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FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH (Missouri Synod) Isaiah 22. 20-25 Gerhard Grabenhofer Organist: Marianne Grabenhofer 20 “In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, 21 and I will 71 W. First St. Corning, NY Phone: 962-4970 clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit [email protected] www.faithlutherancorning.org your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Fourth in (Rorate Coeli)—20 December 2015 Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 22 And I will place on his shoulder the The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no shut, and none shall open. 23 And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure one opens. [Revelation 3.7] place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house. 24 And ORDER OF SERVICE—Order of Holy —hymnal pg. 15 they will hang on him the whole honor of his father’s house, the offspring THE PREPARATION and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. 25 In that day, TODAY WE LIGHT THE FOURTH CANDLE OF THE ADVENT WREATH. It is declares the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will called the ANGEL CANDLE. This candle reminds us of the angel who give way, and it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will be announced Jesus’ birth and who will come with Him on the Last Day. cut off, for the LORD has spoken.” Pre-service prayers (hymnal pg. 4; 102-109; 118; 170) Hymn #73 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates : (O Antiphon for 20 December) At the final stanza, the congregation turns facing the processional P: Hallelujah! O Key of David and Scepter of the house of Israel, You open Invocation hymnal pg. 15 and no one can close, You close and no one can open: Confession/ Absolution pg. 15-16 C: come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death. Hallelujah! The Blessing Of The Christmas Tree Triple Hallelujah pg. 20 In the Intercessions, when pastor prays, Let us pray to the Lord, the congregation responds with: LORD, GIVE LIGHT TO OUR HEARTS. : St. John 1. 19-28 pg. 21 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent and Levites THE SERVICE OF THE WORD from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not : (Isaiah 45.8a, b; Psalm 19.1) deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What P: Rain down, you heavens, from above then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he C: And let the skies pour down righteousness; answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an P: Let the earth open, C: Let them bring forth salvation. answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, P: The heavens declare the glory of God; “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way C: And the firmament shows His handiwork. of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 (Now they had been sent from [Glory to the Father] pg. 16 the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are

neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I [Lord] pg. 17 baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he Gloria in Excelsis [Glory in the highest] [omitted until Christmas] who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was Salutation/ pg. 19 baptizing. P: Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, and help us with Your great might, that by Your grace whatever is hindered by our sins may be speedily pg. 22 accomplished through Your mercy; who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Hymn: #62 Oh, Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel —Isaiah 22.20-25 O Key of David and Scepter of the house of Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open: come Your mercy, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death. [Silence for meditation] THE SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT pg. 24-25 pg. 22 (Holy) pg. 26 Offering The Lord’s Prayer and pg. 27 STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT: “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about () pg. 28 anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let The Distribution of our Lord’s true body and blood for the forgiveness of sin your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:5-6 ESV). Wouldn't you and the strengthening of faith like to be free from worry and anxiety? Isn't it worry and anxiety that often keep us from living the generous life God has called us to? St. Paul TODAY WE CELEBRATE HOLY COMMUNION. “Advent” means “coming.” contrasts anxiety with prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving in making our Christ came in the flesh at Bethlehem, He comes now in Word and requests known to God. In other words, when you are tempted to anxiety Sacrament, and He will come again in judgment. As we look forward to His and worry: pray to the Lord with a thankful heart and pour out your final coming, we find our deepest joy and comfort in His present coming supplications before Him. with His very body and blood for our forgiveness. Because of our sincere concern that each person communing receives Jesus’ body and blood to his The Prayer of the Church or her soul’s benefit, we practice and invite to the Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people Lord’s Table members in good standing of a congregation of the Lutheran according to their needs. Church-Missouri Synod. If you are such a guest and desire the holy Brief silence Sacrament, please speak with the pastor before the service. For the whole of Christ’s Church, that we would in joy bring to Him all our concerns in prayer and thanksgiving, and so know the peace that passes (Now You dismiss) and Thanksgiving pg. 29 understanding, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. Salutation/ Benedicamus/ pg. 31 For the nations of the world, that in every place the people who delight in Hymn: #74 Once He Came In Blessing war would be scattered and peace be established, that the hungry may be The congregation faces the processional cross as it leaves fed with good things, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. Silent Prayer For our parish, that as we anticipate with joy celebrating our Savior’s birth, TELL THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS we might all have the faith of blessed Mary to believe everything that the ANNOUNCEMENTS Lord has spoken to us, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. Today—Christmas Cookie Exchange after service For the schools of the Church, that our young people may be taught to Tuesday—Newsletter Deadline Bible Study 6 pm delight in and treasure the Word of God above all riches, let us pray to the Thursday—Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols 7 pm Lord: Lord, have mercy. Remember to bring your poinsettia with you For those who are ill and those who are suffering, that the love of Christ Friday—Blessed Christmas—Start reading in God Grant It pg. 72 may surround and sustain them and bring them whatever healing is in Sunday—Coffee Hour accord with His own perfect will, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. 03 January—Epiphany dinner after service For all who eat today of the Feast of Joy, that in the Savior’s body and PLEASE PRAY FOR: Virginia Butler, Dan Fraser, Jonna Holden, Shirley blood they may be granted a blessed foretaste of the feast to come, for the Olinger, Tom Pawlak, Walt and Karen Weiner. strengthening of their faith and the growth of their love, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.  Welcome to Faith! God’s House is your home. Божий будинок, твій дім! Redeemer of the world. Lead us to repent of all our sins, and so The members of Faith Lutheran are glad to have you join us as we gather humble ourselves that we may be prepared to receive Him with around the Word and Sacraments of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is where gladness and to join in singing: to the Son of David! Blessed we find our source of forgiveness and life before God. It is our prayer that is He Who comes in the name of the Lord; through Jesus Christ, Your you also may rejoice in the precious message of the Gospel of our Lord: Son, our Lord Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit ever “But God, Who is rich in mercy, loved us with such a great love. He made us one God, world without end. who were dead in sins alive with Christ. You have been saved by grace”

(Eph. 2. 4, 5). Visitors, please be sure to sign the Guest Book in the entry. PRAYER: Lord God, heavenly Father, it is right that we thank You that by Pastor Grabenhofer stands ready to serve you in any way consistent with John the Baptizer You have given us holy baptism—for it is rich in grace— his office. and that You let us be baptized. For the sake of Your dear Son, Christ Jesus,  You promise us in baptism the forgiveness of sins, the Holy Spirit and LUTHER NOTES: We know where our sins have been placed, eternal life. We pray that You would keep us trusting in Your grace and since there are only two places where they can be: either hanging on mercy so that we never doubt Your promise to us in baptism, but that we, our necks, or on Christ, the Lamb of God. If they are on us we are instead, are comforted by it in every temptation. By Your Holy Spirit grant lost; if on Christ, then we are free and saved. that we keep ourselves from sin and remain in that purity to which we have come in baptism. And, when, in our human weakness, we fall and sin, We must hear the Word that comes to us from outside of us and not grant that we do not remain laying in sin but that by true repentance we despise it, as some think. For God will not come to you in your turn and again comfort ourselves with Your promise to us in baptism so that we may be saved eternally by Your grace. Amen. private room and talk with you. It is decreed that the external Word must be preached and come first. Thereupon after one has heard : Philippians 4. 4-7 Rejoice! This joy is a fruit and result of faith…. It the Word and taken it to heart, the Holy Spirit comes, the is impossible for a heart to rejoice in God which does not first believe in Schoolmaster, and gives power to the Word, so that it strikes root…. Him. Where there is no faith, there is only fear, flight, timidity, and sorrow Therefore we must grant the Gospel this honor and concede to it this as soon as God is even thought of or named; indeed, there is hatred and glory that it is a means and a way, as it were, a pipe, through which enmity toward God in such hearts. The reason for this is that the heart the Holy Spirit flows and comes into our hearts. This is why St. Paul finds itself guilty in its conscience and has no confidence that God is tells the Galatians that they received the Holy Spirit, not through the gracious and favorable, since it knows that God is the enemy of sin and works of the Law but the preaching of faith (3.2), and, writing to the horribly punishes it…. It is the just and righteous who are to rejoice in the Romans, he draws this conclusion (10.17): “Faith comes by hearing, Lord. [Luther] and hearing by the Word of God.” From this it follows that they act GOSPEL: John 1. 19-28 John was the Elijah of whom Malachi (4.5-6) spoke, foolishly, yea, against God’s order and institution, who despise and who would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, a man of God, reject the external Word, thinking the Holy Spirit and faith should who went before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah; but he was not come to them without means. It will indeed be a long time before that Elijah in the sense of the Jews: the real Elijah, who they thought would that will happen. return from heaven to earth. Who he really was, John testified with the Word of the prophet Isaiah: he is the voice crying in the wilderness, Advent Collect: Everlasting God, by the mouths of Your prophets and preparing the way of the Lord through his preaching of repentance and of old, You proclaimed the advent of Your Son, our Lord and baptism. [Stoeckhardt] Savior Jesus Christ, the Desire of all nations, the Hope of Israel, the