If you are interested in caroling to our shut-ins, please meet at the church this coming Tuesday afternoon at 2. We should be finished by 4:30.
Contact Pastor if you know someone we should sing to.
We will not have a midweek advent service this Wednesday.
The Christmas worship schedule includes a Christmas Eve service on Saturday at 6:30. We do not intend to stream the service online. It will be a n0n-communion service. There will also be a Christmas Day service with communion on Sunday at our regular start time of 10:30. We do intend to stream this service on Facebook. Sunday School and Adult Bible Study will be canceled for the day.
Thanks to all those who donated goods for the Boaz House. LWML will be dropping off the collection later this week. Contact Cindy if you would like to visit the facility with her.
As to the service for 12/18, the scripture readings reinforce the message that Jesus is the fulfillment to God’s Old Testament prophecy.
The Scripture texts we will be using are Psalm 24; Isaiah 7:10-17; Romans1:1-7; and Matthew 1:18-25.
Hymns chosen for the day are #355 O Savior, Rend the Heavens Wide; #946 Glory to God, we give You thanks and praise; #357 O Come Emmanuel; #346 When All the World Was Cursed; and for those present for communion, during the distribution we will sing #624 The Infant Priest was Holy Born.
Psalm 24 is a psalm of King David. Some bible historians suggest it was written in preparation for the return of the Ark of the Covenant, the special box that held the 10 commandments and some artifacts from the exodus out of Egypt. The words indicate eager anticipation of the arrival of God as king, moving to His place of honor. He is the strength of the nation. The gates of the city are urged to open wide to receive him. David’s words foretell the coming of Jesus. He alone is worthy to enter God’s holy presence to sit on God’s powerful and everlasting throne.
While Isaiah was prophet, the armies of the northern kingdom Israel joined forces with the Syrian army to mount an attack the southern kingdom Judah, at that time governed by King Ahaz, God told Ahaz not to worry. He would protect him and defend the nation against attack. But Ahaz wasn’t sure—the enemy looked pretty formidable. So God told Ahaz to ask for a sign—any sign, to assure him of God’s power and to move him to believe. Ahaz refuses to answer, feigning a false humility claiming he doesn’t want to test God. God is angry that Ahaz refused the offer. In the Old Testament reading for the day, Isaiah 7:10-17, God tells Ahaz He will give him a sign anyway. It’s a strange sign—a virgin (or young woman) will have a son. And God promises that in a matter of months, before the son is old enough to discern things, He will have defeated the attackers. That rescue was accomplished in the short term. But the promise of a Son born to a virgin also has eternal significance. That prophecy was fulfilled in the conception and birth of Jesus. God defends us against temporary enemies, but more importantly He also has your eternal salvation in mind. Jesus is Emmanuel, which means God with us. Jesus is God and lived as one of us in order that he could redeem us from sin.
The epistle lesson is from the opening salutation of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans (1:1-7). Paul introduces himself as a servant of Jesus. Then he identifies Jesus’ two natures—a man born of flesh as a descendant of King David, and also true God evidenced by His rising from the dead. You have been called to be joined this Almighty King foretold by the prophets.
The gospel lesson is from St. Matthew’s account. After telling of Jesus’ genealogy in the first portion of Chapter 1, he follows by giving more specific details regarding Jesus’ incarnation and birth. An angels come to Joseph telling him that his fiancée Mary is pregnant with God’s Son. We might imagine how difficult it would be to accept this claim. Joseph shows himself to be a man of faith. Though God is Jesus’ true Father, Joseph would serve as His earthly legal guardian, even before He was born, and even if others might view him suspiciously. He followed God’s instruction naming the boy ‘Jesus’, a name meaning ‘the LORD saves’. Jesus’ name is Jesus; his title is Christ (a Greek word equivalent to the Hebrew word Messiah), meaning ‘anointed one’.
Collect for the day: COLLECT: Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help is by Your might, that the sins which way us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
