December 17 online worship

Preparations for Worship:

• Do your best to eliminate distractions like the phone, TV, etc.
• Worship actively! Whether you are by yourself or with others, try reading the parts of the service aloud (responses, lessons, and prayers).
• This service is for children too. Help them participate. Ask those who have that ability to read a prayer or lesson aloud. Take a moment to describe what’s happening. Ask questions. Encourage little ones to draw what they are hearing while you all listen. Unlike our more typical Sunday worship at church, you can pause at any time for questions and discussion.
• Before you begin, load each of the videos below. (You might first have to get past a distracting ad.)
• Pause for a moment of quiet meditation. Then pray:
  “Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and speak your praise. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.”

CONFESSION OF SINS

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Let us confess our sins to the Lord.

Holy God, gracious Father, I am sinful by nature and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions.  I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should.  I deserve your punishment both now and forever.  But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins with his innocent suffering and death.  Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Lord have mercy.

For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

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

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Hear our prayers, Lord Jesus Christ, and come with the good news of your mighty deliverance. Drive the darkness from our hearts, and fill us with your light; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

LESSON – JEREMIAH 25:3-14

³ For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, to this very day, the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again. But you have not listened. ⁴ The Lord sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or paid attention.  ⁵ The Lord said: Turn, each of you, from your evil way of life and from the evil things you do. Live on the land the Lord gave to you and to your forefathers long ago to be yours forever. ⁶ Do not follow after other gods or serve them or worship them, and do not provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.  ⁷ But you would not obey me, declares the Lord. So you kept provoking me to anger with the work of your hands, and you have hurt yourselves.  ⁸ Therefore this is what the Lord of Armies says. Because you have not obeyed my words, ⁹ watch out! I will send for all the clans of the north, declares the Lord, and I will send for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and derision. The land will be ruins forever. ¹⁰ I will take the sound of joy away from them and the sound of gladness. I will take away the voice of the bride and groom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. ¹¹ This whole land will become a desolation and a ruin, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. ¹² When the seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, declares the Lord. I will make it desolate forever. ¹³ I will bring on that land all my words which I have spoken against it, everything that is written in this book, in which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. ¹⁴ For many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, but I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.

LESSON – REVELATION 18:21-19:5

²¹ A mighty angel picked up a stone like a large millstone and, as he threw it into the sea, he said: This is the way Babylon, the great city, will be overthrown with violence and will never again be found.  ²² The sound of harpists and musicians, flutists and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again.  No craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again.  The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again.  ²³ The light of a lamp will never shine in you again.  The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again, because your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because your witchcraft led all the nations astray, ²⁴ and the blood of prophets and saints was found in this city, along with the blood of all those who were slain on the earth. 

^19:1 After these things I heard what seemed to be the loud sound of an immense crowd in heaven, saying: Alleluia!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, ²     for his judgments are true and just, because he has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and he has avenged his servants’ blood that was shed by her

hand.  ³ A second time they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.”  ⁴ Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures bowed down and worshipped God, who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”  ⁵ And from the throne came a voice that said, “Praise our God, all you his servants and you who fear him, small and great.”

GOSPEL – MATTHEW 11:25-30

²⁵ At that time, Jesus continued, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from clever and learned people and have revealed them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, because this was pleasing to you. ²⁷ Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal him.  ²⁸ “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

DEVOTION – PSALM 137:1-4

CONFESSION OF FAITH – NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  Amen.

OFFERING

Offerings may be given on-line at tithe.ly/risensavior, mailed to the church, or dropped off at the church.

Our members have joined together in faith and love to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world.  Guests need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Almighty God, You sent John the Baptist to proclaim the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Grant that we who prepare to celebrate the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ may die to sin and rise to new life, that we may treasure up and ponder in our hearts the Christ announced by Your forerunner.

Heavenly Father, be the source of strength and comfort in every home. Bless the children of our families, that every darkness would be lightened by Your Son’s gracious visitation.

Preserve them from dangers to body and soul, guide them by Your Word in wise paths, and keep them firm in the faith until life’s end.

Creator of all, many in our midst have been afflicted with pain, sickness, trials and difficulties. Be merciful to those who are close to us, that they may be granted health or strength to endure their afflictions.

Help us all to see that when Christ returns in glory, our bodies will be incorruptible and immortal when He makes all things new.

Lord of the Church, we pray that you would pour out your blessings on our WELS home mission in Firestone, CO. Give wisdom, endurance, patience, and strength to their pastor. Bless the congregation as they use their repurposed facility to build relationships with people in their growing community.  We ask your favor on current and potential members so that they may grow closer to Jesus as their Savior every day.

Grant us the same grace to grow close to our Savior and share him with our community, especially in the invitations to Christmas Eve.

O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers as you have taught us…

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.

PRAYER

We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us with this saving gift. We pray that through it you will strengthen our faith in you and increase our love for one another. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

BLESSING

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and T give you peace.

Amen.

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