December 2, 2018 First Sunday in Advent
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December 2, 2018 Advent 1 6541 Eastern Ave cristoreylutheran.com Bell Gardens CA 90201 (323) 395-8062 Pastor Matt Behmer pastor@cristoreylutheran.com Welcome to Cristo Rey Lutheran Church! Our mission is to share the good news of eternal life through Christ with you. We are both an established, yet new church. We have been serving Bell Gardens since the 1970s. At the same time, we recently began a partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod to revitalize our mission and ministry. It s a privilege to worship with you today. Please worship with us again very soon. Worship Information This service folder is your guide for today s worship. Much of our service responsive between the pastor and the congregation. The pastor will lead the sections marked (M). The congregation is invited to join on the sections marked (C). Children are always welcome to our worship services and are encouraged to participate as they are able. If a child needs a break from the worship service, a nursery is available in the back of our sanctuary. Restrooms are in the back of our church. They are assessible through the hallway along the north side of our building, or through the door to the right of our altar area. Worship Acknowledgements Liturgy and hymns taken from Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal, Christian Worship Supplement, and Oramos Cantando. Reprinted with permission under One License A-726822. Scriptures Lesson from Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. 3
OPENING HYMN Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending 4
INVOCATION AND GREETING M: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. M: The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. C: And also with you. CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION M: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. C: If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. M: Let us confess our sins to God our Father. C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin and take away my guilt. M: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will. C: Amen. 5
LORD, HAVE MERCY M: In peace, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. M: For the peace that comes from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. M: For peace throughout the world, for the wellbeing of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. M: For this family of faith and for all who here offer their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. M: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, merciful Lord. C: Amen. PRAYER OF THE DAY M: Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Protect us by your strength and save us from the threatening dangers of our sins; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. FIRST LESSON Genesis 19:15-17,23-29 5 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished. 16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, Flee for your lives! Don t look back, and don t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away! 23 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then the Lord rained down 6
burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities and also the vegetation in the land. 26 But Lot s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace. 29 So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived. SECOND LESSON 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. 11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. VERSE OF THE DAY Revelation 7:15a Alleluia. He who testifies to these things says, Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Alleluia. 7
GOSPEL Luke 21:25-36 25 There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. 29 He told them this parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 34 Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. M: The Gospel of our Lord. C: Praise be to you, O Christ. 8
HYMN OF THE DAY The King Shall Come SERMON Be Always on the Watch Luke 21:34-36 Estén siempre vigilantes Lucas 21:34-36 NICENE CREED I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, 9
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. I 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. I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. PRAYER OF THE CHURCH The pastor leads the congregation in the prayer of the church. OFFERING The members of Cristo Rey work together to support the work of the Lord in their community and around the world. Visitors should not feel obligated to participate. 10
THE PREFACE M: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. M: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them up to the Lord. M: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. C: It is good and right so to do. M: It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks to you, Holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord who comes with his Father to make his home in human hearts, working repentance and faith by his Spirit until he comes again. Therefore, with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising you and saying: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY 11
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. Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, sanificado sea tu nombre. Venga a nos tu reino. Hágase tu voluntad. Así en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día. Peronda nuestras ofensas como también perdonamos los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en la tentación mas líbranos del mal. Porque tuyo es el reino el poder y la gloria Por los siglos de los siglos. Amén. WORDS OF INSTITUION M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Then 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, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen. 12
LAMB OF GOD DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION God s Word teaches we should examine and prepare ourselves before receiving communion. It also teaches that communion is an expression of our unity in the faith. Therefore, we ask guests who are not members of our church or one of our affiliated churches to meet with our pastor before receiving communion the first time. 13
SONG OF THANKSGIVING PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING M: We give thanks to you, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through this sacrament, and we implore you that of your mercy you would strengthen us through the same in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. BLESSING M: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. C: Amen. 14
CLOSING HYMN Savior of the Nations, Come 15
UPCOMING EVENTS December 7 6pm Noche de películas Movie Night Preparación para las posadas y la misa de nochebuena December 14 6pm Catecismo y preparación para las posadas y la misa de nochebuena December 21 No hay catecismo No Catechism December 22 5pm Las Posadas December 24 7pm Misa bilingüe de nochebuena - Bilingual Christmas Eve Service December 25 10am Misa de navidad - Christmas Day Service 16