| Greeting and Welcome
Prelude – Advent Hope
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – Prepare the Royal Highway (LSB 343)
Prepare the royal highway; The King of kings is near! Let ev’ry hill and valley A level road appear! Then greet the King of Glory Foretold in sacred story: Refrain
Refrain: Hosanna to the Lord, For He fulfills God’s Word!
God’s people, see Him coming: Your own eternal king! Palm branches strew before Him! Spread garments! Shout and sing! God’s promise will not fail you! No more shall doubt assail you! Refrain
Then fling the gates wide open To greet your promised king! Your king, yet ev’ry nation Its tribute too should bring. All lands, bow down before Him! All nations, now adore Him! Refrain
His is no earthly kingdom; It comes from heav’n above. His rule is peace and freedom And justice, truth, and love. So let your praise be sounding For kindness so abounding: Refrain
+ Preparation +
Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
Confession and Absolution P: Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord, C: who made heaven and earth. P: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, C: and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. P: Almighty God, our maker and redeemer, we poor sinners confess unto You that we are by nature sinful and unclean. C: Restore us, O God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved! P: We have sinned against You by thought, word, and deed. C: Restore us, O God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved! P: Wherefore we flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. C: Restore us, O God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved! O most merciful God, who has given Your only-begotten Son to die for us, have mercy upon us and for His sake grant us remission of all our sins; and by Your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of You and of Your will and true obedience to Your Word, to the end that by Your grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. P: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us and has given His only Son to be born in our flesh, to die for us, and for His sake forgives us all our sins. C: Restore us, O God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved! P: As a called and ordained servant of the Word and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and the Holy Spirit. To those who believe on His name He gives the power to become the children of God and has promised them His Holy Spirit. Those that believe and are baptized shall be saved. Grant this, Lord, to us all. C: Amen.
+ Word +
Salutation and Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
First Reading – Daniel 12:1–12 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – Hebrews 10:5–10 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel – Luke 1:39-45 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the first chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord.
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.”
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles' Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life + everlasting. Amen.
Children’s Hymn – Jesus in the Morning (AGPS 143)
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus in the morning, Jesus at the noontime, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus when the sun goes down.
Love Him, love Him, Love Him in the morning, Love Him at the noontime Love Him, love Him, Love Him when the sun goes down.
Children’s Sermon – Pastor Scott
Hymn of the Day – Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending (LSB 336)
Lo! He comes with clouds descending, Once for ev’ry sinner slain; Thousand thousand saints attending Swell the triumph of His train: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Christ the Lord returns to reign.
Ev’ry eye shall now behold Him Robed in glorious majesty; Those who set at naught and sold Him, Pierced and nailed Him to the tree, Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing, Shall their true Messiah see.
Those dear tokens of His passion Still His dazzling body bears, Cause of endless exultation To His ransomed worshipers. With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture Gaze we on those glorious scars!
Yea, amen, let all adore Thee, High on Thine eternal throne; Savior, take the pow’r and glory, Claim the kingdom as Thine own. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone!
Sermon
Offering
Offertory
Prayers + Celebrating birthdays this week: 24 – Jean Peterson; 25 – John Willmann, Mary Skouby; 27 – Mark Sasser, Henry Lauber
Special Celebrations and Needs: + Church family members: Sue DeFosset, recovering from back surgery and undergoing knee replacement surgery 12/31; Shirley Williams, in rehab at Laclede Groves; Paul Schultz, in hospice; Sherman Moore; Sharon Gaal, recovering from surgery; Ken Kight + Friends of our congregation: Linda Teaters, upon the death of her father; Christine Neuman, mother of Ally Philpot, for healing; Judy Lubben, recovering from surgery; Karen, extended family member of Valerie Wehmueller, diagnosed with cancer; Barbara Huggins, in rehab + Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Twylah Atwood, Mary Aufderheide, Jules Bush, Frank & Sharon Gaal, Mary Guion, Jane Keathley, Vicki Lucas, Cindy Smith, Shirley Williams
+ Sacrament +
Preface P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them to the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise. P: It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming Him the promised Messiah, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when He comes again in glory. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow'r and might: Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna, Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Prayer of Thanksgiving P: Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross. Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
The Words of Our Lord P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Proclamation of Christ P: As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. P: O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
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.
Pax Domini P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen.
Distribution
Distribution Hymn – Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (LSB 761)
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee; Let the water and the blood, From Thy riven side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure: Cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.
Not the labors of my hands Can fulfill Thy Law’s demands; Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow, All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to Thy cross I cling. Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace; Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath, When mine eyelids close in death, When I soar to worlds unknown, See Thee on Thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.
Blessing
Post-Communion Collect P: Let us pray. We thank You for the new covenant You have established, given and shed in the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. C: Grant that we live in Your loving presence, serve You humbly, and love You by our loving of others in Your grace. 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 – O God, Our Help in Ages Past (LSB 733)
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home:
Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood Or earth received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight Are like an evening gone, Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Soon bears us all away; We fly forgotten as a dream Dies at the op’ning day.
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guard while troubles last And our eternal home!
Postlude
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Liturgist/Celebrant – Pastor Scott Jonas Organist/Pianist – Seth Carruthers Lector – Ann Jonas Communion – Tony Petzoldt & Seminary Student Sound/Video – Terry Young Ushers – Lisa Grossenheider, Judy George, Becci Sasser, Jeanne Lipinski Greeters – Bob & Debbie Jacobson
Altar flowers this morning are given by John And Kathy Brugere “Celebrating the birth of our Lord and Thanksgiving for our church family”
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