This is part of the worship series,
"Be Not Afraid”
Series Introduction and Prelude
Advent 1 | Advent 2 | Advent 3 | Advent 4 |
Longest Night | Christmas Eve | Epiphany 1 | Epiphany 2
Advent 4
Fear of a Ruined Reputation
Joy to the World, the Lord Is Come!
Advent Candle Lighting: Joy
As we anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ, we light candles of hope, love, and peace as reminders of the promise that Emmanuel is our God with us and that God graciously gives us these gifts even if they sometimes come in ways that are mysterious to us. [Light three candles.] On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of joy. We fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him, he came down to earth and took on our humanity, endured the cross with all its shame and sat down at the right hand of God in heaven. The day is coming when there will be everlasting joy to the world, for our Lord will come! Let all the earth receive her king! We light this candle of joy in anticipation of that day. [Light fourth candle.] Please stand as we join our voices with the heavenly voices to sing our joy.
—Some sentences adapted from Hebrews 12:2
Songs
“Joy to the World” (st. 1–2, 4) Watts
“O Come, All Ye Faithful” (st. 1–3) Wade
Greeting From God
We Greet Each Other
Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room
Song
“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (st. 1, 3–4) Wesley
Prayer of Confession
Come, thou long-expected Jesus, come. Sometimes we have a hard time imagining that you would come down from the glorious splendor of heaven to be born in a Bethlehem stable with straw, mud, and animals all around. We cannot imagine that you willingly took on our broken human flesh with bodies that ache and suffer from illness and pain. You walked into our sadness, into wars, into violence and persecution, and you did this all for us. We confess that it is difficult to comprehend and difficult to believe. Why, Lord, would you do that for us? We call you Emmanuel, God with us, but how often do we live out this Christmas story with the truth that your incarnation was for us? Continue to enter in, Emmanuel. Enter into our darkness and give us light. Enter into our lives and change them for your good purposes. Enter into our hearts and still them with the words “Be not afraid.”
Song
“Imagine” Getty
Assurance of Pardon / Guide to Grateful Living
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
—Philippians 2:5–11
Children of God, this is the God who forgives our sins and calls us to obedience and love. Thanks be to God.
He Comes to Make His Blessings Flow Far as the Curse Is Found
Scripture Reading
Matthew 1:18–25
Message
“The Fear of a Ruined Reputation”
Response with Song
“Christ, Be Our Light” (st. 1–2, 4–5) Farrell
He Rules the World with Truth, Grace, and Wonders of His Love
Call to Service
By the power of your Spirit,
we will walk in the light.
In times of joy and gladness,
we will walk in the light.
In times of sorrow and despair,
we will walk in the light.
Called to witness to your love,
we will share the light.
Parting Blessing
Song
“Jesus, the Light of the World” (st. 1–2, 4)Wesley
