Christmas:
Date: December 25, 2002
Theme: Christmas’s Earthshaking Silence
– Haggai 2:6-9
– Ude, John
The Order of Worship:
Liturgy:
Congregation – Hymn 87 Joy to the World
THE INVOCATION Congregation: Amen
Luke 1:5-25 BEHOLD I WILL SEND MY MESSENGER
Congregation – (Melody Hymn 99) ZECHARIAH’S BENEDICTUS
Blest be the LORD our God,
Who grants His favored nation
The blessing long foretold,
Redemption and salvation!
From all who mean us ill
He comes to set us free
That we may serve Him still
In peace and purity. You, messenger of God,
Prepare the way before Him –
Forgiveness of all sins.
O let us all adore Him;
God’s strong and saving Light
Will dawn and still increase,
Drive back the shades of night
And guide our feet in peace.
Luke 1:26-38 BEHOLD A VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE
Congregation – Hymn 76 A GREAT AND MIGHTY WONDER
Luke 1:39-56 BEHOLD A KING IS AMONG THEM
Congregation – (Melody Hymn 780) MARY’S MAGNIFICAT
With all my heart my LORD I praise,
To God my Savior anthems raise.
He sees His servants, bends to bless,
And sanctifies their lowliness.
Our God His covenant recalls;
His pow’rful arm in judgment falls:
The mighty from their thrones are cast,
The humble lifted up at last,
The rich denied, the hungry fed,
The proud dispersed, the faithful led.
The mercies of our God endure
For God recalls His promise sure.
Luke 1:57-79 BEHOLD A PROPHET TO PREPARE HIS WAY
Congregation – 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 heav’nly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo, Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Come to Bethlehem and see, Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the new-born King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo, Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Luke 2:1-14 BEHOLD UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN
Luther’s Explanation to the Second Article of the Creed
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord; Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent sufferings and death; That I should be His own, and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness; even as He is risen from death, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.
THE CHOIR – Sing We Noel!
THE SERMON Haggai 2:6-9
Theme Christmas’s Earthshaking Silence!
(Instead of the Create in Me)
Thy little ones, dear Lord, are we, And come Thy lowly bed to see;
Enlighten every soul and mind, That we the way to Thee may find.
With songs we hasten Thee to greet; And kiss the dust before Thy feet;
O blessed hour, O sweetest night,
That gave Thee birth, our soul’s delight.
O draw us wholly to Thee, Lord. Do Thou to us Thy grace accord,
True faith and love to us impart, That we may hold Thee in our heart.
Until at last we too proclaim With all Thy saints, Thy glorious Name;
In paradise our songs renew, And praise Thee as the angels do. Amen.
The HYMN 647 O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
THE OFFERING THE PRAYERS
The Lord’s Prayer to the Melody of It came upon a Midnight Clear.
Our Father, Lord on heav’n’s high throne, Most holy be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come. Your will be done On earth – in heaven the same.
Give us this day the food we need; Forgiven may we be;
Into temptation do not lead; from evil set us free.
Yours is the kingdom; unto You in grateful love we bow;
And Yours the pow’r; Lord, let us view Your mighty presence now.
The glory Yours; Your praise be sing by angel hosts and men
In ev’ry land, by ev’ry tongue forevermore! Amen.
THE BENEDICTION
THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS FROM HANDEL’S MESSIAH