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
Epiphany 1
Fear of Strangers 1
“Arise, Shine, for Your Light Has Come”
Responsive Call to Worship
May the light of God’s love push back the darkness.
We come to the light from the four corners of the earth,
from the north, from the south, from the east, and from the west.
We come from many nations and many cultures.
But we are all one in Jesus Christ.
We come seeking the light that guides us to life.
But we are all one in Jesus Christ.
Let us lift up our many voices and praise the God of all people.
—From Reformed Worship 63, © 2002, Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church
Song
“Jesus, the Light of the World”(st. 1–2, 4) Wesley
Greeting from God
We Greet Each Other
“See, Darkness Covers the Earth, and Thick Darkness Is Over the Peoples”
In-Between Words
God calls us to live in the light and to walk as people of the light. But on this Epiphany Sunday, we come before the Lord in prayer to confess that we still walk in darkness. We make personal decisions that drive us into the darkness. Our world is one filled with darkness, brokenness, and despair. We are deeply in need of Jesus Christ, the light of the world, to enter in and shine on us. Together we confess in song our need for light.
Sung Prayer of Confession
“Christ, Be Our Light” (st. 1, 3, 5) Farrell
Assurance of Pardon
The light of God shines in the darkness. God is calling the whole world together in unity to walk in the light as beloved and chosen people. Open your hearts to God’s light and to one another. Thanks be to God.
Song
“We Are Called”(st. 1–2) Haas
“Nations Will Come to Your Light, and Kings to the Brightness of Your Dawn”
Scripture Reading
Matthew 2:1–12
Message
“Fear of Strangers” (Part 1)
Declaration of Promises
Remember that at [one] time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus [we] who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.
—Ephesians 2:12–14
