Order Of Worship
Pre-Service Song
This I Believe (The Creed)
Welcome & Gathering & Announcements
Advent Reading ~ Hope
Read by - Vern & Sue Pedelty
Advent Song
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving
Call to Worship & God's Greeting
Bless to be a Blessing
Advent Story Part 1
Children's Message
Our Morning Prayers
Offering - Doxology (stand up) - Deaconal Prayer
Closing Song
O Come All Ye Faithful
Sending and God's Parting Blessing
God's Parting Blessing:
God go before you to lead you, God go behind you to protect you,
God go beneath you to support you, God go beside you to befriend you.
Do not be afraid.
May the blessing of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be upon you
Do not be afraid. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Amen
Have a Great Week!
Sunday School10:45 am
Cantata Practice 11:00 am
Sermon Outline
“Shadow Of Christmas”
Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 9:2-6, Micah 5:2
I. Introduction: The Haunting of the Human Heart
C.S. Lewis described the specific longing we feel at Christmas as Sehnsucht—an
inconsolable for we know not what. The Old Testament is not just a collection of history lessons; it is a story in search of an ___________.
II. The Whisper of the Garden: The Solution to Evil. (Genesis 3:15)
Genesis 3:15 is often called the Proto-Evangelium, or the First_________
The Distinction:
Religion says, "If you are good enough, you will defeat evil."
The Gospel says, "Evil is too deep for you to defeat. Someone must be
____________ for you." Christmas is not just a birth; it is the arrival of the warrior who comes to ________________.
III. The Whisper of the Prophet: The Solution to Power (Isaiah 9:2-6)
Isaiah presents an "impossible combination": A Mighty God.
The Dilemma of God and Man:
A God who is all-powerful but has no vulnerability is a distant_________
A human who is all vulnerability but has no power is just a nice_________
Jesus is the True and Better King who rules not by the sword, but by _______________.
IV. The Whisper of the Village: The Solution to Significance (Micah 5:2)
We live in a culture that values "resume virtues," but God chooses Bethlehem—a place that was "podunk" and insignificant.
God chooses Bethlehem to tell us that salvation is not a reward for the
impressive; it is a gift for the__________ If you feel too small or messed up for God to love, remember: God is drawn to____________ , not strength.
V. Conclusion
In the Old Testament, the Gospel was a whisper; in the New Testament, it
becomes a____________ The essence of Christmas is not that you must work your way up to God, but that God has come____________ to you.
BLESSed to be a BLESSing
Kid's Bulletin
"Be Prepared for Christ's Coming"
Matthew 24:36-44
Who can tell me what this picture represents? (Hold up the Girl Scout emblem.) That's right! It’s the Girl Scout emblem. Do we have any Girl Scouts here today? Can anyone tell me the Girl Scout motto? You are right again. The Girl Scout motto is, "Be Prepared."
Can anyone tell me what this picture represents? (Hold up the Boy Scout emblem.) You boys and girls are really sharp! It’s the Boy Scout emblem. Now, who can tell me what the Boy Scout motto is? You are right. The Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared."
The Girl Scout and Boy Scout mottos mean that a good scout must always "Be prepared." That is also the subject of our Bible lesson today.
Today is a very special day. Today is the first Sunday of Advent, and we have started the countdown to Christmas. There are many things that people do to get ready for Christmas, aren't there? Let's see, what are some of the things that we do to prepare for Christmas?
We have to put up our Christmas tree, lights, and decorations. We have to get our Christmas cards addressed and mailed. We have a lot of shopping to do to buy gifts for our family and friends. There is a lot of cooking that must be done -- Christmas cookies and candy, and, of course, we must buy all the food for Christmas dinner. Can you think of any things I have forgotten? (Allow kids to answer.)
While we’re getting ready for Christmas, there’s something else that we must be prepared for as well. Jesus promised that he would come again, and the Bible tells us that we must be watching and be prepared for his return. We all know when Christmas is coming, but when will Jesus come again? The Bible says no one knows the hour of his return. Not even the angels who announced his birth know when he will come again. (Matthew 24:36-44)
If we don't know when he is coming, how can we be prepared? If we want to be prepared for Jesus' coming, we must always be busy doing the things that he told us to do. We must be loving God and loving one another. What are some things we can do? (Allow kids to answer.)
It is fun and exciting to prepare for Christmas, and we must also be prepared for the day when Jesus comes again.
Dear Father, we love this season of the year. We love the preparation for the celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Help us also remember that he is coming again and that you have told us to be prepared.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
