The Lord’s
Day
December 13,
2009
Third
Sunday of Advent
Prelude
Lighting
of the Advent Candle Isaiah
9: 6. 7
For a child
will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on
His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His
government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to
establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and
forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of
hosts will accomplish this.
Musical Offering Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
(text on facing page)
*Call to Worship Psalm
20:5–7
We will sing
for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.
Now I know
that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer
him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.
Some boast in
chariots and some in horses,
But we will
boast in the name of the Lord,
our God.
*Gloria
Patri No. 734
*Prayer of Invocation
*Hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel No. 194
Public Confession
Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy on Your people.
Deliver us, we pray, from the misery of sin and the temptations that so easily
beset us. Forgive our expressions of pride. Forgive us for boasting in
ourselves. Forgive us for lacking joy. For Your glory, help us to grasp the
depth and richness of Your love for us; and help us to comprehend the abundance
of Your mercy.
Words of Assurance Galatians
5:16-18
Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For
the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;
for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things
that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Response Praise Jehovah, All Ye Nations (following)
Prayer for the Tithe and Offerings
Collection of the Tithe and Offerings
*Doxology No.
731
*Declaring Our Faith[†] The Canons of Dordt: Saving Faith
What does the Bible teach regarding
the nature the faith that saves?
All who
genuinely believe and are delivered and saved by Christ’s death from their sins
and from destruction receive this favor solely from God’s grace—which He owes
to no one—given to them in Christ from eternity.
What about
those who remain in a state of unbelief?
The fact that
some who have been called through the gospel do not repent or believe in Christ
but perish in unbelief is not because the sacrifice of Christ offered on the
cross is deficient or insufficient, but because they themselves are at fault.
Pastoral Prayer
*Responsive Reading Psalm
15
O Lord, who
may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy
hill?
He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his
heart.
He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his
neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach
against his friend;
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
But who honors those who fear
the Lord;
He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He does not put out his money
at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will
never be shaken.
*Hymn As with Gladness, Men of Old No. 226
*Public Reading of the Word The
Gospel of John 9:1–23
*Prayer for the Ministry of the Word
Sermon Peace Declared Luke 2:1–14
Hymn It Came upon the Midnight Clear No. 200
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper+
*Hymn Lift Up Your
Heads Ye Mighty Gates! No. 198
*Benediction
*Threefold Amen No.
740
* Congregation will please stand
+ Visitors: please see the note on the back of this
bulletin