Preparing for Worship | December 2 | First Sunday of Advent
GOD CALLS US TO WORSHIP HIM |
Call to Worship |
Worship Leader: Show us your mercy, O Lord
Congregation: And grant us your salvation.
Worship Leader: Truth will spring up from the earth,
Congregation: And righteousness will look down from heaven.
Hymn of Adoration: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
Verse 1:
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 every nation
Joy of every longing heart
Verse 2:
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
GOD GRACIOUSLY RENEWS US IN CHRIST
Confession of Sin
Worship Leader: We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against our leaders. Pray that the Lord will take this sin from us. (Adapted from Numbers 21:7–9)
Forgiveness of Sin
Worship Leader: The eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits from the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you (Psalm 33:18–22).
Hymn of Assurance: “The First Noel”
Verse 1:
The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds
In fields as they lay
In fields where they lay
Keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night
That was so deep
Chorus:
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel
Verse 2:
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued
Both day and night
Verse 3:
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came
From country far
To seek for a king was their intent
And to follow the star
Wherever it went
Verse 4:
This star drew nigh
To the northwest
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both stop and stay
Right o’er the place where Jesus lay
Verse 5:
Then entered in
Those wise men three
Full rev'rently upon the knee
And offered there in His presence
Their gold and myrrh
And frankincense
Thanking God for What He Has Done
Worship Leader: O give thanks to the Lord, and call on his Name; tell the people what things he has done. (Psalm 105:1)
Giving Our Tithes and Offerings In addition to your regular tithes and offerings, please consider giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. This offering, named after a missionary to China, goes to support approximately 4,900 missionaries. Last year Southern Baptists collected 147 million dollars for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
Hymn of Affirmation: “Tell Me the Story of Jesus”
Verse 1:
Tell me the story of Jesus
Write on my heart every word
Tell me the story most precious
Sweetest that ever was heard
Tell how the angels in chorus
Sang as they welcomed His birth
Glory to God in the highest
Peace and good tidings to earth
Chorus:
Tell me the story of Jesus
Write on my heart every word
Tell me the story most precious
Sweetest that ever was heard
Advent Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
Verse:
O Come O Wisdom from on high
Who orders all things mightily
To us the path of knowledge show
And teach us in its ways to go
Chorus:
Rejoice Rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel
GOD INSTRUCTS US THROUGH HIS WORD
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:1–4; 2:1–4
Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him. At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to his will. (CSB)
Pastoral Prayer
Advent Series: O Antiphons
For at least ten centuries, the church has sung a solemn antiphon on each of the last seven days in preparation for Christmas. The antiphon is a pleading, expecting song that addresses the Lord by scriptural titles: “O Wisdom,” “Adonai,” “Root of Jesse,” “Key of David,” “Dayspring,” “King of Nations,” and “Emmanuel.” Each song ends with a plea for Christ’s coming now in grace and finally in glory. During our Advent series, we will concentrate on four: “O Wisdom,” “O Dayspring,” “O King of Nations,” and “O Emmanuel.”
Sermon: “O Wisdom in Creation” – Jonathan Hancock
GOD FEEDS US THROUGH HIS SUPPER
Breaking the Bread
Worship Leader: Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him. Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:1–6)
Taking the Cup
Worship Leader: For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19–20)
GOD BLESSES US AND SENDS US OUT
Worship Leader: May the Father who bought you, the Father who has made you and established you, make you complete, like-minded and comforted by the God of love and peace.
(Deuteronomy 32:6; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 2:2)
Members, today we take up our deacons’ offering at the doors. Any monies collected go to the Deacons’ Benevolence Fund, which is used to provide physical resources to those in need for the gospel’s sake.
