose soul is not set on what is false, + and who does not swear deceitfully.
P: He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God Who saves him.
C: Such are the people of Jacob who look for the LORD, + who seek His face.
P: Lift up your heads, you gates; Lift yourselves up you ancient doors, and the King of glory will come in.
C: Who is this King of glory? + The Lord strong and mighty, + the Lord mighty in battle.
P: Lift up your heads, you gates; lift up, you ancient doors, and the King of glory will come in.
C: Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord of Armies — He is the King of Glory!
after which the Congregation will be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 19 “O Lord How Shall I Meet You?”
1 O Lord, how shall I meet you,
How welcome you aright?
Your people long to greet you,
My Hope, my heart’s Delight.
O Jesus, let your word be
A lamp to light my way,
To show me how to please you,
To guide me ev’ry day.
2 Love caused your incarnation;
Love brought you down to me.
Your thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
Oh, love beyond all telling
That led you to embrace
In love, all love excelling,
Our lost and fallen race!
3 Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted,
Who sit in deepest gloom,
Who mourn o’er joys departed
And tremble at your doom.
Despair not; he is near you,
He’s standing at the door
Who best can help and cheer you
And bids you weep no more.
4 Sin’s debt, that fearful burden,
Let not your souls distress;
Your guilt the Lord will pardon
And cover by his grace.
He comes, for you procuring
The peace of sin forgiv’n,
His children thus securing
A heritage in heav’n.
5 He comes to judge the nations,
A terror to his foes,
A light of consolations,
And blessed hope to those
Who love the Lord’s appearing.
O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth your beams most cheering,
And guide us safely home.
after which the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
We Confess our Sins to the Lord
Congregation – “O God our Father, + since You have set forth the way of life for us in Your Beloved Son, + we confess with shame + our slowness to learn of Him, + our failure to always follow Him, +
our reluctance at times to bear the cross for Him. + Forgive us the poverty of our worship, our frequent neglect of fellowship + and of the Means of Grace, + our hesitating and inconsistent witness for Christ, + our evasion of our responsibilities in Your service, + our imperfect stewardship of Your gifts. + Forgive us also, + that so little of Your love has reached others through us, + and that we have often been thoughtless in our judgments, + hasty in our condemnation, + grudging in forgiving others the way You have forgiven us, + and unwilling to serve our neighbors as we ought. + Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your unfailing love; + according to Your great compassion blot out our transgressions. + Wash away all our iniquity + and cleanse us from our sin. + Create in us pure hearts, O God, + and renew steadfast spirits within us. + Do not cast us from Your presence + or take Your Holy Spirit from us. + Restore to us the joy of Your salvation, + and grant each of us a willing spirit to sustain us.
Pastor – “Find comfort for your souls, then, in these words of our Lord: “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will purify us from all unrighteousness, because we have One Who speaks to the Father in
our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” And now, upon this, your voluntary confession, I, because of my office as a called servant of God’s Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And, in the place of, and according to the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God be with you. Amen.”
Pastor – Behold, people of God! Your King comes to you;
Congregation – He is just and brings salvation!
Pastor – Rejoice people of God! Your Lord Jesus Christ has appeared and fulfilled God’s promises of old for your comfort and salvation.
Congregation Let us receive Him in humility and give Him the praise He deserves.
1 Lift up your heads, you mighty gates!
Behold, the King of glory waits.
The King of kings is drawing near;
The Savior of the world is here.
Life and salvation He will bring;
Therefore rejoice and gladly sing.
To God the Father raise
Your joyful songs of praise.
2 The King is born in poverty,
His chariot is humility,
His kingly crown is holiness,
His scepter, pity in distress.
The end of all our woe He brings;
Therefore the earth is glad and sings.
To Christ the Savior raise
Your grateful hymns of praise.
Redeemer, come! I open wide
My heart to You; here, Lord, abide!
Let me Your inner presence feel,
Your grace and love in me reveal;
Your Holy Spirit guide us on
Until our glorious goal is won.
Eternal praise and fame
We offer to Your name. Amen.
The Prayer For The First Sunday in Advent
Stir up Your Power, Lord Jesus, and come! + Protect us from the dangers that threaten us because of our sins. + Redeem us from the devil + whom You conquered by Your victory on the cross, + for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, + one God, for ever and ever. + Amen.
after which the Congregation will be seated
We Hear God’s Word
Today’s Children’s Lesson James 5:7-11
7 Therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the valuable harvest from the ground, patiently waiting for it, until it receives the early and late rain. 8 You be patient too. Strengthen your hearts because the coming of the Lord is near.
9 Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look! The Judge is standing at the doors! 10 Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering with patient endurance. 11 See, we consider those who endured to be blessed. You have heard of the patient endurance of Job and have seen what the Lord did in the end, because the Lord is especially compassionate and merciful.
What’s Are You Waiting For?
The Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 63:15-64:9
15 Gaze down from the heavens and see, from Your holy and beautiful dwelling place. Where is Your zeal and Your might? The feelings of Your heart and Your compassion are withheld from me. 16 But You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, though Israel does not acknowledge us. You, the Lord, are our Father. Our Redeemer from everlasting is Your name. 17 Why do You cause us to wander from Your ways, Lord? Why do You harden our heart so that we do not fear You?
Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes that are Your heritage.
18 For a short time Your holy people possessed the land. Now our adversaries have trampled Your sanctuary. 19 We have been Your people from ancient times, but You have not ruled over the other nations. They were not called by Your name.
64 :1 Oh, that You would rip open the heavens and come down.
Mountains then would quake because of Your presence. 2 As fire ignites stubble and as fire makes water boil, make Your name known to Your adversaries. Then nations would quake in Your presence. 3 You did amazing things that we did not expect. You came down. Mountains quaked because of Your presence. 4 From ancient times no one has heard. No ear has understood. No eye has seen any god except You, Who goes into action for the one who waits for Him. 5 You meet anyone who joyfully practices righteousness, who remembers You by walking in Your ways! But You were angry because we sinned. We have remained in our sins for a long time.
6 All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a filthy cloth. All of us have withered like a leaf, and our guilt carries us away like the wind. 7 There is no one who calls on Your name, who rouses himself to take hold of You. So You hid your face from us. You made us melt by the power of our guilt. 8 But now, Lord, You are our father. We are the clay, and You are our Potter. All of us are the work of Your hand. 9 Do not be angry, Lord, without limit. Do not remember our guilt forever. Please look closely. All of us are Your people.
The Epistle Lesson I Corinthians 1:3-9
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
4 I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus. 5 You were enriched in Him in every way, in all your speaking and all your knowledge, 6 because the testimony about Christ was established in you. 7 As a result you do not lack any gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also keep you strong until the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, Who called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
after which the Congregation will rise for
The Gospel Lesson Matthew 21:1-11
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. Immediately you will find a donkey tied there along with her colt. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 Tell the daughter of Zion: Look, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their outer clothing on them, and He sat on it. 8 A very large crowd spread their outer clothing on the road. Others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them out on the road. 9 The crowds who went in front of Him and those who followed kept shouting, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
10 When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, asking, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus, theProphet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.
after which the Congregation will be seated for
Sermon Hymn Hymn 9 “Jesus, Your Church With Longing Eyes”
1 Jesus, your Church with longing eyes
For your expected coming waits.
When will the promised light arise
And glory beam from heaven’s gates?
2 E’en now, when tempests round us fall
And wintry clouds o’ercast the sky,
Your words with pleasure we recall
And know that our redemption’s nigh.
3 Come, gracious Lord, our hearts renew,
Our sins forgive, our foes suppress,
Our rooted enmity subdue,
And crown your gospel with success.
4 Oh, come and reign o’er ev’ry land;
Let Satan from his throne be hurled.
Let nations bow to your command;
Let grace revive a dying world.
5 Teach us in watchfulness and prayer
To wait for your appointed hour,
And fit us by your grace to share
The triumphs of your conqu’ring pow’r.
After which the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord. May the God of peace fill you with all joy in believing! Amen.
The Sermon Text Romans 13:11-14
11 And do this since you understand the present time. It is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost over, and the day is drawing near. So let us put away the deeds of darkness and put on the weapons of light. 13 Let us walk decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual sin and wild living, not in strife and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not give any thought to satisfying the desires of your sinful flesh.
Ready, Willing and Faithful….
Living as Christ’s Advent People
following the Sermon, the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, to Him to glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen!
We Offer Our Gifts and Prayers to the Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
We will be passing an offering plate through our chapel at this point. For those unable to worship with us in person, if you would like to participate in this offering, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
As the offerings are brought forward, the Congregation rises for prayer
Our Special Prayers for Each Other
Included in our prayers this morning:
A Special Prayer of Intercession on behalf of George Layton, who continues to receive rehabilitation therapy in order to recover his strength and good health, so that he can return home soon.
The Prayers for This Morning
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The LORD look upon you with favor, and give you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn “O Jesus Christ, God’s only Son”
sung to the tune Tannenbaum
O Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, You came to earth from heaven,
Fulfilled the Prophets – every one – For us and our salvation.
The “Woman’s Seed,” and Abram’s Son,
Yet truly you’re th’ Eternal One,
The righteous Son of David, THE Messiah, long-awaited.
Lord Jesus, Sole Begotten Son, Be-lov-ed by the Father,
The miracles that You have done Affirmed You are none other
Than the True God in human form Spirit-conceived and Virgin born.
The perfect Keeper of the Law – To free us from its burden.
You stood before accusers, mute Rejected by Your nation
You bled and died, my Substitute You earned for me salvation.
O Lamb of God you took away The whole world’s sin
….Now hear me pray:
May peace and joy fill all this day – Who trust in You, dear Savior.
Oh Savior of the nations, Come, In majesty and glory
Attended by Your angel hosts Complete our earthly story.
As Judge of living and the dead, Forever You’re the Church’s Head.
By grace, through faith in You, ahead For us is Heav’nly glory.
Silent Prayer
Announcements
Post-service music
+ + + Thank You + + +
For being a part of our worshiping assembly this morning. We invite you to join those around you for some good conversation and fellowship at the conclusion of today’s announcements. We also invite you to join us for coffee, juice, and other refreshments in our gymnasium/fellowship hall. Finally, we encourage you to remain afterward with us for further growth in God’s Word through our Bible and Sunday School Classes. May the comfort of God’s love and His forgiveness through Jesus Christ be with you throughout this day and this week.