Bulletin 3d Sunday in Advent – Online Church at Home Service

Bulletin 2d Sunday in Advent – Online Church at Home Service
Nativity Scene, Adoration of the Magi

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THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

Rejoice in the Mystery of the Gift

December 13, 2020

AS WE GATHER

In our Advent preparations today, John the apostle and evangelist adds his testimony along with John the Baptist, holding before us the joy of Jesus as the light who gives to all who receive Him and believe in His name the right to become children of God. Because of our Lord’s continual supply of grace by His Word and Sacraments, we are enabled with Him to “greatly rejoice in the LORD”; for by His Spirit of righteousness we lead lives of holiness of faith. This holiness continually rejoices in the Lord, prays, and give thanks in all circumstances. With John the apostle and John the Baptist, we rejoice, always prepared by faith to welcome and worship our Lord and Savior, who comes to us daily with healing and deliverance.

HYMN : #345 – Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding

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PREPARATION

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INVOCATION

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the ? Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

Pastor: Behold, the true light has come into the world. Let us enter into His presence, confessing our sins and receiving His forgiveness.
People: Lord God, our heavenly Father, hear us as we confess the darkness of our waywardness and sin, especially our reluctance or refusal to rejoice, pray, or give thanks amid the troubles we have brought upon ourselves. Make us truly repentant, that we may receive the holiness of faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of our sins. Amen.
Pastor: The true light has come. To all who receive Him, He makes to be the children of God. Upon this, your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the ? Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.

Pastor: Jesus Christ is the Light of the world,
People: the light no darkness can overcome.
Pastor: Let Your light scatter the darkness
People: and illumine Your Church.

+WORD+

PSALM (spoken responsively by verse) Psalm 126

1When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
3The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.
4Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like streams in the Negeb!
5Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.

SALUTATION and PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.

Pastor: Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11

(The year of the Lord’s favor)

1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
4They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations. . . .
8For I the LORD love justice;
I hate robbery and wrong;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge them,
that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.
10I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations.

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL Zechariah 9:9; Psalm 118:26, alt.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem.
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation.
Blessèd is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.

EPISTLE 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24

(Rejoice always)

16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies, 21but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.
23Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

VERSE Matthew 11:10b
Alleluia. Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You. Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL John 1:6–8, 19–28

(The testimony of John the Baptist)

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the first chapter.
People: Glory to You, O Lord.

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. . . .
19This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY: #349 – Hark the Glad Sound

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SERMON – Rejoice in the Mystery of the Gift

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APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.

And 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

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.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

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After each petition:
Pastor: … let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.

At conclusion:

Pastor: … through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
People: Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

People: 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.

CLOSING PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, true Light of the world, abide with us that we may rejoice in Your gracious presence, pray to You in every need, and give thanks for all Your blessing; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.

BENEDICTION

Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and ? give you peace.
People: Amen.

HYMN : #387 – Joy to the World

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