Longing to Know and Make Known The Astonishing Grace of God

SUNDAY WORSHIP December 27, 2020

Welcome!

We are glad you are with us today. Oak Hills is a church of broken people who have been redeemed, and astonished, by God’s abundant and free grace offered in the gospel of Christ. In everything we do, we aim to unpack the greatness and implications of that gospel. In this gospel we encounter two powerful truths that shape our entire lives and relationship with God: we are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe, and we are more accepted and loved than we ever dared hope. Our prayer is that these gospel truths would shape us into a community and fellowship worth joining. May you be satisfied in fresh ways today through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you are visiting with us today, we would love the chance to get to know you. Please fill out the tear-off contact card in the back of the bulletin and place it in the offering plate. We trust that you will find Oak Hills to be a warm community of people eager to care for you. Let us know if you have any questions.

The word "" simply means "coming." During the season of Advent we remember and celebrate the first coming of Jesus Christ. He came in humility, uniting his divine nature with human nature, in order to give his life as a ransom for many. Our hopes for salvation and eternal life are achieved in Christ's first Advent. The season of Advent, however, also is a time for anticipating Christ's second coming. Jesus will return as the conquering King in order to complete that which he began in his first coming. Sin and death, and all their ugly consequences, will be removed. Join with us in joy as we celebrate the birth of Christ and long for his second coming!

–Pastor Dale

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2020 First Sunday After

FOR YOUR REFLECTION

I do not know how the story could say more clearly that Christ is for anyone who will have Him and that Christ is for you, whoever you may be. You may be unimportant in the eyes of most people or you may be very important, a mere cog in the machine or a celebrity. You may be poor or rich. You may be ignorant or well educated. You may be near Christ or far from Him. None of those things matters, for the simple reason that Jesus did not come to be the Savior of the rich or poor only, or the wise or foolish only, or anything else. He came to be the Savior of the world, and that includes you. That is the great news of Christmas!

From James Montgomery Boice, The Christ of Christmas, page 116.

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Exalt God’s Astonishing Grace

PRELUDE Laura Lindberg

The Call to Worship CALL TO WORSHIP - From Psalm 98 is God’s invitation to Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His us. Biblical worship is right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. a dialogue with God where he initiates, The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his calls, and draws us by righteousness in the sight of the nations. his grace and we He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of respond in praise, humility, Israel. thanksgiving, and All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. faith. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous

Congregation reads song and sing praises! bold print. With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before

the King, the Lord!

PRAYER OF INVOCATION We respond to God’s call with prayer, O Lord, our God, you are always more ready to give your good gifts to inviting him to us than we are to seek them, and you are willing to give more than we minister to us. desire or deserve. Help us so to seek that we may truly find, so to ask that we may joyfully receive, so to knock that the door of your mercy may be opened to us through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

SONG OF PRAISE Angels We Have Heard On High (LYRICS ON PAGE 5)

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ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH WORDS AND MUSIC: TRADITIONAL FRENCH CAROL

Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains. Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? Say what may the tidings be Which inspire your heavenly song? Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Come to and see Him whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!

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Encounter God’s Astonishing Grace

Confession is a CORPORATE PRAYER OF CONFESSION normal and essential part of our Generous God, you give us the greatest gift of all: yourself. But often we relationship with find it hard to take notice; we are caught up with our own gifts, given God. Humility and and received. Forgive us, generous God, for the casual way we treat honesty about our sin is welcome and safe in your gift of love. Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. the presence of God. See Psalm 51:17; Silent Confession Isaiah 57:15; & 1 John 1:9.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON The Good News of Galatians 4:4-7 Jesus Christ is that we When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of are forgiven of our sin by faith in Christ’s woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, substitution for us on so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, the cross. God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Thanks be to God!

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND SUPPLICATION

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Pastor Stephen Sprague

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Know God’s Astonishing Grace

We believe the SCRIPTURE READING - Matthew 2:1-12 Scriptures are given 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod by inspiration of the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, God to be the rule “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star of faith and life. If 3 you are able, we when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king invite you to stand heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and in honor of God’s assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired Word. of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In

The Spirit makes the Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: reading and 6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, preaching of God’s are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; Word a powerful means of nourishing for from you shall come a ruler and comforting who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” God’s people, and 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained awakening people to from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to new faith. Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came

10 to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!

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Questions for MESSAGE - Pastor Dale Thiele Further Study or Good News of Great Joy Group Discussion: Exceedingly Great Joy 1. Read Matthew 2:1-

12. What stands out to you from this Great Ones Contrasted passage? What do we commonly think of regarding the coming

of the wise men? 2. Compare the wise men with Herod. Who has greatest access to Old Testament teaching? Why are their reactions to the news of the birth of a king so different? 3. What makes The Heart of Worship “worship” worship? Do the wise men genuinely worship Jesus? Explain. How can we know if we truly worship when we worship? 4. Read Isaiah 60:1-6.

How does this prophecy apply to Matthew 2? How does Matthew 2 tie to Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; & Rev. 5:9? To the End of the Earth

Memory Verse of the Week: Isaiah 60:3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. (ESV) 8

Experience God’s Astonishing Grace

Communion, or the PROFESSION OF FAITH Lord’s Supper, is a symbolic meal for The Belgic Confession, articles 20-21 Christians. As part of our preparation What do you believe about the work of God? to receive the bread We believe that God – who is perfectly merciful and also very just – and the cup, we profess our hope in sent his Son to assume the nature in which the disobedience had been Christ out loud. We committed, in order to bear in it the punishment of sin by his most bitter join with Christians passion and death. throughout history

and the world in making such a And what do you believe about the work of Jesus Christ? profession. We believe that Jesus Christ presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself

on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the

cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. In his Last Supper before crucifixion, Why did he endure all this? Jesus commanded his followers to “do He endured all this for the forgiveness of our sins. this in remembrance of me.” The broken What comfort does this give you? bread and the cup We find all comforts in his wounds and have no need to seek or invent represent Christ’s broken body and any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than this one and only shed blood for the sacrifice, once made, which renders believers perfect forever. sake of our salvation. By partaking of the bread and cup, you CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER are proclaiming Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus hope in this (LYRICS ON PAGE 10) salvation and, by faith, enjoy fellowship with Christ (see 1 Cor. SONG OF THANKSGIVING 10:16). The bread and cup are signs (LYRICS ON PAGE 11) and seals of God’s covenant promises to forgive our sin and make us new in Christ.

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COME THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS WORDS: CHARLES WESLE Y (ST. 1 & 4, 1745) AND MARK E. HUNT (ST . 2 & 3, 1978) MUSIC: ROWLAND PRITCHARD (1830)

Come, thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set thy people free; From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth thou art; Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

Joy to those who long to see thee, Dayspring from on high, appear; Come, thou promised Rod of Jesse, Of Thy birth we long to hear! O'er the hills the angels singing News, glad tidings of a birth; Go to him, your praises bringing; Christ the Lord has come to earth.

Come to earth to taste our sadness, He whose glories knew no end; By His life he brings us gladness, Our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend. Leaving riches without number, Born within a cattle stall; This the everlasting wonder, Christ was born the Lord of all.

Born thy people to deliver, Born a child and yet a king, Born to reign in us forever, Now thy gracious kingdom bring. By thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone; By thine all-sufficient merit, Raise us to thy glorious throne.

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O HOLY NIGHT WORDS: PLACIDE CAPPE AU DE ROQUEMAURE (ST . 1 , 1 8 4 7 ) , TRANS. JOHN DWIGHT, KEVIN HARTNETT (ST. 2 & 3, 2011), MUSIC: (1847)

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining; It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Humbly he lay, Creator come as creature, Born on the floor of a hay-scattered stall. True Son of God, yet bearing human feature, He entered earth to reverse Adam’s fall. In towering grace, he laid aside his glory, And in our place was sacrificed for sin. Fall on your knees! O hear the gospel story! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Come then to him who lies within the manger, With joyful shepherds, proclaim him as Lord. Let not the Promised Son remain a stranger; In reverent worship, make Christ your Adored. Eternal life is theirs who would receive him; With grace and peace their lives he will adorn. Fall on your knees! Receive the Gift of heaven! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine!

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Go and Make Known God’s Astonishing Grace

God has blessed us by SONG OF DEPARTURE graciously inviting us to worship and by reminding us of his To Us A Child Of Hope Is Born astonishing grace in WORDS: JOHN MORISON (1781), MUSIC (“O FO R A THOUSAND Jesus Christ. We end TONGUES”): C A R L G L A Z E R ( 1 8 2 8 ) our service with a reminder of God’s To us a child of hope is born, promises to bless us throughout our week. To us a son is giv'n, Him shall the tribes of earth obey, Him all the hosts of heav'n.

His name shall be the Prince of Peace, Forevermore adored, The Wonderful, the Counselor, The great and mighty Lord.

His pow'r, increasing, still shall spread, His reign no end shall know; Justice shall guard his throne above, And peace abound below.

To us a child of hope is born, To us a son is giv'n, The Wonderful, the Counselor, The mighty Lord of heav'n.

BENEDICTION

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Ministry Highlights

WELCOME VISITORS! If you are visiting Oak Hills (in person or virtually) we’re glad you are with us! We’d love to hear from you so we can connect and follow up. We’re here to serve and care for all. Use this form to introduce yourself to us or fill out a visitor slip found at the back of the bulletin.

END OF YEAR GIVING Thank you for your prayers and faithfulness in giving to God’s ministry through Oak Hills in 2020. You still have time to give for this year! Offerings received at church, or postmarked, or scheduled (online or through theTithe.ly App) by December 31 will be included on your end-of- year offering summary for 2020. Go to our website to learn more. Contact Gerie Owens with questions.

ONE SERVICE SUNDAY January 3, 10:30am

BIBLE READING IN 2021 As we approach the new year, this is a good time to evaluate your Bible reading habits. A daily diet of God's word is essential for your spiritual well-being. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). A Bible reading plan can help you become consistent. ESV.org has a lot of interactive plans to consider. There is no "one-size-fits-all" plan. Their printable plans can be found here.

FOR THE WOMEN Oak Hills Women Facebook Page If you have any questions about this fun, private, moderated Facebook page for the women of Oak Hill to connect on a more regular basis, contact Suzanna ([email protected]).

Wisdom & Wine (in-person) - NEW in 2021! Work through the book of Proverbs and learn a bit about wine tasting. This event, on the second Thursday of each month from 6:30-8pm, will be at Lianne Terry’s house and will include wine samples. RSVP (for Jan 14) to Lianne Terry by Monday, Jan. 11. Bring a snack to share!

Popcorn Socials (virtual for now) - NEW in 2021! The last Friday of each month at 7pm we’ll have a variety of socials highlighting the many skills of Oak Hills women! Jan. 29, is a craft night when we will be making winter hoop wreaths under the skilled direction of Eleanor Harbison.

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Join Us in Longing to Know and Make Known the Astonishing Grace of God

THE VISION OF OAK HILLS “...that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3

Be a part of what God is doing at Oak Hills. He calls us “oaks,” which means we are…

ROOTED IN THE GOSPEL Sunday Mornings – The ordinary means of grace, the Word and Sacrament, in the context of weekly worship feeds us in God’s grace.

Study the Bible with Others – Whether it is a men’s or women’s or age-specific study, or one of our Adult Christian Education classes, studying God’s Word with brothers and sisters sharpens our understanding of the gospel.

GROWING IN COMMUNITY Church Gatherings – God saves us into a community, his church. Know and be known in our community by coming to one of our regular gatherings.

Life Groups – Go deeper in knowing and being known by joining a Life Group for regular fellowship and prayer. Contact Pastor Dale ([email protected]) for more info.

Membership – Members commit to be faithful contributors to the mission and vision of Oak Hills. The Getting Acquainted Luncheon is the first step toward membership (offered periodically). Contact Pastor Dale ([email protected]) for more info.

BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING Serve the Church – The church builds itself up when each part is serving and contributing. Look for ways to serve, whether volunteering with children’s ministry, joining the worship team or serving in some other way.

Serve Your Community – You are an ambassador for Christ wherever you live or study or work. How can you love others well, meet needs, and share the gospel?

Communication is important for any relationship. We send weekly emails and periodic text message announcements. Contact Gerie Owens ([email protected]) to sign up. 14

CONTACT US PRAYER REQUESTS Please write your prayer requests

Oak Hills Presbyterian Church (PCA) in the space below. 5638 Goddard St. Shawnee, KS 66203 913.341.4500 [email protected] www.oakhillspca.com

Ministers: The Congregation Rev. Dale Thiele, Pastor, [email protected] Rev. Stephen Sprague, Assistant Pastor for Youth & Children AJ Harbison, Director of Worship Music Gerie Owens, Administrative Assistant

Elders Bill Burns, Roy Heinbach, Tony Layzell, Matt Stagemeyer, Dale Thiele, Bret Willoughby I/We would like:

Deacons  to talk to a pastor about becoming Joel Call, Jason Mauk, Jeremy Muehlbauer, Mason Welsh a Christian On sabbatical: Brandon Schwabauer  to join Oak Hills All song lyrics printed with permission CCLI #1489978  info on Sunday School

 info on Children’s Ministries

 a call from the pastor Financial General Fund Actual Budgeted Building (Best time: ) Update Offerings Expenses Expenses Fund  info on Discovering Oak Hills Sept. $13,506 $21,126 $23,033 $252 Seminar 2020

Sept. YTD $170,809 $178,546 $207,297 $3,282  info on Life Groups  info on Student Ministries  info on Men’s Ministries

 info on Women’s Ministries

 other:

 Check if you do not want to receive emails from Oak Hills

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Thanks for Visiting Us Today! THIS WEEK AT OAK HILLS We are glad you’re here! Please take December 28 - January 3 a moment to fill out this card and help us to know and serve you better. Monday, December 28 Just drop it in the offering basket. No Meetings

Name(s): Tuesday, December 29 No Meetings

Address: Wednesday, December 30

No Meetings

Phone(s): Thursday, December 31

No Meetings Email(s): Friday, January 1 Children (Name/Age/Grade): Have a Happy New Year’s Day

Saturday, January 2 No Meetings

How did you learn of us? Sunday, January 3 Sunday Morning Worship @ 10:30am; The Dragon in Our Nativity, Revelation 12; Pastor Stephen Preaching (In-Person and Live Stream); Please check all that apply: The Lord’s Supper Served  Youth

 18-21

 20-29

 30-39

 40-49

 50+

 First time guest

 Repeat guest

 Regular attender

 Member 16