Immanuel Has Come Christmas Day

Immanuel Has Come Christmas Day

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Opening Hymn O Come, All Ye Faithful 1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him born the King of angels: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! 3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above. Glory to God, glory in the highest: O come, let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! 4. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be all glory giv n. Word of the Father now in flesh appearing! O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! The Invocation: P: We begin our worship in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. The Lighting of the Advent Wreath: P: For each of the last four Sundays, we ve lit candles on the Advent wreath. Each light was a sign that God has sent his love into the darkness. We light the candle of hope, real hope based on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus we look to the future, resting in the hope of life that is ours through the Savior. (An acolyte lights the first purple or blue candle.) The second candle we light for peace: We find our peace in the power and presence of the Spirit, promised by Jesus and sent to bring us to faith and keep us in the faith. ~ 3 ~

(An acolyte lights the second blue candle.) We light the third candle in the name of joy: We find our joy in the Good News of the Christ Child as we sing for joy with the shepherds and the angels this Christmas Day. (An acolyte lights the pink candle.) The last candle reminds us that the gift of the Christ Child and his gifts for us are all moved by the love of God a love that sent the Son to be our Redeemer. (An acolyte lights the fourth candle, which is blue.) Today we light the central candle: the light that shines in the darkness with the full power of the gift of faith. This is the great light that is Jesus, promised of old and given at Bethlehem. Here we celebrate God with us, Jesus our Redeemer. (An acolyte lights the white Christ Candle in the center of the Advent wreath.) God our Father, darkness that covered the earth has given way to the bright dawn of the Word made flesh. As we light the candles, fill us with your light. Make us those who bring your life to the waiting world. Fill us with the love brought by Jesus and give us the Spirit s power in sharing that gift. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Confession and Absolution C: Loving God, who sent Jesus as Savior of the world, we confess that our busy doing and decorating have shrouded our Christmas and caused us to lose our focus on the Christ Child. Forgive us for shaping the celebration ~ 4 ~

to fit our desires. Seize us by your Spirit. Focus our eyes and hearts on the coming Christ. Inspire us with that coming so that we shout from the housetops the Good News proclaimed by the angels and shared joyfully by the shepherds. Make us into your joy-filled Christmas messengers, sharing your powerful message of salvation for all. P: Jesus has promised that the sins we forgive on earth will also be forgiven in heaven. Trusting that precious promise, as a called and ordained minister of the Gospel, I confidently declare to you that, in Jesus Christ, all of your sins are forgiven and you are privileged to share that same forgiveness with all the others in your life. We are filled with Jesus light of life so that we can shine among the people of this world like stars in the sky. The Call to Worship P: A voice cries out, In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord; C: make a way in the desert, a road for our God. P: Every valley must be lifted up, and every mountain and hill leveled. C: The rough places will become a level plain, the rugged land a wide valley. P: The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it at the same time. C: For the Lord has decreed it. P: Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion! C: Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem! Shout, don t be afraid! P: Say to the towns of Judah, Here is your God! C: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son. ~ 5 ~

P: And they shall call his name Immanuel (which means God with us). C: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Hymn of Praise Gentle Mary Laid Her Child 1. 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. 2. Angels sang about his birth; wise men sought and found him; Heaven s star shone brightly forth, glory all around him: Shepherds saw the wondrous sight, heard the angels singing; All the plains were lit that night, all the hills were ringing. 3. 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! Prayer of the Day P: Gracious, loving and merciful God, on this Christmas Day, as the light of your Word penetrates our hearts, as we are reminded of the gift of life and faith, as the glories of the heavenly hosts are echoed in our church, we give you thanks. We are grateful, Lord Jesus, that your story has become our story, and we celebrate your birth, to take to heart the wonder of your love, that we may walk in your ways and delight in your will. Help us, Lord. Amen. ~ 6 ~

Special Music: Elizabeth Senstad Old Testament Reading Isaiah 7:10-16: L: Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. And he said, Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. L: This is the World of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. Epistle Reading 1 John 4:7-14 L: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has ~ 7 ~

sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. L: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. L: Please stand as you are able for the reading of the Holy Gospel. First Gospel Reading, John 1:1-14 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the first chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord. P: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. ~ 8 ~

C: Praise to You, O Christ. Second Gospel Reading Matthew 2:1-12 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the second chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord. P: Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him. After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, ~ 9 ~

opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ. Sermon Hymn of Response Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 1. Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; With th angelic hosts proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. 2. 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 th incarnate Deity, Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel. Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. 3. Hail, the heav n-born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, ris n with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give us second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. Offering & Attendance / Involvement Cards Prayers of the Church P: Loving, saving God, we celebrate the gift of life ~ 10 ~

you gave on this day, wrapped in swaddling clothes, the Savior of all, lying in a manger. We lift our voices with the heavenly host, that we may sing your glory on high. Give us a place with the wise men who followed your star that marked the gift of a Savior Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. P: On this holy day when God joins heaven and earth, let us offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all those in need. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. P: Let us pray for the Church around the world as it celebrates the birth of Christ. Bless all those who are entrusted with Christian ministry that your Word might be proclaimed with truth and courage across our world. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. P: Grant reconciliation to those overcome with conflict and violence, that they may live in the peace of this holy day. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. P: Let us pray for all who are cold, hungry or alone this day. Give the gift of your tender care to all who wander alone or have no place to lay their head, that they may experience the hope of this holy day. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. P: Let us pray for all who are anxious, depressed or ill. Draw near to those who find this season a source of pain or grief, and to all who are suffering or sick, especially those we remember in our own hearts... that they may feel the ~ 11 ~

comfort of this holy day. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. P: Let us pray for ourselves and for the blessings of Christmas. Open our hearts to your presence, that we may be transformed by the new birth of this holy day. Lord, in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. P: All these things and whatever else you see that we need, grant us, O God, for the sake of him who died and rose again, and now lives and reigns with in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Lord s Prayer C: 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. Word s of Institution Distribution Communion Hymns Now Sing We, Now Rejoice LSB 386 ~ 12 ~

Away in a Manger LSB 364 Public domain Public domain ~ 13 ~

Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming LSB 359 Public domain Benediction P: Now may the starlight of God s gift in Christ shine in us. May he continue to fill us with the treasure of his presence and may almighty God, Father, Son and Spirit bless and keep us now and always. Amen. Closing Hymn Joy to the World 1. 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. 2. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their ~ 14 ~

songs employ, While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy. 3. 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. 4. 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. By Ted Schroeder. 2018 Creative Communications for the Parish. All rights reserved. ~ 15 ~

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