:: Download the 12.15.2013 Worship Study Guide & Sermon Notes
:: Download the 12.15.2013 Bulletin
:: Download the 12.15.2013 Parent Bulletin
:: Listen to the 12.15.2013 Sermon Audio
image :: Study for The Annunciation, Henry Ossawa Tanner (c.1893, American)
Preparation for Worship :: Dwelling Place
Where the understanding is outraged, where human nature rebels, where our piety keeps a nervous distance: there, precisely there, God loves to be; there He baffles the wisdom of the wise; there He vexes our nature, our religious instincts. There He wants to be, and no one can prevent Him. Only the humble believe Him and rejoice that God is so free and grand, that He works wonders where man loses heart, that He makes splendid what is slight and lowly. Indeed, this is the wonder of wonders, that God loves the lowly. “God has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden.” God in lowliness – that is the revolutionary, the passionate word of Advent. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
:: Gloria [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=588404472 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=9]
:: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3505305395 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=4]
:: What Child Is This? [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2254475816 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=7]
:: In Christ Alone [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=1060200358 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 t=12]
Call to Worship :: Malachi 3:1
Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
Confession of Faith :: from Article 17, of the Belgic Confession (1561)
We believe that our good God, by His marvelous wisdom and goodness, seeing that man had plunged himself into both physical and spiritual death and made himself completely miserable, set out to find him, though man, trembling all over, was fleeing from Him. And He comforted him promising to give him His Son, “born of a woman,” to crush the head of the serpent, and to make him blessed.
New Testament Reading :: Romans 8:18-25
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Sermon ::: Ephesians 2:19-22
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
We Confess Our Sin Together :: based on Isaiah 60:1-3
“Arise, shine: for your Light has come.” Heavenly Father, forgive us; we have lived as if the Light of the World had not overcome the darkness of our sin.
“And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Lord Jesus Christ, redeem us; We confess that we sought our own glory as we grew impatient for Your advent.
“For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” Holy Spirit, renew us; We have often grown accustomed to darkness, and so hardened the true yearnings of our waiting hearts.
“And nations shall come to Your light, and kings to the brightness of Your rising.” Almighty God, You came to us in the fullness of time. Draw us to live in Your presence and grace. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Words of Encouragement :: Matthew 1:21
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.