Everything you need for December 19 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
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Let us confess our sins to the Lord.
Holy God, gracious Father, I am sinful by nature and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. I deserve your punishment both now and forever. But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins with his innocent suffering and death. Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Take away the burden of our sins and make us ready for the celebration of your birth, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
LESSON – MICAH 5:2-5
2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
from you, will go out the one who will be the ruler for me in Israel.
His goings forth are from the beginning, from the days of eternity.
3Therefore the Lord will give them up,
until the time when the woman who is in labor bears a child.
Then the remaining survivors from his brothers will return to the people of Israel.
4He will stand and shepherd with the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
They will dwell securely, for at that time he will be great to the ends of the earth.
5This one will be their peace.
LESSON – HEBREWS 10:5-10
5Therefore when he entered the world, Christ said: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but you prepared a body for me. 6You were not pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings. 7Then I said, “Here I am. I have come to do your will, God. In the scroll of the book it is written about me.” 8First he said: Sacrifices and offerings that were offered according to the law, both burnt offerings and sin offerings, you did not desire, and you were not pleased with them. 9Then he said: Here I am. I have come to do your will. He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10By this will, we have been sanctified once and for all, through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ.
DEVOTION – LUKE 1:39-55
CONFESSION OF FAITH – NICENE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. 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
O Lord, mighty God, there is none like You in holiness, constancy and might; yet, You exercise Your power for the salvation of sinners.
As we draw near to the celebration of Jesus’ birth, fill our hearts with gratitude that Your Son humbled Himself and became flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior.
O Lord, mighty God, Bethlehem was too small to be among the clans of Judah, yet from it came forth the King of kings. Remember the congregations of Your people where numbers are small and resources are scarce.
Provide for their needs, and remind them that the Lord of lords dwells among them in His Means of Grace.
O Lord, mighty God, You give us this place and time to do the work of proclaiming your Word. As we involve ourselves in outreach to our community bless our efforts. Move the hearts of people to come and hear the news of a Savior born for them.
Move us to share invitations with people in our lives and bless those invitations as you know best.
O Lord, mighty God, You helped Your servant Israel, and Your mercy endures forever. Look upon those brought low by illness, injury, grief or other affliction especially James and Sandra Myrick who are recovering after a car accident, for Nancy Rongstad who is recovering after being in the hospital this week.
Have mercy upon them, grant them healing and strength, and maintain in them the certain hope of Your faithfulness to them for Jesus’ sake.
Lord, we praise you for blessing the preaching through our mission work in East Asia. You have opened numerous opportunities to share the good news with those who need to hear it. You have trained workers in these nations who now share this message with their neighbors. You have provided even more potential workers who are preparing for service at Asia Lutheran Seminary.
Bless those who are serving and preparing to serve so that your voice is heard through their preaching and souls saved through faith in you.
O Lord, mighty God, You have done great things for us, most of all delivering us from death to life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Mercifully hear our prayers for the sake of Your Son, who taught us…
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
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.