ADVENT WORSHIP 2018 The Word Made Flesh And the same word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. John 1:14
Advent The Word Made Flesh Dear Sisters, We offer this Christmas Advent Fellowship program. Advent means the hope and anticipation of Christ s arrival. The Advent season consists of four Sundays prior to Christmas Day. Its purpose is to prepare us to meet Christ. If possible, it would be good to have an Advent Worship Service early in the Advent season as it will help set the tone for the Christmas season and provide a preparation time for the celebration of Christ s birth and His return. This program is designed to be used in several different ways; here a few suggestions: For a personal or family worship service As a special service for a women s group or an all adult gathering For an all church worship service where families attend This program should be adapted to fit your circumstances; this is only a sample program, please modify it as you desire. All of the reading parts are contained in the program outline and all of the music follows. The sheet music pages for the hymns has been combined to have two hymns per page and are ready to print, if you chose to use them. Also, the hymns could be read as poems instead of singing them. If there is other music or poems that you prefer to use, such as live or prerecorded music, feel free to do so. All of the sources for the Advent program are noted at the end of the program outline under Acknowledgements. We hope that you, your family and fellow saints will take opportunity during Advent to prepare to receive Jesus Christ. We especially pray this Christmas season you will bow before Him in worhsip, honoring Him as The Word Made Flesh. The 2017-2018 Restoration Women s Ministries Committee 2
Advent The Word Made Flesh Advent Worship 2018 The Word Made Flesh PRELUDE: Christmas Music WELCOME: INVITATION TO WORSHIP: O Come, All Ye Faith # 114 Call to Worship Responsive Reading: [John 1:1-5, 11-14] Leader: In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word Group: and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God. The same was in the beginning with God. Leader: All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made which was made. Group: In him was the gospel, and the gospel was the life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the world, and the world perceiveth it not. Leader: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God; only to them who believe on his name. Group: He was born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Leader: And the same word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, Group: and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. CHRISTMAS HYMN: What Child is This # 257 INVOCATION: READER #1: Sound Over All Waters Sound over all waters, reach out from all lands, The chorus of voices, the clasping of hands; Sing hymns that were sung by the stars of the morn; Sing songs of the angels when Jesus was born. Blow, bugles of battle, the marches of peace, East, west, north and south, let the long quarrel cease; Sing ye the song angels sang at the birth; Sing glory to God and good-will on the earth. With glad jubilations, bring hope to the world; The dark night is ending, and dawn has unfurled; Rise, hope of the ages, arise like the sun; All speech flow to music; all hearts beat as one! 3
Advent The Word Made Flesh CHRISTMAS HYMN: O Come, O Come Emmanuel vss.1-2 # 83 READER #2: [Luke 2:1-7] And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all his empire should be taxed. This same taxing was when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one in his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David,) To be taxed, with Mary his espoused wife, she being great with child. And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was none to give room for them in the inns. CHRISTMAS HYMN: O Come, O Come Emmanuel vss.3-4 # 83 READER #3: [Luke 2:8-14] And there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, an angel of the Lord appeared unto them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. But the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 1 For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the way you shall find the babe, he is wrapped in swaddling clothes, and is lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest; and on earth, peace; good will to men. CHRISTMAS HYMN: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing # 111 READER #4 [Luke 2:15-19] And it came to pass, when the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go, even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord has made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. All they who heard it, wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds; But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. CHRISTMAS HYMN: Silent Night! Holy Night! # 120 READER #5: But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And we too, go over the gospel in Luke, year after year focusing as best we can on the story, trying to gleam from it every scrap, pondering every clue that would help us better understand the gift. What does it mean, to ponder? To think, on a deeper than usual level? To meditate on? It s a different kind of thinking from the one we routinely use. 4
Advent The Word Made Flesh Webster says it mean: careful weighing of a problem so that nothing important escapes attention ; definite focusing of ones thoughts upon something so as to understand it deeply ; a going over the same problem or subject again and again. Like Mary, we have much to ponder: That God should choose to become one of us That God should so love us That God should still come, still be with us even us.* Let us ponder on this miracle, and focus on this thought; The Word Made Flesh so as to understand it deeply. CHRISTMAS HYMN: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus # 160 READER #6 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1:1 KJ] * The Hymn of the Logos, that passage has been called The Anthem of the Word. It sounds like an anthem. The words ring with a majesty that sounds like music and something in the hearts of those who read and who listen, soars with the music right into the presence of God. *That s what this anthem of John s is doing. The careful, measured rhythm of these staggering statements carries us along, sweeps us along, right into the presence of God. Or, to put it more accurately, the presence of God sweeps right into our very midst. *That s what Emmanuel means: God-with-us God-in-ou-midst. The Word came to dwell among us, that we might have some understanding of what God is like. This is the Christmas miracle. *At the creation of the world, God called light into being. And that light, the s u n, gives life. *In the 15 tth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, God called light into being with the birth of Jesus Christ. And his life was the light to humankind. *In the 2,017 th year of the Christian era, the world is in darkness, and God still calls light into being, reminding us that he is with us now and always. This is the miracle. That Christmas comes, and comes and comes again. For the light shines (present tense) in the darkness, and the darkness has not, and shall not overcome it.* CHRISTMAS HYMN: Newborn of God # 247 READER #7 [Mosiah 8:11-13, 29-32, 34-36, 79-82] Mormon records the words of Abinadi: For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people, yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began? Have they not spoken more or less concerning these things? 13 Have they not said that God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth? And because he dwelleth in flesh, he shall be called the Son of God: And having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son; the Father because he was conceived by the power of God: and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son: And they are one God, yea, the very eternal Father of heaven and of earth; 5
Advent The Word Made Flesh And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people. Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father; And thus God breaketh the bands of death; having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men: Having ascended into heaven; having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion toward the children of men; And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come, as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption. And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death, that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection. But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ. He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death. CHRISTMAS HYMN: The Light of the World is Jesus vss.1-2 # 213 READER #8 [Luke 2:21, 25-35] And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus; which was so named of the angel, before he was conceived. And behold, there was a man at Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child, even Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph, and Mary, marveled at those things which were spoken of the child. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; Yea, a spear shall pierce through him to the wounding of thine own soul also; that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. READER #9 In Thine Own Heart* Though Christ a thousand times In Bethlehem be born, If he s not born in thee Thy soul is still forlorn. The cross on Golgotha Will never save thy soul, The cross in thine own heart Alone can make thee whole. 6
Advent The Word Made Flesh READER #10: And the same word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. [John 1:14] May the Word, Jesus Christ, dwell among us, born in our hearts Emmanuel, God-withus that we may behold His glory, and with the angels, announce His hope to those that sit in darkness: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace; goodwill to men. CHRISTMAS HYMN: Joy to the World # 110 BENEDICTION: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RESOURCES: CHRISTMAS HYMNS: #s 110, 111, 114, 120, 160: Hymns of the Restoration, Copyright 1986 #s 83, 213: Great Hymns of the Faith, Copyright 1968 by Sinspiration, Inc. #s 247, 257: Hymns of the Saints, Copyright 1981, Corrected printing, 1982, Herald Publishing House, Independence, MO READER SELECTIONS: IV Holy Scriptures [unless otherwise noted] Book of Mormon *Advent 1980- a calendar of devotions by Carr & Donna Cas Sound Over All Waters #261 Hymns of the Saints, Copyright 1981, Corrected printing, 1982, Herald Publishing House, Independence, MO 7
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