Download Morning Devotion - Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran

The Common Service
WELCOME in the NAME of the COMING LORD!
A warm welcome to everyone who has joined us for worship, especially our guests! If you have any
questions, please don’t hesitate to ask the usher. We are here to serve your needs.
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Today’s order of worship is printed for you in this worship folder.
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If you are in need of restrooms, they are located down the hallway and to the right.
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If you are visiting today, please sign our guest book located on the back table.
 We invite everyone to stay after the service for friendship time! Enjoy some refreshments.
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GATHERING SONG
“Come, Emmanuel”
©1995 by GIA Publications, Inc.
Reprinted by permission
M: Let us confess our sins to God and ask for his forgiveness.
C: Almighty God, merciful Father, I confess to you that I have not loved you with all my
heart. I have pursued my ways instead of your ways. In what I have done and left
undone, I have not loved my brothers and sisters as myself. For this I deserve your
punishment both now and in eternity. I am truly sorry for my sins. I repent of them and
beg for your mercy, O Lord.
M: Forgive us for the sake of Jesus Christ who came into the world to save us.
C: Cleanse me from my sins. Release me from my guilt. Grant me your Holy Spirit, so that I
may amend my sinful ways.
All sing the refrain continuously, while the choir sings “Lord, have mercy.”
Choir: Lord, have mercy upon us and . . .
Choir: Christ, have mercy upon us and . . .
Choir: Lord, have mercy upon us and . . .
The congregation remains seated. After a short introduction, the congregation sings the refrain
along with the choir:
During the singing of the refrain the choir sings:
By the light of his glory we . . .
God has done great things, so . . .
Reap the harvest of justice, and . . .
Oh make ready his way, and . . .
Clear a path, for soon he will . . .
All shall see God’s salvation and . . .
INVOCATION
M: In the name of the Father and of the Son (†) and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
M: The almighty God has been merciful to us and has sent his Son to die for all. For his sake, he
forgives us our sins and calls us from darkness to his marvelous light. 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.
C: Amen.
Brief silence for meditation.
Then, all sing the refrain a final time.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
M: Let us pray.
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way for your only Son. By his coming give us
strength in our conflicts and shed light on our path through the darkness of this world;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Two Advent candles are lit.
Stand
GOSPEL
Luke 3:1 – 6
After the announcement of the Gospel, the congregation sings:
C: Amen.
Be seated
FIRST LESSON
Malachi 3:1 – 4
“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the
Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you
desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will
be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will
purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will
bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable
to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years. (NIV)
HYMN
3 “Lift Up Your Heads, You Mighty Gates”
SECOND LESSON
1 Corinthians 4:1 – 5
So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the
secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove
faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even
judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who
judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He
will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At
that time each will receive his praise from God. (NIV)
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar – when Pontius Pilate was governor of
Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and
Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene – during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of
God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the
Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the
book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’” (NIV)
M: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES
M: We light two Advent candles, remembering Jesus, who came in history. He came into a
world of sin and death.
C: We remember Jesus, who came as the promised Messiah. John the Baptist prepared the
way of the Lord.
M: We hear his call to repent.
C: We light two Advent candles as a sign of our repentance and desire for renewal.
M: Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest.
C: Through your Word and Spirit may our souls be blessed.
APOSTLES’ CREED
C: 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.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
M: Come, dear Savior. We long for your appearing!
C: Come, Lord Jesus. Come.
Be seated
SERMON
After the sermon, the congregation stands and sings:
To our guests: we freely give to the Lord because of what he has given to us.
If you would like, you may join us in giving thanks to the Lord, also.
Stand
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.
HYMN OF THE DAY
Be seated
OFFERING
16 “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”
M: Come to cheer us with your promises, as you once cheered your ancient people throughout
their long night of waiting and watching.
C: Help us to trust in you as our gracious Redeemer and so enjoy the peace you came to
bring.
M: Come to restore our hope. Rouse us from the slumber of despair; lift our hearts from petty,
earthbound goals; and direct our eyes above, from where you will soon come to make all
things right again.
C: Keep our hearts filled with true repentance and faith, as we await your advent.
M: Come and work in us a godly grief and a genuine sorrow over sin. Forgive us for the
shameful way we have dishonored you and the shabby way we have dealt with one another.
C: Through your mighty Word, stir up in us a ceaseless yearning to give ourselves to others,
as you have given yourself for us.
M: Come also to rekindle our joy as we prepare to celebrate your first coming. Do not permit a
frenzied busyness to rob us of your peace or to deprive us of times to ponder and to wonder
at your Word. Set our hearts apart from the bustle and the clamor and the jostle of these
days.
C: Fill us with the quiet delight of finding you in the manger, and keep hearts and minds
undisturbed by the great throng that streams by uncaring.
M: We pray also for those enduring great sorrow, for those undergoing spiritual trial, and for
those whose restless hearts have no knowledge of your coming. Comfort, strengthen, and
illumine them with the sweet peace born of your love.
C: Keep them in the way of peace by your Holy Word.
M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.
Silent prayer.
M: Come quickly, dear Lord, and fill our longing eyes with the light of your coming! We wait
and we keep watch.
C: In you we put our hope. Amen.
THANK YOU!
LORD’S PRAYER
C: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on
earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those
who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom,
the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
Be seated
HYMN
8 “Come, O Precious Ransom, Come”
We thank Eric Beachley for serving us as an usher this morning. We thank Phelicia Beachley for
providing flowers to beautify our worship and refreshments after service. Next week:
(Volunteer) & Doriine Adkins.
We thank the members of the choir for leading us in song to and enriching our worship of the
Lord this morning: Carla Dallmann, Pastor Faught, Sara Grunert, Erin Gustafson, Kurt Gustafson,
Michelle Gustafson, Allison Hofland, Debra Hofland, Benny Swim, and Brenda Swim.
COME & GROW!
Stand
PRAYER
M: Almighty God, grant to your Church the Holy Spirit and the wisdom that comes from above.
Let nothing hinder your Word from being freely proclaimed to the joy and edifying of
Christ’s holy people, so that we may serve you in steadfast faith and confess your name as
long as we live, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
BLESSING
Today’s Sunday school lesson is the foretelling of the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5–25). The
children learn that God in his mercy promised to send John to prepare sinful people for the
coming of the Lord. God in his Word calls us (sinful people) to repentance, declaring us
righteous because of his Son, Jesus. In your family discussions, ask the children to retell the story
they learn. Talk about times when you have doubted God’s Word and how because of Jesus, God
forgives our doubts, granting us faith to believe through the power of the Holy Spirit.
M: 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.
C: Amen.
HYMN
“A Lifetime Guarantee!” Some products highlight that offer on their boxes in large, colorful
letters – or at least in bold, black capitals. They promise that no matter what normal wear ‘n’
tear it suffers, the product will last and remain useful as on the day you made the purchase. Yet,
how often have you had to replace parts or finally throw the product away long before you’ve
“expired”? Nothing lasts a lifetime in this world, or whatever does survive the years suffers
from decay. But not so with God’s gifts, such as baptism. Baptism does offer a “one-time” deal;
we “acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins” (Nicene Creed). Yet, the power and
meaning behind baptism works and lasts throughout our lives into eternity.
15 “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding”
A LOOK AHEAD
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Presiding Minister
Pianist
Pastor Arthur Faught
Michelle Gustafson
Come & worship!
the Son of God who became man
according to his Word,
that at the time’s end we may stand
glorious as our Lord.
WORSHIP 10:00 A.M.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH HOUR
11:15 A.M.
(www.shepherdofthehillslutheran.net)
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Th., Dec. 6 – Martinsburg Bible study at 6:30pm (Hofland)
Sun., Dec. 9 – Worship (Holy Communion) & Spiritual Growth Hour, beginning at 10:00am
Wed., Dec. 12 – Church Council meeting at 7:00pm (MHS)
Sun., Dec. 16 – Voters’ Meeting after worship
Mon., Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7:00pm (Hampton Inn)
Visible Church
A Place to Gather
I belong to a church. It’s called Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church and has some 1,600
members on its roster. When I look at the pictorial directory, it’s plain to see who those
members are. Other churches dot the landscape in large cities and small villages all around the
world.
From God’s perspective, the church is invisible, composed only of believers in Christ. From our
human perspective, the church is visible, composed of people gathered around the Word in
congregations, synodical groupings, and other forms. Signs, buildings, and parking lots all
identify a place where believers gather. The church is the people. Everyone can see them
coming for worship and meetings.
Scripture uses the term church in this way. St. Paul wrote, “To the church of God in Corinth.” He
could call them a church because he was writing “to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to
be holy” (1 Corinthians 1:2). Because of the presence of believers, Paul could call the group at
Corinth a church. The difference is the invisible church is made up of all who ARE believers in
Christ. Visible churches are made up of all who SAY they are believers in him.
Sadly, hypocrites can be found in the visible church. Let’s call them make-believers, because for
one reason or another they only pretend to believe in Christ. Perhaps it’s peer pressure that
brings them into church membership. Others may come because of the desire for the
respectability that membership seems to offer. Their names are on the congregational roster
but not in God’s book of life in heaven.
How do we deal with such make-believers? We don’t! Remember, we can’t look into a person’s
heart and identify faith. Nor can we look at a person’s life and identify faith from the works we
see there. Even the hypocrite and the heathen can pursue good and honorable lives. Instead, we
wait and let Jesus deal with the weeds in the wheat field of his church. In 1 Corinthians 4:5, Paul
urges us, “Wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will
expose the motives of men’s hearts.”
I can see who belongs to Good Shepherd Church. You can see who belongs to your church too.
But only God can see who belongs to his church. Pray that God in his grace keeps us in that
number.
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