PROVIDENCE CHURCH

December 12, 2021

Welcome

Passing of the Peace: Though we are separated by distance our hearts are one in Christ. The peace of Christ be with you!  And also with you!

 

Lighting of the Advent Candle

 

Call to Worship:   Psalm 23

Leader:  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Congregation:  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Leader:  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Congregation:  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Leader:  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

ALL:  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

 

Songs of Praise:

God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen (English carol, 18th cent.)

God rest you merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay,

Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day,

To save us all from Satan’s pow’r when we were gone astray;

O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.

 

From God our heav’nly Father, a blessed angel came;

And unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same:

How that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name.

O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.

 

“Fear not, then,” said the angel, “let nothing you affright;

this day is born a Savior of a pure virgin bright,

to free all those who trust in him from Satan’s pow’r and might.”

O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.

The shepherds at those tidings rejoic-ed much in in mind,

And left their flocks afeeding, in tempest, storm, and wind:

And went to Bethlehem straight-way, the Son of God to find.

O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and oy, O tidings of comfort and joy.

 

On Christmas Night All Christians Sing (Traditional English carol)

On Christmas night all Christians sing, to hear the news the angels bring;

On Christmas night all Christians sing, to hear the news the angels bring;

News of great joy, news of great mirth,

News of our merciful King’s birth.

 

Then why should men on earth be sad, since our Redeemer made us glad?

Then why should men on earth be sad, since our Redeemer made us glad,

When from our sin he set us free,

All for to gain our liberty.

 

When sin departs before your grace, then life and health come in its place;

When sin departs before your grace, then life and health come in its place;

Angels and men with joy may sing,

All for to see the newborn King.

 

All out of darkness we have light, which made the angels sing this night;

All out of darkness we have light, which made the angels sing this night:

“Glory to God and peace to men,

now and forevermore, Amen!”

 

Go, Tell it On the Mountain (Spiritual)

Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;

Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

 

While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,

Behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light.

Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;

Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

 

The shepherds feared and trembled when, lo! above the earth

Rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth.

Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;

Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

 

Down in a lowly manger our humble Christ was born,

And God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn.

Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;

Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

 

 

 

Confession/Assurance    

 

Psalm 51 (select  verses)

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin!

 

3 For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you may be justified in your words

and blameless in your judgment.

6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,

and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

 

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

 

Respond in Praise:

 

 

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne (E.S. Elliot, 1864)

Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown when thou camest to earth for me;

But in Bethlehem’s home there was found no room for thy holy nativity.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee.

 

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang, proclaiming thy royal degree;

But of lowly birth thou didst come to earth, and in great humility.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee.

 

Thou camest O Lord, with the living word that should set thy people free;

But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn, they bore thee to Calvary.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee.

 

When the heavens shall ring and the angels sing at thy coming to victory,

Let thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room—there is room at my side for thee.”

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee

 

Scripture Reading:    Luke 2: 6-20

 

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.   9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.   11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.   12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.    13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.   15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.   16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.  18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.   19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.   20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

 

This is the Word of the Lord.   Thanks be to God!

Sermon:  ” Behold the Lamb”                                                                                                         

 

Hymn of Dedication

 

Silent Night (Joseph Mohr, 1818, tr. circa 1850; tune Franz Gruber, 1818)

Silent Night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin, mother and child,

Holy infant, so tender and mile,

Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

 

Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight!

Glories stream from heaven afar,

Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia;

Christ, the Savior is born! Christ, the Savior is born!

 

Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light

Radiant beams from thy hold face,

With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

 

Silent night! Holy night! Wondrous star, lend thy light;

With the angels let us sing

Alleluia to our King;

Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born!

 

 

Lord’s Prayer:

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 debts as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil:

for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory.  Amen

 

Hymn of Thanksgiving

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Charles Wesley, 1739; tune Mendelssohn, 1840)

Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies;

With th’angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

 

Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th’incarnate Deitiy,

Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

 

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings, ris’n with healing in his wings.

Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die,

Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.

Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

 

 

Benediction 

 

A special note from Rev Edward Brouwer

It’s been an immense joy to have a retreat at Valle Crucis this past Thursday and Friday. I am grateful to God for the privilege of being your pastor and of praying for you by name. A welcome prayer that guided me was of particular encouragement and I share it with you here:

I welcome all that comes to me in this moment because this time is a gift from you. I let go of my desire for security, I let go of my desire for approval. I let go of my desire for control. I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person, or even myself. I receive Your love and gracious presence in Christ.

 

In the Bible in One Year Commentary for December 10, Nicky Gumbel writes “Martin Luther said that ‘Scripture is the manger in which Christ lays’. Just as a parent goes to the crib to find their baby, so the Christian goes to the Bible to find Jesus. Don’t inspect the cradle and forget to worship Jesus.”

 

As a meditation, I wrote an Advent/Lenten poem:

 

O Lamb of God

Who takes away the sin of the world

Holy, ineffable Divinity

Wrapped in swaddling clothes

Perfect, without blemish.

 

You give yourself to us.

Take, eat, remember, believe

That my body and blood is given

for a complete remission of your sin.

 

You invite us into mystery

The secret of your sacrifice

That we may worship you

Experiencing your very presence.

 

Come, then, you who are weary

The heavy laden, the down-trodden

And I will give you rest.

For I am gentle and lowly.

 

Come adore on bended knee

at the stable at the cradle at the table

Come adore with upward gaze

The dazzling One, the Ancient of Days.

 

O worship the King

Give your life, all for Him.

Sing praises to our God

Give Him everything.