| Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Opening Sentences P: The Spirit and the Church cry out: C: Come, Lord Jesus. P: All those who await His appearance pray: C: Come, Lord Jesus. P: The whole creation pleads: C: Come, Lord Jesus.
Opening Hymn – It Came upon the Midnight Clear (LSB 366)
It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold: “Peace on the earth, goodwill to all, From heav’n’s all-gracious king.” The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heav’nly music floats O’er all the weary world. Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hov’ring wing, And ever o’er its babel sounds The blessèd angels sing.
All you, beneath your heavy load, By care and guilt bent low, Who toil along a dreary way With painful steps and slow: Look up, for golden is the hour, Come swiftly on the wing, The Prince was born to bring you peace; Of Him the angels sing.
For lo, the days have come to pass By prophets seen of old, When down into the circling years Came Christ as was foretold. His word of peace shall to the earth God’s ancient promise bring, And all who take this gift will hear The song the angels sing.
Thanksgiving for Light P: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led Your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of Your Christ; may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for You are merciful, and You love Your whole creation and we, Your creatures, glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
Psalm P: When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy. C: Returned to Zion, promise kept, they could not trust their eyes. Lighten our hearts in Christ, we pray; In Him we shall arise. P: Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb! C: Returned to Zion, promise kept, they could not trust their eyes. Lighten our hearts in Christ, we pray; In Him we shall arise. P: Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. C: Returned to Zion, promise kept, they could not trust their eyes. Lighten our hearts in Christ, we pray; In Him we shall arise.
Old Testament – Daniel 6:16–28 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Epistle – Colossians 3:12–17 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Holy Gospel – Luke 1:46-56 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 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 offspring forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Hymn – Once in Royal David’s City (LSB 376)
Once in royal David’s city Stood a lowly cattle shed, Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for His bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all, And His shelter was a stable, And His cradle was a stall; With the poor and mean and lowly Lived on earth our Savior holy.
For He is our childhood’s pattern, Day by day like us He grew; He was little, weak, and helpless, Tears and smiles like us He knew; And He feels for all our sadness, And He shares in all our gladness.
And our eyes at last shall see Him, Through His own redeeming love; For that child so dear and gentle Is our Lord in heav’n above; And He leads His children on To the place where He is gone.
Not in that poor, lowly stable With the oxen standing by Shall we see Him, but in heaven, Set at God’s right hand on high. Then like stars His children, crowned, All in white, His praise will sound!
Sermon
Prayers P: Let us pray. O Lord who in the past returned Your people to the Promised Land, hear us as we pray for ourselves and all the Church: Strengthen our hope in all Your gracious promises, and increase faith and love among us and toward the world. Use us as fits Your gracious plans for them. C: Hear our prayer, O Lord. Return us to trust all Your promises, and stir up our hearts to serve You. P: Hear us as we pray for all who have been forgotten by the world’s commerce: Surround with faith-filled people all who are hungry and homeless, the many who are migrants and refugees, people dealing with sudden ills and long-term disabilities, and all who are in mourning. Use us as fits Your gracious plans for them. C: Hear our prayer, O Lord. Return us to trust all Your promises, and stir up our hearts to serve You. P: In the midst of a dark world You send us. Renew in us true faith and peace, faithfulness in worship, a spiritual vitality, and a confidence in Your promise of eternal life. Grant that many join us in fruitful worship. Use us as fits Your gracious plans for them. C: Hear our prayer, O Lord. Return us to trust all Your promises, and stir up our hearts to serve You. P: By the blessed coming of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who gave us His own righteousness, grant these our prayers, for we pray in His name. C: Amen.
Collect for Today P: Return us to Your eternal Eden, Lord our God, C: and grant us such a sense of joy that the people around us may seek You and Your gracious blessings; P: through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
Collect from Sunday P: Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers C: and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; P: for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
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.
Benediction P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace. C: Amen.
Closing Hymn – What Child Is This (LSB 370)
What child is this, who, laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the king, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The babe, the son of Mary!
Why lies He in such mean estate Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christian, fear; for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, The cross be borne for me, for you; Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The babe, the son of Mary!
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh; Come, peasant, king, to own Him. The King of kings salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Raise, raise the song on high, The virgin sings her lullaby; Joy, joy, for Christ is born, The babe, the son of Mary!
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Liturgist – Pastor Scott Jonas Organist/Pianist – Seth Carruthers Sound/Video – Paul Barbercheck | 
