Everything you need for December 12 online worship.
Preparations for Worship:
- Do your best to eliminate distractions like the phone, TV, etc.
- Worship actively! Whether you are by yourself or with others, try reading the parts of the service aloud (responses, lessons, and prayers).
- This service is for children too. Help them participate. Ask those who have that ability to read a prayer or lesson aloud. Take a moment to describe what’s happening. Ask questions. Encourage little ones to draw what they are hearing while you all listen. Unlike our more typical Sunday worship at church, you can pause at any time for questions and discussion.
- Before you begin, load each of the videos below. (You might first have to get past a distracting ad.)
- Pause for a moment of quiet meditation. Then pray:
“Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and speak your praise. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.”
CONFESSION OF SINS
The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. And also with you.
We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.
Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.
God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Hear our prayers, Lord Jesus Christ, and come with the good news of your mighty deliverance. Drive the darkness from our hearts and fill us with your light; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
LESSON – ZEPHANIAH 3:14-17
Sing out, daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, you daughter of Jerusalem. The LORD has removed the judgment against you. He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s king, the LORD, is in your midst! You no longer need to fear disaster. In that day Jerusalem will be told, “Do not be afraid, O Zion. Do not give up. The LORD your God is with you as a hero who will save you. He takes great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.”
GOSPEL – LUKE 3:7-18
7So John kept saying to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Therefore produce fruits in keeping with repentance! Do not even think of saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ because I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 9Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is going to be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10The crowds began to ask him, “What should we do then?”
11He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
12Tax collectors also came to be baptized. They said, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13To them he said, “Collect no more than what you were authorized to.” 14Soldiers were also asking him, “And what should we do?” He told them, “Do not extort money from anyone by force or false accusation. Be satisfied with your wages.”
15The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Christ. 16John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But someone mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18Then with many other words, he appealed to them and was preaching good news to the people.
DEVOTION – PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7
CONFESSION OF FAITH
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
I believe 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 is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there 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.
OFFERING
Offerings may be given on-line at tithe.ly/risensavior, mailed to the church, or dropped off at the church.
Our members have joined together in faith and love to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world. Guests need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Heavenly Father, You rescue the daughter of Zion from her enemies and take away the judgments against her. Look with compassion upon Your people wherever they suffer for the name of Jesus. Give them wisdom when they are pressured to compromise, provide when they suffer loss, give courage when they are afraid, and strengthen them in the midst of persecution until You deliver them.
Preserve them always in the joyful hope that You will restore all that is lost with what cannot be taken away.
Almighty God, as You once sent messengers before the face of Jesus to prepare His way, so strengthen and encourage all pastors and church workers as they make known His saving name.
Open the ears of all who hear to rejoice, repent and firmly believe.
O Giver of all good gifts, look upon the households of Your people. Provide companionship for those who are alone, strengthen the bonds of marriage and equip parents to raise their children in love and faith.
Grant that our homes may be places of joy, reasonableness, peace and prayer.
Lord, You set the prisoners free. Remember those who are incarcerated justly, and grant that they might repent, be freed from the clutches of sin, accept the consequences of their wrongdoing, and learn to live honestly and peacefully. Remember all those who are imprisoned unjustly.
Restore their freedom according to Your will, and preserve them in Your grace and the confidence that You know what is true and just.
Heavenly Father, Your Son became flesh and healed the sick of all kinds of diseases and afflictions, demonstrating His power and giving us a foretaste of the resurrection on the Last Day. Have mercy upon all those in need of deliverance.
Heal them in Your time and according to Your will, and preserve them in the confidence that You will deliver Your people from all afflictions at the resurrection of all flesh.
Holy Spirit, we thank and praise you for the gifts you have given to your Church—particularly in the form of this year’s mid-year graduates at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn. You have equipped these Christians for witnessing. Guide and direct them in all that they do as they serve in your kingdom. Bless their efforts. Give them the words to speak at the proper time and in difficult situations.
Grant them boldness and determination as they carry your message of salvation into classrooms and congregations, homes, and hearts across our land and around the world.
Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ who taught us to pray…
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.
THE LORD’S BLESSING
Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. Amen.