SECOND SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS

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PINNACLE LUTHERAN CHURCH

Sunday, January 2, 2022 – 10:00 a.m.

God loves you! He chose you before the foundation of the world and knew that you would be part of His family through faith in Jesus Christ. Whom do you know who needs to experience God’s unconditional, all-accepting, no-strings-attached love? As we are reminded throughout the Scriptures, God’s love is for all people. Who is near to you who may still be far from God? How can you connect with them this year so that they might come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved?

PRELUDE MUSIC

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

OPENING HYMN: #390 – Let Us All with Gladsome Voice

INVOCATION

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES John 3:16; Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 2:3–4; 1 John 2:2

Pastor: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

People: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.

Pastor: This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

People: He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION Romans 3:22b–25a, 6:23

Pastor: For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.

People: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Pastor: Let us confess our sins to God our Father.

People: O Giver of all good gifts, we come to You today acknowledging our foolishness and shortsightedness. As we live in this world, we succumb to the thinking of this world, which does not always align with Your thoughts. Amid the strains and stresses of life, we forget about Your unfailing love for us and for all in our world. For the sake of Jesus, Your Son, our Lord, forgive our sins and renew us by Your love.

Pastor: Our God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, loves us dearly and blesses us with every spiritual blessing. We have redemption through Jesus’ blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Thank You, Jesus! Amen.

+ Service of the Word +

INTROIT Psalm 147:1, 5, 11–12; antiphon: John 1:14

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory,

glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God;

for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;

his understanding is beyond measure.

But the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,

in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!

Praise your God, O Zion!

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.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory,

glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

KYRIE

Pastor: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For the gifts of forgiveness, grace, and the heavenly inheritance that awaits us, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For this nation, for our cities and communities, and for wisdom for all who lead, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For God’s chosen people, gathered here and scattered throughout the earth, and for the proclamation of God’s unconditional love for all and the calling of all to faith, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

People: Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE (LSB 187)

Glory be to God on high:

and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,

we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.

O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;

O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.

Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.

For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.

Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,

art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

SALUTATION and PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Let us pray.
Gracious heavenly Father, You have shown repeatedly throughout history how much You love Your chosen people. Fill our lives with Your love so we may share it with all whom we interact; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING 1 Kings 3:4–15

(Solomon asks for the gift of wisdom.)

⁴ The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ⁵At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” ⁶And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. ⁷And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. ⁹Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

¹⁰It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹²behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. ¹³I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. ¹⁴And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

¹⁵And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL Isaiah 9:6; Psalm 98:1a

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon His shoulder.

And His name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things!

EPISTLE Ephesians 3:14–19

¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

VERSE Luke 2:40

Alleluia. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon Him. Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL Luke 2:40–52

(Jesus is found sharing His wisdom in the temple.)

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the second chapter.

People: Glory to You, O Lord.

⁴⁰The child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

⁴¹Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. ⁴³And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, ⁴⁴but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ⁴⁵and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” ⁴⁹And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. ⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Pastor: The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY: #544 – O Love, How Deep

SERMON

Musical Meditation: In the Bleak Midwinter — Rosetti/Holst

NICENE CREED

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
      maker of heaven and earth
            and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
      the only-begotten Son of God,
      begotten of His Father before all worlds,
      God of God, Light of Light,
      very God of very God,
      begotten, not made,
      being of one substance with the Father,
      by whom all things were made;
      who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
      and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
      and was made man;
      and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
      He suffered and was buried.
      And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
            and ascended into heaven
      and sits at the right hand of the Father.
      And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
      the Lord and giver of life,
      who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
      who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
      who spoke by the prophets.
      And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
      I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
      and I look for the resurrection of the dead
      and the life + of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

After each petition: Pastor: … Lord, in Your mercy:

People: hear our prayer.

At conclusion: Pastor: … through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

People: Amen.

+ SACRAMENT +

PREFACE 2 Timothy 4:22

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Lift up your hearts.

People: We lift them to the Lord.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

PROPER PREFACE

Pastor: It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless times You show how much You love all the people of this world. Through Your Son, Jesus, You most vividly demonstrated Your love in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us—the righteous for the unrighteous—so that we might be saved from Your just wrath. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

SANCTUS (p. 195 in hymnal)

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;

heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Pastor: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

You have given us life, and life to the full as You have lavished Your love on us and welcomed us into Your family through faith in Jesus, through whom You richly and daily forgive our sins.

Grant us the fullness of Your wisdom, that as we are fueled by the body and blood of Your Son, Jesus, we live lives that reveal Your grace and mercy to all. To You alone be all glory, honor, and worship—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

THE WORDS OF OUR LORD

Pastor: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST 1 Corinthians 11:26; Revelation 22:20

Pastor: As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

People: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Pastor: O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

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.

POST-COMMUNION THANKSGIVING Psalm 106:1b

Pastor: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.

People: His steadfast love endures forever.

Pastor: Let us pray.
O God the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness, love, and grace, in Your immense love for us from all eternity You sent Your Son, Jesus, to be born of Mary. He died for the sins of the world and rose to life victoriously. Through Him we have obtained an inheritance as Your dearly loved children. We ask that You continue to walk with us as You rule our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit, that we be empowered constantly by Your love for all humanity; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

BENEDICTION Numbers 6:24–26

Pastor: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. . . . In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.

People: Amen.

Pastor: The Lord be with you all. The blessing of almighty God—the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit—abide with you, now and forever.

People: Amen.

SECOND SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS – Online Church at Home Service Bulletin

PINNACLE LUTHERAN CHURCH

Sunday, January 2, 2022 – 10:00 a.m.