Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room and heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.
Joy the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love and wonders, wonders of His love.
In the first light of a new day, no one knew He had arrived.
Things continued, as they had been, while a newborn softly cried.
But the heavens, wrapped in wonder, knew the meaning of His birth,
In weakness of a baby, they knew God had come to earth.
As His mother held Him closely, it was hard to understand.
That her baby not yet speaking was the Word of God to man.
He would tell them of His kingdom, but their hearts would not believe,
They would hate Him and in anger, they would nail Him to a tree.
But the sadness would be broken as the Song of life arose;
And the Firstborn of creation would ascend and take the throne.
He had left it to redeem us, but before His life began,
He knew He’d come back, not as a baby, but as the Lord of every man!
Hear the angels, as they’re singing, on the morning of His birth,
But how much greater, will our song be when He comes again to earth!
Hear the angels, as they’re singing, on the morning of His birth,
But how much greater, will our song be, when He comes again to earth!
When He comes again to earth!!
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.
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary!
Why lies He in such mean estate where oxen now are feeding?
Good Christians, fear; For sinners here the silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through; the cross He’ll bear for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh, the Babe, the Son of Mary!
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 the song on high; The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy, for Christ is born, the babe, the Son of Mary!
Angels we have heard on high,
sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply,
echoing their joyous strains.
Chorus: Glo-ria in excelsis Deo; Glo-ria in excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be?
Which inspire your heav’nly song? Chorus.
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Chorus
This is a song of praise to God for redeeming His people. Part of that redeeming plan of God was Christmas.
7 I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord,
the deeds for which he is to be praised,
according to all the Lord has done for us—
yes, the many good things
he has done for Israel,
according to his compassion and many kindnesses.
8 He said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will be true to me”;
and so he became their Savior.
9 In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old.
10 Yet they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit.
So he turned and became their enemy
and he himself fought against them.
11 Then his people recalled the days of old,
the days of Moses and his people—
where is he who brought them through the sea,
with the shepherd of his flock?
Where is he who set
his Holy Spirit among them,
12 who sent his glorious arm of power
to be at Moses’ right hand,
who divided the waters before them,
to gain for himself everlasting renown,
13 who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in open country,
they did not stumble;
14 like cattle that go down to the plain,
they were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord.
This is how you guided your people
to make for yourself a glorious name.
Paul talks about the timing and the purpose of the events of the first Christmas. Jesus came when everything was just as it needed to be, when the time was right. He came to live under the law of God because we could not.
4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
INVOCATION
Pastor: We begin our worship and praise the same way we were baptized: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation: Amen.
MORNING PRAYER
C: I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger. Keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. Into Your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
P: As believers in Christ we are called to repent of our sins and forgive one another. In the book of James we are told, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” As one body in Christ, we unite our hearts in prayer:
C: Lord, I pray to You because I am hurting. I have cut myself off from You and others by the sin in my life. I need Your forgiveness so that I may find healing for my wounded life and for the wounds I have caused others. Today in the name of Jesus I pray, forgive me and by the power of Your Holy Spirit renew my heart. Amen
Change My Heart, O God
Change my heart, O God; Make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God; May I be like You.
You are the potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me, this is what I pray.
Change my heart, O God; Make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God; May I be like You
P: We take comfort and find confidence in the words of Jesus, “He has sent me to announce forgiveness to the prisoners and to restore sight to the blind, to give mercy to those whose lives are shattered by sin, to announce the favor of the Lord.” God gave His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins and rise from death to give us eternal life. We are forgiven. We live in the favor of the Lord.
C: Amen!
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all you nations rise, join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Chorus: Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with us to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel! Chorus.
PSALM 2
P: Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
C: The kings of the earth take their stand
P: And the rulers gather together against the LORD
C: And against His Anointed One.
P: "Let us break their chains," they say,
C: "and throw off their fetters."
P: The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
C: The Lord scoffs at them.
P: Then He rebukes them in His anger
C: And terrifies them in His wrath, saying,
P: "I have installed My King on Zion, My holy hill."
C: I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
P: He said to me, "You are My Son;
C: Today I have become Your Father.
P: Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance,
C: The ends of the earth Your possession.
P: You will rule them with an iron scepter;
C: You will dash them to pieces like pottery."
P: Therefore, you kings, be wise;
C: Be warned, you rulers of the earth.
P: Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.
C: Kiss the Son, lest He be angry
P: And you be destroyed in your way,
C: For His wrath can flare up in a moment.
P: Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
ALL: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forever and ever. Amen.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
THANK OFFERING
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
(2 Corinthians 4:18)
Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son.
And now, let the weak say “I am strong!” Let the poor say “I am rich!”
Because of what the Lord has done for us.
And now, let the weak say “I am strong!” Let the poor say “I am rich!”
Because of what the Lord has done for us.
Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son. Give thanks…
PRAYERS
(Our prayer team is always ready to go to the throne of the Father for you.
For prayer chain requests, email prayer@livinghopereunion.church.)
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, all praise to your name
Your kingdom among us, Your will done the same
By mortals and angels. Come, Lord, reign alone;
O hear us and bless us from heaven's high throne
The bread that we yearn for provide us each day
As we forgive others, our sins take away:
In times of temptation, to lead us be near
From evil deliver Your children most dear.
For yours is the kingdom; o'er all things you reign
And yours is the power; all things you maintain
To you be the glory, resounding again
From all of creation, forever. Amen
BENEDICTION
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
GREETING & ANNOUNCEMENTS