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My Jesus, my Savior; Lord, there is none like You

All of my days I want to praise…The wonders of Your mighty love.

My comfort, my shelter; Tower of refuge and strength

Let every breath, all that I am…Never cease to worship You.

Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing

Power and majesty, praise to the King

Mountains bow down and the seas will roar

At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work of Your hand

Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand

Nothing compares to the promise I have in You

Lord, I lift Your name on high.

Lord I love to sing Your praises.

I’m so glad You’re in my life.

I’m so glad You came to save us.

You came from heaven to earth to show the way;

From the earth to the cross my debt to pay;

From the cross to the grave,

From the grave to the sky;

Lord, I lift Your name on high. (Repeat whole last song)

When all I see is the battle

You see my victory

When all I see is the mountain

You see a mountain moved

And as I walk through the shadow

Your love surrounds me

I know there's nothing to fear now

For I am safe with You

Chorus: So when I fight I'll fight on my knees

With my hands lifted high

Oh God the battle belongs to You

And every fear I lay at Your feet

I'll sing through the night

Oh God the battle belongs to You

And if, O God You are for me

Who can be against me

I know that Jesus there's nothing

Impossible for You

When all I see are the ashes

You see the beauty

When all I see is a cross, God

You see the empty tomb Chorus

Bridge: Almighty Fortress You go before us

Nothing can stand against

The power of our God

You shine in the shadow

You win every battle

Nothing can stand against

The power of our God (Repeat bridge)

Chorus

Oh God the battle belongs to You

Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed,

Where a mother laid her baby in a manger for His bed;

Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven Who is God and Lord of all,

And His shelter was a stable, and His cradle was a stall;

With the poor and mean and lowly lived on earth our Savior holy.

But our eyes at last shall see Him through His own redeeming love,

For that child, so dear and gentle, is our Lord in heav’n above,

And He leads His children on to the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor, lowly stable with the oxen standing by

Shall we see Him but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high.

Then like stars His children crowned, all in white, His praise will sound.

All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall;

Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.

Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line, Whom David Lord did call,

The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all.

Sinners whose love can ne’er forget the worm-wood and the gall,

Go, spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.

Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe, on this terrestrial ball

To Him all majesty ascribe, and crown Him Lord of all.

Oh, that with yonder sacred throng, we at His feet may fall!

We’ll join the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all.

Gentle Mary laid her child lowly in a manger;

There He lay the undefiled, to the world a stranger.

Such a babe in such a place – Can He be the Savior?

Ask the saved of all the race who have found His favor.

Angels sang about His birth; wise men sought and found Him.

Heaven’s star shone brightly forth, glory all around them.

Shepherds saw the wondrous sight, heard the angels singing.

All the plains were lit that night; all the hills were ringing.

Gentle Mary laid her child lowly in a manger;

He is still the undefiled, but no more a stranger.

Son of God, of humble birth, beautiful the story;

Praise His name in all the earth, hail the King of glory!

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.

John 1 takes us back to Genesis 1. Notice the method that God used to bring everything into being. Read the rest of Genesis 1 for the whole creation account.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day", and the darkness he called "night". And there was evening, and there was morning -- the first day.

Before Jesus was born, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce the birth of the Saviour. The word ‘angel’ means messenger, and in this reading, we see Gabriel fulfilling that role. Notice Mary’s humble acceptance of God’s will. That attitude is something for us to mimic in our lives even with news that isn’t so wonderful.

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

INVOCATION

Pastor: We begin our worship in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregation: Amen.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

P: We gather here today before our Lord and Creator. He created us to serve Him and to love one another. But we have separated ourselves from Him with our sins. So let us now confess our sins to Him and ask for His forgiveness.

C: Merciful Father, I confess that I am a sinner. I make no excuses for my sins. I have sinned against You by the things I have done and the things I have not done. I come before You this morning in need of Your forgiveness.

I need Thee ev’ry hour, Most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

Chorus: I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;

Ev’ry hour I need Thee!

Oh, bless me now, my Saviour;

I come to Thee.

I need Thee ev’ry hour; Stay Thou nearby.

Temptations lose their pow’r, When Thou art nigh. Chorus:

P: Jesus died to take away all of your sins. You are forgiven. You have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, and come before Him this morning forgiven of all your sins. You are His child, and an heir of eternal life. May God’s grace strengthen you to live each day as His forgiven and dearly loved child.

C: Amen.

Your grace and mercy brought me through.

I'm living this moment because of You.

I want to thank You and praise You too.

Your grace and mercy brought me through.

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary,

Pure and holy, tried and true.

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living

Sanctuary for You. (repeat last song only)

P: God is good…

C: All the time.

P: All the time…

C: God is good.

P: How great the love the Father has lavished on us…

C: That we should be called children of God.

P: Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine

C: To the only wise God be glory in the church throughout all generations.

P: Let God’s people say:

C: Amen.

NICENE CREED

C: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen

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 Cor. 4:18)

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul.

Thank You, Lord, for making me whole.

Thank You, Lord, for giving to me

Thy great salvation so rich and free. (Repeat)

PRAYERS

THE LORD’S PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours now and forever. Amen.

(Our prayer team is always ready to go to the throne of the Father for you.

For prayer chain requests, email prayer@livinghopereunion.church.)

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: Lift up your hearts.

C: We lift them up to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.

C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

P: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In love He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.

Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ. To Him Who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and thanks and honor and glory forever and ever.

C: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.

The whole earth is full of Your glory.

You are my God, and I will exalt You.

I will give You thanks, for You have become my salvation.

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.

The whole earth is full of Your glory.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION

M: Our Lord Jesus Christ on the night He was betrayed took bread, gave thanks and gave it to His disciples saying, “Take and eat. This is my body given into death for your sins.”

In the same way, He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, “Drink from it all of you. This is My blood of the new covenant poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of Me.”

M: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C: Amen.

O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD

O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;

Have mercy on us.

O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;

Have mercy on us.

O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;

Grant us Your peace. Amen.

(The Scriptures teach that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper connects us intimately with Christ and with one another as Christians. To understand more about the Lord’s Supper, please visit with our pastor. He would love to talk with you about the blessings of the Lord’s Supper.)

Distribution of the Lord’s Supper.

Thank the Lord and sing His praise. Tell ev’ryone what He has done.

Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear His name.

He renews His promises and leads His people forth in joy

With shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia! Alleluia!

P: Hear the prayer of Your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised You here may glorify You in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of Your Son may long for His coming again, and that all who have received in His true body and blood the pledge of Your forgiveness may be restored to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

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