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*Call to Worship | Luke 1:68-69 | Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,for he has visited and redeemed his people69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
*Song of Adoration | O Come All Ye Faithful
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
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.
Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all ye citizens of Heaven above
Glory to God, glory in the highest;
Chorus
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: John Francis Wade
*Confession of Faith | Definition of Chalcedon
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, unconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning have declared concerning Him, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.
*Song of Confession | Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Come Thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free.
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.
Joy to those who long to see thee,
Day-spring from on high appear,
Come thou promised Rod of Jesse,
Of Thy birth we long to hear.
O'er the hills the angels singing
News, glad tidings of a birth!
Go to him your praises bringing,
Christ the Lord has come to earth!
Come to earth to taste our sadness,
He whose glories knew no end.
By his life he brings us gladness,
Our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.
Leaving riches without number,
Born within a cattle stall;
This the everlasting wonder,
Christ was born the Lord of all!
Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King.
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal spirit,
Rule in all our hearts alone.
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne!
Music and Lyrics: Charles Wesley, Mark E. Hunt
Confession of Sin | Isaiah 53:3-5
We fight the temptation to hide our sin and instead acknowledge it openly to God, but we do so in light of the grace offered in Jesus.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Assurance of Pardon | Isaiah 53:10, 12 | Blake Arnoult
The good news of the gospel is that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. This assurance is based on God’s words of promise and it is therefore certain.
10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief;
12 yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
*Song of Response | Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Op’ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!
All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise;
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Praising Thee eternally!
Always giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Loving Father, Christ our Brother,
Let Thy light upon us shine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.
Mortals, join the mighty chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
God’s own love is reigning o’er us,
Joining people hand in hand.
Ever singing, march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music leads us sunward
In the triumph song of life.
Music and Lyrics: Henry Van Dyke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We offer our gratitude to God in prayer in response to his gifts and blessings to his people and ask that he make us faithful managers of these gifts.
Song of Thanks | Good Christians All, Rejoice!
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
Good Christians all, rejoice,
With heart and soul and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today;
Earth and heav'n before him bow,
And he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!
Good Christians all, rejoice,
With heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath opened heaven's door,
And we are blessed evermore.
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!
Good Christians all, rejoice,
With heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!
Music and Lyrics: John Mason Neale
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Luke 1:26-38 | Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult
“Born of a Virgin”
Advent: What Child Is This?
Pastoral Prayer
Sacrament of Communion
Sacraments are visible signs of the invisible grace of God - what Christ does by his Holy Spirit within us. Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist), as the distribution of the elements of bread and wine, symbolizes a meal. Communion is a sign of fellowship. That sign signifies more than just the future heavenly fellowship that is to come. The outward sign signifies the inner reality that sinners already experience fellowship with God in the Spirit because of Jesus. Communion is not a meal for good people. It functions as a renewing seal to desperate sinners of that fellowship we have with our holy and gracious God.
You will be invited to come forward. If you are not a Christian we encourage you to spend this time in reflection on what you’ve seen and heard in the worship. Children who have not received their first communion are welcome and encouraged to come forward with their families to witness their partaking. We invite children who are ready to make a public profession of faith in Christ to arrange a meeting with the elders, and thus become “communicants” at the Lord’s Table.
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts!
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution
Pastor: Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith:
People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Hallelujah!
Pastor: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Hallelujah!
People: Therefore, let us keep the feast.
Pastor: The gifts of God for the people of God.
Please let an usher know if it is difficult for you to come forward. We would be happy to serve you at your seat. All communion bread is gluten-free. All communion wine is made from grape juice.
A communion prayer for those searching for the truth:
Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth and the life. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Give me the ability to follow you no matter what it might cost me. Give me an understanding for you that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the life that you promise. Amen.
Communion Song | Of The Father’s Love Begotten
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the Source, the Ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been, And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore! Evermore and evermore!
By His word was all created, He commanded and ‘twas done;
Earth and sky and boundless ocean, universe of three in one,
All that sees the moon’s soft radiance, All that breathes beneath the sun,
Evermore and evermore! Evermore and evermore!
O that birth forever blessed, when a virgin, full of grace,
Brought to birth mankind’s salvation, by the Holy Ghost conceived,
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer, in her loving arms received,
Evermore and evermore! Evermore and evermore!
He is found in human fashion, death and sorrow here to know,
That the race of Adam’s children doomed by law to endless woe,
May not henceforth die and perish, in the dreadful gulf below,
Evermore and evermore! Evermore and evermore!
This is He whom heav’n-taught singers sang of old with one accord,
Whom the Scriptures of the prophets promised in their faithful word;
Lo! He comes, the promised Saviour; let the world His praises cry;
Evermore and evermore! Evermore and evermore!
Christ, to Thee with God the Father, and, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
From your children high thanksgiving and unwearied praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion, and eternal victory,
Evermore and evermore! Evermore and evermore!
Sing, ye heights of heaven, His praises; Angels and Archangels, sing!
Pow’rs, dominions, bow before Him and extol our God and King;
Every tongue His name confessing, countless voices answering,
Evermore and evermore! Evermore and evermore!
Music and Lyrics: John Mason Neale
Departing Song | Joy To The World
We begin to end in faith and song.
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.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ!
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
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.
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.
Music and Lyrics: G. F. Handel, Isaac Watts
*Benediction | 2 Corinthians 13:14 | Blake Arnoult
God sends us out with his blessing. A benediction is not a prayer. We don’t bow our heads. We lift them up and even lift up our hands to receive his blessing as we are sent out as participants in his mission to the city of man.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Christmas Eve Breakfast
Sunday, December 24 at 9am!
Join us for breakfast before the 10am worship service on Christmas Eve!
Christmas Eve Worship Service
Sunday, December 24 at 10am!
Sunday morning worship will take place at 10am on Sunday, December 24!
Spring Supper Clubs
Sign up for 2024 spring supper clubs on our website now! Supper clubs are a great small group avenue to enjoy fellowship with others in the church by getting together once a month in the spring. Sign up to join on our website or weekly email!
Bible Studies
Men’s Morning Study: Monthly on the first Friday of each month, 7am at Bean and Bottle. 9655 Katy Freeway Suite 100. Next Date: January 5, 2024
Women’s Evening Study: Monthly on the first Thursday of each month at 7pm at the home of Susan and Jeff Arnoult.Next Date: January 11, 2024