December 4th 2022 Worship

 

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

HYMN: Each Winter…………………………………….……Red 252

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

HYMN: Twas in the Moon……………………………………Red 284

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES

Hymn: Kyrie……………………………………………………Red 157

Beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace, mercy, and peace be with you all.  And also with you.

Hymn: Let My Prayer…………………………………………Red 232

PRAYER: Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way for your only Son. By his coming give us strength in our conflicts and shed light on our path through the darkness of this world; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Isaiah 11:1-10 In the previous chapter Isaiah portrays God's judgment as the felling of a great forest. In today's reading the prophet describes the ideal ruler who will come in the future as a green shoot springing from the dead stump (David's royal line) of Jesse (David's father). The reign of this monarch will be experienced as paradise regained. A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Romans 13: 11 The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Hymn: Joy to the World……………………………….………...Red 267

Matthew 3:1-12 Just before Jesus began his public ministry, John the Baptist appeared, calling people to live in accordance with their words and speaking of the powerful one who was to come. In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' " Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruit worthy of repentance.  Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Apostles’ Creed, Children Come Forward, Sermon

Offering Prayers, Lord’s Supper, Lord’s Prayer

O Come Emmanuel 257, Music, Your Little Ones 286, Music

Benediction The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."  Matthew 4:13 

May Christ, the Sun of righteousness, shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path. Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen

Go in peace. Prepare the way. Thanks be to God.