THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Saturday, December 16, 2017 6:30 p.m. Sunday, December 17, 2017 8:00 a.m. Divine Service 3 LSB pg. 184 As We Gather The good old days. Oftentimes, we look to the past with a feeling of nostalgia. We think that things were better or safer or greater back then. Perhaps we have this feeling for good reason; after all, the future can be scary! What violent act is going to happen next? Where is the economy headed now? What kind of world will my children live in? Yet, in today s Gospel, John assures his listeners of greater things to come. His message is one of hope in the coming Savior. In Christ, we, too, have greater things to come including resurrection and life with Him forever. That s reason for rejoicing, now and always! Pre-Service & Welcome (8:00 a.m.) The First Noel Calvary Chorale Jacqueline Wiernicki-Violin Entrance Hymn (Please stand on last verse) Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates LSB 341 1 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates! Behold, the King of glory waits. The King of kings is drawing near; The Savior of the world is here. Life and salvation He doth bring; Therefore rejoice and gladly sing. To God the Father raise Your joyful songs of praise. 2 A righteous Helper comes to thee; His chariot is humility, His kingly crown is holiness, His scepter, pity in distress. The end of all our woe He brings; Therefore the earth is glad and sings. To Christ the Savior raise Your grateful hymns of praise. 4 Fling wide the portals of your heart; Make it a temple set apart From earthly use for heav n s employ, Adorned with prayer and love and joy. So shall your Sov reign enter in And new and nobler life begin. To God alone be praise For word and deed and grace! 5 Redeemer, come and open wide My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide! O enter with Thy grace divine; Thy face of mercy on me shine. Thy Holy Spirit guide us on Until our glorious goal is won. Eternal praise and fame We offer to Thy name. 3 How blest the land, the city blest, Where Christ the ruler is confessed! O peaceful hearts and happy homes To whom this King in triumph comes! The cloudless sun of joy is He Who comes to set His people free. To God the Spirit raise Your happy shouts of praise. 1

Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Baptism (8:00 a.m.) (Please be seated) Confession & Absolution Elijah Christopher Lee P: Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. P: Our help is in the name of the Lord, C: who made heaven and earth. P: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, C: and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. P: O almighty God, merciful Father, C: I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being. P: Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Advent Verse (Please be seated) O Come, O Come, Emmanuel LSB 357 2

Lighting the Advent Candle John 8:12; John 1:5; 1 Cor 4:5; 2 Cor 4:6 L: Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, C: the light no darkness can overcome. L: Let Your light scatter the darkness C: and illumine Your Church. Advent Hymn Tune LSB 343 1 We light the Advent candle And wait for Christ to come. With hope, we trust the promise That He will bring us home. Our hope is in our Savior Who wins for us God s favor. We wait with growing light Till God makes all things right! 2 We light the Advent candle And thank the Lord for rest. With peace, we know our Jesus Has come to be our guest. This peace beyond all knowing Within our hearts is glowing. We wait with growing light Till God makes all things right! Salutation and Prayer of the Day L: The Lord be with you. C: And with thy spirit. L: Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. The Word of the Lord Old Testament Appointed to Bring Good News Isaiah 61:1-4, 10 L: The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. C: I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness. L: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. 3 3 We light the Advent candle And sing with cheerful heart. With joy, we spread the message That God would us impart. Our joy is never ending; The Son to us is sending. We wait with growing light Till God makes all things right!

Epistle Ordinary Manifestations of an Extraordinary Faith in God 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. L: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. Gospel Verse (Please stand) Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus LSB 338 Holy Gospel Prepare the Way of the Lord John 1:6-8, 19-28 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? He said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? And he answered, No. 22 So they said to him, Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said. 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? 26 John answered them, I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie. 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ. 4

Apostles' Creed (6:30 p.m. only) I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life T everlasting. Amen. (Please be seated) Children s Message (6:30 p.m.) Hymn of the Day In Thee Is Gladness LSB 818 5

Sermon Who Am I? John 1:19-28 Sermon Series Our Journey through Advent (Week 3) 1) I am the. 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? He said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? And he answered, No. 22 So they said to him, Who are you? (John 1:19-22). 2) I am. But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine (Isaiah 43:1). 3) I am the. 27 John answered, 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:27-30). Listen to past sermons or share them with a friend at clcs.org/sermons. Pastoral Greeting & Rite of Fellowship (Welcome! Please add your name to the fellowship pad.) Gathering of Offerings (As an act of worship and thanksgiving, we offer to God what He has first given to us: the first and best of our lives, time, talents and financial gifts. If you would like to contribute electronically, either onetime or ongoing gifts, please use www.clcs.org/donate or the QR code here.) Special Music (8:00 a.m.) Celtic Advent Carol Calvary Chorale 6

Prayer of the Church (Please stand) P: Let us come before our Lord in prayer, asking Him to hear our prayer and grant us joy. L: Lord of joy, during this season of Advent, prepare our hearts that we would be made ready to receive Your Son as He comes in His incarnation and birth. Make us ever ready for His final coming on the Last Day. Lord, in Your mercy, L: Lord of joy, You have called Your Church to bear witness to Christ s redeeming work. Grant that we boldly proclaim the Good News of the One who brings joy to the world through His life, death, and resurrection, that all who hear it may receive the gift of salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, P: Lord of joy, You have instructed us to pray for workers in Your harvest field. Raise up faithful and loving teachers of Your Word so that Christ may be proclaimed near and far. Make us Your instruments to encourage and equip individuals for work in Your Church. Lord, in Your mercy, L: Lord of joy, we ask that You stretch forth Your almighty arm to protect the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces of our land. Support them, granting them courage and loyalty. Strengthen those who are far from home and family. Lord, in Your mercy, L: Lord of joy, be with all who travel in this time of year. May their travels be safe and their homecomings joyful. Grant Your care to all who find themselves struggling with hurt, heartache, and loss during this time of year. Console them in Your continual presence, ensuring them that You will never leave them nor forsake them. Lord, in Your mercy, P: Lord of joy, according to Your will, grant healing to those who suffer in body and mind. Look with favor upon Your servants ( special petitions). Lord, in Your mercy, L: Into Your hands we commend all for whom we pray, in the name of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. The 6:30 p.m. service continues on page 11 with the Lord s Prayer. Holy Communion Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life. He says: Come, for those who eat this bread and drink this cup will never hunger or thirst, but be raised up on the Last Day (John 6). Whoever receives the Lord s Supper must be a believer in Christ (Hebrews 11:6); be sorry for their sins (Proverbs 28:13); believe that Christ offers His body and blood with the bread and wine (1 Corinthians 10:16); and be willing to forgive those who have sinned against you (Matthew 6:14-15). Come with faith in His promises to you and His presence in this holy meal. As you approach the Lord s table, please move to the cross on the center rail. Gluten-free wafers are available on the two stands at the front of the church. Worshippers with a gluten allergy may pick up a sealed packet on their way to the communion rail. 7

Preface Service of Holy Communion 8:00 a.m. P: The Lord be with you. C: And with thy spirit. P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them up unto the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is meet and right so to do. P: It is truly good, right, and salutary 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, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming Him the promised Messiah, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when He comes again in glory. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying: Sanctus LSB 195 Lord's Prayer P: Taught by our Lord and trusting His promises, we are bold to pray: 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. 8

The Words of Institution & the Peace of the Lord P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. Agnus Dei LSB 198 Distribution Hymn (Please be seated) O Come, O Come, Emmanuel LSB 357 3 O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes on Sinai s height In ancient times didst give the Law In cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! 4 O come, Thou Branch of Jesse s tree, Free them from Satan s tyranny That trust Thy mighty pow r to save, And give them vict ry o er the grave. Refrain 5 O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heav nly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery. Refrain 6 O come, Thou Dayspring from on high, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death s dark shadows put to flight. Refrain Special Music (8:00 a.m.) Advent Carol Paul Brakke, Dennis Humphrey 9

Distribution Hymn Comfort, Comfort Ye My People LSB 347 1 Comfort, comfort ye My people, Speak ye peace, thus saith our God; Comfort those who sit in darkness, Mourning neath their sorrows load. Speak ye to Jerusalem Of the peace that waits for them; Tell her that her sins I cover And her warfare now is over. 2 Yea, her sins our God will pardon, Blotting out each dark misdeed; All that well deserved His anger He no more will see or heed. She hath suffered many_a day, Now her griefs have passed away; God will change her pining sadness Into ever-springing gladness. 3 Hark, the herald s voice is crying In the desert far and near, Calling sinners to repentance, Since the Kingdom now is here. O that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way; Let the valleys rise to meet Him And the hills bow down to greet Him. 4 Make ye straight what long was crooked; Make the rougher places plain. Let your hearts be true and humble, As befits His holy reign. For the glory of the Lord Now o er earth is shed abroad, And all flesh shall see the token That His Word is never broken. Nunc Dimittis (Please stand) LSB 199 10

Communion Blessing & Post-Communion Prayer L: Let us pray. We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and 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. 6:30 p.m. service continues here Lord's Prayer (6:30 p.m.) P: Taught by our Lord and trusting His promises, we are bold to pray: 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. Benediction P: Bless we the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace. Sending Hymn Rejoice, O Pilgrim Throng LSB 813 Join us for a special Advent worship service on Wednesday, Dec. 20 th 7:00 p.m. Weekend Worship: Sat., Dec 23 rd 6:30 p.m. & Sun., Dec 24 th 10:00 a.m. only Christmas Eve: Sun., Dec 24 th 5 & 7 p.m. Christmas Day: Mon., Dec 25 th 10 a.m. 11