Worship from Home Dec. 20, 2020

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Blacknall Worship from Home
4th Sunday of Advent
December 20, 2020

 

Prelude | “Angels Bounce”

Scott Laird, violin duet

Invocation

You, O most high God, are the God who surprises, who creates out of nothing, who etches your love for your people even on stony hearts, who fills the night sky with angelic shouts of “Glory!”, who enters into our world even when we thought we knew the way things “worked.”  Help us to suspend our suspicion, our cynicism, our temptation to despair;  enliven and enlighten our hearts and minds to catch the theme of all Creation:  Glory to God in the Highest!  This is what we were designed to declare.  Dwell among us this morning, in our scattered settings, and by the power of your Holy Spirit draw us into your presence.  We worship you. 

Song | “Angels We have Heard on High”

Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria in excelsis deo! Gloria in excelsis deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song? 

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Lighting the Advent Candles | Week 4

Light all 4 candles, but not the center white candle.
The first candle represents the hope that Jesus brings.
The second candle reminds us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
The third candle reminds us to rejoice at the birth of Christ.
The fourth candle represents the incarnation of Christ, the Lord of Love.

Scripture reading | Galatians 4:4-7

4 In the fullness of time, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir.

 Prayer:  Your kingdom, Jesus, is an eternal kingdom, and Your reign is from generation to generation.  Made flesh of the Holy Spirit and made man of the Virgin Mary, You have enlightened us by Your coming.  Light of Light, Brightness of the Father, You have made all creation shine with joy, and have enabled us to cry with You, our Older Brother and Fellow-Heir, “Abba Father!”  We hear the message of Your arrival as an announcement of Your love for us.  All that has breath praises You, the Image of the glory of the Father!  Amen!

Song | “How Lovely Shines the Morningstar” (choir)

How lovely shines the Morningstar!
The nations see and hail afar
The light in Judah shining.
Thou David’s Son of Jacob’s race,
My Bridegroom and my King of Grace,
For Thee my heart is pining.
Lowly, holy,
Great and glorious, Thou victorious
Prince of graces,
Filling all the heavenly places.

Lift up the voice and strike the string!
Let all glad sounds of music ring
In God’s high places blended!
Christ will be with me all the way,
Today tomorrow, ev’ry day,
‘Til trav’ling days be ended.
Sing out! Ring out!
Triumph glorious, O victorious
Chosen nation:
Praise the God of your salvation!

Oh, joy to know that Thou, my Friend
Art Lord, beginning without end,
The First and Last, Eternal!
And Thou at length (O glorious grace!)
Wilt take me to that holy place,
The home of joys supernal!
Amen! Amen!
Come and meet me! Quickly greet me!
With deep yearning, Lord,
I look for Thy returning!

Lyrics by Philipp Nicolai, 1599.  Musical setting by Alfred Strubel.

Call to Confession

The farther we walk with Christ, the more we marvel at him, and at his patience with us.  Let us not be hard-hearted, but responsive to his invitation to turn from our ways, and to embrace the One who has come searching for his lost sheep.  Let us kneel and confess our sin.

Prayer of Confession

Our Shepherd Father, like the shepherds, we grow accustomed to the darkness, to the stale and sordid patterns of life without surprise, without interruption, without joy.  We limit our expectations and our hopes; we doubt your intention, we listen too easily to the critics and are drawn too readily to ways of mind and life that betray your goodness and cheapen our loves.  And yet you persist in singing “Glory” and “Peace”, refusing to give up, to give US up.  Hear our paltry confession, and through the mediation of the Incarnate and Risen One, lend your conviction and courage to our own words, that even our divided hearts will find new strength and resolve to rise and follow you. declaring with our own lives, “Glory to God in the highest…. 

Assurance of Pardon

Beloved,  this is true: in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!

Passing the Peace

May the peace of the Lord be with you.

            Response: And also with you

Affirmation of Faith | Apostles Creed               

We 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, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. We 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.

Children’s Blessing

With Leslie Petree.

Children’s Worship

If you would like to receive the Children’s Worship video email, please contact Beth Solie.

Proclamation of the Word | Pastor David Dunderdale

The sermon is provided above in video and audio format.

Luke 2:1-20
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Song of Response |  “Thou Who Wast Rich”

Thou who wast rich beyond all splendor,
All for love’s sake becamest poor;
Thrones for a manger didst surrender,
Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendor,
All for love’s sake becamest poor.

Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love’s sake becamest man;
Stooping so low, but sinners raising,
Heav’nward by Thine eternal plan.
Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love’s sake becamest man. 

Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Savior and King, we worship Thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what Thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Savior and King, we worship Thee.

Words by Frank Houghton. French Christmas carol.

Presenting Our Gifts | Online Giving

You are invited to respond to God’s Word by giving to the mission God has called us to at Blacknall. 

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession 

(As you pray the following petitions, you are encouraged to pause and lift to the Lord particular concerns or people or events. Read prayer requests from Blacknall members and ministry partners here.) 

Heavenly Father, you sent your Son to be the Light of the world and to bring salvation.  We offer now our prayers and intercessions for the needs of all and for the progress of your gospel.

We pray for the afflicted and suffering of the world,  for the sick and the grieving, that the Good Shepherd may hear their cries and may come to their rescue.

We pray for those who do not believe , and for those who have fallen away, that a saving faith may be kindled in their hearts.

We pray for the peace of our troubled world, that evil and violence may be restrained, and that peace and justice may prevail.

We pray for all those who govern, especially in this time of transition, that they would govern with wisdom and compassion for those in need.

We pray for the Church of your Son, that we might be faithful to the gospel, and manifest the Light of Jesus Christ to all people .

And we pray for our own church, especially that you would bring to mind those who are isolated and in need of encouragement, and that you would bring an end to this pandemic, we having become convinced of our need of  a Savior, who taught us to pray:

Our Father… 

The 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

Benediction  

Song | The First Noel

Then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
Who hath made heaven and earth of naught,
and with His blood our life hath bought.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel!