Everything you need for January 3 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 AND FORGIVENESS
God invites us to come into his presence and worship him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask him to forgive us.
Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful, and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Almighty God, you have filled us with the new light of the Word who became flesh and lived among us. Let the light of our faith shine in all that we do; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
LESSON – MICAH 5:2-5
2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
from you, will come the one who will be the ruler for me in Israel.
His goings forth are from ancient times, from 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 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.
DEVOTION – JOHN 7:40-43
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
Heavenly Father, we give You thanks that Your Son, the eternal Word, became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
Extend His praise into all the world, that many more with us would come to hope in His steadfast love.
Heavenly Father, Your Son diligently heard the Word of God and grew in wisdom and stature, submissive to His earthly parents and always about Your business and in Your house.
Keep the families of Your Church abiding in Your Word, eager to be found among Your Word and Sacraments and always treasuring Your divine wisdom and favor.
Heavenly Father, You have blessed us in Christ, Your beloved Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Preserve Your Church by the preaching of the Gospel of salvation and the seal of the promised Holy Spirit in Baptism.
Raise up among us faithful preachers to the praise of Christ’s glory, until we acquire the inheritance promised us in Him.
Lord, when we pause to reflect on the past year, we are astounded at your blessings. We praise your Holy Spirit for moving members to be involved with ministry at their own congregations, in mission fields, and as part of our synod’s disaster relief efforts. We glorify you for opening doors for us to connect with people around the world so that we can bring the gospel to more people than we ever could have planned.
Please bless us in 2021 as we continue to strive to be good stewards of your kingdom.
Heavenly Father, give patience and endurance to all who are sick or in any need, especially Frank Ratter who is in the hospital with serious health issues. Heal all those we name in our hearts according to Your will. Receive our thanksgiving for every blessing and kindness You have shown to Your people. Give comfort and hope to all who mourn especially Art and Josh Rattler as they grieve over the death of Maria, Art’s wife.
Jesus you won redemption through your blood to grant us all forgiveness of sins. The riches of your grace mean our future is in heaven. Give that comfort in grief and hope to those mourning.
All these things and whatever else You know that we need, grant us, Father, for the sake of Jesus 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.