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The Once and Future Christmas: An Advent Worship and Sermon Series

I have found that, for many pastors and worship leaders, preparation for Advent and Christmas begins during this time. I trust the following could be of some help.

This Advent series came, in 2007, as I had accepted the call to become President and Professor of Practical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC. My farewell sermon came on Sunday Two in Advent. Thus, there is a break in the series for that day. But I do trust that pastors and other worship planners might find this helpful. To God be the glory.

Some Notes on the Series:

• ·The Advent Candle readings for the weekly lighting of the Advent candles has been included, with prayers written. We have found that some of our people prefer having written prayers and some don’t. It is here for those who desire it.
• ·The Advent Candle lighting is an important part of this time. And having classes or families or singles or senior saints allows for the entire congregation to be recognized and appreciated.
• ·The first Sunday in Advent begins the season with a processional with the choir and ministers from the rear of the church. Thus when the minister has given his announcements, and as the candle lighting begins, he makes his way, around the side, to the rear. The ministers come in at the end of the processional on either aisle.
• For Christmas Eve we have followed a variation of the traditional Lessons and Carols format with Holy Communion, and a candle lighting following, during the singing of Silent Night.

Order of Worship for Sundays in Advent

• Prelude
• Welcome and Announcements
• Lighting of the Advent Candle with Readings and Prayer
• Chiming of the Hour
• Introit
• *Call to Worship
• *Hymns of Praise
• *Invocation, Prayer of Repentance and Words of Assurance
• *Affirmation of Faith
• *Gloria Patri
• *Greeting in Christ
• Reading of the Scriptures
• Prayer of Illumination
• Sermon
• Prayer of Commitment
• Pastoral Prayer and Dedication of Offerings
• Offertory
• *Doxology
• *Benediction and Response
• Postlude

December 2

Readings and Prayer

Reader: Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” We light this candle as a sign of the coming light of Jesus Christ.

Hear the Word of the Lord: (Read Is. 9.2)

Call to Worship

Minister: Rejoice in the Lord always.

People: I will say it again, Rejoice!

Minister: Let your gentleness be evident to all.

People: The Lord is near.

Minister: We rejoice in the hope of Christ’s coming. Let us worship God! (Based on Philippians 4.4-5)

Affirmation

All: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Scripture and sermon and synopsis

“Behind Every Cloud…” (Gen. 9.12-15; Luke 2.8-14; Acts 1.6-9; Rev. 1.7)

Behind every cloud in Scripture, there is…a golden lining of the story of Christ and His Gospel. In the OT God gave a covenant in the clouds; angels sang of His birth in the sky, if not the clouds; Jesus ascended into a cloud in the sky; and he shall return with the clouds.

The clouds thus tell the story of Advent. From the clouds, in Scripture, we learn that…

(1)Advent is a promise made (Gen. 9.12-15)

(2)Advent is a promise kept (Luke 2.8-14)

(3)Advent is a life to be lived (Acts 1.6-9)

(4)Advent is a future not to be missed (Rev. 1.7)

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: Genesis 9.12 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 13 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 14 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 15

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2.8 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 9 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 10 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 11 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 12 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 13

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”* 14

So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1.6

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. Acts 1.7

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1.8

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. Acts 1.9

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail* on account of him. Even so. Amen. Revelation 1.7

Reflections

ADVENT—the four-week period that leads up to Christmas—is a series of events designed not to delay the celebration of Christmas, but to enhance it. It’s a kind of delayed gratification that culminates in a … satisfaction that is all the richer for the waiting.—Joan Chittister

Advent spirituality is not a time to meditate on the actual birth of Christ. According to tradition, we ought not to sing Christmas carols until Christmas itself, for Advent is not a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus in the manger but a time to long for the coming of the Savior. The appropriate sense of this season is captured in the pleading of “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.”—Robert Weber

December 9

Readings and Prayer

Reader: In 1 John 1.5 we read: “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” We read from Isaiah today and remember that Christ is the light that leads us into a new way of life.

Hear the Word of the Lord: (Read Is. 42.16)

Call to Worship

Minister: The Lord has done great things for us!

People: And we are filled with joy!

Minister: Our God has turned our weeping into singing.

People: And our tears into songs of joy!

Minister: O Christ of God, come anew in our hearts this day,

People: And remain in us forever. (Based on Psalm 126)

Affirmation

Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?

A. That I am not my own,but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood,⁴ and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way⁶ that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.

Scripture and sermon and synopsis

Farewell Message

Joshua 1.1-2; 6-9; Acts 20.13-38

Reflections

YOU keep us waiting.

You, the God of all time,

Want us to wait

For the right time in which to

discover

Who we are, where we are to go,

Who will be with us, and what we

must do.

So thank you … for the waiting time.—John Bell

December 16

Readings and Prayer

Reader: In 1 John 1.7 we read: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

We read how God from all time had planned for a great fellowship of people to walk in the light of Christ, not just Jew, not just Gentile, but all people throughout all time gathered under Christ Jesus as one.

Hear the Word of the Lord: (Read Is. 49.6)

Call to Worship

Minister: Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill.

People: Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming.

Minister: It is close at hand.

People: Come, let us worship God.

Affirmation

The Apostles’ Creed

Scripture and sermon and synopsis

The Prophets’ Dream

The third Sunday continues the focus on John’s preaching, this time with the emphasis on the Messiah as the One who will baptize “with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Luke 3:7-18Luke 3:7-18
English: World English Bible - WEB
7 He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones! ⁹ Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.” ¹⁰ The multitudes asked him, “What then must we do?” ¹¹ He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.” ¹² Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?” ¹³ He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.” ¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.” ¹⁵ As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ, ¹⁶ John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire, ¹⁷ whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁸ Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people,

WP-Bible plugin). We will see how the ancient prophet’s vision for justice is attached to Jesus’ Second Coming (Is. 30.18; Acts 17.31)

Reflections

December 23

Readings and Prayer

Reader: In 1 John 2.8 we read: “Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.” Today we read from Isaiah about how the light of Jesus is a light that brings healing.

Hear the Word of the Lord: (Read Is. 58.8)

Call to Worship

Minister: Our souls magnify the Lord!

People: Our spirits rejoice in God our Savior!

Minister: The mighty One has done great things for us!

People: Holy is God’s name!

Minister: Let us worship God.

People: For God is our Maker and our Redeemer; from generation to generation God gives mercy.

Affirmation

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Scripture and sermon and synopsis

Born in Me

The final Sunday in Advent is the bridge to Christmas with the its attention to the miracle of Christ’s conception in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-25Matthew 1:18-25
English: World English Bible - WEB
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. ²⁰ But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” ²² Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, And shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;” Which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” ²⁴ Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; ²⁵ and didn’t know her sexually until she had brought forth her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

WP-Bible plugin and Luke 1:26-38Luke 1:26-38
English: World English Bible - WEB
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!” ²⁹ But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. ³⁰ The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’ ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” ³⁴ Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” ³⁵ The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For everything spoken by God is possible.” ³⁸ Mary said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word.” The angel departed from her.

WP-Bible plugin). We will focus on the conception of Christ in a believer’s soul, and the unveiling of King Jesus in the sky (Matth. 24.30)

Reflections

There is nothing so secular that it cannot be sacred, and that is one of the deepest messages of the incarnation. —Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water

In Advent spirituality we are also called on to meditate on the birthing of Christ in our hearts. In this matter we are dealing with the conversion of life, the movement away from the old life lived under the power of evil to the new life lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. True conversion is a turning from one way of life to another. Christ calls us to be converted to him, to make him the pattern of our lives, to make our living and dying a living and dying in him. —Robert Weber

December 24—Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve Order with Advent readings and prayer

Reader: In the Gospel of Matthew we read of the Magi “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” (Matthew 2.10). And so it was foretold in Isaiah of a light that would arise.

Hear God’s Word. (Read Is. 60.1-3).

Scripture and sermon and synopsis

We are Bound to Worship

On Christmas Eve we shall consider the worship of angels (2.13-14) and of shepherds (Luke 2.20) in the Christmas story. And we look forward to the singing of the heavenly hosts with all of us together, forever, on that Day when He comes again (Rev. 5.13)

Reflections (for back cover)

“How can God stoop lower than to come and dwell with a poor humble soul? Which is more than if he had said, such a one should dwell with him; for a beggar to live at court is not so much as the king to dwell with him in his cottage.”—William Gurnall

Order of Worship for Christmas Eve Communion

The following service is adapted for worship in the Presbyterian Church in America from the Lessons and Carols of King’s College, Cambridge

The Ministry of the Word

Prelude

The Welcome

The Advent Candle Lighting

The Readings and Prayer

The Chiming of the Hour

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

* The congregation stands.

*The Call to Worship

*The Processional Hymn of Praise “Once in Royal David’s City” (verse 1 solo, congregation and choir on verses 2-5)

*The Invocation

The congregation is seated.

The Confession of Sin and Words of Assurance

The Lord’s Prayer

The Lessons and Carols

Reader One: The Fall and the Promise, Selections from Genesis 3, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”

Reader Two: The Covenant with Abraham, Selections from Genesis 22, “Angels from the Realms of Glory”

Reader Three: The Prophet foretells of a coming Savior, Selections from Isaiah 9, “I Wonder as I Wonder” (by Choir)

Reader Four: The Visitation of Mary, Selections from St. Luke 1, “What Child is This?”

Reader Five: The Angelic Visitation to Shepherds, Selections from St. Luke 2, Medley of “While Shepherds Watched their Flock by Night,” and “Away in a Manger”

Reader Six: The Wise Men Find Jesus, Selections from Matthew 2, “We Three Kings of Orient Are”

*The congregation stands.
*Reader Seven: St. John unfolds the Great Mystery of the Incarnation, St. John 1.1-14, selected verses from “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Noel”

Minister: The Lord be with you!

People: And also with you.

Minister: Let us give the greeting of peace in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Greeting

The Christmas Eve Meditation

The Offertory

The Ministry of the Table

The Instructions

The Reading of the Institution

The Pastoral Prayers

Sursum Corda

The Dedications

The Bread

The Cup

The Communion Prayer

*The Hymn “Silent Night” with candles

*The Benediction and Dismissal

Postlude

Learn about more resources from MichaelMilton.org/Music and MichaelMilton.org/Books.

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• Genesis 22:1-19Genesis 22:1-19
  English: World English Bible - WEB
  22 ¹ It happened after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.” ² He said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.” ³ Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him. ⁴ On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off. ⁵ Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you. ⁶ Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together. ⁷ Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” ⁸ Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together. ⁹ They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood. ¹⁰ Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to kill his son. ¹¹ The angel of Yahweh called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.” ¹² He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy, neither do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” ¹³ Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh-Jireh. “Yahweh-Jireh” means “Yahweh is my provider.” As it is said to this day, “In Yahweh’s mountain it will be provided. ¹⁵ The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, ¹⁶ and said, “I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate of his enemies. ¹⁸ In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” ¹⁹ So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
  
  WP-Bible plugin (thirdmill.org)