Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Welcomes You
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Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Welcomes You November 29, 2020 – 8:00 & 10:45 A.M. Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church & School 4333 Cleveland Avenue, Stevensville, MI 49127 Phone: (269) 429-7222 – Church (269) 429-7111 - School www.christ-luth.org Sunday Services: 8:00 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. Sunday School and Bible Class: 9:30 a.m.. Thursday Evening Service at 7:00 p.m. Christian Day School: Preschool through 8th grade Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Stevensville, MI November 29, 2020 8:00 & 10:45 A.M. The First Sunday in Advent As We Gather Advent, with its strange opening number, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, is to open our eyes to the wonder that God keeps coming, entering into dialogue with us, to speak in love, and in judgment in love, where we least expect: in a man sitting on a donkey – God’s huge joke, if you will – always appearing to be less than He really is, so we can recognize Him in His love, in the big, overbearing problems of a world in radical change, or in the simple delights of daily life. He’s literally all over the place hoping that we’ll have the eyes to see and the ears to listen to His coming. (Edmund A. Steimle [1907-1988]; From Death to Birth) Hymn ~ “The Advent of Our King” ............................................................ Hymn 331 1 The advent of our King Our prayers must now employ, And we must hymns of welcome sing In strains of holy joy. 2 The everlasting Son Incarnate deigns to be, Himself a servant’s form puts on To set His servants free. 3 O Zion’s daughter, rise To meet your lowly King, Nor let your faithless heart despise The peace He comes to bring. 4 As judge, on clouds of light, He soon will come again And His true members all unite With Him in heav’n to reign. 5 Before the dawning day Let sin’s dark deeds be gone, The sinful self be put away, The new self now put on. 1 6 All glory to the Son, Who comes to set us free, With Father, Spirit, ever one Through all eternity. Text (sts. 1–6): Public domain Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Confession and Absolution Stand Invocation ............................................................................................................... Page 151 The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism. P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen. P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Silence for reflection on God's Word and for self-examination. P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father. C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen. P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen. 2 Introit Behold, your king is com- | ing to you;* righteous and having sal- | vation. To you, | O Lord,* I lift | up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be | put to shame;* let not my enemies exult | over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be | put to shame;* they shall be ashamed who are wantonly | treacherous. Glory be to the Father and | to the Son* and to the Holy | Spirit; as it was in the be- | ginning,* is now, and will be forever. | Amen. Behold, your king is com- | ing to you;* righteous and having sal- | vation. Ps. 25:1–3; antiphon: Zech. 9:9b, alt. Kyrie .......................................................................................................................... Page 152 Note: the “Gloria In Excelsis” (the song of the angels from Luke 2) is omitted in Advent to be sung again with vigor on Christmas. 3 4 Salutation and Collect of the Day P Let us pray. P Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Sit Reading from the Book of Concord The Augsburg Confession, Article III – The Son of God Our churches teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God [John 1:14], assumed the human nature in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. So there are two natures—the divine and the human—inseparably joined in one person. There is one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried. He did this to reconcile the Father to us and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of mankind [John 1:29]. He also descended into hell, and truly rose again on the third day. Afterward, He ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. There He forever reigns and has dominion over all creatures. He sanctifies those who believe in Him, by sending the Holy Spirit into their hearts to rule, comfort and make them alive. He defends them against the devil and the power of sin. The same Christ will openly come again to judge the living and the dead, and so forth, according to the Apostles’ Creed. 5 Readings from Holy Scripture Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 64:1–9 1Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence— 2as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence! 3When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. 4From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. 5You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? 6We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities. ) 8But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. 9Be not so terribly angry, O LORD, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people. P This is the Word of the Lord C Thanks be to God. P Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. C Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem. P Behold, your king is coming to you; C righteous and having salvation. P Blessèd is he who comes in the name of the Lord. C From the house of the Lord we bless you. Zech. 9:9; Ps. 118:26, alt. 6 Epistle Lesson 1 Corinthians 1:3–9 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. P This is the Word of the Lord C Thanks be to God. Verse P Alleluia. Lift up your heads, O gates! C be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Alleluia. Ps. 24:7 Stand Alleluia and Verse Holy Gospel Mark 11:1–10 P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 11th chapter C Glory to You, O Lord. 1Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat.