Advent and Christmas Festival of Worship and Music 9:00 and 10:30 December 20, 2015 Calvary Lutheran Church, Grand Forks, ND Prelude Welcome Welcome to this special service of worship in which with music from the Calvary choir, the Handbell choir, and a youth string ensemble, as well as readings and monologs and hymns we, on this fourth Sunday of Advent, will journey together from the waiting and longing and hoping of Advent to the praises and proclamations and promises fulfilled in Bethlehem. Come, let us worship in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Calvary Handbell Choir In the Bleak Midwinter Advent Candle Hymn #240 (verse 4) Advent Candle Prayer We praise you, O God, for this wheel of time that marks our days of preparation for Christ s advent. As we light the candles on this wreath, open our eyes to see your presence in the lowly ones of this earth. Enlighten us with your grace, that we may sing of your advent among us in the Word made flesh. Grant this through Christ our Lord, whose coming is certain and whose day draws near. Amen. (the fourth candle is lit) Youth String Ensemble What Child Is This? Away In A Manger
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5 Reader: Hear the words of the prophet, Isaiah Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Monologue: Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist) Leader: The gospels tell us that John the Baptist was the one who was the fulfillment of Isaiah s prophecy that there would be one who, in the wilderness, would prepare the way of the Lord. John s birth was foretold to his father, Zechariah, by an angel. Hear now from Zechariah as he reflects on his encounter with the angel who told him he going to have a son, even though he and his wife, Elizabeth, were very old and had never been able to have children. Zechariah: I remember everything about that day. I had been serving as a priest before God, and that day I was the one chosen to go into the temple to burn incense to the Lord. Remembering, I can still smell the incense. I can still hear the prayers of the worshipers outside like it was yesterday. And I can still remember the light a man...but not a man, an angel! I d never seen anything like him And I ve never been more terrified in my life! The angel knew my name. He knew my Elizabeth s name. He told me of our future son, and gave him a name. Our son. I looked at my old and wrinkled hands and remembered my wife s tears on my fingertips the last time I had wiped them from her face, praying, as I had prayed so many times, that God would give our love for each other a child. I had begged God to do so! I remembered, as the angel spoke his promises, all the years of Elizabeth s heartbreak and my failure and God s silence The angel said not only that we would have a son, but that our son would be great! That he would lead our people back to God! That he would prepare the way for the One the One! we had waited for! But there had been so much waiting so much disappointment. How can I be sure of what you are telling me? I asked the angel, full of doubt; full of fear. Those were the last words I was able to speak until 9 months later, when I held him in my arms John my son My son who lived his whole life in the same manner that he came into mine: he made a path in the wilderness; he made way for the Promised One. In the temple that day, God found me in the wilderness of my doubt, my broken heart, and my weary hope, and He made a path. The glory of the Lord was revealed in my darkness. The fulfillment of our hopes happened happened to me; happened for all even though I d begun to think that hope was no longer something I could hope for! But in His time, in His way, God kept His promises. In God s time, in God s way, God always keeps promises! Calvary Choir An Advent Yearning
Scripture Reading: Gospel: Luke 1:39-55 Reader: A reading from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord. And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever. The Prayer of the Day Leader: The Lord be with you. Cong: And also with you. Leader: Let us pray. Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that binds us, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Cong: Amen. Calvary Choir Comfort, Comfort Ye My People Monologue: Mary (the mother of our Lord) Leader: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the mother of our Lord, was young a very woman when she heard, from an angel of the Lord, that God would bring His Son into the world through her. Listen now to Mary, as she tells her story. Mary: When I was just a young woman (actually, still just a girl in some ways) an angel of the Lord came to me and told me I was highly favored. Just like that. He greeted me and told me God loved me. The next thing he said was, Do not be afraid. Many have asked me to tell the story. They want to know about the angels, the star, the shepherds, the wise men. People want to know what it was like to watch my Son do miracles, and teach, and touch, and heal and die and rise again. To those who ask for stories, I gladly tell them. I have witnessed the incredible love and amazing power of our God firsthand, and I tell anyone who asks me all about it! But I especially love when people ask me about the very first part of my story with my son: how the angel said God loved me, and said, Do not be afraid. That s what I said to myself as I looked Joseph in the eye and told him what God was going to do through me and in me. It s what I repeated to myself on that long ride to Bethlehem, and at the
door of the inn, and laying in the hay of that stable in labor and childbirth: God loves you, Mary. Do not be afraid. Over and over again, I said it. It s what I said to myself as I realized more and more who my Son was, and what being who He was would mean. It s what I said to myself as I watched Him walk away from home the last time; as I heard the rumblings against Him in Jerusalem; as I watched Him be mocked and tortured and killed. It s what I said in quiet wonder when I heard the news that he had risen from the dead! There were times many times! when it was hard to believe. I wish I could say I never doubted, or never felt afraid. But those things are true of all of us that side of all of us that s, well, that s human. That s why I like so much to tell the beginning of the story: because just as much as fear and doubt are true for all of us, the angel s words are also true, for all of us! They re true for you! God loves you! God sent you a Son My Son His Son Do not (there s no reason for it, ever!) do not be afraid! Hymn #272: Lo, How A Rose E er Blooming (vss 1-2) Calvary Choir There Is No Rose (of such virtue, as is the rose that bore Jesu)
Scripture Reading and Monologue: Joseph (the earthly father of Jesus) Leader: When God told Mary that she would soon bring Jesus into the world, she was engaged to Joseph. When she told Joseph that she was with child, he, understandably, had questions, doubts, fears. The Bible speaks of Joseph at that time with these words, from Matthew 1:18-25: Reader: Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us. When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. Leader: Listen now to Joseph, as he tells you about his Son, who was also his Savior. Joseph: My father taught me so many things! He taught me to love the smell of fresh cut wood. He taught me to listen to the wood when I worked with it. He taught me to create things that were useful but beautiful too. And he taught me the stories of our people; he told me proudly that the promised Messiah would come from our very own family line! I loved the story, but, well, I removed too. Not once not once ever!! did it occur to me that I would in any way directly be part of it! Holding my infant Son in my arms that very first time, I looked down into his small face, held his tiny body, and tried to let it sink in that I was a father now. This baby would become a man, and I would be the one to teach him. I would tell him the stories of our people, but I would tell him much differently than before, for I was no longer removed in any way! The stories would be about him! All of the stories had always been about him! I held him tightly to my chest. He was so small, and so much was on those infant shoulders, swaddled and covered in bits of hay. I couldn t begin to wrap my mind around it all. I did my best as a father. I suppose most parents do. I wasn t perfect. No parents are. One day, when Jesus was twelve, Mary and I accidentally left him in Jerusalem! When we realized our mistake, we were frantic I mean, who does such a thing!?! We found Him in the Temple with the teachers. Mary was the first to speak but I was the first to spot Him. Just the sight of my boy, standing there no longer a boy, but a young man stopped me in my tracks. He asked questions of the teachers that had never occurred to me. He gave answers that healed something within me a part of me that had been broken for a long time. He was my Son, but more than that. I knew I had been told! who he was, but I hadn t fully grasped who he was. My Son was the old stories, yes! But yet, here he was, telling new stories too! My Son my all The Lord of all The Savior for all. Calvary Choir: What Strangers Are These?
Scripture Reading Micah 5:2-5a Reader: Hear the words of the prophet, Micah But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace. Monologue: A Shepherd Leader: Shepherds in nearby Judean fields were the first people outside of Jesus family to know about His birth. Hear now, from one shepherd, his story of meeting the baby Jesus. Shepherd: (Roger from balcony) When I was just a boy, I used to play king of the field. On those days, the wooden rod in my hand turned into a royal scepter; the camel hair cloak on my back became the finest silk; and those sheep all around me became my people my adoring subjects. I governed, gave fine speeches, and settled disputes. It helped the hours pass. But at the end of the day, I was back to being a shepherd, a little brother, a kid alone with some sheep. Not many people want my job, but it isn t all bad. It s hard to explain, but there is something special about caring for a flock. You get to know them. You realize that they look to you and trust you and follow you and need you. And it occurs to you that you d do just about anything for them. I ve fought off bears, climbed out on rocky ledges, and helped newborn lambs come into this world. I like being a shepherd even if it is a little boring sometimes! Once, though, I saw something so amazing! I d never seen anything like it before, and I can t imagine I ever will again! It was late at light. I was camped out, watching over my flock, and looking at the stars. You people with your city lights and yard lights and house lights; I want to tell: there is nothing like the stars on a clear night in a field where there is no light but star light anywhere to be seen! But suddenly, I saw the brightest light I had ever seen! I would have thought I was dreaming, except as soon as I saw it I felt like I had just woken up for the first time ever! It was an angel! I fell to the ground face down. I thought I was going to die! But I didn t die. Instead, the angel spoke. He told me not to be afraid. And there was such joy in his voice! He almost laughed the words to me: I bring you good news! He told me a baby had been born, but not just any baby: the Savior of my people. My heart leapt, and I looked up, and the sky erupted! I m sure I can t explain with just words all that I saw. It was like heaven was laughing, singing, swirling in worship and joy all around me! I got up and I started running. I ran to Bethlehem to find this baby, this Savior, this Hope we d been hoping for! I found him. I saw him. His mother let me hold him! He wrapped his small fingers around mine, and I looked down at his hands; and I recognized them. They were shepherd hands. A Shepherd who would be a King! Calvary Choir: Hurry, Shepherds, Run!
Hymn 267: Joy to the World (the offering is received during the hymn) Calvary Handbell Choir: Silent Night Closing Monologue When did you first meet Him? What was it like? How did He come, when He came? Was it with a quiet voice, or an eruption of angels? Did you know who He was when you first saw Him? Were you afraid then? Or did all of your fears melt then? When did you first meet Jesus, and what was it like? This is a season to remember His story: the prophecies that pointed to His coming, the people who longed for His coming, the darkness of a sin-broken world that so needed His coming and so needs Him still! We remember His birth that our God is not a God who is far away, but rather found a way a flesh and blood way! to come and be with His people. We remember that His coming affected people changed people changed everyone changes us.
And so, too, this is a season to remember our stories. His impact upon our lives. The darkness, the doubts, the fears that have been ours; the light, the good promises, the comfort, the favor, the love that are ours because we are His. We come this season, along with all who loved Him Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and Kings we come to Bethlehem. We lean over the side of a manger, and we behold Him. We come with our joys. We come with our hopes. We come with our sin that needs forgiving. We come with our brokenness that needs healing. We come with ourselves as our offering. We come to where He came. We come because He came. We come, and we adore Him, Christ the Lord! Hymn 283: O Come, All Ye Faithful (verse 1)
Calvary Choir: Glory to God in the Highest Heaven Dismissal: Postlude Leader: Go in peace! Share the good news! Cong: Thanks be to God!