This confession and assurance originally appeared in "Be Not Afraid—Advent 4: Fear of a Ruined Reputation."
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.
Revised Common Lectionary
Years A, B, C: Christmas—The Holy Name of Jesus
