Organ Prelude
Lighting of Advent Candle
Opening Hymn – O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (LSB 357)
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear. Refrain
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who ord’rest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go. Refrain
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times didst give the Law
In cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Refrain
O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace. Refrain
Opening Sentences – Genesis 12:3; Romans 4:22, 24; John 8:56
P: The Lord promised Abram, “I will bless those who bless you,
C: and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
P: Paul reminds us that Abraham’s faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
C: “It will be counted to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus.”
P: Jesus said, “Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day.
C: He saw it and was glad.”
Psalm – Psalm 105:1–11, 42–45; antiphon: v. 42
P: Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples!
C: Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
tell of all His wondrous works!
P: Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
C: Seek the Lord and His strength;
seek His presence continually!
P: Remember the wondrous works that He has done,
His miracles, and the judgments He uttered,
C: O offspring of Abraham, His servant,
children of Jacob, His chosen ones!
P: He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
C: He remembers His covenant forever,
the word that He commanded, for a thousand generations,
P: the covenant that He made with Abraham,
His sworn promise to Isaac,
C: which He confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
P: saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as your portion for an inheritance.”
C: For He remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, His servant.
P: So He brought His people out with joy,
His chosen ones with singing.
C: And He gave them the lands of the nations,
and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil,
P: that they might keep His statutes
and observe His laws.
C: Praise the Lord!
He remembered His holy promise, and Abraham, His servant.
First Reading – Psalm 13:1-6
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
P: O Lord, have mercy on us.
C: Thanks be to God.
Second Reading – Hebrews 11:8–16
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
P: O Lord, have mercy on us.
C: Thanks be to God.
Third Reading – John 8:48–59
The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
P: O Lord, have mercy on us.
C: Thanks be to God.
Responsory – Based on Genesis 12:7; Hebrews 11:8, 16; John 8:58
P: To your offspring I will give this land.
C: We desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.
P: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go.
C: We desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.
P: Before Abraham was, I am.
C: We desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.
P: More than only celebrating Abraham’s faith, this next hymn raises our sights to the better country God promises us by grace.
Hymn – Chief of Sinners Though I Be (LSB 611)
Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me,
Died that I might live on high,
Lives that I might never die.
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.
Oh, the height of Jesus’ love,
Higher than the heav’ns above,
Deeper than the depths of sea,
Lasting as eternity!
Love that found me—wondrous thought!
Found me when I sought Him not.
Only Jesus can impart
Balm to heal the wounded heart,
Peace that flows from sin forgiv’n,
Joy that lifts the soul to heav’n,
Faith and hope to walk with God
In the way that Enoch trod.
Chief of sinners though I be,
Christ is all in all to me;
All my wants to Him are known,
All my sorrows are His own.
He sustains the hidden life
Safe with Him from earthly strife.
O my Savior, help afford
By Your Spirit and Your Word!
When my wayward heart would stray,
Keep me in the narrow way;
Grace in time of need supply
While I live and when I die.
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