Everything you need for December 26 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.”
INVOCATION
O Lord, open my lips. And my mouth shall declare your praise.
Hasten to save me, O God. O Lord, come quickly to help me.
The glory of Christ is revealed: let us worship him.
Grant, O merciful Lord, to your faithful people pardon and peace that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
LESSON – ISAIAH 50:4-10
4The Lord God gave me a tongue like the learned, an instructed tongue, so I know how to sustain the weary with a word. He wakes me up morning by morning. He wakes up my ears so that I listen like the learned. 5The Lord God opened my ear, and I myself was not rebellious. I did not turn back. 6I submitted my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not hide my face from disgrace and from spit. 7The Lord God will help me, so I will not be disgraced. Therefore I have made my face hard like flint. I know that I will not be put to shame. 8The one who will acquit me is near! Who can accuse me? Let us take our stand. Who can pass judgment on me? Let him approach me. 9Look, the Lord God will help me. Who then can declare me guilty? Look, all of them will wear out like a garment. A moth will consume them. 10Who among you worships the Lord and listens to the voice of his servant? Anyone who walks in darkness and who has no bright light—let him trust in the name of the Lord, and let him lean on his God.
LESSON – HEBREWS 2:10-18
10Certainly it was fitting for God (the one for whom and through whom everything exists), in leading many sons to glory, to bring the author of their salvation to his goal through sufferings. 11For he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified all have one Father. For that reason, he is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12He says: I will declare your name to my brothers. Within the congregation I will sing your praise. 13And again: I will trust in him. And again: Here I am and the children God has given me. 14Therefore, since the children share flesh and blood, he also shared the same flesh and blood, so that through death he could destroy the one who had the power of death (that is, the Devil) 15and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. 16For surely he was not concerned with helping angels but with helping Abraham’s offspring. 17For this reason, he had to become like his brothers in every way, in order that he would be a merciful and faithful high priest in the things pertaining to God, so that he could pay for the sins of the people. 18Indeed, because he suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
GOSPEL – LUKE 2:41-52
41Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Festival. 43When the days had ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it. 44Since they thought he was in their group, they went a day’s journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? See, your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.” 49He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be taking care of my Father’s business?” 50They did not understand what he was telling them. 51He went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was always obedient to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.
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
Lead Your Church, Lord, to follow the example of blessed Simeon, that all baptized Christians would embrace the Christ Child by Word and faith, and so be ready to depart whenever they are called.
Cause the Word to dwell richly among us. Let our songs, words and deeds be done in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, with thanksgiving.
Almighty God, Your Son alone is judge of the earth, who decides all matters in equity and righteousness. Let us entrust ourselves to Christ and likewise delight in the fear of the Lord. Let us not put our trust in princes and leaders of this world, who must judge by what they see and hear.
We pray for their health and wisdom and ask that we may honor them for the sake of conscience before You.
Blessed Lord, help the sick and suffering, especially those who desire our prayers especially Dee Turner who is recovering from health issues, as well as all who during this season are facing challenges.
Surround them with Your love in Christ and, according to Your gracious will, heal them. Comfort all those who mourn, and fill their hearts with the certain hope of the resurrection.
Heavenly Lord and King, we ask your blessing on the WELS World Missions plan to send a missionary to the city of London, England. We ask that you grant success as we serve 50 WELS families there as well as the many in our fellowship relocating to London from Hong Kong. If it is your will, open this door, smooth the path, and grant that our plans may come to fruition.
Help overcome cultural obstacles so that we may serve natives, refugees, and expatriates alike.
We give thanks for our brothers and sisters who have departed in the peace of faith.
Bring us with them to see with our own eyes the light of the nations and the glory of Israel.
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.
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to this new day. Defend us with your mighty power, and grant that this day we neither fall into sin nor run into any kind of danger; and in all we do, direct us to what is right in your sight, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
THE LORD’S BLESSING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.