The Lord’s Day
December 24, 2006
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Prelude
Lighting of the Advent Candle Luke 1:26–35
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.”
Musical Offering O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
(text on facing page)
Minister: O God, You have taught me from my youth;
Congregation: And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
Minister: And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Congregation: Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.
Minister: For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,
Congregation: You who have done great things; O God, who is like You?
*Call to Worship Psalm 20
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! May He send you help from the sanctuary and support you from Zion! May He remember all your meal offerings and find your burnt offering acceptable! May He grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your counsel! 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. They have bowed down and fallen, but we have risen and stood upright. Save, O Lord; may the King answer us in the day we call.
*Gloria Patri No. 734
Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.
*Prayer of Invocation
*Hymn O Come, All Ye Faithful No. 208
Public Confession
Our joy is full, O God of our salvation!
You have revealed Your strong arm of redemption.
You have delivered us from our misery,
And You have caused Your light to shine upon us.
We praise You, therefore, because You are a God of grace.
You have given us life instead of death.
We acknowledge, heavenly Father, that in spite of what has been done for us, we yet sin.
We still wrestle with the call to holiness and sometimes falter in our efforts.
Please forgive our many sins, we pray.
Please pardon all our iniquities.
Cause us to manifest righteousness in our speech and in our conduct.
Cause us to demonstrate the reality of our regenerated hearts in all we do.
We ask this in the name of the One who gave Himself for us,
Even Jesus Christ, our Savior and King.
Words of Assurance Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Response Psalm 136B (inside back)
Prayer for the Tithe and Offerings
Collection of the Tithe and Offerings
Offertory Ring, Christmas Bells
*Doxology No. 731
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
*Declaring Our Faith Westminster Confession (Law of God)
What rule did God provide for Adam?
God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which He bound him and all his posterity, to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience, promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.
Did Adam’s fall affect the law?
This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables: the first four commandments containing our duty towards God; and the other six, our duty to man.
What, in particular, did God give to the people of Israel?
Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly, holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated, under the New Testament.
Pastoral Prayer
*Responsive Reading Psalm 9:1-12
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before You.
For You have maintained my just cause; You have sat on the throne judging righteously.
You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very memory of them has perished.
But the Lord abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment, and He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.
The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion;
Declare among the peoples His deeds.
For He who requires blood remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
*Hymn God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen No. 211
*Public Reading of the Word 1 John 5
*Prayer for the Ministry of the Word
Sermon
Hymn What Child Is This No. 213
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper+
*Hymn Angels We Have Heard on High No. 214
*Benediction
*Threefold Amen No. 740
* Congregation will please stand
+ Visitors: please see the note on the back of this bulletin