Sunday, January 3, 2021 – recording
Second Sunday after Christmas
Prelude: Meditation on “Une Jeune Pucelle”
Welcome and Announcements
Gathering Hymn: “Joy to the World” – LBW # 39, vs 1 - 4
Confession & Forgiveness
Greeting & Kyrie
Canticle of Praise: “Glory to God…”
Prayer of the Day
First Reading, 1 Kings 3:4-15
Psalm # 119
Second Reading, Ephesians 1:3-14
Holy Gospel, Luke 2:40-52
Sermon
Hymn of the Day: “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” – LBW # 54,
vs 1 - 4
Nicene Creed
Prayers of the Church
The Lord’s Prayer
Blessing
Dismissal
Sending Hymn: “Go Tell It on The Mountain” - LBW # 70, vs 1 –
3
Postlude: Voluntary on “In Dulci Jubilo”
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(Congregational
responses are in bold print)
The community of
faith comes together in worship to praise God and be nurtured by His Word and
Sacrament. As the prelude begins, prepare to worship, use opportunities during
the service to practice silence, to focus upon God, and to offer prayer.
Prelude Meditation on “Une Jeune Pucelle”
Welcome and Announcements Pastor John
Gathering Hymn “Joy to the World” LBW # 39, vs 1 - 4
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let
earth receive its King; Let ev'ry heart prepare him
room And heav'n and nature
sing,
And heav'n and nature sing, And heav'n,
and heav'n and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let
all their songs employ, While fields and floods,
rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat,
repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sin
and sorrow grow Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make his blessings
flow Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love,
And wonders of his love, And wonders, wonders of his love.
Confession & Forgiveness (Pastor)
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, the Maker of
heaven and earth, the Word made flesh, the Lord and giver of life. Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and one
another…
God of glory, God of peace, we confess that we have
shunned the light that reveals the truth about us. We cling to worldly things
rather than sharing the gifts of this earth. We trust ourselves above all. Save
your people, O God; sustain the rivers and trees that sing your praise; and
free us to live boldly in the light and truth of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.
The grace of God shines upon us, bringing salvation to
the whole world. We are saved, our sins are washed away, not because of
anything we have done, but according to God’s mercy in Jesus Christ. Renewed by
the Holy Spirit, let us live in hope and joy. Amen.
Greeting (Pastor)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.
Kyrie (Worship
Assistant)
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.
Canticle of
Praise “Glory to God…” (Worship
Assistant)
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s
people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God
and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away
the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the
Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the
Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with
the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Prayer of the
Day (Pastor)
First Reading: 1 Kings 3:4-15 (Worship
Assistant)
4The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that
was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on
that altar. 5At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by
night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6And Solomon said,
“You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father,
because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in
uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and
steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7And
now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my
father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come
in. 8And your servant is in the midst of your
people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted
for multitude. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to
govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able
to govern this your great people?” 10It pleased the Lord that
Solomon had asked this. 11And God said to him, “Because you have
asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of
your enemies, but have asked for yourself
understanding to discern what is right, 12behold, I now do according
to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like
you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13I
give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other
king shall compare with you, all your days. 14And if you will walk
in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David
walked, then I will lengthen your days.” 15And Solomon awoke, and
behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of
the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings,
and made a feast for all his servants. This is the
word of the Lord, thanks
be to God.
Psalm: Psalm # 119 - read responsively (Worship Assistant)
Oh, how I love
your law! all the day long it is in my mind.
Your
commandment has made me wiser than my enemies, and it is always with me.
I have more
understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my study.
I am wiser
than the elders, because I observe your commandments.
I restrain my
feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word.
I do not
shrink from your judgments, because you yourself have taught me.
How sweet are
your words to my taste! they are sweeter than honey to my mouth.
Through
your commandments I gain understanding; therefore, I hate every lying way.
Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14 (Worship
Assistant)
God has given his holy church every
spiritual blessing. He chose us before the foundation of the world was put in
place. He adopted all who believe in Christ and calls us his children. Through
Christ we have been given the gift of salvation.
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places, 4even as he chose us in him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5he
predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according
to the purpose of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace,
with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7In him we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to
the riches of his grace, 8which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom
and insight 9making known to us the mystery of his will, according
to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10as a plan for the
fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on
earth. 11In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been
predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to
the counsel of his will, 12so that we who were the first to hope in
Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when
you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him,
were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guarantee of
our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. This is the Word of God, word of life, thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel: Luke 2:40-52 (Pastor)
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 2nd
Chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.
The favor of the Lord was upon young Jesus, declared
St. Luke. At the annual Passover festival, Jesus got caught up talking with the
rabbis in the Temple. On their return to Nazareth from Jerusalem, his parents
noticed he was missing from their group. They returned to find him conversing
with the teachers in the Temple. Frightened by his absence, Jesus responded to
his parents, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in
my Father’s house?”
40The child Jesus grew and became strong, filled with
wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. 41Now his parents went to
Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when he was
twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43And when the
feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in
Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44but supposing him to be in
the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him
among their relatives and acquaintances, 45and when they did not
find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46After
three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening
to them and asking them questions. 47And
all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48And
when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching
for you in great distress.” 49And he said to them, “Why were you
looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50And
they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51And he
went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his
mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus
increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. This is the
gospel of the Lord, praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon Pastor
John
Hymn of the Day “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” LBW # 40 vs. 1 - 4
It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious
song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to all, from heaven's all-gracious
King." The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful
wings unfurled, and still their heavenly music floats o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains, they bend on hovering wing, and ever o'er
its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing.
And you, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are
bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow, look
now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing. O rest beside the
weary road, and hear the angels sing!
For lo! the days are hastening on, by prophet seen of
old, when with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold when peace
shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, and all the world give
back the song which now the angels sing.
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; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the virgin Mary, and was made man. 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. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and
glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic 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.
Prayers
of the Church (Worship
Assistant)
(P): Rejoicing in this
new year of hope and renewal, let us bring our prayers for the church, all
creation, and the needs of the world before God. A brief silence.
(W): God of healing, bring about
renewed wellness for those who are suffering or in need in any way. You see the
deepest needs of all your children. Encourage those who are struggling to put
their trust in your hands, for you have promised to uphold all in need. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
(W): God of all
wisdom, we see in young Jesus how your wisdom shined through and caused many to
be amazed. Grant us just a fraction of your wisdom, that we would walk humbly
and prudently through life, serving and worshipping in your holy name, and
boldly acting in ways that care for those you love. Lord in your mercy, hear
our prayer.
(W): Merciful God, it
is often difficult for us to understand the depths of your grace toward us. We
know we are sinful and we need forgiveness, and yet we
struggle to offer that same gift to others. Touch our hearts that we would
understand more clearly the gift you offer us when you say, “You are forgiven.”
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
(W): Father of all,
grant faith in abundance to your youngest of disciples. Let the more mature in
faith walk with them, teaching them to follow in the ways of Christ. Protect
them from the surrounding culture that seeks to pull them away from a life in
you, and instead fills them with false notions of what is important and holy.
Let each of us invest ourselves in those who are younger than we are, thereby
passing on your love, mercy, and wisdom. Lord
in your mercy, hear our prayer.
(P): Rejoicing in the
glory of the Lord revealed to the world, we offer these and all our prayers to
you, O God of our salvation, through Christ our light. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray the prayer our Savior
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.
Blessing (Pastor)
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord’s face shine on you with
grace and mercy. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen.
Dismissal (Worship Assistant)
Go in peace. Christ is with you. Thanks be to God.
Sending Hymn “Go Tell It
On The Mountain” LBW # 70, vs 1 – 3
(Refrain): Go tell it on the
mountain, Over the hills and ev'rywhere; Go tell it
on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born!
While shepherds kept their watching O'er
silent flocks by night, Behold, throughout the heavens There shone a holy
light. (Refrain)
The shepherds feared and trembled When
lo, above the earth Rang out the angel chorus That hailed our Savior's birth. (Refrain)
Down in a lonely manger The humble Christ was born; And God set us salvation That
blessed Christmas morn. (Refrain)
Postlude Voluntary
on “In Dulci Jubilo”