GATHERING SONG “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers” #244
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
In the tempting wilderness of the world, we become lost in sin, self-centeredness, and despair.
Come to us and forgive us, Lord.
In the noisy wilderness of the world, we fail to hear your call to be and act as your people.
Come to us and refine us, Lord.
In the confusing wilderness of the world, we lose our way and wander away from you.
Come to us and guide us, Lord.
In the empty wilderness of the world, we reach for things which do not satisfy.
Come to us and fill us, Lord.
The tender mercy of our God sends the rising sun to us from heaven, to shine on us who live in darkness and in the shadow of death. In God's grace, through Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. May the Spirit strengthen you and guide your feet into the path of peace.
Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming give to all the people of the world knowledge of your salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, says the Lord of hosts.
The light of hope has awakened our spirits.
[Here relight the first Advent candle.]
A voice cries out in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."
Renew in us your covenant, O God, that we may be ready for the dawn of your salvation.
We light a second candle to bring light to every darkness, and to guide us in the way of peace.
[Here light the second Advent candle.]
With gratitude for your light, O God, we will prepare to welcome a new birth of your love.
Amen. Come Lord Jesus.
THE FIRST LESSON: Malachi 3:1–4
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the LORD whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight — indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
PSALM: Luke 1:68–79
Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel, you have come to your people and set them free.
You have raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of your servant David.
Through your holy prophets, you promised of old to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us,
to show mercy to our forebears, and to remember your holy covenant.
This was the oath you swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship you without fear, holy and righteous before you, all the days of our life.
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
to give God's people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
THE SECOND LESSON: Philippians 1:3–11
I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: Luke 3:1–6
The holy gospel according to Saint Luke. Glory to you, O Lord.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON “The Tender Compassion of Our God” Pastor Phil Wold
HYMN OF THE DAY “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” #257
THE NICENE CREED
In infinite mercy God watched over the people of Israel. In unending love God sent his Son to be our Savior.
God delivered us from sin through the waters of Baptism.
With joy we proclaim in words and action the faith which makes us God’s own people. . .
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
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 truly 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.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
THE SIGN PEACE IS SHARED
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.
THE OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: our selves, our time, and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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
BLESSING
SENDING SONG “O Come All Ye Faithful” #283
SENDING
Go in peace. Live the gospel. Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
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