| Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Versicles L: O Lord, open my lips, C: and my mouth will declare Your praise. L: Make haste, O God, to deliver me; C: make haste to help me, O Lord. C: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. C: Praise to You, O Christ, King who comes to save us. Opening Hymn – Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (LSB 338)
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 ev’ry nation, Joy of ev’ry longing heart.
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.
Old Testament – Daniel 4:28–37 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
L: O Lord, have mercy on us. C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – 1 Peter 4:7–11 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
L: O Lord, have mercy on us. C: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel – Luke 1:39–45 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
L: O Lord, have mercy on us. C: Thanks be to God.
Responsory L: Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch. C: This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness. L: In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell securely. C: This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness. L: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. C: This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.
Hymn of the Day – O Savior, Precious Savior (LSB 527)
O Savior, precious Savior, Whom yet unseen we love; O name of might and favor, All other names above, We worship Thee, we bless Thee, To Thee, O Christ, we sing; We praise Thee and confess Thee, Our holy Lord and King.
O bringer of salvation, Who wondrously hast wrought Thyself the revelation Of love beyond our thought, We worship Thee, we bless Thee, To Thee, O Christ, we sing; We praise Thee and confess Thee, Our gracious Lord and King.
In Thee all fullness dwelleth, All grace and pow’r divine; The glory that excelleth, O Son of God, is Thine. We worship Thee, we bless Thee, To Thee, O Christ, we sing; We praise Thee and confess Thee, Our glorious Lord and King.
O grant the consummation Of this our song above In endless adoration And everlasting love; Then shall we praise and bless Thee Where perfect praises ring, And evermore confess Thee, Our Savior and our King!
Sermon
Antiphon L: Let my prayer rise before You as incense C: and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Magnificat My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior; for He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaiden. For behold, from this day all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things to me, and holy is His name; and His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away. He has helped His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Kyrie Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. 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.
Collect L: The Lord be with you. C: And with your spirit. P: O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
Benedicamus L: Let us bless the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Benediction L: The grace of our Lord + Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. C: Amen. Closing Hymn – Hark the Glad Sound (LSB 349)
Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes, The Savior promised long; Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne And ev’ry voice a song.
He comes the pris’ners to release, In Satan’s bondage held. The gates of brass before Him burst, The iron fetters yield.
He comes the broken heart to bind, The bleeding soul to cure, And with the treasures of His grace To enrich the humble poor.
Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace, Thy welcome shall proclaim, And heav’n’s eternal arches ring With Thy belovèd name.
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Liturgist – Seminarian Ryan Philpot Organist/Pianist – Seth Carruthers Sound/Video – Mike Toney | 
