December 20, 2020

Welcome

Prelude
~God Calls Us to Worship Him~
Call to Worship Luke 3:2-6

Pastor

During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And 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 Isaiah the prophet,

Congregation

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Pastor

‘Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

Congregation

‘and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

All

Amen! Let us worship God.

Hymn Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (196)

Prayer of Worship

~God Renews Us in Christ~

We Corporately Confess Our Sin and Need

You, O Lord, have promised that if we will confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins. We come in penitence asking Your forgiveness, that we may know the joy of Your presence, and the light of Your face. You alone know how often we have offended You. Forgive us, O Lord, for every unkind thought, every untrue word, every wrong act. Forgive us for we have been selfish, and have not thought of the needs of others. Forgive us for our ingratitude, our neglect of prayer, our carelessness in the use of money, our forgetfulness of our sacred vows. O God, have mercy upon us. You O Lord are able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. To You be the Glory. Create in us clean hearts, and renew a right sprit within us for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

We Silently Confess Our Sins and Need

Hymn Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates! (198)

The Assurance of Pardoning Grace John 1:1-14

We Confess Our Faith

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born
of the virgin Mary. He 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 is
seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness
of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. (*universal)

Song Alive (CCLI#251645)

My heart of stone was dead to You,
Asleep within a world that scorned its maker;
Until You breathed into my soul And I woke up to You,
my glorious Savior You became my all, You became my all.

Chorus: Now I am alive, I am alive in You. You are alive, You are alive in me.
You called my name and raised me from the dead. Now I am alive I am alive in You.

In You my life’s completely new.
I’m blameless in Your eyes because of Calv’ry.
The Father welcomes me with joy.
Your Spirit makes me know Your great love for me Jesus,
You’re my all, Jesus, You’re my all.

Chorus

Bought with a price that cannot be measured,
Chosen before all time,
You are my joy, my prize, and my treasure Jesus,
You are my life. Chorus

~God Instructs Us with His Word~

We Listen to God Malachi 2:17-3:6

Sermon Christmas Hope for the Cynic

~God Receives Our Offerings and Requests~

We Worship God with Our Tithes and Missions Offerings We Bring Our Requests to God in Prayer

~God Blesses and Sends Us Out~

Hymn It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (200)

Benediction

Announcements

Postlude